John 1:35-42

Illustration: Back in the 1980's, before I went off to Bible school, I was still shoeing horses. I had served a two year apprenticeship under a master Ferrier and had been out on my own for a few years. One day I walked into a barn to shoe a new draft horse. He was huge, muscles on top of muscles. His name was Hercules and he was a logging horse. As I watched the owner bring this immense animal toward me, I noticed something about the horse's feet and his horseshoes. My first question to the owner was, "where did you buy this horse"? I didn't recognize the horse, but without a doubt, the shoeing job looked like my work. I looked at the toe clips on the draft horse shoes and said, "these shoes were made by me." I picked the horses hoof up and examined the nail crease and the nail placement, even down to the little ding mark to distinguish left and right shoes, "this was my work." Then I noticed a letter "S", and I stamped my shoes "SWB", I said, someone took my shoes off another horse and put them on this horse. Still puzzled about how "my" shoes ended up on a horse I've never seen before, I placed both front shoes in the forge and started reheating them for fitting. As I drew the first orange glowing shoe out of the fire and began to clean it off with a slag brush, I noticed something on the clean hot metal that I had not seen previously. Not only was there a letter "S", but there was also a slightly worn letter "J" and "A". I started to laugh out loud. The mystery was solved, because "JAS" was the stamp of the master horseshoer I apprenticed with. My work, my style, my shoeing techniques had become just like the masters, to the point that I thought the masters horse shoes were my own.

What happened? I had become just like the Master. Just like my teacher. As an apprentice or disciple I had taken on the ways of my teacher. That's exactly what Jesus wants us to do. He wants us to be His disciples.

This morning we will look at some of the things that are involved in becoming a disciple of Christ. We will see that a disciple:

"follows Jesus" and a disciple

"becomes like Jesus."

John 1:35 "Again, the next day, John stood with two of his disciples. 36 And looking at Jesus as He walked, he said, 'Behold the Lamb of God!' 37 The two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. 38 Then Jesus turned, and seeing them following, said to them, 'What do you seek?' They said to Him, 'Rabbi' (which is to say, when translated, Teacher), 'where are You staying?' 39 He said to them, 'Come and see.' They came and saw where He was staying, and remained with Him that day (now it was about the tenth hour). 40 One of the two who heard John speak, and followed Him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. 41 He first found his own brother Simon, and said to him, 'We have found the Messiah' (which is translated, the Christ). 42 And he brought him to Jesus. Now when Jesus looked at him, He said, 'You are Simon the son of Jonah. You shall be called Cephas' (which is translated, A Stone)."

I. A disciple follows Jesus.

What is a disciple in the historical or technical sense?

A learner, One that attaches himself to a given teacher. The original word was used first of those that learned a trade under a master teacher.

If you wanted to become a boat builder in Jesus' , day you, would place yourself under the discipline and instruction of a master boat builder.

Disciple also has the sense of a follower, because the learner had to follow or pursue the Master Teacher.

Today we don't often call ourselves disciples of Christ, we call ourselves Christians: Acts 11:26, And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.

Why did the unbelievers call the disciples by this name? Because these disciples were followers of Christ. So even the term Christian originally meant a follow of Christ.

John the Baptist had disciples. He taught them to look for the Messiah.

to repent - deal with your sin

to prepare themselves

to follow the preferred One - Jesus.

It's important to note that the disciples mentioned in John immediately follow Jesus. So often in our day Christians follow Jesus when they want to and if they feel like it. But that's not what Jesus desired of His own disciples.

What did Jesus desire of those that followed Him?

John 1:38 Then Jesus turned, and seeing them following, said to them, "What do you seek?" He challenges these followers to examine their purpose and Goals in following the Messiah. Certainly we should ask ourselves the same question. Are we seeking for what we can get, or are we seeking to serve Him? Do we follow knowing what He requires of us? Have we counted the cost of following Him, and are we willing to pay the cost?

