"follow"

John 1:43-51 Follow

Events prior to today’s text

• John the baptizer talks about the arrival of Jesus Christ John says, "the one coming after me is preferred before me " follow him.

• John says "Jesus is the Lamb of God", and is baptized by the baptizer, and God speaks " this is my beloved son In whom I am well pleased" follow him

• John 35-42 After the baptism two disciples are asked to follow Jesus, Andrew then brings his brother Simeon to follow Jesus. Then today Phillip beckons Nathaniel to follow Jesus.

1. Notice the word “follow” has been mentioned in all the text above

• John The Baptizer encourages his followers to follow Jesus,

• The Heavens had opened and encouraged those in the Jordan that day to follow Jesus

• John had said, “ behold the Lamb of God” then immediately Andrew and Simeon Followed

• Today’s reading, Jesus found Philip and said to him, ‘Follow me.’

2. Follow seems to resonate in our text today as well. Follow seems to be a Command from Jesus

• Jesus according to the text he didn’t ask Phillip to believe in him, think about him, or consider him he commanded Phillip to Follow Him

• The great commission is a Command go therefore and make disciples. We are commanded to follow giving others direction to the way the truth and the life,

3. Looking at the text Christ found Phillip

• Philip didn’t find Christ. Christ found Philip. Text says, “Finding Philip, he said to him, "Follow me."

• It’s not that you have found Christ, but Christ has found us.

• God is seeking us always. That is why God is known as the “Hound from Heaven”

• Then the Bible tells us that Philip found Nathaniel 45Philip found Nathanael and told him

• We are commanded to tell others about Jesus they didn’t have 101 discipleship class

4. Philip told Nathaniel ( AKA Bartholomew) look what we have found (He was excited to share)

• "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."

• Nathaniel’s response was 46"Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?" Nathanael asked.

"Come and see," said Philip.

• Jesus is good he did good things for people, encouraged, healed the sick,

• Hopefully people see Jesus and Good in our churches, see believers, see Christians, see disciples see followers of Jesus) see people who are: Real, authentic, caring, loving, see people who follow Jesus.

5. Jesus tells us to Follow refers to Mimic be an imitator

• “Follow me.” In John’s gospel, Philip is asked to follow, Phillip told Nathaniel to follow

• Jesus asks us to follow to see where he lives. He lives in the slums, He brokenness,

• We are asked to follow or to observe the signs and wonders he performs.

• We are asked to follow to remain no matter what and pray.

• We are asked to be filled with the Holy Spirit.

• We are of the Christ to feed the flock (a life of service).

• If we will follow consider what Jesus told Nathaniel You believeK because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You shall see greater things than that." 51He then added, "I tell youL the truth, youM shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.

• Perhaps we’ve been followers of Jesus for many years, but we’ve never really considered what — specifically — Jesus has invited us to do. It’s possible we don’t have a clue as to our role, our mission, our ministry.