January 2nd, 2022
Devotional
“God’s Name is Revealed”
John 1:35-51
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Monday: “John” - John 1: 35-36
Last week we talked a lot about John the Baptist. Who he was; what his purpose from God was all about. But John’s story doesn’t end there. No, John’s story continues into this week’s text, where we find him with a group of his own disciples.
In many ways we fail to understand what being a disciple actually means. We somehow think its just about the choice that we make - to follow Jesus or not. But, you cannot claim to love Jesus with your life and have accepted him into your heart, if you aren’t willing to be his disciple. The one who follows closely. The one who hangs on Jesus’s every word. The one who seeks to make Jesus known with our lives.
Because the truth is that we are all a follower, a disciple, of someone or something. Discipleship is not unique to followers of Jesus. We only have to see that John had followers as well to realize that this is true.
But the big difference is John is just helping his followers until they can follow the true Author of Life, the Messiah. Which they did. Because John pointed Jesus out to them with the powerful phrase, “Look, here is the Lamb of God!”
What makes you a follower of Jesus Christ?
Prayer: God, thank you that you give us the opportunity to be your follower every single day. We confess that at times we have followed others who have not pointed us back to you, as John did with his disciples. We have abandoned you at times to follow others. Forgive us, O Lord, and use us to point others to you and your Kingdom, we pray. Amen.
Tuesday: “Looking For” - John 1: 37-38
Unlike Matthew, Mark, and Luke, Jesus doesn’t call his first disciples to follow him, leaving everything behind. No, in this Gospel, the disciples just start following him (because John had pointed out to his disciples who he was). When Jesus realizes that these new disciples were now following him, he asked them an important question, “what are you looking for?”
This is a question that each of us need to wrestle with. For if we do not know what we are looking for, will we be able to find it?
I was speaking with a friend this week about how often we say we are looking for one thing, when really there is something so much deeper underneath that we cannot yet name until the Holy Spirit reveals so to us. For example, these disciples may think that they are looking to know more about Jesus and his ministry, but their question in return seems to point to the fact that they want the security of this world. But what they may really be looking for is truth and purpose - to know that Jesus is the one that they are to be following.
What about us? What are we looking for? Security? Purpose? Assurance? Meaning? Let us take time this week to ask the Holy Spirit to strip away what we think we are looking for in order to reveal the truest thing to our hearts and spirits.
What are you looking for?
Prayer: God, you search us and know us. You know us better than we can ever know ourselves. Point out to us what we are yearning for, even in places unknown to us, and let us hand all over to you, searching to seek and find you alone. Amen.
Wednesday: “Come and See” - John 1: 39-42
Jesus is not one who only taught with words; he also taught his disciples through action and example. In fact, at the beginning of the Gospel of John, with these first disciples, we do not find him teaching through parables at all. Instead, he invites them to come and see.
The word “see” is an important one to the Gospel of John. For to see is to believe. And to believe is to trust. The tricky part is that sometimes we can be looking right at what Jesus is pointing to and we don’t see as he see. That takes time, prayer, and much practice.
This week take time to pray. To pray for the eyes of Jesus. To pray for opportunities to partner alongside Christ for the sake of his Kingdom.
How do you see the work of Christ around you?
Prayer: Almighty God, forgive us for times we have not sought to see and believe. For times we have trusted ourselves more than you. Help us to see with your eyes, we pray. Amen.
Thursday: “Found” - John 1: 43-46
The next disciple we hear about is Philip. Philip is called by Jesus, as he asks him to come and follow him. And Philip cannot contain himself. He has come face-to-face with the Messiah! So he rushes to Nathanael. Who asks this odd question. “Okay, I hear what you are saying, but wonder if anything good can come out of Nazareth?”
Nathanael isn’t asking this to be snide or snarky. No, he is asking because he has not been taught during all of his years of life and study as a Jewish man that the Messiah would come out of such a small, backwards town, as Nazareth.
Yet, instead of trying to argue him into belief, Philip just says the same thing that Jesus did with the first disciples, “come and see”.
Sometimes we can trick ourselves into thinking that we need to know all the answers in order to talk to folks about Christ. We don’t. Other times we get offended when people have questions. We shouldn’t. For it is not our job to convince people to follow Jesus - that is the world of the Holy Spirit. Our work alone is to invite people - to invite people to come and see.
What are some ways that you invite people to come and see the Good News?
Prayer: God of Grace and God of Glory, we are humbled to be invited to be part of your Kingdom. We thank you that you do so much of the work, O Lord, and simply invite us to invite people to come and see. Let us be faithful to pointing people to you. Amen.
Friday: “Believe” - John 1: 47-51
Nathanael does come and see and Jesus tells him all about himself. That he is a man without deceit (another way to say this is that he is a man of integrity). That Jesus had saw him under the fig tree when Philip first came to him. And all of a sudden Nathanael has his heart changed - he believes.
Friends, we do not know what will cause each person to believe. That is not our work. We are simply to be faithful. Faithful as people of integrity. Faithful as people who are connected with God and faithful in loving other people.
For as Jesus says - we will truly see even greater Kingdom things. If only we stay the course.
How did you first come to believe in Jesus?
Prayer: O loving God, may we continue to grow in love for you and others. Shape us, mold us, and send us, we pray. Let us be the body of Christ for the world. Amen.
Saturday: Preparing for the Word
You are invited to read and pray this week’s text and topic: “Wedding at Cana” - John 2:1-11
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