The Lamb is the Owner

The Lamb is the Owner

John 1:43-51

INTRODUCTION

ILL- Tara bringing home a puppy.

Found and took ownership.

Compare to a dog that showed up in our yard with dog tags.

What makes someone a disciple of Jesus?

=Who they are following.

John 10:27 ESV

27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.

Jesus, The Lamb bought us with his blood.

His disciples live in submission- following him.

John 1:43–51 ESV

43 The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Follow me.” 44 Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. 45 Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” 46 Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” 47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!” 48 Nathanael said to him, “How do you know me?” Jesus answered him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” 49 Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” 50 Jesus answered him, “Because I said to you, ‘I saw you under the fig tree,’ do you believe? You will see greater things than these.” 51 And he said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”

4 Ways We Belong to Jesus

1. Jesus Finds Disciples (43)

John 1:43 ESV

43 The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Follow me.”

ILL- Zacchaeus

Finds and takes ownership of those willing to submit.

The story of the Bible is a story of God pursuing man.

ILL- Adam and eve

ILL- Moses

Jesus has made the step toward you.

God sent Jesus.

2. Disciples Follow Jesus (44-46)

John 1:44–46 ESV

44 Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. 45 Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” 46 Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.”

Phillip lived in obedience by finding Nathaniel.

“Can anything good come out of Nazareth.”

Nathaniel is from Bethsaida. It was the good side of the railroad tracks.

Nazareth was in the “war zone” (ABQ reference).

It was a little too close to Central.

Nathaniel was a student of the Law and Prophets.

Now he was called to “come and see” the Messiah.

He knew the Messiah was to come from Bethlehem and not Nazareth.

Gave his friend Andrew the benefit of the doubt to go and see Jesus.

We live in surrender.

Galatians 2:20 ESV

20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Galatians 5:24 ESV

24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

Surrender means obedience.

Matthew 28:20 ESV

20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

John 10:27 ESV

27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.

We were bought with a price. We are called to obedience. We have to choose to submit.

1 Corinthians 6:19–20 ESV

19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, 20 for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.

What is the difference between the Rich Ruler and the Disciples= surrender.

Luke 18:18–30 ESV

18 And a ruler asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 19 And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. 20 You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery, Do not murder, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother.’ ” 21 And he said, “All these I have kept from my youth.” 22 When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “One thing you still lack. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” 23 But when he heard these things, he became very sad, for he was extremely rich. 24 Jesus, seeing that he had become sad, said, “How difficult it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God! 25 For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” 26 Those who heard it said, “Then who can be saved?” 27 But he said, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.” 28 And Peter said, “See, we have left our homes and followed you.” 29 And he said to them, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, 30 who will not receive many times more in this time, and in the age to come eternal life.”

3. Jesus Knows Disciples (47-48)

John 1:47–48 ESV

47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!” 48 Nathanael said to him, “How do you know me?” Jesus answered him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.”

studying under a fig tree or olive tree was a sign of seriousness - It shows an expectation of God working.

John 10:27 ESV

27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.

God knows everything about us. Even insignificant things like the number of hairs on your head.

He knows your past. And loves you anyway.

He knows your ugliest sin, and died to forgive it.

4. Disciples Believe Jesus (49-51)

Believe (49)

John 1:49 ESV

49 Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!”

Belief and surrender go hand in hand.

Demons believe but they do not surrender.

Because we believe we experience.

John 1:50–51 ESV

50 Jesus answered him, “Because I said to you, ‘I saw you under the fig tree,’ do you believe? You will see greater things than these.” 51 And he said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”

Son of Man= refers to Jesus’ humanity but also as mediator between man and God.

Nathaniel would have understood quickly the reference as “Son of Man”

We experience God and heaven because of Jesus.

CONCLUSION

Stop living life as a lost puppy, without ownership.

Submit to the one who has already paid.

He has ownership. Will you give him control?