DISCIPLES: HIS TESTIMONY, THEIR TESTIMONY

TEXT: JOHN 1:35-51 http://www.biblica.com/bible/verse/?q=john1&niv=yes

PARAPHRASE – John 1:35-51

DISCIPLES

The next day when John the Baptist, along with two of his disciples saw Jesus again, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!” When these disciples of John began following Jesus he asked them what they wanted, they asked him where he was staying and he told them to come and see. After following and spending the day with him, the first thing one of them (Andrew) did was to find his brother Simon to tell him they had found the Messiah after which he brought him to Jesus. Looking at him, Jesus told Simon his new name was Peter.

Going to Galilee the next day, Jesus found Philip and told him to follow him after which Philip went to find his brother Nathaniel telling him they had found Jesus of Nazareth - the one Moses and the prophets had written about as the coming Messiah. When Nathaniel discounted what his brother told him because where Jesus came from was considered a despicable place, Philip told him to come and see for himself. As Nathaniel approached and Jesus called him a true Israelite - a man of integrity, Nathaniel asked Jesus how he knew this about him to which Jesus said he had seen where he was sitting under a fig tree studying the Law when his brother Philip had come to get him. Amazed at Jesus’ knowledge of this, Nathaniel confessed Jesus as the Son of God, the King of Israel at which point Jesus told Nathaniel that if he believed he was the Messiah because of this, as a man of greater integrity than Jacob, he would be witness to much greater things to come such as seeing Jacob's dream come alive with heaven opening and God’s angels ascending and descending on the him - the Son of Man.

PRINCIPLES – John 1:35-51

I. John told his first century readers that disciples began following Jesus.

II. What did John tell his first century readers why disciples began following Jesus?

III. John told his first century readers that disciples began following Jesus because of:

A. Jesus’ Testimony
1.. Jesus said “Come and See.” v. 39
2. Jesus said “Follow Me.” v. 43
3. Jesus said to Nathaniel he had seen him under the fig tree. v. 48
4. Jesus said the angels of God would ascend and descend on him. v. 50

B. Other’s Testimony
1. John the Baptist said he was the Lamb of God. v. 36
2. Andrew said he was the Messiah. v. 41
3. Philip said he was the one Moses wrote about. v. 45
4. Nathaniel said he was the Son of God. v. 49

IV. John tells us today that disciples begin following Jesus.

V. What does John tell us today why disciples begin following Jesus?

VI. John tells us today that disciples begin following Jesus because of:

A. Jesus’ Testimony
1.. Jesus tells us “Come and See.” v. 39
2. Jesus tells us “Follow Me.” v. 43
3. Jesus tells us he has seen us. v. 48
4. Jesus tells us the angels of God will ascend and descend on him. v. 50

B. Other’s Testimony
1. John the Baptist tells us he is the Lamb of God. v. 36
2. Andrew tells us he is the Messiah. v. 41
3. Philip tells us he is the one Moses wrote about. v. 45
4. Nathaniel tells us he is the Son of God. v. 49

PRAYER

Our Father, we praise You for Your Lamb.
Our Father, we praise You that Your angels glorify Him.
Our Father, we praise You for Andrew's, Philip's, Nathaniel's & the Baptist's confessions.

Our Father, we thank You that Your Son sees us.
Our Father, we ask when Your Son calls “Come & See” & “Follow Me” we do.
Our Father, we ask as Your Son’s disciples we confess Him as Messiah to others.

Our Father, we pray this in the Name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Amen.

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THE CHRIST THE NOT-CHRIST

TEXT: JOHN 1:19-34 http://www.biblica.com/bible/verse/index.php?q=john1&niv=yes

PARAPHRASE

THE NOT-CHRIST

When priests were sent to John the Baptist to ask him who he was he told them “I am not the Christ,” so they asked him if he was Elijah or the Prophet and he told them, “No.” When they finally asked him to give them an answer they could take back to the religious leaders in Jerusalem who had sent them, John said, “I am the voice of one calling out in the desert, “Make straight the way of the Lord,’ “ using the words of the prophet Isaiah. They then asked John if he wasn’t the Christ, Elijah or the Prophet why he was baptizing people. He told them while his baptism was with water there was someone else among them, who was coming after him, whom he wasn’t even worthy to untie his sandals. This all happened on the other side of the Jordan at Bethany.

THE CHRIST

The day after this, when John saw Jesus coming he called him the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world and told the people this is who I was talking about when I said there was someone else among you whose sandals I was unworthy to untie. Even though I didn’t know who he was I have been baptizing with water so that he might be revealed. The one who sent me to baptize with water told me that the one on whom the Spirit comes down from heaven in the form of a dove and remains on is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit. I have seen this happen and “I testify he is the Son of God.”


PRINCIPLES

I. John told his first century readers who “the Christ” was.

II. How did John tell his first century readers who “the Christ” was?

III. John told his first century readers that “the Christ” was:

A. “Not” John the Baptist, the one who:
(1) Called out in the desert.
(2) Made straight the way of the Lord.
(3) Baptized with water.
(4) Was unworthy to untie his sandals.
(5) Revealed who “the Christ” was.

