THE FOLLOWERS

Book of John  •  Sermon  •  Submitted
0 ratings
· 9 views

Calling of the first disciples

Notes
Transcript

The Followers

This morning we’re in John chapter 1 verses 29-51
Let’s begin with the reading of the word, and with prayer.
Please stand if you’re able

29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is the one I told you about: ‘After me comes a man who ranks ahead of me, because he existed before me.’ 31 I didn’t know him, but I came baptizing with water so that he might be revealed to Israel.” 32 And John testified, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and he rested on him. 33 I didn’t know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The one you see the Spirit descending and resting on—he is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ 34 I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God.”,

35 The next day, John was standing with two of his disciples. 36 When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!”

37 The two disciples heard him say this and followed Jesus. 38 When Jesus turned and noticed them following him, he asked them, “What are you looking for?”

They said to him, “Rabbi” (which means “Teacher”), “where are you staying?”

39 “Come and you’ll see,” he replied. So they went and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day. It was about four in the afternoon.

40 Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard John and followed him. 41 He first found his own brother Simon and told him, “We have found the Messiah”, (which is translated “the Christ”), 42 and he brought Simon to Jesus.

When Jesus saw him, he said, “You are Simon, son of John. You will be called Cephas” (which is translated “Peter”).

PHILIP AND NATHANAEL

43 The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. He found Philip and told him, “Follow me.”

44 Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the hometown of Andrew and Peter. 45 Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the law (and so did the prophets): Jesus the son of Joseph, from Nazareth.”

46 “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Nathanael asked him.

“Come and see,” Philip answered.

47 Then Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said about him, “Here truly is an Israelite in whom there is no deceit.”

48 “How do you know me?” Nathanael asked.

“Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you,” Jesus answered.

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

50 Jesus responded to him, “Do you believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than this.” 51 Then he said, “Truly I tell you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”

We are continuing in our series from the Book of John.

LOGOS

Two weeks ago we examined Christ as Creator. The LOGOS or Word that brought about the
existence of everything.
God said… and it was so.

The Voice

Last week we continued, seeing Christ as the Light of the world and met John the Baptist, a voice
calling us to prepare for His coming
We examined our responsibility to continue declaring Christ and shining His light into the dark
world around us.

The Followers

Today we will observe as some begin to follow Jesus.
We will examine what caused them to follow Him, and how this should impact our lives today.
We’re starting in verse 29 which begins with the phrase “the next day” which requires context.
This is the day after John the Baptist had been confronted by the priests and Levites sent out by
the Pharisees to ask who he was.
He replied by talking about who he wasn’t and who he was sent to tell about. He identified
himself only as a voice. A voice sent to tell of someone much more important than himself.
So we begin in verse 29:

29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is the one I told you about: ‘After me comes a man who ranks ahead of me, because he existed before me.’ 31 I didn’t know him, but I came baptizing with water so that he might be revealed to Israel.” 32 And John testified, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and he rested on him. 33 I didn’t know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The one you see the Spirit descending and resting on—he is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ 34 I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God.”,

All of this is introductory material. John, often referred to by scholars as the evangelist, wanted to
make it clear that Jesus was the Messiah, and so he inserts his account of this day.
We continue in verse 35:
Here we find Jesus beginning to recruit followers, and in the process, laying out for us today, one
of the most powerful evangelistic techniques we can use.

Come And See

35 The next day, John was standing with two of his disciples. 36 When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!”

37 The two disciples heard him say this and followed Jesus. 38 When Jesus turned and noticed them following him, he asked them, “What are you looking for?”

They said to him, “Rabbi” (which means “Teacher”), “where are you staying?”

39 “Come and you’ll see,” he replied. So they went and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day. It was about four in the afternoon.

Come And See

As Christians today, we can use this invitation to “come and see” when people ask us what it is
that brings us to this building every week. It is one of the most basic starting blocks of beginning
to learn to share our faith with the outside world. Sometimes all we can muster the courage for is
an invitation to “come and see”.
In verse 40 we continue to learn personal evangelism, (a fancy term that just means telling
people about Jesus) from the example of one of the two who accepted Jesus invitation.

40 Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard John and followed him. 41 He first found his own brother Simon and told him, “We have found the Messiah”, (which is translated “the Christ”), 42 and he brought Simon to Jesus.

When Jesus saw him, he said, “You are Simon, son of John. You will be called Cephas” (which is translated “Peter”).

We are beginning to see a continuing pattern: when someone believes in Jesus their automatic
response is to tell someone else! This is a little easier when you’re a new believer and everyone
you know is an unbeliever. If you’ve been a Christian for a long time, or you’ve grown up in
church, it’s a little harder. Coming up soon we will be diving in to some teaching that will help us
learn some ways to step out of our Christian circles and reach more people for Christ. Stay tuned
for further details in the coming weeks.
Continuing in verse 43:

43 The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. He found Philip and told him, “Follow me.”

44 Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the hometown of Andrew and Peter. 45 Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the law (and so did the prophets): Jesus the son of Joseph, from Nazareth.”

46 “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Nathanael asked him.

“Come and see,” Philip answered.

Come And See

Nathanael is clearly not impressed with Philip’s report that the Messiah has come from Nazareth.
Nazareth was despised because of its status as a Roman garrison. It’s inhabitants were
considered collaborators and traitors. To Nathanael, the idea of the Messiah coming from
Nazareth was unthinkable. Philip seems to know that arguing with Nathanael is a lost cause, and
doesn’t even attempt it. I have friends like that. I know that generally, they are more educated
and more informed than I am, so if it comes to it, I simply show them what I’m talking about.
There is no convincing them otherwise.
Here we see Philip answering Nathanael using the same “come and see” phrase that Jesus used
to answer John’s disciples. We have that same opportunity to say “come and see”. Some of my
old army buddies would be shocked to find out that I’m a pastor now, but I can just say “come
and see”. Word about what happened to me spread far and wide after my accident, and my
recovery is simply impossible by medical and scientific standards. But God has left me here on
earth as a testimony to His greatness and power, and to all who want to know more we can say
“come and see” what God has done!

How Do You Know Me?

47 Then Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said about him, “Here truly is an Israelite in whom there is no deceit.”

48 “How do you know me?” Nathanael asked.

“Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you,” Jesus answered.

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

50 Jesus responded to him, “Do you believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than this.” 51 Then he said, “Truly I tell you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”

Just as Jesus knew Nathanael, he knows you. If He has chosen you as one of His children, if
you’re a Christian, it’s because He chose you, and if He chose you, He chose you for a purpose.
You are His disciple, and if you follow Him you will see great things!
Related Media
See more
Related Sermons
See more