Called By Christ - John 1:35-51
(Andrew, Simon, Philip, and Nathanael)
by David Woods
This is probably a knee-jerk reaction, so I beg that you will indulge me a little. The "Central Truth" for this week's lesson is: "God chooses to call some believers into special areas of service." (p. 30)
I have real problems with this statement, this "truth."
Yes, I know what this statement is talking about. It is talking about missionaries and ministers - such as myself - who have accepted a "call" of God for "special service."
Probably this statement is designed to honor those who have committed their lives to "full-time service." Those who have sacrificed all in order to minister to God do deserve our honor.
But the truth is…
Big Idea: God calls all believers to serve Him!
In Romans 12:3 the apostle Paul writes, "For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned." (emphasis mine, ESV)
In the next few verses Paul then lists a number of the spiritual gifts of which God has given to every Christian. Each Christian is given spiritual gifts in order to serve God. Therefore, every Christian has a special ministry given to him or her by God. We are all called to serve Christ.
1 Peter 2:9 addresses all Christians saying, "But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation…." Every Christian is to be a minister of God. We are all priests before God.
I realize there is a practical necessity to have a professional clergy. But I am very troubled by the idea that has permeated Christianity that only a special elect are actually expected to serve God and serve others on God's behalf.
"But can you really say the Christian mechanic is a minister?" someone may ask. My answer would be, "Your ministry is not necessarily your occupation. Your ministry is your spiritual calling."
Many in the clergy are expected by the churches they pastor to support themselves with a part-time job. I would suggest that the cause of Christianity might be better served if the "layperson" would also consider his or her secular employment as a part-time job to support his or her full-time calling of spiritual ministry, whether that be visitation, Sunday School teaching, ushering, giving to the needy, being a leader in Christian organization/local church, or any of a thousand ways God can use your spiritual gifts and natural abilities.
But I will stop ranting.
Read John 1:35-39
Verse forty tells us that one of those two disciples who followed Jesus was Andrew, who would become one of the Twelve.
Discussion: Would Andrew have become a disciple of Christ if he had not begun following Jesus? What lesson does this teach us about the person whom God uses?
John's disciples asked Jesus, "Where dwellest thou?"
Discussion: What is the desire of their heart that is expressed in this question?
(They wanted to become more closely acquainted with Jesus. They wanted to enter in His life.)
Read John 1:40-42
Discussion: Would you say that Andrew's first action after meeting with Jesus to go tell his brother he had found the Messiah was 1) a natural reaction, or 2) an unnatural reaction?
Discussion: Why do many Christians consider witnessing to be an unnatural activity?
Discussion: How might we restore the realistic concept of witnessing as just telling a friend about some incredibly great news?
Read John 1:43-44
Concerning Jesus' invitation to Philipp in verse forty-three, the verse comments says, "Campbell Morgan insists that the correct translation is, 'Come and travel with me.' Take the road, live the life I live." (p. 32)
Discussion: What are the implications of this idea of traveling with Jesus for us as disciples of Christ?
One of the most often used objections for why Christians cannot witness is that they will not know what to respond or how to react when the prospect raises an objection.
Christianity has devised a whole system of responding to objections to the Gospel. We call it Apologetics. Untrained by seminary professors, brand-new disciple of Christ, Philip gives us one of the most important principles for Apologetics. I call this Apologetics 101. He answered Nathaniel's objection, saying, "Come and see."
Discussion: What was Philip saying to Nathaniel with this response, "Come and see"?
Discussion: How can we apply this principle in our own interactions with people who are unsure about Christ?
I think it is a crying shame and maybe even sinful when:
- The Church promotes the idea that only "special people" are required to serve God in practical ways.
- The Church places such low expectations for its' members commitment.
- The Church fails to prepare its people for ministry.
Discussion: What expectations does our church place on its members? What should we expect of the Christian?
Discussion: How well does our church prepare its members for service? How might we do a better job of preparing people for ministry?