Week 5, DAY 1

35 The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples, 36 and he looked at Jesus as he walked by and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!”37 The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. 38 Jesus turned and saw them following and said to them, “What are you seeking?” And they said to him, “Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where are you staying?” 39 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. 40 One of the two who heard John speak and followed Jesus was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. 41 He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means Christ). 42 He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon the son of John. You shall be called Cephas” (which means Peter).  John 1:35 - 42 (ESV)

The day after John the Baptist’s declaration of Jesus being the Lamb of God, he stands with
some of his disciples and see Jesus walking by. John was standing with two of his disciples
and he pointed out to them that Jesus was the Lamb of God.

Today I would like to talk about disciples. A disciple is a learner, a close follower, a student,
or a person who is tutored by a teacher but is more than an information gatherer. He or she is
a person who has a close academic or personal relationship with a teacher or a Rabbi. John the
Baptist had many disciples. The two disciples who were standing with him were Andrew, the
brother of Peter, and an unnamed person, who is traditionally believed to be the Apostle John.
Andrew is identified as the brother of Peter (even before Peter was introduced in the story) is
because by the time of John’s writing of the Gospel, Peter was a well-known figure throughout
Christendom. Upon hearing John’s proclamation of the Lamb of God, they became followers
of Jesus. Theologian F.F. Bruce writes, “It is not certain what John expected his disciples to
make of his words, but they left their teacher’s side at once and hurried after Jesus to catch up
with him. They certainly did not grasp the depth of the meaning which modern readers find in
the title ‘Lamb of God’; but they probably understood that John was pointing this man out to
them as the Coming One of whom he had spoken before. No wonder, then, that they were
eager to know more of him.”[1]

Jesus sees the men following him and says, “What are you seeking?” He wants to know their
motives or what is on their minds. They don’t answer his question, instead they ask Him a
question and He doesn’t answer them. He invites them to come and follow Him and see for
themselves, thus begins their journey of faith and they will forever be changed.
The first thing Andrew does after meeting Jesus is go out and find his brother Simon or as we
know him as Peter. Andrew informs him that he has found the Messiah. Andrew gives us an
example of true Christian expansion. Andrew doesn’t say, “Jesus, will you come with me and
talk to my brother about becoming your disciple?” No, the first thing Andrew does is share his encounter
with Jesus with his brother. Andrew brings Peter to Jesus and introduces him to the
Lamb of God.

When Peter is brought to Jesus, He looks at him and says, “You will no longer be called
Simon, you are now Cephas (which means Peter).” This is significant for us because from the
moment Jesus meets Peter he has a plan for his life. We will see later down the road that
before Jesus is crucified, he tells Peter that he will become the foundation (The Church/the
rock) that Jesus will establish through him and the gates of hell cannot, and will not prevail,
against this foundation (Matthew 16:18).


[1] Bruce, F.F. (1994) The Gospel of John p. 56. Grand Rapids, MI: William B Eerdman’s Publishing Co.