What Would It Be LIke to Spend a Day With Jesus? John 1:35-42

 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).

We know one of the two disciples is Andrew by verse 40.  The other disciple many commentators think is John the gospel writer.  Why?  John rarely mentions himself. and he was the only one who could have known the specific time when they went to spend the day with Jesus (4:00 pm).  

John the Baptist is again clearly deferring to Jesus and deflecting his disciples away from himself to Jesus.  Jesus asks them a curious question, "What do you want?"  Jesus perhaps wanted to know their motivation.  Did they have a real desire to get to know him?  Jesus then calls them to come and stay with him for the afternoon.  Discipleship with Jesus was a way of life, not a transaction.  The disciples would learn the most from Jesus by spending time with him.  

Andrew was so excited about this opportunity, he went to get his brother Simon (Peter).  Andrew is the first person to come to believe and confess that "Jesus is the Messiah".  When Jesus meets Peter, knowing the role he would play in the future, he looks at him and gives him a new name.  He will now be called "Cephas", which in Greek is translated "Petros", or "Peter" in English.  The name means "rock".  

"Each time Andrew is mentioned in the Gospel of John, he is bringing someone to Jesus (also at John 6:8 and 12:22)." Guzik

Why do you think Jesus invites his first disciples to come and spend time with him?  How do you think Andrew knew he was the Messiah?  How did you get to know Jesus?  Have you found the Messiah?  What would that look like for you to spend a day with Jesus?  Have you brought anyone to meet Jesus?

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