Jesus, The One to Follow

John 1:35-51

March 19, 2006

This morning we learned the truth that Jesus is the revealed One.

It is not as though He is man’s best idea,

He is God’s revealed way of salvation.

For this reason, we know that in order for someone to come to Jesus, the Father must reveal Jesus to Him.

John 6:44-45 "No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day. "It is written in the prophets, 'AND THEY SHALL ALL BE TAUGHT OF GOD.' Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father, comes to Me.”

John 6:65 “And He was saying, "For this reason I have said to you, that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted him from the Father."

We know that Jesus must be revealed to a person by the Holy Spirit of God

The second aspect is that man must receive that testimony.

When God the Father reveals to your heart that Jesus is the Only way of salvation, and places that call on your life, then you must respond to that call.

Hebrews 12:25 “See to it that you do not refuse Him who is speaking. For if those did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape who turn away from Him who warns from heaven.”

It would be extremely foolish to reject God’s revelation of Jesus.

We must respond to the revelation of God in regard to Jesus.

This is predominantly what this text is about.

To most accurately exposit this text would be to talk about

How the disciples accepted the call to follow Jesus.

In verse 36, two disciples hear John call Jesus “the Lamb of God” and they immediately follow.

In verse 41 Andrew tells Peter “We have found the Messiah” and “brought him to Jesus.”

In verse 43 Jesus found Philip and said, “Follow Me”

Philip followed and in verse 45 found Nathanael and said, “We have found Him of whom Moses in the Law and also the Prophets wrote – Jesus of Nazareth”

In verse 49 when Nathanael heard Jesus, he confessed “Rabbi, You are the Son of God; You are the King of Israel”

The main point to this text is that each of these men

Heard the revelation of God and committed their lives

Not only to following Jesus, but to leading others to Him as well.

You cannot read this text without seeing this.

In fact you cannot read the Bible without seeing this.

The New Testament constantly presents the call to follow Jesus.

John the Baptist said it.

John 3:30 "He must increase, but I must decrease.”

Peter said it.

Acts 2:38 “Peter said to them, "Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

Paul said it.

2 Corinthians 5:20 “Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.”

But ultimately it was Jesus who said it.

Matthew 11:28 "Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.”

Matthew 16:24 “Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me.”

The truest point to this text is how these men

Decided to leave everything to follow Jesus.

But we are not focusing our study on men, or even on how they came to Jesus, or even on how they told others about Jesus.

We are focusing on Jesus Himself.

And so tonight in our text,

I don’t just want to show you that these men followed Jesus,

I want to show you why Jesus is the One to be followed.

Tonight I want you to see four benefits

That Jesus bestows upon those who choose to follow Him.

And if you have never begun to follow Jesus,

May you see that you can follow anyone or anything in life,

But there is only One who is worthy to be followed.

#1 JESUS ACCEPTS HIS FOLLOWERS

John 1:35-39

The next day, John gets another opportunity, as Jesus walks by again.

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

Again John is magnifying the fact that Jesus is the sacrifice for sin.

He is the truest picture of the innocent dying instead of the guilty.

But unlike this mornings text when no one responded to John’s message, here John records, “the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus.”

These guys heard the truth and responded correctly to it.

“And Jesus turned around and saw them following, and said to them, “What do you seek?” They said to Him, “Rabbi (which translated means Teacher), where are You staying?”

Now don’t miss what happens here.

Because this is an often overlooked truth.

If you are to be saved:

God must reveal the truth to you…

You must accept the truth and act upon it…

BUT JESUS MUST ALSO ACCEPT YOU

Jesus could have seen these guys as “the hairy unwashed.”

And beyond that, these guys didn’t just want an autograph,

THEY WANTED TO COME HOME WITH HIM.

They don’t just want a mystery solved,

They don’t just want a few questions answered,

They don’t even want a wart removed, they just want Jesus.

You may witness to a bum at Wal-Mart,

but are gonna take him home with you?

DO YOU SEE THE DILEMMA?

It is a dilemma many have recognized throughout their life.

“Jesus wouldn’t want me, I’m a…”

It’s all up to Jesus.

But we see His response.

“Come, and you will see.”

This is even better than expected.

He didn’t give an address, He didn’t promise to meet them later.

“Why don’t you just come with Me right now, and see for yourself.”

“So they came and saw where He was staying; and they stayed with Him that day, for it was about the tenth hour” (4pm)

This is a wonderful truth about Jesus.

JESUS ACCEPTS HIS FOLLOWERS

Romans 10:13 “for "WHOEVER WILL CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED."

Hear it from the mouth of Jesus.

John 6:37 "All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out.”

I don’t care who you are

I don’t care where you’ve been

I don’t’ care what you’ve done

If you will come to Jesus, He will save you.

1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

You doubt? Then ask some He has saved.

Ask the woman at the well, she had her doubts.

