Podcast Preview
A baby’s first words are so precious. A parent looks forward to those words, wondering what kind of person their child is going to be, wondering what is in their little heart. First words are important.
That’s why I took note of the first words of Jesus that John recorded in his gospel. Do you know what they are? You can see in John 1:38. “What do you want?” Jesus asked this question to two men who would be his first two disciples. “What are you seeking?” There’s such depth in this question.
What are you seeking in your life right now? Do you seek security? Health? Certainty? Direction? Identity? Peace? Legacy? The list could go on. We are all seeking something. Do we ever truly find what we seek?
John records Jesus repeating this question two more times through his gospel book. Except, there’s a small change. Instead of “what” do you seek, it changes to “whom.” Jesus. The only one who gives us so much more than what our hearts desire.
I encourage you to put your trust in this. That everything you want, everything you seek- God offers so much more. Jesus says that later in chapter one. God offers you so much more than you seek.
John 1:29-42
John Testifies About Jesus
29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is the one I meant when I said, ‘A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’ 31 I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel.”
32 Then John gave this testimony: “I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. 33 And I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ 34 I have seen and I testify that this is God’s Chosen One.”[a]
John’s Disciples Follow Jesus
35 The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. 36 When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!”
37 When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus.38 Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, “What do you want?”
They said, “Rabbi” (which means “Teacher”), “where are you staying?”
39 “Come,” he replied, “and you will see.”
So they went and saw where he was staying, and they spent that day with him. It was about four in the afternoon.
40 Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. 41 The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, “We have found the Messiah” (that is, the Christ). 42 And he brought him to Jesus.
Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas” (which, when translated, is Peter[b]).
