Scripture John 1:35-51
LIVING ILLUSTRATION – Have WOW leader lead the children through the sanctuary doing interesting movements and up and out the C isle.
John 1:35-51
The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. 36 When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, "Look, the Lamb of God!" 37 When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. 38 Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, "What do you want?" They said, "Rabbi" (which means Teacher), "where are you staying?"
39 "Come," he replied, "and you will see." So they went and saw where he was staying, and spent that day with him. It was about the tenth hour. 40 Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. 41 The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, "We have found the Messiah" (that is, the Christ). 42 And he brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, "You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas" (which, when translated, is Peter).
43 The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, "Follow me." 44 Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida. 45 Philip found Nathanael and told him, "We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote — Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph." 46 "Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?" Nathanael asked. "Come and see," said Philip. 47 When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, "Here is a true Israelite, in whom there is nothing false." 48 "How do you know me?" Nathanael asked. Jesus answered, "I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you." (We don’t have to prove Jesus – he already knows the person you are leading to Jesus – just let Jesus do the internal work.) 49 Then Nathanael declared, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel." 50 Jesus said, "You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You shall see greater things than that." 51 He then added, "I tell you the truth, you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man."
WHO LED YOU TO JESUS?
Closer look at the text:
The first person we meet in our text is John the Baptist.
John the Baptist was born in 5 B.C. 6 months before Jesus was born. His father Zechariah was a priest who served at Jerusalem's temple. His mother Elizabeth, related to Jesus' mother Mary, was in the lineage of Aaron. Bible prophecy foretold of John’s coming and of him being like a voice crying in the wilderness in the spiritual power of Elijah. He was a Nazarite from birth, he could not drink any alcohol, cut his hair, and had other restrictions according to Numbers chp 6.
John the Baptist spent most of his life living in a mountainous area of Judah that was between Jerusalem and the Dead Sea. His ministry began when he was 30. It lasted for about three years until put in prison by Herod Antipas for speaking out against his unlawful marriage. Because of a promise Herod made to his wife's daughter Salome, he had the Baptist beheaded just before the Passover in the Spring of 29 A.D.
John the Baptist had an effective and popular ministry which drew the attention not only of the average person but also of Priests, Pharisees, Sadducees, Herod Antipas (Roman ruler of Galilee and Perea) and others. He also drew his share of disciples. In Acts 19 – long after John’s death, Paul found a group of 12 men who thought they were Christians but had only been baptized with John’s baptism for repentance so were then baptized into the name of Jesus and received the Holy Spirit. The first two people to follow Jesus were first followers of John the Baptist.
John 1:35-51
The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, "Look, the Lamb of God!" When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, "What do you want?" They said, "Rabbi" (which means Teacher), "where are you staying?"
39 "Come," he replied, "and you will see." So they went and saw where he was staying, and spent that day with him. It was about the tenth hour. (4:00 pm He remembers the exact hour) Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, "We have found the Messiah" (that is, the Christ). 42 And he brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, "You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas" (which, when translated, is Peter/ROCK).
43 The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, (Jesus sought out Philip - John 15:16 “You did not choose me, but I chose you”) he said to him, "Follow me." 44 Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida. Philip found Nathanael and told him, "We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote — Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph." "Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?" Nathanael asked. (Not everyone will respond positively or right away). "Come and see," said Philip. 47 When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, "Here is a true Israelite, in whom there is nothing false." "How do you know me?" Nathanael asked. Jesus answered, "I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you." (We don’t have to prove Jesus – he already knows the person you are leading to Jesus – just let Jesus do the internal work.) Then Nathanael declared, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel." Jesus said, "You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You shall see greater things than that." He then added, "I tell you the truth, you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man."
Church Unique – 5 things every church should do – things not unique to us but we will look at how we uniquely accomplish them – the second third and fourth thing we never but in a logical order – but number one and two ought to be true for every church.
1 Do all we can to see others come to saving faith in Jesus Christ
5 Once the person has come to faith, they too should do all they can to lead others to a saving faith in Jesus Christ.
Why do we not see more people doing number 5? Simple – we don’t like to push people. I want to let you in on a little secret – you shouldn’t push people, you should lead them. Ther eis a huge difference. Pushing someone toward faith and leading someone toward faith is like the difference between doing something because you are motivated or because you intend to do whatever that things is.
Motivation vs intention 5 people bear / person / cabin / locked door / open window
Summary of who followed who:
Andrew followed Jesus. Then Andrew got Peter to follow him to Jesus
Then Andrew got a young boy with bread and fish to follow him to Jesus
Then Andrew got Greeks to follow him to Jesus.
Philip followed Jesus. Then Philip got Nathaniel to follow him to Jesus.
Then Philip got Andrew who got the Greeks to follow him to Jesus.
Then Philip got the Ethiopian Eunuch to follow him to Jesus.
The woman at the well followed Jesus. Then she got her village to follow her to Jesus.
Paul followed Jesus. Then Paul got the Gentiles to follow him to Jesus.
Then Paul got the world to follow him to Jesus.
Paul, though his writings still gets others to follow him to Jesus.
Summary of MY story: People who led me to follow Jesus:
Epworth United Methodist Church
Glenwood United Methodist Church
Mr. Mefford – pee wee base ball coach
Mrs. Bland – 6th grade private tutor
Awana leaders - Steve
Bryan Hitch, Rev. Hitch, Pat McClaskey
John 15:16 “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit-fruit that will last.”
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