John 1:35-46
35The next day John again was standing with two of his disciples, 36and as he watched Jesus walk by, he exclaimed, “Look, here is the Lamb of God!”
37The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. 38When Jesus turned and saw them following, he said to them, “What are you looking for?” They said to him, “Rabbi” (which translated means Teacher), “where are you staying?” 39He said to them, “Come and see.” They came and saw where he was staying, and they remained with him that day. It was about four o’clock in the afternoon. 40One of the two who heard John speak and followed him was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. 41He first found his brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which is translated Anointed). 42He brought Simon to Jesus, who looked at him and said, “You are Simon son of John. You are to be called Cephas” (which is translated Peter).
43The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Follow me.” 44Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. 45Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found him about whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus son of Joseph from Nazareth.” 46Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.”
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“Can anything good come our of Nazareth?” What a thought-provoking question. I chuckle a bit by it because if any of you are from a small rural town, this is a phrase you can relate to. Just insert the name of your hometown! Jesus broke all the rules of what the king or savior those early Jews were waiting for. Born not into riches, worldly power, or royalty, he came as the sacrificial Lamb of God, who suffered and died for our sins. He taught us of God’s abundant love for all and that we are to love one another.
In this lesson, Jesus asks these early disciples, “What are you looking for?” which is a question that many of us have likely asked ourselves. “Just what is it that I am seeking out of life?” or “Am I the person God intended me to be?”
Thankfully, just as Jesus invited Andrew, Simon and Phillip to join him, he is still inviting us today to “Come and See; Follow Me!” Thanks be to God!
Prayer: Dear God, thank you for your steadfast love and for calling us by name to follow you. Help me to listen for your invitation and eagerly respond as did your early disciplines. Amen
—Deb Cross