“Called To Call Others!”(Jn.1:43-51).In the gospel of John, the call of the first disciples was a “relational process of disciples discovering Jesus through” the witness of others. Firstly, John the Baptist was with two of his disciples when he saw Jesus passing by. John said, “Look, the Lamb of God!” The two followed Jesus and spent the day with him. Andrew, who was one of the two, went to find his brother Simon to tell him they had found the Messiah. Jesus told Simon, “You will be called Cephas” (Peter)(Jn.1:35-42).In today’s text, Jesus found Philip and told him, “Follow me.” Philip found Nathnael and told him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote – Jesus of Nazareth…”Nathaniel didn’t think that any good thing could come out of Nazareth, but Philip told him, “Come and see.” These are the first four disciples who are named. It is not clear whether the other disciple of John who spent time with Jesus remained or went back to John. This relational process of disciples discovering Jesus through the witness of others has an impact because it is evangelism that comes with divine testimony. The testimony of John the Baptist led Andrew to Jesus, and the testimony of Andrew brought his brother Simon to Jesus. Jesus called Philip, and the testimony of Philip brought Nathaniel to Jesus. *In all these, each call is a divine initiative. Jesus told Andrew and the other John’s disciple, “Come and you will see.” He told Simon, “You will be called Cephas.” He told Philip, “Follow me.” And he told Nathaniel, “I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you.” He was to emphasise this later: “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him…”*(Jn.6:44).We may not have seen Jesus physically, but by faith, we know he is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. By faith, we know that he is the Messiah, “the one Moses wrote about it the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote – Jesus of Nazareth…!”Nathaniel was right to wonder if anything good could come out of Nazareth. No doubt Jesus said, “Here is a true israelite in whom there is nothing false.” Jesus was not a Nazarene! According to Matthew, after returning from Egypt, Joseph settled in Nazareth to fulfil what was said through the prophets: “He will be called a Nazarene”(Mt.2:23)My friend, we are called to call others, but by faith, Christ must have meaning in our lives so that others discover him through our witness.Weekend prayer: Holy Spirit, guide us to continue this relational process for other people to discover the Lord Jesus Christ through our witness. Amen!Have a blessed weekend! Peace be with you!Rev Babila Fochang. 23/01/2025.
In the gospel of John, the call of the first disciples was a “relational process of disciples discovering Jesus through” the witness of others. Firstly, John the Baptist was with two of his disciples when he saw Jesus passing by. John said, “Look, the Lamb of God!” The two followed Jesus and spent the day with him. Andrew, who was one of the two, went to find his brother Simon to tell him they had found the Messiah. Jesus told Simon, “You will be called Cephas” (Peter)(Jn.1:35-42).
In today’s text, Jesus found Philip and told him, “Follow me.” Philip found Nathnael and told him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote – Jesus of Nazareth…”
Nathaniel didn’t think that any good thing could come out of Nazareth, but Philip told him, “Come and see.” These are the first four disciples who are named. It is not clear whether the other disciple of John who spent time with Jesus remained or went back to John.
This relational process of disciples discovering Jesus through the witness of others has an impact because it is evangelism that comes with divine testimony. The testimony of John the Baptist led Andrew to Jesus, and the testimony of Andrew brought his brother Simon to Jesus.
Jesus called Philip, and the testimony of Philip brought Nathaniel to Jesus.
In all these, each call is a divine initiative. Jesus told Andrew and the other John’s disciple, “Come and you will see.” He told Simon, “You will be called Cephas.” He told Philip, “Follow me.” And he told Nathaniel, “I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you.” He was to emphasise this later: “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him…”(Jn.6:44).
We may not have seen Jesus physically, but by faith, we know he is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. By faith, we know that he is the Messiah, “the one Moses wrote about it the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote – Jesus of Nazareth…!”
Nathaniel was right to wonder if anything good could come out of Nazareth. No doubt Jesus said, “Here is a true israelite in whom there is nothing false.” Jesus was not a Nazarene! According to Matthew, after returning from Egypt, Joseph settled in Nazareth to fulfil what was said through the prophets: “He will be called a Nazarene”(Mt.2:23)
My friend, we are called to call others, but by faith, Christ must have meaning in our lives so that others discover him through our witness.
Weekend prayer: Holy Spirit, guide us to continue this relational process for other people to discover the Lord Jesus Christ through our witness. Amen!
Have a blessed weekend! Peace be with you!
Rev Babila Fochang.
23/01/2025.