John 1:35-42 CSB
The next day, John was standing with two of his disciples. [36] When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, "Look, the Lamb of God!" [37] The two disciples heard him say this and followed Jesus. [38] When Jesus turned and noticed them following him, he asked them, "What are you looking for?" They said to him, "Rabbi" (which means "Teacher"), "where are you staying?" [39] "Come and you'll see," he replied. So they went and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day. It was about four in the afternoon. [40] Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, was one of the two who heard John and followed him. [41] He first found his own brother Simon and told him, "We have found the Messiah" (which is translated "the Christ"), [42] and he brought Simon to Jesus. When Jesus saw him, he said, "You are Simon, son of John. You will be called Cephas" (which is translated "Peter" ).
Matthew 11:10-11 CSB
This is the one about whom it is written: See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you; he will prepare your way before you. [11] "Truly I tell you, among those born of women no one greater than John the Baptist has appeared, but the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
Follow the Lord
John the Baptist said that he must become less and that Jesus was destined to become greater. Jesus was to be the one above John himself, the true focus of our attention. This is a poetic scene: Jesus’ first two followers were actually John’s disciples. It shows that even though John the Baptist was the greatest of all the prophets, Jesus was greater. We see John standing on the sidelines now, passive, while Jesus walks by beginning His ministry. John does not act out of jealousy; instead, he points to Jesus so his own disciples can follow the Lord.
And that is exactly what two of them did. One of them was Andrew. They traded the lesser teacher for the greater. This symbolic “following” as they traveled with Jesus describes our spiritual walk today. In the ancient world, to learn from a teacher, you would follow them, observing how they moved through life and then sit at their feet to receive instruction. Jesus challenged them at their very first meeting, asking, “What are you looking for?” This is a question we must ask ourselves when we come to the Lord. Am I seeking to humbly follow and serve, or am I here for some other reason?
Oh, how often in my life I failed to understand this. It seems from the time we are born, we are rebellious and refuse instruction. I realize that I am often like a toddler in the eyes of my Heavenly Father. As babies, we get upset when we don’t get our way; we try to manipulate our parents by crying or throwing a fit. A loving parent just wants to keep the child safe—putting plastic plugs in the outlets because even though the child is told the outlet is dangerous, they still try to poke things into it.
I see this same rebellion in my adult walk. I am like a child in a grocery store aisle, throwing a tantrum because the Father says “no” to something I want right now. I don’t see that He is denying me the “sugary cereal” because He has a nutritious banquet planned for me later. Or I am like a child running toward a busy street because it looks like a faster way to get to the park. The Father reaches out and grabs my arm—sometimes firmly—not to hurt me or ruin my fun, but because He sees the traffic I am blind to.
These first two disciples show us that it isn’t enough just to believe in Jesus; true discipleship is to stop fighting the Father’s hand and start following Him. We must learn to listen and apply what He teaches, trusting that His instructions are always born out of a love that sees what we cannot.
Andrew then showed us the next step of learning at Jesus’ feet: he told someone else. This is the first time in the Gospel of John that someone claims Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah. Andrew proclaimed who Jesus was and brought his brother to the Lord. That is our calling—to tell others. We don’t save them; Andrew could only introduce his brother to Jesus. Simon had to have a personal encounter with the Lord to receive his new name, “Cephas” (Peter). This is a gentle picture of the new life Jesus gives us. Peter’s mission had changed. “Cephas” means rock or stone, an indication of how Jesus would use him to build the fellowship of believers.
Reflection Questions
- Jesus asks, “What are you looking for?” If He asked you that today, what would your honest answer be? Are you seeking comfort, power, or a humble path of service?
- When the Father says “no” to something you really want, is your first reaction a “spiritual tantrum,” or can you trust that He is preparing a better “meal” for you later?
- Andrew’s first instinct was to find his brother. Who is one person in your “circle” that you can gently introduce to Jesus this week?
Prayer
Thank You for being a loving Parent who sees the “traffic” we are blind to. Forgive us for the times we have fought Your hand or thrown tantrums when You denied us something for our own safety. We want to stop being rebellious children and start being faithful disciples. Give us the heart of Andrew—to sit at Your feet, learn Your ways, and then go and tell those we love most that we have found the Messiah.
Amen.
