The Call Series

Introduction

I. In the gospel of John, chapter 3 and verse 30, speaking of Christ, John the Baptist will say, “He must increase, but I must decrease.”

A. It seems to be that this statement grew from a pattern of life.

B. Even as John the Baptist had developed a following, the desire of his heart was always to see Jesus Christ magnified.

II. As Christ increased, the number of people following Him also increased.

A. Some of those followers, Jesus called Apostles.

B. This morning we are going to look at the calling of those first disciples of Christ.

III. Luke chapter 6 relates the calling of the disciples in this manner - 12 One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God. 13 When morning came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also designated apostles: 14 Simon (whom he named Peter), his brother Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, 15 Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Simon who was called the Zealot, 16 Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.

IV. We, however, are looking at John’s relating of this story, which is found in John chapter 1, beginning in verse 35.

V. Most all of us watch television ads from time to time.

A. Did you ever notice that ads for beauty products use beautiful people?

B. Did you ever notice that ads for investment firms use actors that are deemed “trustworthy?”

C. The Total Gym exerciser uses Walker Texas Ranger, a normal looking man, with extraordinary physical ability.

VI. Why is that?

A. Why is it that beauty ads don’t use, “normal” looking people?

B. Why don’t those gym ads use people with bodies like mine?

VII. The answer of course is they are trying to convey a feeling of trust; if you trust the speaker, you are more likely to use the product.

VIII. When was the last time you went to a new restaurant, or tried a new food?

A. What cause you to try that new thing?

B. Sometimes we may try it to be adventurous, but more often when we try something new, it is because a friend, or someone we trust said something like, “Give it a try. I just know you will like it.”

IX. It appears that the followers of Christ also came by invitation.

A. John the Baptist proclaimed “Come and See” to his disciples,

B. Jesus proclaimed “Come and See” to those with interest,

C. Some of those disciples proclaimed “Come and See” to their friends.

D. And thus the groundwork for salvation through faith was laid.

X. Who could have known that three simple words could be so powerful?

XI. What we see in this passage of scripture are three simple words, “Come and See” demonstrate three steps to making Christ known.

A. First comes a “Proclamation” that the Savior is here.

B. This is followed by an “Invitation” to come and see for yourself

C. The final step in the process just might be a “Realization” that Christ has also come for me.

Proclamation (vs. 35-37)

35 Again the next day John was standing with two of his disciples,

36 and he looked upon Jesus as He walked, and *said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!”

37 And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus.

I. The word “lamb” is used some 100 times in scripture.

A. Almost exclusively, the context of lamb is used to designate a sacrifice made to God, as a means of paying for sin.

B. The phrase “Lamb of God” is used only twice in scripture; both times by John the Baptist in reference to Jesus Christ.

II. The fame of John the Baptist was growing every day.

A. There were even some that had attached themselves to him as disciples as a result of his message.

B. In John 1, verses 20 to 23, the Pharisee’s sent a delegation to question John, evidently to determine just exactly what his message was.

1. I like verse 20 - “...he confessed and did not deny, but confess, “I am not the Christ.”

2. That word “confess” means “to profess openly, to praise, or to celebrate.”

C. The intention of verse 20 is “He confessed, and without equivocation, he kept on confessing I am not the Christ, but Jesus is.”

III. Verse 35 picks up the story and what we see is, that which John the Baptist was “professing, praising and celebrating” came to visit.

IV. We don’t know what else John the Baptist may have been teaching his disciples, but we do know this, he was confidently, continually and consistently pointing out that he was not the anointed one of God, but that One was one day coming.