John 4:7-9 “There came a woman of Samaria to draw water. Jesus said to her, "Give Me a drink." For His disciples had gone away into the city to buy food. Therefore the Samaritan woman said to Him, "How is it that You, being a Jew, ask me for a drink since I am a Samaritan woman?" (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.)”

But in a matter of minutes she had found forgiveness.

John 4:28-29 “So the woman left her waterpot, and went into the city and said to the men, "Come, see a man who told me all the things that I have done; this is not the Christ, is it?"

Ask Zaccheus, he was a hated tax collector.

Luke 19:1-10 “He entered Jericho and was passing through. And there was a man called by the name of Zaccheus; he was a chief tax collector and he was rich. Zaccheus was trying to see who Jesus was, and was unable because of the crowd, for he was small in stature. So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree in order to see Him, for He was about to pass through that way. When Jesus came to the place, He looked up and said to him, "Zaccheus, hurry and come down, for today I must stay at your house." And he hurried and came down and received Him gladly. When they saw it, they all began to grumble, saying, "He has gone to be the guest of a man who is a sinner." Zaccheus stopped and said to the Lord, "Behold, Lord, half of my possessions I will give to the poor, and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will give back four times as much." And Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because he, too, is a son of Abraham. "For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost."

Ask Mary Magdalene

Mark 16:9 “Now after He had risen early on the first day of the week, He first appeared to Mary Magdalene, from whom He had cast out seven demons.”

The woman with the Alabaster vile – The Demoniacs – The Syrophonoecian Woman

HOW ABOUT A BLASPHEMER & PERSECUTOR OF THE CHURCH?

1 Timothy 1:15 “It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all.”

You can find plenty of people who would not follow Jesus,

But you will never find one single person

That wanted to follow and was rejected by Jesus.

Jesus accepts His followers

I don’t care who you are, if you will come to Jesus, He will receive you.

Jesus accepts His followers

#2 JESUS ALTERS HIS FOLLOWERS

John 1:40-42

One of these two men who stayed with Jesus was named Andrew.

Andrew immediately went and told Simon and “brought Him to Jesus”

There is no greater thing you can do for a person

Than to bring them to Jesus.

But I want you to see what happened.

“Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon the son of John; you shall be called Cephas” (which is translated Peter).”

The word “looked” translates EMBLEPO

It is an intensified form of the verb BLEPO, which means to perceive.

It is the same word used in

Matthew 6:26 "Look (emblepo) at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they?” (examine them)

Jesus “EMBLEPOED” Simon

Jesus really perceived Simon.

Jesus looked past the surface, He looked into Simon.

And when Jesus looked into Simon, he gave him a new name

This is significant throughout the Bible.

NAMES ARE GIVEN WHEN PEOPLE UNDERSTAND YOU BETTER

(think about nicknames today)

After Abraham saw God provide the ram for the offering, he gave God a new name (Jehovah Jireh) “The Lord Provides”

By the same token, when God looked into Abram, He changed his name to Abraham – “father of a multitude”

Here Jesus looks into Simon and says,

I don’t see what you are, I see what you could be,

You are now called “Peter” (rock)

Now you and I know better.

I’m sure Peter was pumped, but we’ve read ahead in the story.

The only thing in Peter’s life that made him “rock-like”

Was when he started to sink while walking on water.

He was anything but a rock – at first.

But after Jesus died and rose from the grave and ascended,

And then sent back His Spirit to empower them.

YOU WON’T FIND A BETTER ROCK THAN PETER.

Simon wasn’t rock, but he would be.

Jesus does this in the life of His followers.

He doesn’t just see them as they are,

He sees them for what they could be.

And He begins the process of changing them into what they can be.

(Illus: “Just cut away everything that’s not a bear”)

Max Lucado “Jesus loves you just the way you are, but He refuses to leave you that way.”

Jesus looks at His followers and sees them for what they could be,

He starts cutting off everything that isn’t right.

Look all the times Jesus corrects the disciples.

Look at all the times Jesus teaches the disciples.

Look at all the times He rebukes the disciples.

Not only that, but Jesus changed their entire livelihood.

Matthew 4:18-22 “Now as Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee, He saw two brothers, Simon who was called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. And He said to them, " Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men." Immediately they left their nets and followed Him. Going on from there He saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and He called them. Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed Him.”

Jesus wasn’t just working with them, Jesus was working on them.

He does this to His followers. He changes them.

This is why I often remind people

If there has never been a change in your life, then rest assured,

You are not following Jesus.

Jesus doesn’t leave any of His followers alone.

2 Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.”

THEY COME USELESS, HE MAKES THEM USEFUL

He did me – He will you

Jesus Accepts His followers, Jesus Alters His followers

#3 JESUS AIDS HIS FOLLOWERS

John 1:43-49

I really like this truth here.

Jesus finds Philip and says “Follow Me”

It is apparent that Philip does indeed follow Jesus.

