John 1:35-39
Find a place and time free of distractions for the next 7-10 minutes. Sit comfortably and breathe deeply for a few seconds before you begin. If you haven’t read the Introduction to John’s Gospel, read it here.
Read John 1:35-39 imagining the scene from John the Baptist’s perspective.
A true follower of Jesus always points to Jesus rather to him/herself. John led his disciples well and taught them to watch and wait for the Messiah. When Jesus passes John and his followers, John does not hesitate to point him out and seems to fully expect that his disciples will immediately transfer their allegiance to Jesus. The underlying purpose of John’s entire ministry is to be a forerunner for the Messiah who points people to Jesus. He has not lost sight of that.
Take a moment to consider both the spiritual leaders you respect and admire and the people who look to you for spiritual guidance.
How have your spiritual leaders emulated John’s selfless desire to point you to Jesus and not to themselves? Talk to Jesus about this for a moment.
How are you pointing the people who look up to you to Jesus? Again, take a moment to talk to Jesus about this.
Read John 1:35-39 again from the perspective of John’s followers.
Literally translated, Jesus’ question to the two people following him is “What seek you?” or “What are you seeking?” Stop for a moment and picture yourself as one of the two people Jesus addresses. Imagine Jesus asking you that question. How would you answer him?
Now imagine Jesus answering you the way he did the two people in the passage: “Come and see.” Be quiet for a moment and simply “watch” to see where Jesus leads you.
Following Jesus is not simply about head knowledge of his teachings, it’s experiential. Jesus invites us daily – moment by moment – to come and see. What are you seeing recently that is new or different as you follow Jesus and experience a relationship with him? Talk to Jesus about this.
Are there practical actions you could take to make sure you’re not missing out on what Jesus wants to show you? Talk this over with Jesus for a moment and then create a plan of action.
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