One thing we have to understand about the disciples of Jesus day, is that they literally followed Him. He was present physically. They had to go to where he was teaching. They had to be with Him to learn from Him.

When Jesus ask people to follow Him , He's not saying you have to work your way to Heaven. It's so important for us to understand that Salvation has always been by faith through Grace.

But Jesus is saying, "if you believe in Me, then follow Me."

If you want to follow Me - you have to learn My ways.

If you want to follow Me - you have to become like Me.

If you want to follow Me - you may have to: give things up, set things aside, pay a price.

In our day and age we may not have a real good picture of a disciple-Master relationship. It was common place in Jesus' day. Our society has moved farther and farther away from understanding the discipline of an apprenticeship or working under a Master. Some of you folks may have completed an old fashioned apprenticeship.

You learned

You obeyed

You became like

So understand the Historical context of Jesus statements and what the listeners would have known. The people in Jesus day had a clear understanding of what a Master Teacher relationship was all about.

Commitment to the Master

Commitment to follow the Master

Commitment to follow their ways and become like them.

Mat. 10:25 "It is enough for a disciple that he be like his teacher, and a servant like his master."

Luke 6:40 "A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher."

Followers of Jesus , followed Him because they believed He was the Son of God, the One who would take away their sins. But not all of them continued to follow Him. Remember, many of the disciples left Him. Some thought they wanted to follow Him but they may not have been believers.

John 6: 64 "But there are some of you who do not believe." For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who would betray Him. 65 And He said, "Therefore I have said to you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father." 66 From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more. 67 Then Jesus said to the twelve, "Do you also want to go away?" 68 But Simon Peter answered Him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69 "Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."

There were some believers that stopped following for a time. Think of the disciples after Jesus was Crucified. All of them went into hiding. Peter denied ever knowing Jesus. Jesus wanted followers to be believers. He also wanted these disciples to follow in His way and not their own way. That's why Jesus gave serious guidelines to those seeking to follow Him.

As Jesus walks with His disciples thru villages , Jesus asked people to follow Him, but they gave excuses as to why they couldn't. What's interesting is that Jesus never accepts their excuses.

Luke 9:59 Then He said to another, 'Follow Me.' But he said, 'Lord, let me first go and bury my father.'

All to often God commands us to do something and we quickly justify and rationalize why we can't do it.

Some of our rationalizing sound like this:

It's OK, I really don't have to do it.

God will understand.

I'll follow Him - when I have the time.

Jesus said to him, "Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and preach the kingdom of God." Luke 9:60.

There's no doubt that Jesus expects His disciples to obey immediately.

Luke 14:33 "So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple." Now that seems so dogmatic and it is!

If you're clinging to something other than Jesus , How will you follow?

You Cannot become like Jesus, if you're not willing to follow Him!

You Cannot learn His ways if you're not willing to forsake ALL.

Jesus left the splendors of Heaven to come and serve God. He had no earthly possessions besides the clothes on His back. Now do you want to follow Him? Now do you want have His ways? Setting aside and forsaking the world becomes part of following Christ. I'm not saying that everyone will "have to be" dirt poor or "have to" leave everything, but if following Christ where He leads you, requires that, will you forsake all to follow Him?

Luke 14:27 "And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple."

What was the Cross of Jesus from the unbelievers perspective? The Rejection of Jesus Christ. So, the rejection by others will be part of following Jesus. Jesus was saying, "are you willing to be rejected for my Sake?" Are you willing to suffer for my sake? After Jesus explains what is necessary to be a disciple in Luke. 14, He finishes His thought with an illustration:

Luke. 14: 34 "Salt is good; but if the salt has lost its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? 35 "It is neither fit for the land nor for the dunghill, but men throw it out. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!"

What was Jesus point? A disciple that did not have the qualities of being willing to commit to Jesus completely was not useful.

A disciple loves and serves Jesus above all people and things.

