John 1:35 The following day John was again standing with two of his disciples. 36 As Jesus walked by, John looked at him and declared, “Look! There is the Lamb of God!” 37 When John’s two disciples heard this, they followed Jesus. 38 Jesus looked around and saw them following. “What do you want?” he asked them. They replied, “Rabbi” (which means “Teacher”), “where are you staying?” 39 “Come and see,” he said. It was about four o’clock in the afternoon when they went with him to the place where he was staying, and they remained with him the rest of the day. 40 Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of these men who heard what John said and then followed Jesus. 41 Andrew went to find his brother, Simon, and told him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means “Christ”).
42 Then Andrew brought Simon to meet Jesus. Looking intently at Simon, Jesus said, “Your name is Simon, son of John—but you will be called Cephas” (which means “Peter”).
The next time John the Baptist sees Jesus, Jesus is walking by when John is talking with two of his disciples, and He looks at Jesus and says, "Look! There is the Lamb of God!"
Those two disciples, one of whom was Andrew, followed Jesus. John identified Him as the Lamb of God, and those two disciples said, "Well, I am following Him." Once again, John was pointing to Jesus as the Messiah, and Jesus had followers who once were following John's teachings but then got to the source of those teachings.
How different it would be for all born-again believers if we went straight to the source (the Bible) when trying to grow in our faith! There would be no secondhand information, just pure truth, available to totally understand because the Holy Spirit shows us what it means. But yet so many believers leave that pure source for second best as taught through someone else. It is my prayer that you will read this message, and it will prompt you to seek God yourself in His Word so He can speak a specific message to you. You are important to God, and He wants you to know what He is saying and what it means to you.
Andrew is invited by Jesus to "come and see" where Jesus was staying and he went there and spent a good amount of time with Him. Andrew realizes who Jesus is and eagerly cannot wait to go home and tell his brother Simon about Jesus. When Andrew brings Simon to Jesus the first thing Jesus does is change his name. What? Jesus knew Peter and knew what he would need to be (a rock) in the days ahead. Peter's name change shows just how important names are to God. In other words, we have significance because God gives us value through His great heart of love. This love continues to reach out to us to deepen our walk with God, and that walk is full of pure truth and guidance as presented in God's Word and through an open prayer relationship with the one who opened that door.
You are important to God, not only proven by His sending His son for the remission of your sins, but for each and every moment of every day as God walks with you in this world.
So walk we must. Paul talked about this prayer relationship in this way 1 Thessalonians 5: 17 Never stop praying. Never is a big word! It means NEVER. Paul speaks to the relationship with God's Word in 1 Timothy 2:15 Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval. Be a good worker who does not need to be ashamed and correctly explains the word of truth. This verse is not for Bible theologians alone but for all believers. We must have the truth from the Word of God or we are just drifting around on half truths, which are dangerous truths to base our lives on.
Perhaps God is calling you a new name and that name is disciple, which means learner. Time to own up to the name Jesus gives to each of us and be a disciple. God IS our significance. Just chew on that a little while and let it wake up your soul as never before. Then we can more completely follow the Great Commission and win converts and make more disciples. Your new name as a believer is very important.
Today's Message
David Warren
Comments