How the First Followers Followed

According to current statistics, almost 2.4 Billion people worldwide claim to be Christian. Now we probably could dispute how many of those display genuinely saving faith. After all, Southern Baptist claim to have almost 15 million member and we can’t tell you were most of them are on Sunday mornings.

I agree with former Arkansas governor, Mike Huckabee said when someone said to him, “You are one of those Baptist that think that only Baptist’s are going to heaven.” He said, “I’m worse than that, “I don’t think all of them are getting in.”

If we ask the question, “What does it look like to follow Christ.” We can look around at all those people that claim to follow Christ and deduce all kinds of different answers. But, I want to do something a bit different this morning. I want us to just look at 6 people. The first 6 people in John’s narrative to follow Jesus.

The first follower of Jesus that John points to is not someone that we typically think of as a disciple, John the Baptist. He was the forerunner of Jesus. The road builder preparing a way. But, he also understood that he needed to follow Christ. Because he understood something about the nature of humanity. He understood something that the first disciples understood and all true disciple afterwards understand.

I. They follow Jesus because they need a Savior. (vv.35-36)

John 1:35–36 ESV

35 The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples, 36 and he looked at Jesus as he walked by and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!”

This is not the first time that John the Baptist’s disciples have heard him say this. The day before this happened:

John 1:29 ESV

29 The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!

The Jews understood that sin separated them from a holy God and their had to be some kind of sacrifice to make atonement for their sins. In OT, God had taught them to use lambs as sacrifices in acts of repentance and sin offering to stand in for their transgressions and sins.

But the blood of lambs can not really atone for sin. Only a righteous man could die for a unrighteous man. And only God could save unlimited people. So, Jesus is the lamb of God. The one who has come to take away the sins from our account.

In John’s epistle he wrote:

1 John 3:5 ESV

5 You know that he appeared in order to take away sins, and in him there is no sin.

He is the only one who could atone for our sins and provide the grounds for us to be forgiven by God. John the Baptist understood to some extent the arch of redemptive history pointing to Christ as the fulfillment of all the OT promises that sinners could be forgiven of sin and restored to God.

I want you point you to another John, who 1700 years later. John Newton who had been the captain of slave ships in the 1700’s. He was later radically saved and changed by Christ. He became an Anglican cleric and strong abolitionist. As he approached the end of his life he said:

““Although my memory's fading, I remember two things very clearly: I am a great sinner and Christ is a great Savior.”

You follow Jesus first and foremost because you understand that you are a sinner without any hope of making yourself right with God. But, Christ is God’s gift to restore sinner back to himself.

II. They follow Jesus with pure motives, but not without investigation. (vv. 38-39)

John 1:37 ESV

37 The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus.

Who are these two disciples? We are going to find out that one is Andrew. We don’t know for sure who the other one is, but most scholars that I looked at said that it was probably John the apostle, the writer of this book. Consistent with the rest of the book, I can’t find where John ever recognizes himself by name.

They have been disciples of John the Baptist and they’ve heard him say now twice that Jesus is that Lamb of God who takes away the sins fo the world. So they do the obvious thing, they begin to follow Jesus. Jesus notices this and look at what Jesus asks them.

John 1:38 ESV

38 Jesus turned and saw them following and said to them, “What are you seeking?” And they said to him, “Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where are you staying?”

Notice that Jesus didn’t ask him “Who are you seeking?” He asked them, “What are you seeking?” In other words, “What are you expecting from me?” Were they seeking the removal of sin and the restoration of God? Jesus was testing their motives.

+Not everyone comes to Jesus for the right reasons. For that matter, not everyone comes to Jesus because they want to be restored to God. Some people come to Jesus because they think that he’ll make their lives easier. Or, because they think that he will act like a genie in the lamp and give them three wishes. Or, the at he will heal their loved one from illness. Or, maybe just make their dreams come true.

Then they get upset when Jesus doesn’t act exactly how they think they should act. God may not want your loved one healed. God may not want you to live in ease and great success. Did you ever think that your dreams may not line up with his will?

But, I promise you this. If you will come to him because you want desparately to find your purpose in the one who created you and find forgiveness from the inherit badness that you have been living with your whole life. You find a Savior who will give you joy, peace, satisfaction, and a life that has meaning.

-Now did Andrew and John just take John the Baptist’s word for it? No. They investigated Jesus to see for themselves if this is indeed the Messiah.

They asked him where he was staying. Jesus responded,

John 1:39 ESV

39 He said to them, “Come and you will see.” So they came and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day, for it was about the tenth hour.

Now, if the “tenth hour” meant Jewish time, which I think makes the most sense, that’s 4:00pm in the afternoon. What that is implying is that they stayed with Jesus all night long talking to him, asking him questions. And when they were done, they were convinced that Jesus was the long awaited Messiah that the Jews had been waiting for.