Luke 14:26 "If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple."

What does our Lord mean ? You cannot learn about Me and Learn My ways unless I am your First Love. You cannot serve 2 masters, you will love one and hate the other. The will of all others must be set aside including your own will. The will of God becomes your focus.

to be a servant like Him

to imitate Him.

to walk in love like Him.

to suffer unjustly like Him.

If Jesus is not your First love you will not follow Him. You will not strive to be like Him in character. Jesus was not looking for occasional commitment. He was looking for total commitment. When He calls He expects us to follow. Actually this principle of discipleship is just like the first commandment.

Mark 12:30 'And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.' This is the first commandment.

What we love with all of our Heart, soul , mind and strength is what we pursue, what we follow after. Jesus, wants that to be Him.

A disciple Becomes Like Jesus.

Jesus Changes your character.

Look at what Jesus says in John 1:42, "And he brought him to Jesus. Now when Jesus looked at him, He said, 'You are Simon the son of Jonah. You shall be called Cephas' (which is translated, A Stone)."

Jesus looks right into the heart of Man. Anyone that comes to Christ, hides nothing before the all knowing Son of God. Jesus knows where we've been and He knows where we are going. Without ever having met Peter, Jesus says... "You are Simon son of Jonah." I know you and all your relatives. "You are Simon" the Greek equivalent to the Hebrew "Simeon" a hearer, one who hears. He knew Peter's weaknesses. Jesus knew Peter's problems and fears: impulsive, unreliable, quick tempered. Yet, Jesus says "You shall be called Cephas." You will be called the rock.

God looks at each one of us this way. He knows what we are. He knows what we can become in His strength. This disciple was just Simon now, but he would become, "the Rock"! Peter would go from being: unreliable to totally committed, from impulsive to stable, from fearful to fearless.

Jesus knew that Peter's character had to change in order for him to be effective. Jesus did change Peter, through the Holy Spirit. Sometimes we wrestle with changing our characteristics.

Oh, that's just me!

It's the way I am!

God may not be giving you a new name, but He has given you a new life and a new heart. Peter never would have become a great apostle and evangelist if he resisted God's desire to change his character. You can just hear Peter... "It's my nature to be impetuous! I've always been quick tempered! I tend to be a quitter! I'm unreliable, that's just me! I can't change!

But a disciple must be willing to change. Willing to give up OUR character and take on the Lord's Characteristics. God Gave the power to change Peter, and Peter yielded. Do you have a characteristic that hinders your ministry? Something in your character that gets in the way of God using you to your fullest measure. Perhaps it's an attitude that you just won't give up. Remember, Peter became the Rock, because he yielded. Jesus requires that the disciple take on His ways. That may mean giving up our ways, those hindering characteristics.

Not only does Jesus change your character, but Jesus also Changes Your Direction.

Peter and at least 6 other disciples were fishermen by trade. They would give this all up to do what Jesus called them to do. We know from the gospels that they went back and forth from time to time, but eventually, they became fishers of men.

I understand this wrestling personally. I wrestled with going into the ministry for almost 3 years. I was not willing to forsake the nets. I'd have to give up my horseshoeing business. I was certainly a believer, but WHAT was my first love? There was a battle going on in my heart. My choice or God's choice. My will or His will.

As disciples of Christ we all face these kinds of decisions. God will require some of us to leave the nets and change our direction drastically. But whether we leave the nets or not, Jesus wants us to put Him FIRST. He's the Master, we follow Him.

Application:

Friends, Jesus desires that we follow Him. He wants us to be like Him, Christ like. That's why He gives some serious guidelines for following Him.

In order to learn His ways and become like Him: You must put Jesus first, He must be your First Love.

You must be willing to forsake the things of this world.

Place God's will above your own will.

You must be willing to allow God to change your character.

You must be willing to allow God to change your direction.

Our goal is to be like the Master! So, we must follow Him.

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