Who are you following? (John 1:35-51)

Read: John 1:35-51

Focus: What does it mean to be an apprentice?

Inform

• V. 35 mathaytays a disciple, an apprentice, one who attaches themselves to a spiritual leader

• V. 36 – John the Baptizer’s again describes Jesus as “the Lamb of God”

• V. 39 – “the tenth hour” – probably 4 pm

• V. 41 – Andrew to Peter “We have found the Messiah” – Luther – proclaiming the Gospel is one beggar telling another beggar where to find food.

• V. 42 – Cephas – is the Greek transliteration of Simon’s new nickname in Aramaic (Kephas).  In Greek, the same nickname is Petros, from which we get Peter.  The nickname means “rock.

• V. 46 Nathanael is traditionally understood to be Bartholome

• “Can anything good come from ________?

• V. 48 – Was Nathanael meditating on the coming Messiah?  The fig tree was used by later rabbis for shade as they taught or preached.  It is also a symbol for messianic peace and plenty

• V. 49 Nathanael confesses that Jesus is the Messia

• V. 51 the background for the term “Son of Man” is in Daniel 7:13-14 and therefore, the emphasis is not on Jesus humanity but on his divinity and heavenly authority.  It appears 13 times in John’s Gospel & is associated in that Gospel with themes of revelation, crucifixion and end times authority

Connect

1. What were Andrew and his fellow apprentice doing before they met Jesus?

2. What did they do after they met Jesus?

3. Do we sometimes apprentice under people, philosophies or worldviews that are not Jesus?

4. What happens when we do that?

5. What do you think about when you ponder the Messiah?

Vision

6. What are 3 things that you can do for the next 2 weeks to apprentice under Jesus?

1. __________________________________
2. __________________________________
3. __________________________________

7. What other beggars could you tell the Good News of where to find food?

Summary

Next time: John 2:1-11