B. Jesus, the one who:
(1) Was the Lamb of God.
(2) Takes away the sin of the world.
(3) The Spirit came down from heaven on.
(4) Baptizes with the Holy Spirit.
(5) Was the Son of God!

IV. John tells us today who “the Christ” is.

V. How does John tell us today who “the Christ” is?

VI. John tells us today that “the Christ” is:

A. “Not” John the Baptist, the one who:
(1) Called out in the desert.
(2) Made straight the way of the Lord.
(3) Baptized with water.
(4) Was unworthy to untie his sandals.
(5) Revealed who “the Christ” was.

B. Jesus, the one who:
(1) Is the Lamb of God.
(2) Takes away the sin of the world.
(3) The Spirit came down from heaven on.
(4) Baptizes with the Holy Spirit.
(5) Is the Son of God!

PRAYER

Our Father, forgive the sins we commit each day that make us unworthy to be in Your presence without the mercy and forgiveness You show to a repentant and contrite heart.

Our Father, we thank You for Your Lamb that takes away the sin of the world and for Your baptism with water and the Holy Spirit.

Our Father, we ask that Your Holy Spirit empower us to be a voice calling out in our barren world, to those who are spiritually thirsty.

Our Father, we ask that Your Holy Spirit empower us to make straight the way of the Lord to those who are seeking Him and like John, help to reveal “the Christ” as the “Son of God” to others through our witness and testimony.

Our Father, we pray all of these things in the Name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Amen.

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ETERNAL WORD ETERNAL LIFE

TEXT: JOHN 1:1-18 http://www.biblica.com/bible/verse/index.php?q=john1&niv=yes

PARAPHRASE

In the beginning was Jesus Christ, the Word, by whom all things were created, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. Jesus Christ was with God from the beginning. Through him everything was made – without him nothing that was made has been made. In him was life which was the light of men that shines in darkness although the darkness has not understood it. God sent John as a witness to testify about the true light coming into the world to give light to all men so that they might believe. John was a witness to the light not the light itself.

Even though he was in the world he had made, the world did not know him and when he came to his own people they rejected who he was. However, to all who received him by believing in who he was he gave the right to become children of God – children born of God rather than by natural descent.

The Word became flesh in Jesus Christ and he lived among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the Holy Father, from whom he came full of His grace and truth. John testifies to this crying out this is the one of whom I said he who comes after me is greater than me because he preceded me. From the abundance of his grace we have all received many blessings. For while the law was given to Moses grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. And while no one has ever seen God, Jesus Christ, who resides at the Father’s side, has made Him known.


PRINCIPLES

I. John tells his first century readers that Jesus Christ is eternal God who was brought into this sinful world by God the Father to make His righteousness and grace known.

II. How does John tell his first century readers that Jesus Christ is the eternal God who was brought into this world by God the Father to make His righteousness and grace known?

III. John tells his first century readers that Jesus Christ was:

A. The Word of God.
(1) Eternal God.
(2) The Creator.
(3) Life & Light!

C. The Word become flesh.
(1) At the Father’s side
(2) God’s glory, grace & truth.
(3) God Incarnate!

B. The Way to God.
(1) Unrecognized by many.
(2) Received by some.
(3) Eternal Life!

IV. John tells us today that Jesus Christ is eternal God who was brought into this sinful world by God the Father to make His righteousness and grace known.

V. How does John tell us today that Jesus Christ is the eternal God who was brought into this world by God the Father to make His righteousness and grace known?

VI. John tells us that Jesus Christ is:

A. The Word of God.
(1) Eternal God.
(2) The Creator.
(3) Life & Light!

B. The Word become flesh.
(1) At the Father’s side.
(2) God’s glory, grace & truth.
(3) God Incarnate!

C. The Way to God.
(1) Unrecognized by many.
(2) Received by some.
(3) Eternal Life!

PRAYER

Our Father, we thank You and give You praise for Your Son, Jesus Christ, the Word, who is eternal, who is God, who was with You from the beginning, and who is the Creator of all things.

Our Father, we praise You for the Life and Light he brought into the world and we ask Your forgiveness when we hide in the darkness of this world, when instead of coming into his Light and Life, we try to cover our sins because of our shame.

Our Father, we ask that Your righteousness which we have received when we believed in Your Son’s Name, in the Name of Jesus Christ – that Your grace that we have received, lead us to repentance and to not fear returning to the Light and Life that Your Son has brought to our lives.

Our Father, we thank You that Your Son made his dwelling place among us and with our belief in his Name that he makes his dwelling place within us, within our hearts through the power of Your Holy Spirit so that we are never separated from Your Love.

Our Father, we thank You for making Yourself known to us through the grace and truth we have received from Your Son’s sacrifice for our sins, for the Eternal Life that this brings and for the darkness that this brings us out of and the Light that this brings us into.

Our Father, we pray all of these things in the Name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Amen.

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