(This message may be used as an individual sermon or as part of the series.)
JOHN 1:35-51 – RECRUITED!
LIFE OF CHRIST #8 of 61
Countless thousands, of preachers, evangelists, Sunday School teachers, and missionaries have been recruited to serve the Lord Jesus Christ. And every one of us who has trusted the Lord Jesus as Savior has been recruited to be a disciple, a committed follower of our Lord and Master.
As we continue our study of the Life of Christ this morning, we see Jesus recruiting the first of his disciples. The first recruits were men whom we can learn from. Each one of the four mentioned by name in this passage have something to teach us. We find:
BACKGROUND
Vs. 35 – This is the day after John has identified Jesus as the Messiah.
There were two disciples with him, Andrew, and most likely, John, the human author of this Gospel.
Vs. 36-37 – John saw Jesus again. This time Jesus was just
walking by. John reiterated to these two disciples that here was the Lamb of God. He made it very clear that here was the one, the Messiah that John had been preaching about.
Vss. 38-39 – Jesus asked what they were looking for.
The disciples were basically asking private time with the Lord Jesus.
“Where are you living?” they ask.
“Come and see,” was Jesus’ reply.
Jesus was ready to spend time with these men.
Jesus is ready to spend time with any person who wants to learn from Him.
We should be ready to spend time with anyone who wants to learn about the Lord Jesus.
A DISCIPLE WITH A CHAMPION – Vss. 40-41
Vs. 40 – One of the first two to follow Jesus was Andrew. Andrew was a fisherman and partner with his brother, Simon Peter.
Many people in John’s day knew about Peter. Evidently, not so many knew about Andrew.
Andrew was one of those guys who kind of flew below the radar. Probably few knew Him. Everybody knew his brother.
Andrew was not as well known or probably as talented as Peter, but Andrew had a champion. And the first person Andrew wanted to tell about His champion was his brother.
Vs. 41 – Israel was waiting for the Messiah, the Christ, the Anointed One from God. Andrew announces to his brother, Peter, “We have found the Messiah!”
Andrew had a champion.
- As Andrew’s champion, Andrew believed on Jesus as Savior.
- As Andrew’s champion, Andrew believed on Him, as Lord and Master.
- As Andrew’s champion, Andrew wanted his brother, Peter to believe on the Lord Jesus too.
- As Andrew’s champion, Andrew was known for bringing people to the Lord Jesus.
Andrew is mentioned three times in this Gospel, and each time he is bringing someone to the Lord Jesus. He wanted for people to know his champion.
Is the Lord Jesus your champion?
- Is Jesus your champion because you have trusted Him as your Savior?
- Is Jesus your champion because you have trusted Him as Lord and Master?
And like it or not, whatever controls us, is our champion! Matthew 6:24
Jesus should be our champion! 2 Corinthians 5:14-15
A DISCIPLE WITH COURAGE – Vs. 42
Andrew probably had no idea that his brother would turn out to be one of the most famous and effective of all the Apostles.
And we never know how the Lord Jesus will use those whom we bring to Christ. They very well could outshine us!
Vs. 42 – Andrew brought Peter to Jesus.
Jesus gave Peter a new name.
Jesus saw in Peter a rock or a stone.
Jesus saw in Peter a man of courage, of boldness, who would preach boldly and live boldly for Christ.
But if you know anything about Peter, you know that he was very impetuous, up one moment and down another. You also know that he denied the Lord Jesus three times.
How could Jesus nickname this type of man, “Rock”?
It is because Jesus knew what He would do for Peter.
It is because Jesus knew that when He sent Peter and the other Apostles the Holy Spirit that they would be empowered men who would boldly show courage.
- It was Peter who boldly preached on the Day of Pentecost and saw 3,000 converts.
- When Peter and John were not to speak in the name of the Lord Jesus, their response was courageous in Acts 4:20, For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.
- When Peter and the other Apostles were confronted because they were preaching about the Lord Jesus, they said in Acts 5:29, We ought to obey God rather than man.
We live in a day when people don’t want you sharing your Christian faith.
We live in a day when you may be criticized if you tell people that Jesus is the only way to Heaven.
We live in a day when some want the Christian message silenced.
The Lord wants people who, through the His empowering have courage.
Just like Peter, we will not have courage until we allow God’s Holy Spirit to control us.
John 15:4 – Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
A DISCIPLE WITH A CAUSE – Vs. 43
Vs. 43 – A third disciple is mentioned by name.
His name was Phillip.
Jesus simply said, “Follow Me”.
One verse tells us about Phillip’s recruitment.
But those 2 words, “follow me” speak volumes.
When we follow someone or something, that someone or something becomes our “cause”.
It is what we stand for.
It is what we live for.
One cannot be a disciple of Christ unless He is willing to make Jesus his cause.
Jesus is very stringent on the requirements for following Him. John 12:24-26
To follow Jesus we must die to ourselves.
To follow Jesus we must despise our own lives in favor of Jesus.
To follow Jesus we must accept His leadership and His plan for our lives.
To Follow Jesus we must be faithful. Luke 9:62
Luke 9:62 – And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.
Phillip had a cause. Do you?
Is it the right cause?
Is your cause the Lord Jesus Christ?
A DISCIPLE WITH CHARACTER – Vss. 44-51
Vs. 44-45 – Notice that Phillip shared His cause. When a cause is truly important to you, you will share it.
Phillip gave Nathaniel a summary of who they found.
Although we know that Jesus is the Son of God, he would have been known by his guardian on earth’s name, Joseph,
Hence, Phillip calls him, Jesus the Son of Joseph.”
Vs. 46 – Nathaniel was a man without deceit or guile.
Nathaniel would tell you what he thought.
He was no hypocrite.
So, “He asks, can any good come from Nazareth?”
Evidently, the reputation of Nazareth, just four miles from Bethsaida, where Nathaniel lived, was not very good.
Phillip’s answer was very profound, “Come and See”.
Rather than argue with Nathaniel, Nathaniel was invited to experience Jesus for himself.
Vs. 47 – Jesus knows his disciples even before they sign up.
Jesus gives his assessment of Nathaniel before actually meeting him.
Jesus didn’t see a sinless man, but he saw a man of character. He saw a man, who was without deceit. He was straightforward, honest.
Vs. 48 – Nathaniel wondered how Jesus knew Him.
Evidently Nathaniel had been sitting under a fig tree by himself with nobody around. And whatever Nathaniel was thinking under that fig tree were thoughts that showed him to be without deceit.
Vs. 49 – This was it all it took for Nathaniel. As a man of faith he declared Jesus to be Son of God and King of Israel.
Vss. 50-51 – Jesus basically told Nathaniel, “You ain’t seen nothing yet!”
The allusion is to “Jacob’s ladder” that Jacob had seen in a dream. A ladder or a stairway connects two places.
Jacob’s ladder connected Heaven and Earth.
Jesus Christ is the ladder that bridges God and Man.
Jesus is the ladder that makes access to Heaven possible.
God’s blessing is brought to earth through the Lord Jesus Christ.
There are four disciples mentioned by name.
Each one has something to teach us.
ANDREW, A DISCIPLE WITH A CHAMPION
PETER, A DISCIPLE WITH COURAGE
PHILLIP, A DISCIPLE WITH A CAUSE
NATHANIEL, A DISCIPLE WITH CHARACTER