John 1:35–42 Sermon

35 The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples, 36 and he looked at Jesus as he walked by and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!” 37 The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. 38 Jesus turned and saw them following and said to them, “What are you seeking?” And they said to him, “Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where are you staying?” 39 He said to them, “Come and you will see.” So they came 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 Jesus was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. 41 He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which 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 means Peter).

Introduction

John of the cross

300 Quotations for Preachers from the Reformation Do Not Seek Comfort in Christ, but Sorrows

Jesus Christ is but little known of those who consider themselves His friends; for we see them seeking in Him their own comfort, and not His bitter sorrows.

William Gurnall

Why should you fear to be stripped of that which you have resigned already to Christ? It is the first lesson you learn, if a Christian: to deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow your Master, so that the enemy comes too late. You have no life to lose because you have given it already to Christ, nor can man take away that without God’s leave. All you have is insured, and though God has not promised you immunity from suffering in this kind, yet he has undertaken to bear the loss, indeed, to pay you a hundredfold, and you will not stay for it till another world.

Jesus Christ is but little known of those who consider themselves His friends; for we see them seeking in Him their own comfort, and not His bitter sorrows.

“Christianity without discipleship is always Christianity without Christ.”

There is a narrative that has been adopted by many nominal (name only) Christians.

It says that being a Christian is about being good

it says that being a good person or doing the right thing is proof that one can be Christian

It says that God loves you just the way you are

It says going to church is enough

it says that reading your bible is enough

it tells you that being a Christian means that you shouldn’t suffer

There are many people who do not know what it is to be a disciple of Jesus Christ.

When one comes to genuine saving faith, they are stripped from everything they thought as valuable.

Everything is counted as loss because of the surpassing worth of Jesus Christ.

This means that everything one valued and loved is compared to Jesus and counted as no competition.

Sadly, many want the title of Christian without the cross.

You should have no life to lose because you have given it already to Christ.

You should have no life in premarital sex because you have given it already to Christ

You should have no life in drug abuse because you have given it already to Christ

You should have no life in in the world because you have given it already to Christ

A true follower of Christ is one that cannot find life outside of Christ.

And being a Christian demands that you show fruit for it.

Discipleship demands your life because discipleship is a call to follow Christ.

Elliot Ritzema and Elizabeth Vince, eds., 300 Quotations for Preachers from the Puritans, Pastorum Series (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2013).

Dietrich Bonhoeffer

“Christianity without discipleship is always Christianity without Christ.”

― Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Our text today simply shows us what happens when one hears of Jesus Christ and what we should do as believers.

Outline

1. Jesus is followed by the disciples (v. 35-37)

2. Jesus speaks to the disciples (v.38-40)

3. Jesus is shared by a disciple (v.41-42)

1. Jesus is followed by the disciples (v. 35-37)

Read Verse 35 The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples

Here it is speaking of John the Baptist.

35 The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples,

Quick facts about John the Baptist

Dictionary of Bible Themes 5098 John the Baptist

The forerunner of Jesus Christ, born to elderly parents of the Aaronic line. His public ministry began in the Judean wilderness with a call to repentance and baptism. His ministry is seen as a fulfilment of OT prophecy, in preparation for the ministry of Jesus Christ. He was executed by Herod.

He was the pioneer and announcer of Jesus Christ

He was born to elderly parents and had the heritage of a priestly order

He began his public ministry in the Judean wilderness where he called people to repentance and baptism in preparation of Christ appearing

His ministry is seen as a fulfilment of OT prophecy, in preparation for the ministry of Jesus Christ

In His ministry he had made disciples. And with John there were two of them with him in verse 35.

When speaking of disciple what does that mean?

Question: What is a disciple?

Disciple is mentioned 80 times in the gospel of John.

