Faithful Followers and a Pattern for Us in Christian Witness

 Faithful Followers & a Pattern for Us in Telling of Him- John 1:29-42

   "Jesus is the way to the Father.  In these early manifestations, appearances and actions of Jesus we see an emphasis .  It is an open witness.  There is no shut door here.  Jesus is completely forthright with others and asks them questions like, “ What see ye?”  This question goes to our heart .  It shows us to be shallow in much of our own lives for we know we are often not looking for the right things that please God and serve others.  So Jesus is open with people .  “ Come and see” he says to the early disciples when they ask him “ Where are you abiding or living now? “ They are in pursuit of the thing which will satisfy their needs, give reality to their dreams and substance to their hopes.  They are soon to discover that the thing is in fact a person, the very Person who now confronts them.”  The Gospel of John by R. V. G. Tasker

Charles Erdman tells of this lesson in three parts, Testimony, Faith and Life.  That is what it is. 

     In our experience of life we like to share good news when we get it.   We cannot wait to tell people, “ I got promoted” or “ I received an award.”  Sometimes we are also share with others our own story, our history and our likes and dislikes.  That makes us feel important.  As Christians we have the wonderful opportunity to tell others of what God has done for us.  We see today in the reading that John the Baptist was a faithful witness to Jesus. Luke tells us John “ shall be great in the sight of the Lord….and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost even from his mother’s womb. And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God.” 1:15

    I Corinthians 1 :9 tells us that our calling to be Christians is God’s callling us. “ God is faithful, by whom you were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.”   As we look at faithful witness and followers this day, we should ever remember that while my efforts are important, that they in and of themselves can never produce a response is someone else that is eternal.  The calling is God’s work.

     In John we read of John’s faithful words of witness 29-36 of Jesus; then in 37-39 the two disciples ( one , Andrew) follow Jesus because of this faithful witness, and in 40-42 Peter follows Jesus because of his brother Andrew’s witness to him.  It is a kind of “ spiritual multiplication” that all of us ought to be involved in.

I.  John’s words 29-36

John seeth Jesus coming unto him and saith , “ Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.”  Lines from Exodus?  Exodus 12:3-17.  Vs 5 “ Your lamb shall be without blemish”  Vs. 7 “ and they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses.”  Vs. 13 “ and the blood shall be to you a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you when I smite the land of Egypt.”

Peter tells us I Peter 2:24 that Christ “ himself bore our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins might live for righteousness---by whose stripes you were healed.

He is our sacrifice.

He is the Son of God. V. 34  “ and I have seen , and have borne witness that this is the Son of God”  “ This is he of whom I said, ‘ After me cometh a man which is preferred before me : for he was before me.” Vs 30 & 15  John 1:1 “ In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and God was the Word.”   “ He was in the beginning with God.  All things through Him came into being, and without him came into being not even one thing which has come into being.”

He baptizes with the Holy Ghost. 32-33   “ And John bare record, saying I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon Him. And I knew him not: but He that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending and remaining upon Him, the same is He which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost.

John baptizes with water, an outward rite but Jesus’ baptism is an actual , inner spiritual renewal.

II.                The two disciples follow Jesus because of John.  37-39.

And the two disciples heard him speak and they followed Jesus.  Share what you know as did John.  We know now more than John.  We have the whole truth of God in Scripture.  “ the word of the Lord endureth forever.” Peter said, “ being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible by the word of God , which liveth and abideth for ever.”

Vs. 38 Jesus asks them , “ what seek ye?”  They said , “ Teacher, where do you live?” 

v.39 He saith unto them, Come and see.  They came and saw where he dwelt and abode with him that day.  They were seeking a person , not a place.

III.             Andrew brings Peter to Jesus 40-42

Vs 41 tells us he had heard John  . He brings his own brother to Jesus…” He first findeth his own brother Simon and said unto him, ‘ we have found the Messiah.’

Jesus looks at him and gives Peter a new name, “stone.”  Cephas

Erdman concludes, "  If one really believes in Christ, the result will be a complete transformation of character; instead of weakness, there will be strength, courage, endurance, true manhood."

Conclusion-  Bearing witness .  Not all respond in the same way.  We simply share what we know, who Jesus is.  He is the eternal Son of God, the Lamb of God and baptizes with the Holy Spirit when we receive His Son by faith.  We have found the Christ.