Summary: A call to Fin and Follow Jesus, and gain Fulfillment

DISCIPLESHIP

A disciple is someone who receives instruction and guidance from a teacher, and follows it

FIVE STEPS IN DISCIPLESHIP

John 1:35 – 42

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 round, 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 spent that day with him. It was about the tenth hour. 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).

I. RECOGNITION OF CHRIST

1. AS THE LAMB OF GOD

V 36 When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, "Look, the Lamb of God!"

2. AS THE ONE WORTH FORSAKING ALL FOR

a. Matthew

Luke 5:27 & 28 Jesus went out and saw a tax collector by the name of Levi sitting at his tax booth. "Follow me," Jesus said to him, 28 and Levi got up, left everything and followed him.

b. Peter, James & John

Luke 5:10 & 11 when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all, and followed him. [AV]

3. AS THE ONE TO BE TRUSTED AND FOLLOWED

FORSAKING ALL I TRUST HIM

4. AS THE SON OF GOD

John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God

II. REACTION IN FAITH

1. THEY HEARD AND BELIEVED

Romans 10:17 [Phillips] Faith, you see, can only come from hearing the message, and the message is the word of Christ.

2. THEY BELIEVED AND FOLLOWED

3. ACTION IS THE EVIDENCE OF FAITH

James 1:22 [Phillips] Don’t only hear the message, but put it into practice; otherwise you are merely deluding yourselves.

III. REALITY IN SEARCHING

1. JESUS WILL TEST THE MOTIVE OF DISCIPLESHIP

V 38 Turning round, Jesus saw them following and asked, "What do you want?" They said, "Rabbi" (which means Teacher), "where are you staying?

2. WHAT DO WE EXPECT OUT OF FOLLOWING JESUS?

a. Worldly Honour And Preference?

Matthew 20:20 & 21 Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Jesus with her sons and, kneeling down, asked a favour of him. 21 "What is it you want?" he asked. She said, "Grant that one of these two sons of mine may sit at your right and the other at your left in your kingdom."

b. Material Gain?

Proverbs 16:8 Better a little with righteousness than much gain with injustice.

c. Influence Over Others?

Mark 10:43 & 43 – 45 whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. 45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."

3. DO WE SEEK JESUS AS SAVIOUR AND GUIDE

Joh 14:6 Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No-one comes to the Father except through me.

a. I Am The Way

b. I Am The Truth

c. I Am The Life

4. WHAT SEEK YE?

Matthew 16:24-26 Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 25 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. 26 What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?

IV. REQUESTING A RESULT

V 38 & 39 Turning round, 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 spent that day with him. It was about the tenth hour.

1. THE INVITATION

"Come," he replied, "and you will see."

2. THE RESPONSE

So they went and saw where he was staying, and spent that day with him.

3. JESUS INVITES US

a. To Come To Him

b. To Learn Of Him

c. To Follow Him

V. RESPONDING IN SERVICE

1. SERVING BY SHARING

V 41 The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, "We have found the Messiah" (that is, the Christ).

V 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).

2. SERVING BY FRUIT-BEARING

John 15:8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

3. SERVING IN LOVE

John 14:15 "If you love me, you will obey what I command.

4. SERVING BY COMMITMENT

John 8:31 Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples