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.
A. John’s message was that man must repent of his sin.
B. Evidently John didn’t fully understand what that message meant, but his obedience to the call of God on his life was preparing hearts for the arrival of the Lamb of God.
V. Verse 35 begins with the word “again”; the Greek word means “anew”
A. John the Baptist had been consistently proclaiming that the Lamb of God was coming, but he was doing more than just proclaiming.
B. The Greek word for again means “anew” or “afresh”
C. The English language does not often give justice to the richness of the Greek.
1. The intention of verses 35 and 36 are to say, “Anew the next day, (as in previous days) John stood with his disciples and looked for Jesus
2. On this time, he was standing and looking for the last time, because what he was professing, proclaiming and celebrating was about to arrive.”
D. “Behold, the Lamb of God.”
VI. So what point am I trying to make; only this.
A. John the Baptist was consistent in looking for, and proclaiming to, anyone that would listen, “The Lamb of God is coming. You had best get ready.”
B. Because of John’s consistent call to look for Christ, verse 37 takes place; two of John the Baptist disciples “follow Jesus.”
VII. The consistent and steady proclamation that Jesus is Lord, moved two mean to follow Jesus.
VIII. So I ask,
A. “How consistent is your message that Jesus is Lord of your life.”
B. “On the job, in your home, in school, how consistent is your message that you are living for God?”
IX. I’m not one that believes that every word out of your mouth should be like,
A. “The Lord bless you.” or
B. “God is watching” or even
C. “Repent for the Lord is near.”
X. The idea of verses 35 and 36 is this; John was standing with his disciples, but he was looking for Christ.”
XI. I believe we can proclaim that the Lamb of God is coming, just by looking for him with out actions, and then sometimes we might even be able to do so with our words, but always it must be consistent. Invitation
38 And Jesus turned, and beheld them following, and *said to them, “What do you seek?” And they said to Him, “Rabbi (which translated means Teacher), where are You staying?”
39 He *said to them, “Come, and you will see.” They came therefore and saw where He was staying; and they stayed with Him that day, for it was about the tenth hour.
40 One of the two who heard John speak, and followed Him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother.
41 He *found first his own brother Simon, and *said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which translated means Christ).
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 is translated Peter).
43 The next day He purposed to go forth into Galilee, and He *found Philip. And Jesus *said to him, “Follow Me.”
44 Now Philip was from Bethsaida, of the city of Andrew and Peter.
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 And Nathanael *said to him, “Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?” Philip *said to him, “Come and see.”
47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming to Him, and *said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!”
I. These next 11 verses, 38 to 48, reflect the calling of the 12.
A. John the Baptist had been consistently proclaiming that Christ would come, and when Christ appears, two followers of John decide to follow Jesus.
B. But what takes place from there is rather interesting.
II. Jesus asks the question in verse 38, “What do you seek”
A. It seems like a simple enough question, “Why are you following after me.”
B. The intent is much deeper.
1. What is it that you are looking for?
2. What are you leaving John the Baptist to follow me?
3. Are you simply looking for something new, or do you really want to know more about me?
C. Their answer “Where are you staying?” is also more telling than it appears in English.
1. What these two are saying is,
a. “Can we get to know you.”
b. “Can you help us discover why John the Baptist calls you the Lamb of God.”
c. “Are you for real?”
2. And Jesus says, “Come and see.”
III. What happens next depicts exactly how most people come to faith in Christ.
A. They came; they spent the day with Christ, and then the process of invitation really begins to take place.
B. According to verse 41, the first thing Andrew did was to go and find his brother Simon, whom Christ gave the name Peter.
C. In verse 43, Jesus calls Philip to follow, but we also discover that Philip was from the same city as Andrew and Peter.
1. Maybe they didn’t know each other, but
2. It is still interesting that John provides the detail of their being from the same city.
D. Philip then calls on Nathaniel, (who many commentators believe is Bartholomew) to follow
E. And according to Matthew’s gospel, John and James were brothers
IV. So what do we see in just these six names?
A. Relationship.
B. One way or another, at least 6 of the 12 closest followers of Jesus were related.
V. I have yet to see or hear of an evangelistic study that does not state that somewhere in the neighborhood of 85% of people that accept Christ, do so based on the influence by someone close to them.
A. Some say, “I got saved at a Billy Grahm crusade, or a Harvest Crusade, or even a Promise Keeper event”; but typically they attended because of the invitation of someone the knew and trusted.
1. A co-worker
2. A family member
3. A school mate
B. Very, very few people will find their way to a gospel invitation, unless they are invited by someone else.
C. If you want to see salvation occur for someone you care about; the odds are that you must proclaim the living Christ is part of your life, and you must invite them to “come and see” for themselves.
VI. Praying is good; but praying coupled with action is even better.
VII. In verse 39, Jesus said, “Come and see”
VIII. In verse 46, Philip said, “Come and see”
IX. In 2007, if we really want to see the lost won to Christ, we must also say, “Come and see.”
X. And then when the “Proclamation has been consistent” and when the “Invitation is given: sometimes we will be blessed to see a “realization take place”
Realization
48 Nathanael *said to Him, “How do You know me?” Jesus answered and said to him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.”
49 Nathanael answered Him, “Rabbi, You are the Son of God; You are the King of Israel.”
50 Jesus answered and said to him, “Because I said to you that I saw you under the fig tree, do you believe? You shall see greater things than these.”
51 And He *said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you shall see the heavens opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”
I. The name Nathanael is used only 6 times in all of scripture, 5 in this passage.
II. The name Bartholomew, assuming that Nathanael and Bartholomew are one in the same, is only used 4 times, and even then it is always coupled with Philip.
III. Nathanael seems to have had no great ministry, other than he was possibly one of the 12, and yet it appears that this man “in whom no guile is found” is the first to verbally express his belief in Christ.
A. “You are the Son of God; You are the King of Israel.”
B. What a statement, and what a testimony to the life of Christ followers.
IV. Nathanael was simply one who believed, and devoted his life to following Christ.
A. No great notoriety,
B. No great missionary trips.
C. Almost forgotten by the writers of scripture, and yet,
V. Because John the Baptist faithfully “Proclaimed” Christ, and because those he proclaimed Christ to “Invited” others to “Come and see”, Nathanael became the first to proclaim Christ, “The Son of God” and the first to receive the promise of seeing heaven open.
VI. I am no great evangelist.
VII. I doubt I will ever be used of God to lead thousands to Christ,
VIII. But if I want to see even one person commit their life,
A. I must proclaim Christ as the Savior of my life.
B. When the Holy Spirit opens the door, I must invite someone to “Come and See.”
C. And if I do that, I believe I may see some one realize, that the gates of heaven are open for them.
