John 1:35-42 YAC Notes
John 1:35-42
Coming to Saving Faith
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#behold
Published September 2nd, 2021; Updated September 2nd, 2021
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Coming to Saving Faith Outline & Questions: Why does John call Jesus the "Lamb of God"? - We go our own way, scattered about in our sinful wanderings of heart. Jesus, the Sent of God, goes directly God's way on the path of sacrifice for all those who trust in Him. Jesus walks straight for those who wander, always, without exception. This grace is always available, no matter how much it might be thought that we should think ourselves just fine without it, or, others to be "too far along to fall." For John, discipleship is about looking to Jesus as the Healer of our sins. John is with his disciples, and he points them to Jesus, modelling for us what discipleship is supposed to look like. What does that tell us about how discipleship should be happening in our lives? (FOLLOW UP: Do you have a single person in your life that you regularly discuss your sin with? Someone who has a window in?) Discipleship can't be happening without sin being brought to light. Necessary parts of discipleship: looking to Jesus as Healer, and continuously confessing when and where we need healed. The disciples were seeking Jesus, but they seemed to be seeking Him first as a teacher. It wasn't until later on that the fact that this was the Word made flesh settled with them and Andrew told his brother that he had found the Messiah. So, they heard from their teacher John that Jesus was the Lamb of God, probably believed him (in some sense), and still came to Jesus as a teacher. That means that we can see Jesus, hear about Who He really is, think we believe it, and totally miss Him. Jesus says to the Pharisees later in chapter 5:39-40, "You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life." So, just like John's disciples that see Jesus but miss the point, we are capable of the exact same thing when we read our Bibles. What would be some examples of reading your Bible, seeing Jesus, and missing the point entirely? What can we seek when we come to Scripture that will cause us to miss the point? I read that I'm supposed to look to Jesus for help. I look to Jesus and see what He says as how He helps me, and I do my best to do what He says. When I fail, I try harder. Maybe next time. However, He is faithful, even when we're faithless. Any takeaway from Scripture that doesn't: 1) Reveal my sinfulness, and 2) Point to Jesus as Healer of that sinfulness , is a bad conclusion. We have to weigh our takeaways with the gospel. John's disciples leave him to follow Jesus, and that's totally alright. The goal for John is Jesus, not his ministry. It isn't always a bad thing when people leave. In the same way, not everyone who is here will always be here. If you were to leave and look for another gospel community, what would you be looking for? Necessary parts of a gospel community: Gospel preaching ( how do you know the gospel is preached? How do you evaluate a sermon? What's a good sermon do? ) Communities of confession Committed to laboring in prayer Committed to restoration Culture of discipleship (people over programs) Witnessing to those around us (& sending to those abroad) The Village's Essential Elements: Under the Word Around the Table Among Neighbors In verses 41-42, I think we see Peter get saved (first of all, do you think this is where Peter gets saved? How do we know?) , and within that we see Jesus with the authority to completely give him a new name. Jesus now has authority over Peter's life, down to his very identity. In the same way, when we come to Jesus, He gives us a new life, a new identity. Why is it important to know that, if you trust in Jesus, it is no longer you who lives, but Jesus Who lives in you? Our identity as one who is freed from sin launches us into a life that is actually more free from sin in the present. Ex. alcoholics anonymous wants their members to always keep in mind their identity as an alcoholic. The thinking is that if they keep the fact that they will "always struggle with alcoholism" before them, they will stay in a place of humility, and won't put themselves in a position to fall. Why isn't this a Christian idea?
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Main point summary
As a result of John's witness to the Healer, and Andrew's receiving Him thereafter, Peter receives Andrew's witness, and as a result, Jesus.
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John 1:35-42
esv
The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples ,
and he looked at Jesus as he walked by
and said ,
“ Behold , i the Lamb of God!”
ideaexplanation
progression
The two disciples heard him say this,
and they followed Jesus.
actionresult
Jesus turned
and saw them following
and said to them,
j “ What are you seeking ? ”
And they said to him,
k “Rabbi” (which means Teacher) , “where are you staying?”
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. 1
ground
questionanswer
l One of the two who heard John speak and followed Jesus 1 was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother.
He [Andrew] first found his own brother Simon
and said to him,
“We have found m the Messiah” (which means Christ) .
He brought him to Jesus.
Jesus looked at him and said,
“ You are Simon the son of n John .
You shall be called o Cephas” (which means p Peter 1 ) .
concessive
The two disciples respond to Jesus' question with a question
The two disciples respond to Jesus' question with a question. Jesus is talking about spiritual realities, but they are only thinking about physical ones.
The goal is Jesus, not ministry. Discipleship is about pointing people to Jesus as the Healer of their sins. It's about looking to Jesus as your Treasure. That means that in order for discipleship to be happening, two things must be true: Jesus is the Goal and the Solution. You must be looking to Jesus for your progress together. You must be honest about your sin. Don't give darkness an inch, or you're giving opportunity to the Devil. Discipleship doesn't happen in the dark. If discipleship is going to Jesus for freedom from sins, we can't do that if we aren't actively talking about our sins. Do you have a person you regularly talk about your sin with?
Looking at Jesus causes John to tell others to look at Jesus (2 Cor. 3:18).
Is Jesus' invitation to John's disciples any different than John's command to them at the beginning?
They were apparently looking for the Messiah. What are some other things that we look for?
The result of Andrew's actions are Peter's regeneration. Let's go through the process. Andrew: First finds Simon. He is intentionally seeking out his brother. He was first looking for a better teacher, but now that he's found the Messiah, he's looking for people to teach. Second speaks to Simon. He bears witness about the light. He has seen it, and is now doing what John did. However, would Peter hear it the same way? Finally brings him to Jesus. Andrew knows that merely hearing about Jesus being the Messiah might not produce in him what needs to happen. So he shows him Jesus . How can we do the same?
The whole portion of Scripture functions like a chain reaction: John, being healed , shares the healer. Andrew and co., hearing , seek the Teacher. The Teacher corrects them in their seeking. Because they have found the Messiah, they are found . Because Andrew is now found , he goes to find Peter! Andrew, being healed , shares the healer with Peter. The connection is Christ.
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Isaiah 53:1-12
53 1 g Who has believed what he has heard from us? 1 And to whom has h the arm of the Lord been revealed? 2 For he grew up before him like a young plant, i and like a root out of dry ground; j he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him. 3 k He was despised and rejected 1 by men; a man of sorrows, 2 and acquainted with 3 grief; 4 and as one from whom men hide their faces 5 he was despised, and l we esteemed him not. 4 m Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows ; yet we esteemed him stricken, n smitten by God, and afflicted. 5 o But he was pierced for our transgressions ; he was crushed for our iniquities ; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace , p and with his wounds we are healed . 6 q All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way ; r and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. 7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, s yet he opened not his mouth; t like a u lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth . 8 By oppression and judgment he was taken away; and as for his generation, v who considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my people ? 9 And they made his grave with the wicked w and with a rich man in his death, although x he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth. 10 Yet y it was the will of the Lord to crush him; he has put him to grief; 1 z when his soul makes 2 an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; a the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. 11 Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see 1 and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall b the righteous one, my servant, c make many to be accounted righteous , d and he shall bear their iniquities . 12 e Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many, 1 f and he shall divide the spoil with the strong, 2 because he poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; g yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors .
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