Series Title: Encountering Jesus, Strengthening our faith as we explore/ journey through the fourth Gospel.
Series Focus. A study of what it means to be Children of God. The One who lived, among us through Jesus.
Sermon Title: The first disciple of Jesus.
Sermon Text: John 1:35-51
Sermon Subject: How do we become true disciples of Jesus who calls us to himself?
Sermon objective: To create awareness among my congregation on the call to Christian Faith- discipleship
Introduction
In our first sermon in this series, we concluded by a question which ought to be our starting point in part two. How then should we be true disciple? The lesion in focus is important not only because it record the first beginnings of the faith of a particular disciple, but also because it introduces the interpretation of the words in the opening of the fourth gospel. “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.”v14. as seen in the first sermon.
The calling of the first disciple is kind of uniform. I may want us to look at this section as a map to our Christian journey of inclusion.
Vv 35-37, John the Baptist saw Jesus and he pointed his own disciple to him. Here we see John the Baptist with two of his disciples who did not hesitate after being told of Jesus. To them this was a clear and sufficient indication that time has come for them to leave their master and follow the new found Master.
Vv 38-39, Jesus’ encounter with the first two Disciples. For the two disciples it was not easy to leave the one they know and follow the one they have been hearing of. Every call has its roughness and of course better side. To them Jesus asked what they wanted. It does not sound friendly or welcoming. Does it?
Vv 40-42, Simon was brought to Jesus. Most commentators have called this section evangelism by brother. It introduces to us one of the two disciples Andrew, who is identified as the brother to Peter. He found his own brother Simon and brought him to Christ,
Vv 43-44, Again Jesus call Phillip. By simple words “follow me” Phillip was made a disciple
Vv 45-51, Nathaniel brought to Jesus by Phillip. As Andrew did to Simon, Phillip found Nathaniel and points him to Jesus.
Explanation
The first unnamed disciples of John take him by his simple words as he pointed them to Jesus. They maynot have grasped the depth of the meaning of “lamb of God” But it is evident that they probably understood that John was pointing this Man (Jesus) out to them as the coming one of who he had spoken before. Reading this Verse alone it does not tell us that they had heard about him before this. All the same they were eager to know more about him
Jesus invited them to go with him. An invitation that they had scarcely dared to hope was extended to them- “Come and see”- v 39. The same invitation is to those who want to know him better.
In verse 40 Andrew is named as one of the two who followed Jesus after John pointed them to him. He brings his own Brother Simon to Jesus. How wonderful it is for family member to introduce the other to Christ. This is what I teamed as our map to introducing others to Christ. Andrew began his evangelism in Jerusalem. What many people refer to as at door step. What point would it make if he followed alone without involving his brother?
In the following verse, we notice Jesus taking the initiative to involve himself in calling of disciples. It seems that Jesus and his new disciples, namely Andrew, Simon and the other unnamed to this point who was John’s disciple are working as a team to bring others closer. See v 43 “the next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Phillip…..” And the number of disciple became four. Notice teamwork. See also the Method that all of them use to bring others in.
Phillip was not also to be left out in the campaign. He found Nathaniel and by his witness
brought him to Jesus. As many will doubt the truth as told to them, This is clear in John 1:11 “He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him.”It seemed incredible to Nathaniel that obscure Nazareth could be home of the promised one. notice the words Phillip used to convince him of Jesus. “come and see” v 46. Jesus used the same words to Andrew and the other disciple. They seem to be magical words. Jesus does not only know him by name, but also by character. He is a true Israel. Jesus knows his own by name. The proof of Jesus miraculous power overwhelms Nathaniel and he had to confess that Jesus his the son of God, king of Israel.
Nathaniel might have known Jesus even before he was brought to him by Phillip. He may have heard about him. look at the title he gives him King of Israel. He may have known him way back before but he had not confess him as such. This is very common of most Christians today. Many christians know who God is through Christ but they do not want to belief it and confess. Taking a step forward as Nathaniel is an important step towards christian maturity.
Illustration
A Methodist bishop once preached on a sermon Titled "Fishing on other people’s baskets.” The encounter of the disciple of John with Jesus seems as though Jesus is making disciples out of what other have made. The bishop concluded his sermon by saying there are many people who work very little waiting to harvest much.
This is but a poor illustration which shows how Jesus made is first disciples.