Philip wants to bring others.

So Philip runs to Nathanael (probably Bartholomew) and in extreme excitement says, “We have found Him of whom Moses in the Law and also the Prophets wrote – Jesus of Nazareth”

But Nathanael is less than excited.

“Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?”

But notice Philip’s answer. “Come and see”

Philip doesn’t try to prove who Jesus is.

He doesn’t mention all His teachings, or go into apologetics.

Philip flings it all on the back of Jesus.

William Barclay wrote:

“Not very many people have ever been argued into Christianity. Often our arguments do more harm than good. The only way to convince a man of the supremacy of Christ is to confront Him with Christ. On the whole it is true to say that it is not argumentative and philosophical preaching and teaching which have won men for Christ; it is the presentation of the story of the Cross.” (Barclay, Henry: “The Gospel of John, volume 1 revised edition” The Westminster Press, Philadelphia, PA, 1975, pg. 92)

I often do this when witnessing.

“…If He is God enough to save you, He is God enough to tell you.”

I throw it all on the back of Jesus.

This is what Philip did, and look at how Jesus came through.

Verse 47, “Jesus saw Nathanael coming to Him, and said of him, "Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!" 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." Nathanael answered Him, "Rabbi, You are the Son of God; You are the King of Israel."

Philip didn’t have to do a thing, Jesus came to His aid.

I want you to know, Jesus comes to the aid of His followers.

Just look at the Great Commission.

Matthew 28:18-20 “And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."

Mark 6:7 “And He summoned the twelve and began to send them out in pairs, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits;”

Matthew 10:19-20 "But when they hand you over, do not worry about how or what you are to say; for it will be given you in that hour what you are to say. "For it is not you who speak, but it is the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you.”

9 of His disciples are getting their tales kicked by a demon.

Matthew 17:14-20 “When they came to the crowd, a man came up to Jesus, falling on his knees before Him and saying, "Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is a lunatic and is very ill; for he often falls into the fire and often into the water. "I brought him to Your disciples, and they could not cure him." And Jesus answered and said, "You unbelieving and perverted generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring him here to Me." And Jesus rebuked him, and the demon came out of him, and the boy was cured at once. Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, "Why could we not drive it out?" And He said to them, "Because of the littleness of your faith; for truly I say to you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible to you.”

DID YOU CATCH THAT MAN TAKE A SHOT AT HIS FOLLOWERS?

So did Jesus, and Jesus defended them

Jesus will come to your aid too.

I prove this at least twice a week.

He has never failed to give me sermons to preach.

Jesus Accepts His Followers – Jesus Alters His Followers - Jesus Aids His Followers

#4 JESUS AMAZES HIS FOLLOWERS

John 1:50-51

Now Nathanael is sold. He is sure about Jesus.

But Jesus says, “You ain’t seen nothing yet.”

“You will see greater things than these”

“You will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”

It was signifying God opening heaven to work on the earth.

And think about all the great things these men would see.

Calming the Storm – Feeding the Five Thousand – Water to Wine – Raising the Dead – Healing the Sick

And what is interesting when you read the gospels,

They never cease to be amazed.

Matthew 8:27 “The men were AMAZED, and said, "What kind of a man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?"

Matthew 9:33 “After the demon was cast out, the mute man spoke; and the crowds were AMAZED, and were saying, "Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel."

Matthew 12:22-23 “Then a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute was brought to Jesus, and He healed him, so that the mute man spoke and saw. All the crowds were AMAZED, and were saying, "This man cannot be the Son of David, can he?"

Mark 2:10-12 "But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins" — He said to the paralytic, "I say to you, get up, pick up your pallet and go home." And he got up and immediately picked up the pallet and went out in the sight of everyone, so that they were all AMAZED and were glorifying God, saying, "We have never seen anything like this."

Luke 9:43 “And they were all AMAZED at the greatness of God. But while everyone was marveling at all that He was doing, He said to His disciples,”

John 4:27 “At this point His disciples came, and they were AMAZED that He had been speaking with a woman, yet no one said, "What do You seek?" or, "Why do You speak with her?"

Jesus is One amazing thing after another.

Just when His disciples had thought they had seen it all,

He died and rose again.

I want you to know Jesus never ceases to amaze me.

I am continually amazed at the things He does.

I look at this church and the missions and the funding

24 answer the call to “go”

To 6 different Countries

On 4 different Continents

Over $30,000

JESUS DID THAT, I NEVER CEASE TO BE AMAZED

If you follow Jesus He will never cease to amaze you either.

Jesus is the One to be Followed.

If you have never given your life to Jesus, tonight can be the night.

Is He calling you?

Will you respond as these men did?

If you will, I guarantee you

He will accept you no matter who you are…

He will alter you and make you into what you can be…

He will aid you no matter what He asks of you…

He will never cease to amaze you…

Will you follow Jesus?

Matthew 16:24 “Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me.”