Of the some 260 instances of the term disciple in the NT, about 230 appear in the four Gospels.

of the some 260 instances of the term disciple in the NT, about 230 appear in the four Gospels. The word generally refers to the disciples of Jesus, but there are also disciples of Moses (), of the Pharisees (; ), of John the Baptist (; ), and perhaps of Paul ().

The word generally refers to the disciples of Jesus, but there are also disciples of Moses , of the Pharisees, of John the Baptist, and some would argue that Paul also had disciples

In Greek, the word disciple (mathētḗs) was used to speak of an apprentice

It meant that one would accompany a teacher in order to learn from him

In the rabbinic (Hebrew) realm, a disciple devoted himself to learning Scripture and the religious tradition

A disciple would become a teacher after the proper period of listening and learning

In this system, both teacher and disciple typically sat in an appointed room, and the teacher taught by question, and through repetition and memorization

It was expected that the disciple would render respectful service to his teacher during his apprenticeship.

R. P. Meye, “Disciple,” ed. Geoffrey W. Bromiley, The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, Revised (Wm. B. Eerdmans, 1979–1988), 947.

A disciple is “a student who adheres to and would travel with a teacher.

disciple n. — a student who adheres to (and travels with) a teacher in a pedagogical relationship; especially used of students of spiritual leaders.

The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, Revised A. General

A. General Of the some 260 instances of the term disciple in the NT, about 230 appear in the four Gospels. The word generally refers to the disciples of Jesus, but there are also disciples of Moses (Jn. 9:28), of the Pharisees (Mt. 22:16; Mk. 2:18), of John the Baptist (Mk. 2:18; Lk. 11:1), and perhaps of Paul (Acts 9:25).

John was standing with two of his disciples. Which meant two that he had been teaching and that understood that they were under his teaching.

These were men who trusted John. So when John spoke they learned and listened to him. They were his disciples.

Read Verse 36 and he looked at Jesus as he walked by and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!”

John repeats what he had announced in verse 29.

After the first announcement of this in verse 29, John would go on to say that:

Jesus was a man who ranked before me, because he was before him

English Standard Version Chapter 1

30 This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.’ 31 I myself did not know him, but for this purpose I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel.” 32 And John bore witness: “I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. 33 I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ 34 And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.”

Jesus was the reason he came baptizing; it was to reveal him to Israel

John said that Jesus was the one who would baptize with the Holy Spirit

And after all this he would announce that Jesus was the Son of God

The second time he spoke of Jesus as the Lamb of God (in verse 36) John’s disciples would follow Christ.

Read Verse 37 The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus.

Here, following Jesus did not mean follow as in being followers of Christ and coming under Him. This actually happens after in Matthew’s account.

Meaning becoming disciples.

This happens at another time.

Matthew 4:18–22 ESV

18 While walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (who is called Peter) and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. 19 And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” 20 Immediately they left their nets and followed him. 21 And 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. 22 Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.

Our text, when it says they followed Him, it is speaking of what happened before what happened in Matthew. We will get back to this later.

Here in our text, following simply meant to walk after him.

So as they followed Jesus, He would speak to them.

2. Jesus speaks to the disciples (v.38-40)

37 The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. 38 Jesus turned and saw them following and said to them, “What are you seeking?” And they said to him, “Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where are you staying?” 39 He said to them, “Come and you will see.” So they came 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 Jesus was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. 41 He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which 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 means Peter).

Read Verse 38 Jesus turned and saw them following and said to them, “What are you seeking?” And they said to him, “Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where are you staying?”

Notice that they addressed Him as Rabbi.

Rabbi or teacher was a title of respect given by the Jews to their teachers.

It could literally mean “master” or “teacher.”

Dictionary of Bible Themes 7420 Rabbi

An honorific title, best translated as “master” or “teacher”, and used to refer to distinguished teachers of the Jewish law. Jesus Christ is called Rabbi in the Gospels, indicating that he was regarded as a respected teacher by his audiences.

It was used to refer to teachers of the Jewish law.

