John 1:35-41 The First Disciples
“Again, the next day, John stood with two of his disciples. And looking at Jesus as He walked, he said, “Behold the Lamb of God!”
The two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. 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?”
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).
One of the two who heard John speak, and followed Him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. He first found his own brother Simon, and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which is translated, the Christ). 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”).
Before Jesus ever came on the scene, John the Baptist already had attracted disciples, men who were hungry for a real encounter with God. These men had been following John for some time, listening to him, repenting, and being baptized, and then continuing to watch and learn. But things were about to change.
“Again, the next day, (the day after Jesus had been baptized), John stood with two of his disciples. And looking at Jesus as He walked, he said, “Behold the Lamb of God!”
The two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. 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?”
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).” One of the two who heard John speak, and followed Him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. He first found his own brother Simon, and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which is translated, the Christ). 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”).
What’s interesting is John’s reaction to his disciples leaving him for Jesus. At no point do we ever hear that John became offended at the desertion of some disciples, nor did John restrain his disciples from following Jesus. Why? The key to John’s acceptance of Jesus is found in John1:26-27 “John answered them, saying, “I baptize with water, but there stands One among you whom you do not know. It is He who, coming after me, is preferred before me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose.”
John already knew that Jesus’ ministry would supersede his. Many of John’s disciples remained with him; however, John himself pointed out Jesus as the Lamb of God. Later, John would further instruct his disciples. John 3:26-30 “And they (John’s disciples) came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, He who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you have testified—behold, He is baptizing, and all are coming to Him!”
John answered and said, “A man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven. You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, ‘I am not the Christ,’ but, ‘I have been sent before Him.’ He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore, this joy of mine is fulfilled. He must increase, but I must decrease.”
The chorus to Kenny Rogers’ famous country song “The Gambler,” advises us, “You got to know when to hold ’em, know when to fold ’em.” Even at the beginning of ministry, John the Baptist knew that eventually, his work would be completed. Some of John’s disciples weren’t so certain; after all, hundreds of thousands of people had been flocking to hear John and to be baptized. John was incredibly popular, so why couldn’t John keep pursuing his ministry indefinitely? But John knew better, and he advised his disciples that “He must increase, but I must decrease.”
Read more of John the Baptist’s story, and you realize that eventually John is slaughtered to satisfy a wicked vengeful woman. There’s no happy ending to this story…or so it seems. But looking at John the Baptist from an eternal viewpoint, John was an unqualified success. John did exactly what God had called him to do and when it was time to hand over to Jesus, John did it humbly, simply, and graciously. May God help each of us, so that when the time comes for us to hand over to others, we will behave as well.
PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to remember that You call us to tasks but that You also change Your calling with time. Help us, that when the time comes, we will be able to hand over humbly, simply, and graciously as did John the Baptist. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.
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