Follow Me
Posted by Karah
PAUSE
Mentally list the names of people you know who don’t know Jesus. As you read today, ask God to give you a passion to boldly share the gospel with them.
“When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, ‘Look! The Lamb of God!’ The two disciples heard him say this and followed Jesus.” —John 1:36-37
“A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher.” —Luke 6:40
Read John 1:35-42 in your Bible and think through these questions.
• Highlight the phrase “Lamb of God” (v. 36). Describe what this means in your own words.
• According to verse 37, what happened after the two disciples heard John’s claim?
• Jesus called the disciples to come and they went with Him, but they went beyond following Jesus. List Andrew’s actions after he stayed with Jesus. When Christ changes your life, He changes your identity. Believers are adopted into God’s family, trading in their own agenda for His—and He commands us to go and tell others about Him.
• After only a few hours in Jesus’ presence, how did Andrew demonstrate an understanding of Jesus’ message? How can believers follow Andrew’s example today?
• Read Luke 6:40 and explain the main idea of this verse in your own words.
RESPOND
We are not exempt from God’s missionary mandate. He was sent, and now He sends us. Sound intimidating? Through the saving power of the gospel and the filling of our hearts with God’s Holy Spirit, we are empowered to join God’s rescue mission—one person at a time.
• In your journal, name the people you thought of earlier who don’t know Jesus. Pray over them each day, asking God to help them see their need for a Savior and to give you the opportunity to share the gospel with them.
• For further study on truly following Jesus, read Not A Fan by Kyle Idleman (Zondervan, 2011).
BEHIND THE STORY
In verse 42, Jesus gave Peter a new name: Cephas. In Aramaic, Cephas means rock. God often changed people’s names in the Old Testament to reflect the specific calling He placed on their lives. In Matthew 16:18-19, Jesus said, “I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church” (v. 18). Though Jesus caused the church to grow, He used the disciples to spread His message as the foundation of the church. He uses believers in the same way today.(1)
THE POINT
Jesus, the Lamb of God, calls people to follow Him. Christians must have a passion for and commitment to God’s mission.
(1)Holman Christian Standard Study Bible (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2010). Accessed via mywsb.com.
Posted in Boys, Devotions | Tagged Camp Ridgecrest Alumni and Friends, Camp Ridgecrest for Boys, Reprinted from EC magazine. @ 2016 LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention, Weekly Devotions