Application
Here we see John the Baptist point beyond himself. There was no jealousy in him. His aim is to bring men not to himself but to Jesus. How do we point others to Jesus? Are we doing it as John did or we keep what we know about Jesus to ourselves?
Here we have the symbol of divine initiative. Jesus turned and spoke to them. See v 38.
It is always God who takes the first step. When we begin to seek and search in vain, God comes to meet us far more that halfway.
ar
Christians should put ourselves in the shoes of Andrew. Most of us may not know who Andrew was, for he lived under the shadow of Peter his brother. William Barclay points out that Andrew was not one of the inner circles of disciples. Note that we know his brother Peter more who is in the forefront even to a point of going with Jesus to mount of transfiguration. Andrew never resented this for example. Andrew was quite content to stand back and let his brother have the lime light... To him matters of precedence and place of honor mattered nothing at all. Is this not a quality that each of as may desire to have? All that mattered to him was to be with Jesus and serve him. We should desire the same as his followers.
Finally I may want us look at Phillip and Nathaniel Phillip could not keep the good news to himself. He found his friend Nathaniel and told him. Note that Nathaniel was positioning himself for arguments, but Phillip simply said to him “Come and see.” This is wisdom. When we introduce people to Christ, most times they enter into arguments. Which most times do more harm than good? The only way to do it in a more Christly manner is to point them to Christ.
I know many Christians who have gone into arguments about their faith and believe, and they become more hurt in the process. Be a pointer to the truth. We are his disciples, ours is to follow as he leads.
Conclusion
I am thrilled by the response of these men who were called to follow Jesus. They seem to be humble men of prayer and search hungering for the truth as they see in the Messiah. Shouldn’t this be our desire too?
Their desire to follow as disciples leaving what they have to be with Jesus is amazing. Most of them as we have seen, have found what they have been looking for.
It could be well if every now and again we were to ask ourselves, what we are looking for. What are we looking for in life? What is the aim that we have as a Christian?
In the series, the story is a great one in the sense that it tells how Jesus looks at man. He looks and sees what man will become. See how he talks about peter. He saw him as one who would become the rock on which to build his church. About Nathaniel he said to him that he is a true Israelite on who there is no guile.
Jesus looks at men and sees the possibilities in them. “He says give your life to me and I will make you what you have it in you to be”
William Barclay- Commentary on the Gospel of John, Vol 1
Series Focus. A study of what it means to be Children of God. The One who lived, among us through Jesus.
Sermon Title: The first disciple of Jesus.
Sermon Text: John 1:35-51
Sermon Subject: How do we become true disciples of Jesus who calls us to himself?
Sermon objective: To create awareness among my congregation on the call to Christian Faith- discipleship
Introduction
In our first sermon in this series, we concluded by a question which ought to be our starting point in part two. How then should we be true disciple? The lesion in focus is important not only because it record the first beginnings of the faith of a particular disciple, but also because it introduces the interpretation of the words in the opening of the fourth gospel. “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.”v14. as seen in the first sermon.
The calling of the first disciple is kind of uniform. I may want us to look at this section as a map to our Christian journey of inclusion.
Vv 35-37, John the Baptist saw Jesus and he pointed his own disciple to him. Here we see John the Baptist with two of his disciples who did not hesitate after being told of Jesus. To them this was a clear and sufficient indication that time has come for them to leave their master and follow the new found Master.
Vv 38-39, Jesus’ encounter with the first two Disciples. For the two disciples it was not easy to leave the one they know and follow the one they have been hearing of. Every call has its roughness and of course better side. To them Jesus asked what they wanted. It does not sound friendly or welcoming. Does it?
Vv 40-42, Simon was brought to Jesus. Most commentators have called this section evangelism by brother. It introduces to us one of the two disciples Andrew, who is identified as the brother to Peter. He found his own brother Simon and brought him to Christ,
Vv 43-44, Again Jesus call Phillip. By simple words “follow me” Phillip was made a disciple
Vv 45-51, Nathaniel brought to Jesus by Phillip. As Andrew did to Simon, Phillip found Nathaniel and points him to Jesus.
Explanation
The first unnamed disciples of John take him by his simple words as he pointed them to Jesus. They maynot have grasped the depth of the meaning of “lamb of God” But it is evident that they probably understood that John was pointing this Man (Jesus) out to them as the coming one of who he had spoken before. Reading this Verse alone it does not tell us that they had heard about him before this. All the same they were eager to know more about him
Jesus invited them to go with him. An invitation that they had scarcely dared to hope was extended to them- “Come and see”- v 39. The same invitation is to those who want to know him better.
