Following Jesus
Following Jesus
30th July 2023
John 1:35–51
Over these four weeks we are exploring together the practice of ‘Following Jesus’.
Following Jesus is both a response to the call of Jesus
AND living in a way that is aligned to Jesus’ way.
Today’s reading highlights the first part: the decision-point to ‘Follow Jesus’.
This reading presents this decision-point for a handful of disciples,
and how their response to ‘follow Jesus’ comes about in different ways.
The first disciples in this reading aren’t explicitly called by Jesus – they just start tagging along with Jesus.
Then Andrew brings his brother, Simon, to Jesus,
who looks him over and gives him a new name.
The first word from Jesus to “follow me” only happens the next day, when Jesus finds Philip.
Philip, now a disciple, goes and finds Nathanael – and tells him about Jesus.
Nathanael becomes a disciple by hearing what Jesus says to someone else about him.
Do you notice how each decision-point to follow Jesus is remarkably different?
It seems Jesus encounters people in different ways,
in different life circumstances.
As well as these experiences being different, do you notice another characteristic?
Each encounter is very brief – at least that’s how they are told in the Gospel.
At the beginning they cannot know Jesus fully.
But, I guess we can say they know enough.
Each knows enough, to willingly change the direction of their lives.
Maybe this tells us about how we may respond…?
Over these four weeks, as examine our practice of following Jesus
(first decision-point AND decisions throughout life)
let’s not mistakenly assume the action is all ours.
We ARE wanting to grow in ‘practicing the practice’ of following Jesus,
but this response is possible for us only because God has acted first.
In Jesus, God first comes to us.
Despite recognising God acts first, no one is forced to follow Jesus.
The overall tone of the passage is curiosity.
Do you notice the repeated phrase “come and see.”?
It is as though Jesus is leading the disciples on a journey of discovery.
Wooing them with God’s tantalising love and mission, taking shape in embodied lives.
This practice of following begins as it continues:
choosing again and again to journey with Jesus in discovering the love and mission Jesus shows us.
As well as the discovery of what Jesus shows us, the decision to follow also involves NOT follow other things.
When we say yes to one thing, we are also saying no to another.
Homicide is to kill some else.
Suicide is to kill yourself.
Decide is to kill your options.
When we say yes to following Jesus, we are saying no to following ourselves.
We are saying no to anyone or anything that is not Jesus.
What might you have to say ‘no’ to, in order to follow Jesus?
What is it about Jesus that makes you curious enough to want to discover more?
The Bible tells us following Jesus has real consequences.
A life of authentic discipleship will not make us rich or popular…
Yet even those who had nothing to gain monetarily realised Jesus spoke the truth,
transformed lives,
and offered a vision of God’s desire to reconcile the world and save it.
Today, we’ve primarily considered this initial decision-point practice of following Jesus.
And over the coming weeks we’ll be looking also at the ongoing practice of following Jesus, in the choices we make every day.
Because we know that an initial decision to follow Jesus isn’t enough on its own.
The initial decision is necessary to be a follower,
but to follow Jesus is a continuing practice.
How can we be so sure?
In today’s passage we hear that Andrew brings his brother to Jesus, and Jesus gives Simon the new name of Peter.
But later on, Peter drops the ball a couple of times:
1. Peter argues with Jesus about his true mission – do you remember this, when Jesus says “‘Get behind me, Satan! …you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.” (Matt 14:23)
2. And then when Jesus is arrested, Peter denies even knowing Jesus. (Matt 26:69-75)
These failures by Peter are actually very encouraging for us.
They show that even when we make bad choices, we are given the chance to decide again to follow Jesus.
The decision to follow Jesus is something we continue to practice.
Over the coming weeks we will consider what is it that helps us continue this practice of following Jesus.
“Come and see”
Let me conclude by reminding us of the Good News for us all.
Jesus invites us all to follow him so he can show us something.
Something that he knows we’ve been looking for.
In fact, Jesus is also inviting us to see what God is looking for: us.
Jesus is inviting us to restored fellowship with God and one another.
Jesus came to save the world God loves, not to condemn it.
Jesus wants to show us that God loves.
Following Jesus means we are choosing to see what Jesus shows us.