3.25.15

Who Introduced You to Jesus?

John 1:35-51

The next day John was standing again with two of his disciples. When he saw Jesus walking along he said, “Look! The Lamb of God!” The two disciples heard what he said, and they followed Jesus.

When Jesus turned and saw them following, he asked, “What are you looking for?”

They said, “Rabbi (which is translated Teacher), where are you staying?”

He replied, “Come and see.” So they went and saw where he was staying, and they remained with him that day. It was about four o’clock in the afternoon.

One of the two disciples who heard what John said and followed Jesus was Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter. He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which is translated Christ ). He led him to Jesus.

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

The next day Jesus wanted to go into Galilee, and he found Philip. Jesus said to him, “Follow me.” Philip was from Bethsaida, the hometown of Andrew and Peter.

Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law and the Prophets: Jesus, Joseph’s son, from Nazareth.”

Nathanael responded, “Can anything from Nazareth be good?”

Philip said, “Come and see.”

Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said about him, “Here is a genuine Israelite in whom there is no deceit.”

Nathanael asked him, “How do you know me?”

Jesus answered, “Before Philip called you, I saw you under the fig tree.”

Nathanael replied, “Rabbi, you are God’s Son. You are the king of Israel.”

Jesus answered, “Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than these! I assure you that you will see heaven open and God’s angels going up to heaven and down to earth on the Human One.”

       In the verses preceding this passage, John the Baptist gave testimony that one is coming that is greater than he: one whom “I am not worthy to untie his sandal” (1:27); one “who ranks ahead of me because he was before me” (1:31); one on whom he had seen “the Spirit descend and remain” (1:33).  John declares that Jesus is the one who is the “Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (1:29), “the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit” (1:33), “the Son of God” (1:34).

       The next day, Andrew was with John the Baptist when Jesus walked by.  John identified Jesus as the Lamb of God.  Andrew and his friend (probably John, the writer of this Gospel) followed Jesus.  When Jesus saw them following him, he invited them to come see where he was staying and they stayed with him for the rest of the day.   When Andrew left Jesus, he went directly and told his brother, Simon, “We have found the Messiah” and he took his brother to Jesus.  Jesus looked at Simon and renamed him Peter.

       The next day, Jesus saw Philip and called him to follow.   Philip found his friend Nathaniel, and invited him to come to see the one “about whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote.”  Nathaniel was skeptical but went to see Jesus and was convinced when Jesus knew him before they met. 

       So Andrew followed Jesus based on the testimony of John, and Philip followed when Jesus invited him.  Both immediately found the person closest to them, and shared the good news that they had found the Messiah, the one written about by the prophets.  Andrew brought his brother to Jesus; Philip brought his friend.  Jesus knew who Simon and Nathaniel were before they were introduced by Andrew or Philip; changed Simon’s name to Peter; and promised Nathaniel that he would see great things.

       As we read these verses, stop to think about two things.  First, Who was Andrew or Philip to you?  Who introduced you to Jesus?   Second, which family member or friend is waiting for you to introduce them to Jesus?

       Sometimes I am amazed how fast news travels!  Bad news or good news – both travel fast!  When I ask, “How do you know?” or “How did you find out?” there are so many answers:  “I saw it on Facebook.”  “(name) texted me.”   “(name) called to tell me.”  “I got an email.”   We are all excited to hear the news when someone we know is getting married or expecting a baby, and want to tell others we know.  Many times the news we share is about the brackets for the basketball tournament, the latest diet, a new exercise plan, the newest electronic gadget, a video game, a new song on the radio, a TV show we like, or a movie that is coming out.

       The disciples and early Christians weren’t confused about what was good news.  When they found out about Jesus, they wanted to share it first with those who were closest to them, then with the rest of the world.   When was the last time we were so excited about the good news of Jesus Christ that we couldn’t wait to share it with someone else?

Prayer:

Jesus, Son of God, as you called Andrew and Philip, you call us to follow you.

Before someone introduced us to you, you knew who we were.

You answer our belief in you with promises of something even greater.

Remind us again of the good news of our salvation, 

and instill in us a burning desire to share the news of your love 

     with those closest to us, and then with others we meet.   Amen.