In verse 40 Andrew is named as one of the two who followed Jesus after John pointed them to him. He brings his own Brother Simon to Jesus. How wonderful it is for family member to introduce the other to Christ. This is what I teamed as our map to introducing others to Christ. Andrew began his evangelism in Jerusalem. What many people refer to as at door step. What point would it make if he followed alone without involving his brother?
In the following verse, we notice Jesus taking the initiative to involve himself in calling of disciples. It seems that Jesus and his new disciples, namely Andrew, Simon and the other unnamed to this point who was John’s disciple are working as a team to bring others closer. See v 43 “the next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Phillip…..” And the number of disciple became four. Notice teamwork. See also the Method that all of them use to bring others in.
Phillip was not also to be left out in the campaign. He found Nathaniel and by his witness
brought him to Jesus. As many will doubt the truth as told to them, This is clear in John 1:11 “He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him.”It seemed incredible to Nathaniel that obscure Nazareth could be home of the promised one. notice the words Phillip used to convince him of Jesus. “come and see” v 46. Jesus used the same words to Andrew and the other disciple. They seem to be magical words. Jesus does not only know him by name, but also by character. He is a true Israel. Jesus knows his own by name. The proof of Jesus miraculous power overwhelms Nathaniel and he had to confess that Jesus his the son of God, king of Israel.
Nathaniel might have known Jesus even before he was brought to him by Phillip. He may have heard about him. look at the title he gives him King of Israel. He may have known him way back before but he had not confess him as such. This is very common of most Christians today. Many christians know who God is through Christ but they do not want to belief it and confess. Taking a step forward as Nathaniel is an important step towards christian maturity.
Illustration
A Methodist bishop once preached on a sermon Titled "Fishing on other people’s baskets.” The encounter of the disciple of John with Jesus seems as though Jesus is making disciples out of what other have made. The bishop concluded his sermon by saying there are many people who work very little waiting to harvest much.
This is but a poor illustration which shows how Jesus made is first disciples.
Application
Here we see John the Baptist point beyond himself. There was no jealousy in him. His aim is to bring men not to himself but to Jesus. How do we point others to Jesus? Are we doing it as John did or we keep what we know about Jesus to ourselves?
Here we have the symbol of divine initiative. Jesus turned and spoke to them. See v 38.
It is always God who takes the first step. When we begin to seek and search in vain, God comes to meet us far more that halfway.
ar
Christians should put ourselves in the shoes of Andrew. Most of us may not know who Andrew was, for he lived under the shadow of Peter his brother. William Barclay points out that Andrew was not one of the inner circles of disciples. Note that we know his brother Peter more who is in the forefront even to a point of going with Jesus to mount of transfiguration. Andrew never resented this for example. Andrew was quite content to stand back and let his brother have the lime light... To him matters of precedence and place of honor mattered nothing at all. Is this not a quality that each of as may desire to have? All that mattered to him was to be with Jesus and serve him. We should desire the same as his followers.
Finally I may want us look at Phillip and Nathaniel Phillip could not keep the good news to himself. He found his friend Nathaniel and told him. Note that Nathaniel was positioning himself for arguments, but Phillip simply said to him “Come and see.” This is wisdom. When we introduce people to Christ, most times they enter into arguments. Which most times do more harm than good? The only way to do it in a more Christly manner is to point them to Christ.
I know many Christians who have gone into arguments about their faith and believe, and they become more hurt in the process. Be a pointer to the truth. We are his disciples, ours is to follow as he leads.
Conclusion
I am thrilled by the response of these men who were called to follow Jesus. They seem to be humble men of prayer and search hungering for the truth as they see in the Messiah. Shouldn’t this be our desire too?
Their desire to follow as disciples leaving what they have to be with Jesus is amazing. Most of them as we have seen, have found what they have been looking for.
It could be well if every now and again we were to ask ourselves, what we are looking for. What are we looking for in life? What is the aim that we have as a Christian?
In the series, the story is a great one in the sense that it tells how Jesus looks at man. He looks and sees what man will become. See how he talks about peter. He saw him as one who would become the rock on which to build his church. About Nathaniel he said to him that he is a true Israelite on who there is no guile.
Jesus looks at men and sees the possibilities in them. “He says give your life to me and I will make you what you have it in you to be”
William Barclay- Commentary on the Gospel of John, Vol 1