In chapter 3 of John, a Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews called Him Rabbi. So it doesn’t necessarily mean that one was under their teaching when they called one Rabbi. But it showed that Jesus was a respected teacher.

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), .

The disciples of John here also recognized Jesus as a respected teacher.

The disciples of John here recognized Jesus as a respected teacher

and often addressed to our Lord (, ; , ; ; ; ; , ; , : 4:31; 6:25; 9:2; 11:8). Another form of the title was rabboni (; ). The title rabbi is not known to have been used before the reign of Herod the Great, and is thought to have taken its rise about the time of the disputes between the rival schools of Hillel and Shammai.

But we can’t forget what John said of Jesus in verse 36.

Thomas J. Shepherd, The Westminster Bible Dictionary (Philadelphia: Presbyterian Board of Publication, 1880), 429.

John 1:36 ESV

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

They followed Jesus after John announced Him as the Lamb of God.

Then they asked Him about where He was staying.

Jesus would show them in verse 39

Read Verse 39 He said to them, “Come and you will see.” So they came and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day, for it was about the tenth hour.

The MacArthur Study Bible Chapter 1

1:39 the tenth hour. The Jews divided the daylight period of the day into 12 hours (starting at sunrise, approximately 6:00 a.m.). This would make the time about 4:00 p.m. John mentions the precise time most likely to emphasize that he was the other disciple of John the Baptist who was with Andrew (v. 40). As an eyewitness to these events occurring on 3 successive days, John’s first meeting with Jesus was so life-changing that he remembered the exact hour when he first met the Lord.

The Jews divided the daylight period of the day into 12 hours. This would make the time about 4:00 p.m.

Since this is the first time they were with Christ and Matthew’s account after, it makes sense that they would respond the way they did in Matthew’s account. Which most likely was the second time they met Christ.

Matthew 4:19–20 ESV

19 And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” 20 Immediately they left their nets and followed him.

Matthew 4:19 ESV

19 And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”

It says immediately.

19 And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” 20 Immediately they left their nets and followed him.

Since they heard John call Him the Lamb of God and they recognized Jesus as Rabbi already, when Jesus told them to follow Him, it makes sense that they would do this immediately.

Calling Jesus the Lamb of God, as we saw in last week’s sermon, was an announcement of His death. Which is what this particular Sunday is about.

At Christ Alone actually, it is what we do every Sunday! We speak of His burial, death and resurrection.

The disciples here would follow Him but did they know where this would take them?

A good question for us today is “do we know what it means to follow Christ as a disciple?”

What does it mean to be a disciple of Jesus Christ?

Mark 8:34–38 ESV

34 And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 35 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it. 36 For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? 37 For what can a man give in return for his soul? 38 For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”

First, to be a disciple of Jesus Christ one must:

deny themselves

one must take up their cross

one must lose their lives for His sake and for the gospel

one must be unashamed of Jesus and His words

Being a disciple of Jesus Christ demands your life and not a casual belief that shows no proof in how one lives.

John 8:31–32 ESV

31 So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

Second, to be a disciple of Jesus Christ one must:

1. abide in His word

abiding in His word means obeying what His word commands

it means that knowing the truth of His word sets us free to obey

there are many who profess faith but live disobediently

this is not abiding

to abide means to obey the truth and to know the truth

2. one must know the truth

and in knowing the truth that should set them free

free from what?

free from sin

To be a disciple of Jesus Christ one must show their faith in abiding in His word and freedom that has come from truth.

John 8:31–32 ESV

31 So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

John 15:5–8 ESV

5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. 7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.

Third, to be a disciple of Jesus Christ one must:

1. bear fruit of their faith in Jesus Christ

bearing fruit means that your faith can be evidenced

a disciple of Christ knows that apart from Him they can do nothing

This echoes what I said in the introduction

A true follower of Christ is one that cannot find life outside of Christ

A true follower of Christ is one that cannot find life outside of Christ.

