Come and See

John 1:35-42

Key verse 39a

“Come,” he replied, “and you will see.”  So they went and saw where he was staying, and they spent the day with him.

Introduction

This passage is a special passge before our Spring Bible conference which will be held in April 18-20, 2014. May the Lord help me to invite 30 new comers so that they may come see who Jesus is. Amen.

1. Read verses 35 and 36. What had John the Baptist said to his disciples the day before? (35a, 29).  Who are with John the Baptist? (35b) When John the Baptist sees Jesus passing by, what does he say? (36)  What do you think about what John says here?

1-1) Read verses 35 and 36.

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!”

1-2) What had John the Baptist said to his disciples the day before? (35a, 29).  

29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is the one I meant when I said, ‘A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’ 31 I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel.”

32 Then John gave this testimony: “I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. 33 And I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ 34 I have seen and I testify that this is God’s Chosen One.”

John the Baptist said to his disciples twice, “Look, the Lamb of God!”

1-3) Who are with John the Baptist? (35b)

According to John 1, they were John and Andrew.

1-4) When John the Baptist sees Jesus passing by, what does he say? (36)  

“Look, the Lamb of God!”

1-5) What do you think about what John says here?

John became a popular preacher that time. He had his own disciples.

But he encouaged his disciples to give their full attention to Jesus.

He knows who Jesus is and what God will do through him.

Jesus is the Lamb of God. It means that Jesus is not a lamb but the Lamb that God had designated as the Lamb to be sacrificed for all mankinds once for all.

2. Read verses 37 - 38. What happens when John’s disciples hear him say this? (37) What does Jesus ask them? (38a) What do they say to Jesus? (38b)  What do you think they meant by what they said?

2-1) Read verses 37 - 38.

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?”

2-2) What happens when John’s disciples hear him say this? (37)

They followed Jesus.

2-3) What does Jesus ask them? (38a)

“What do you want?” Jesus wants to know their motive in following Jesus.

Nothing is more important than having a right motive in following Jesus.

2-4) What do they say to Jesus? (38b)

“Where are you staying?”

It sounds very interesting reply. But it is for them to show their desire to learn of who Jesus is in person.

They want to stay with Jesus for they must have known the value to stay with his teacher, John the baptist.

Nothing is more effective than staying with their teacher in order to learn most.

2-5)  What do you think they meant by what they said?

The best way to learn of Rabbi is to stay with him.

After one on one Bible study, we would like to invite our Bible students to conference and worship service so that they may stay with us further to learn of who Jesus is.

As a further step we would like to encourage them to join our common life so that they may stay with other believers to learn of Jesus in practical lives.

May the Lord raise up many disciples like Andrew and John.

3. Read verses 39. What is Jesus’ answer? (39a) What do they do? (39b)

What do you think about Jesus’ answer?  What do you think spending the day with Jesus might have been like?

3-1) Read verses 39.

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.

3-2) What is Jesus’ answer? (39a)

“Come and you will see.”

3-3) What do they do? (39b)

They spent that with him.

3-4) What do you think about Jesus’ answer?  

Jesus welcome them and wants to stay with them to have them know who Jesus is in person.

3-5) What do you think spending the day with Jesus might have been like?

One of person was John who wrote this book and 1 John.

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:14)

That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. 2 The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. 3 We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. 4 We write this to make our joy complete. (1John 1-4)

4. Read verses 40-42. What is the first thing Andrew does after he had been with Jesus? (40, 41a) What does Andrew say to his brother Simon? (41b) How does Andrew help Simon to meet Jesus? (42a) What does Jesus say to Simon? (42b)  The name Cephas, or Peter when translated means “rock.”  What do you think about the name that Jesus gave to Simon?

4-1) Read verses 40-42.

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).

4-2) What is the first thing Andrew does after he had been with Jesus? (40, 41a)

It is to find his brother Simon and tell him about Jesus.

4-3) What does Andrew say to his brother Simon? (41b)

“We have found the Messiah”

4-4) How does Andrew help Simon to meet Jesus? (42a)

He brought him to Jesus.

4-5) What does Jesus say to Simon? (42b)  

“You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas”

4-6) The name Cephas, or Peter when translated means “rock.”  What do you think about the name that Jesus gave to Simon?

Jesus pays attention to Peter who Andrew had brought.

‘Simon’  Jewish name, made by his father, John

ref) John 21:15  

When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?”

Simon is a common name, from Hebrew meaning "He who has heard/hears [the word of God]".

Imagine!

His father, John might have expected him to hear the word of God so that his son may not repeat his mistake? or his son may become a great servant of God.

At God’s time God answered his prayer.  

‘Cephas’ Aramaic name

‘Peter’  Greek name

His new name given by Jesus, is ‘Cephas or Peter’ which means “Rock.”

Jesus sees a great vision in and through Peter.

Who knows?

Jesus will raise our invited Bible students in conference to be a rock like person in God’s redemptive history.

May the Lord bless our conference to be a spiritual earthquake in Los Angeles to raise up many great servants like Andrew, John, and Peter to shake up the great city of Los Angeles and beyond! Amen.

Conclusion.

Jesus is the Lamb of God. John the baptist encouraged his students/disciples to follow Jesus. Jesus says, “Come and you will see.” May the Lord help us to have faith in inviting our students to Jesus. May the Lord richly bless our conference as a heavenly banquet so that we may gain many disciples for Jesus. Amen. One word: Come and See!

---