+Some of you may think that we are asking you to follow Jesus with blind faith. No. We are saying go and test him for yourself. We know that their is no other place that you can find the most satisfying answers to life’s hardest questions. Why are we here? Who am I? Where am I going when I die? Jesus gives life meaning because all thing were made “from him, through him, and for him.” (Rom. 11:36)

III. They follow Jesus with a missionary zeal that others know him as well. (vv.40-41)

Their was joy and missionary zeal that came from the first disciples. Out of their joy wanted other people to know who they had found.

Notice the progression. Andrew came and found his brother Simon and told him. Jesus called Philip to follow him. Philip went and found Nathaniel and told him.

*Some of you are like that with new restaurants. You find a new restaurant and you can’t wait to tell everyone you know how good it is and how they should eat there. Even better ya’ll should go together and eat there.

The first disciples knew that Jesus was better than any restaurant. But, he is the bread of life that fills the empty soul.

These first disciples first wanted to let their families know.

John 1:40 ESV

40 One of the two who heard John speak and followed Jesus was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother.

I think it is interesting the way that v.41 is written.

John 1:41 ESV

41 He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means Christ).

Several scholars have pointed out the word “first found” his own brother. Why didn’t he just say “found his own brother.” Why did he say “first.” I think it’s because both Andrew and John left immediately to find their brother and Andrew found his brother first. Before John found his. Why do I think that? Because John had a brother that had to be found too, James.

+That’s why usually after we lead someone to Christ, we say the first thing you need to do is go tell someone. It’s usually best if the first thing that you do is to go and tell your family. That’s the way that people meet Jesus, other people have to tell them.

IV. They followed with an expectation that they would be changed by the journey. (v.42)

I think we see this expectation played out in Simon’s first interaction with Jesus.

John 1:42 ESV

42 He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon the son of John. You shall be called Cephas” (which means Peter).

Jesus said that he was going to change his name. He was going to call him something different. This was a reference to a change that Jesus was going to bring to his personality. If you know much about the story of Simon. He was quite the impulsive fellow. Speaking very quickly before he thought. My dad might say that “his mouth was writing checks that his behind couldn’t cash.”

Simeon was named after another impulsive fellow, Simeon, one of Jacob’s son’s who was also impulsive, reckless, and could be quick to violence.

Jesus accepted Simon just as he was, but by calling him “Cephas” or “Peter” which means “rock.” Jesus was making him the promise that the gospel would do a transforming work in his life.

+That’s a word for us. Don’t follow Jesus and expect God to leave just as you are. He will take you just as you are but he will transform you into his character and likeness.

V. As they follow Jesus, they experience more than they ever could have dreamed. (vv. 43-51)

It is interesting that Jesus went to Philip and called him to “Follow me.” And unlike the rich young ruler, Philip followed Jesus.

Philip went and found Nathanael.

John 1:45–46 ESV

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.”

A couple of things about Nathanael. If you look in the list of apostles (Matt. 10:1-4) you want find Nathanael’s name. This is probably Bartholomew, (Matt. 10:3) which simply means “Son of Tholmai”).

Nathaniel is serious about pleasing God which is probably why Philip appeals to him using Moses and the Law.

John 1:45 ESV

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.”

In response,

John 1:46 ESV

46 Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.”

It’s possible that he was pointing to Nazareth as a rival town, like Alabama and Auburn. But I think it’s more likely that he was saying, “Has Moses or the law prophesied that anything good would come out of Nazareth?” The Messiah was suppose to be born in Bethlehem which of course true of Jesus, but they didn’t know that.

Philip responded “come and see.” (v.46) Which should always be our response to people about Jesus. We will never reason anyone to faith in Christ. Only experiencing him can do that.

And Nathaniel did experience him in a mighty way.

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.”

Jesus said, “Here’s a man of integrity.” Nathanael rightly says, “How did you know me?” “I saw you under the fig tree.” Which means in rabbinic literature to be meditating on the law.

John 1:49–51 ESV

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.”

The way Jesus responded, Nathanael had probably been reading the story of Jacob and Esau. If you remember Jacob had been a deceiver and had stolen his brother Esau’s blessing and birthright.

Genesis 27:34–35 ESV

34 As soon as Esau heard the words of his father, he cried out with an exceedingly great and bitter cry and said to his father, “Bless me, even me also, O my father!” 35 But he said, “Your brother came deceitfully, and he has taken away your blessing.”

Jacob was a deceiver and yet, God still used that deceiver. After he had fled from Esau, at Bethel Jacob has revelation from God. In Gen. 28:10-17 where he fell asleep and saw a ladder and angels on it ascending and descending from Heaven.

That sorry deceiver Jacob certainly had not earned a vision of revelation from God. Yet he received it and God used him to to be the Father of the 12 Tribes of Israel.

What Jesus was saying to Nathanael was if God can use that wrascle Jacob. God can certainly use Nathanael who was trying to please God. He would show him mighty things. Like the Kingdom of God coming to earth.

When you follow Christ, never think it’s because you deserve it. But know whoever you are, you journey to follow Christ you will see things that only God can do.