John 13:34–35 ESV

34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. 35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

13:34-35

Fourth, to be a disciple of Jesus Christ one must:

1. love other believers

this prioritizes fellowship amongst God’s people

the loving one another here is speaking of believer’s loving one another

this idea that one can do this without the church may have to question their love for God

this was a commandment given to us by our Lord

this is why we do our weekly gathering

we are hoping that by this all people will know that we are his disciples, if we have love for one another

Matthew 28:18–20 ESV

18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Lastly, to be a disciple of Jesus Christ one must:

1. go and make disciples

2. teach the commands of Jesus Christ

that is why teaching is important

Being a disciple leaves no room for casual profession or practice.

To be a disciple of Jesus Christ you must:

Deny yourself and take up your cross and follow Him.

Meaning that one cannot just say that they are Christian and have no evidence for it.

Luke 9:23–24 ESV

23 And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. 24 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.

When you say you are Christian you are saying that you are a cross bearer.

John the Baptist, when announcing Jesus as the Lamb of God, he was announcing His death.

John’s disciples heard him call Jesus the Lamb of God and they would eventually follow Him.

I don’t think they knew what following Jesus meant for their lives at that moment.

But we do see that they immediately left their work and families to follow Him in Matthew’s account.

They must have remembered John and what he taught and said about Jesus. But in the following passages we do see that some did not understand fully the mission of Jesus.

The call of Jesus as the Lamb of God led to Peter following.

But denying themselves? Taking up their crosses? Is this what it means to follow Him?

Well, if Jesus was announced as the Lamb of God (which was an announcement of His death) then following Jesus would mean that one would follow Him to His death.

That is why He said, “For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.”

This is what John the Baptist announced about Jesus Himself. When he said, “Behold, the Lamb of God.”

Read Verse 40 One of the two who heard John speak and followed Jesus was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother.

Scholars agree that John was the other disciple with Andrew here.

Andrew would do what one should do when hearing of Jesus.

He would share who Jesus was with his brother Peter.

3. Jesus is shared by a disciple (v.41-42)

Read Verse 41 He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means Christ).

Andrew addressed Jesus as the Messiah which meant Christ.

Messiah literally meant anointed. Which described those who were consecrated to be kings, priests and prophets.

Jesus being called the Messiah meant that Jesus would be the promised One who would be the perfect King, Priest and Prophet.

The Jews were in expectation of this!

We see the pattern in the gospels where the people wanted Him to be King!

In fact in , it says that they tried by force to make Him King. But He withdrew. Mainly, because His time did not come.

John spoke of Jesus as the Lamb of God and it led Andrew and the other disciple (John) to acknowledge Jesus as the Messiah.

It led Andrew to share of this truth to His brother Simon who would be called Peter.

Read Verse 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 means Peter).

Simon came because of Andrew sharing about Jesus as the Messiah.

And from Simon which means “hearer” Jesus would call him Peter which means (rock).

Roman Catholicism teaches that this term was given to Peter as what the church would be built on.

They say that upon Peter the papacy began.

But let us make clear that the church is not built upon sinful men.

We see later Peter’s mistake. Even after Jesus ascends, Peter struggled with core issues in the book of Galatians.

Matthew 16:13–20 ESV

13 Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” 14 And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. 18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” 20 Then he strictly charged the disciples to tell no one that he was the Christ.

The truth of Jesus Christ as the Christ, the Son of the living God does not come from men.

It is this truth that the church is built on.

It is built on the revelation of Jesus Christ given by the Father.

This is where a true follower of Christ comes from.

It comes from grace! Jesus builds the church upon the revelation of Himself by the Father.

1 Peter 2:4–5 ESV

4 As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, 5 you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

Like Peter, we are being built up as living stones but the Chief cornerstone is Christ!

He is the foundation and the reason why we are disciples.

The church is built on the truth of Jesus as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!

Question: Have you come to saving faith in Jesus Christ?

Question:

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