Welcome to Day 5 of our 40 Day challenge! John 1:35-51

(Catch up with us, with our reading list, and Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4)

Today we are in John 1:35-51

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John 1:35-51

John’s Disciples Follow Jesus

35 The next day John was there again with two of his disciples.36 When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!”

37 When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus.38 Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, “What do you want?”

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

39 “Come,” he replied, “and you will see.”

So they went and saw where he was staying, and they spent that day with him. It was about four in the afternoon.

40 Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. 41 The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, “We have found the Messiah” (that is, the Christ). 42 And he brought him to Jesus.

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

Jesus Calls Philip and Nathanael

43 The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, “Follow me.”

44 Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida.45 Philip found Nathanael and told him, “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.”

46 “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” Nathanael asked.

“Come and see,” said Philip.

47 When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, “Here truly is an Israelite in whom there is no deceit.”

48 “How do you know me?” Nathanael asked.

Jesus answered, “I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you.”

49 Then Nathanael declared, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the king of Israel.”

50 Jesus said, “You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You will see greater things than that.” 51 He then added, “Very truly I tell you, you will see ‘heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on’ the Son of Man.”

 

There is so much going on in today’s passage. We see John walking with two of his disciples and proclaiming Jesus as the Lamb of God. It’s important to note that John doesn’t think losing two disciples to Jesus is a loss, it’s what he came to do. His mission was announcing the Messiah, and so losing disciples to him was a success. The best towns are those whose churches support each other and work together. They aren’t focusing on the numbers, they are focusing on honoring God, making disciples and helping their people grow in maturity in Christ.  So if someone leaves their church but gets actively involved in another, that’s a success. It can be easy to get caught up in what the world thinks success is and lose focus on what success looks like to the Lord.

I saw you while you were still under the fig tree. How do you know me? We ask this as well. He made you and has been with you. Jesus knows you. Fully. Completly. He is with you on your darkest days. He knows every hurt and every wound you’ve received. He knows every time you’ve struggled. And He calls you beloved. He knows you better than you know yourself and He still chooses you! As you go thoughout your day today, hold this truth in your heart.

Options for further  journaling or discussion throughout the challenge:

• Choose a part of the passage to write out by hand. Writing by hand helps us slow down and focus on what the Lord might highlight for us in the passage. Our brains can focus and remember better by writing than just reading alone.
• Journal about what the passage brings to mind. Does the passage tell us anything about God? Does it tell us anything about our response to Him?
• Does your heart respond in gratitude to any part of the passage? Write or pray your gratitude to the Lord.

 

We’ll see you tomorrow, for Day 6 and John 2:1-12

♥ Samantha