John 1:35-39

Again the next day after John stood, and two of his disciples. 

And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God. 

And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. 

Then Jesus turned, and saw them following, and saith unto them,

What seek ye? 

They said unto him, Rabbi, (which is to say, being interpreted, Master) Where dwelleth thou?

He saith unto them, Come and See

They came and saw where he dwelt, and abode with him that day for it was about the tenth hour. 

Who’s following you? 

As children of God and professing Christians we must first be followers of Christ.  Jesus said, continue in my word and then ye shall be my disciples.  As we continue in God’s word we are told by our Lord that we will bring forth much fruit and that our fruit shall remain. 

Here in this text, we see how John and two of Jesus’ disciples looked upon Jesus as he walked.  They watched his lifestyle as he walked day by day.  John looking at Jesus said, Behold (in other words Look at) the Lamb of God.  Sometimes we can meet Christians and looking at their walk in front of us they look perfect.  They look like they are truly saved and they are true men and women of God.  But Jesus was a true Son of God and John knew it right so, as he said Look at the Lamb of God.  However, the two disciples continued following Jesus and when Jesus stopped to preach to someone those two disciples not only saw his walk, but they heard him talk.  The bible said that these two disciples heard him speak and they followed Jesus.  I can imagine that they were watching him walk among the crowds of people and then listened to him speak they began to follow him.  Because his walk matched his talk.  It must have been a great observation to see this virtuous man walking among the people and carrying himself as a King’s son – he obviously didn’t engage in the lifestyles of the people around them in that day.  There were people laughing, jesting and drinking.  There were people dancing and making jokes about women.  There were people playing dice on the corner – but yet Jesus walked among them and carried himself in a wise way as one who was righteous.  He didn’t engage in the activities of those around him and John and the two disciples watched him walk among the crowds.  Then, when Jesus opened his mouth, he spoke as the oracle of God.  His words were seasoned with grace, and he knew how to answer every man that asked him about the hope that lieth within him.  He spoke with such wisdom and grace, until the scriptures say that when the two disciples heard him speak, they followed him.  Now John, who was the forerunner to Jesus was only there to point out who Jesus was.  John knew Jesus when he was in the womb of his mother Elizabeth because John was full of the Holy Ghost even from his mother’s womb.  Therefore John was there to point out to the disciples that Jesus Christ was the Lamb of God who came to take away the sins of the world.  But once the two disciples heard Jesus speak, they began to follow him for themselves.  At this time, they are 2/3 of the way convinced that this Jesus is truly a holy man and would be the one they followed in order to be saved.  So when Jesus saw them following him, he turned around and asked them what they were seeking.  He didn’t even ask them to follow him.  Have you ever walked this Christian journey only to find that someone that you didn’t know had been watching you?  Have you ever walked this Christian journey only to find that not only were they watching you, but they were following you?  I can imagine how Jesus must have felt when he turned around and saw them following him and said, What seek you? 

But those two disciples saw something in Jesus that they didn’t see in other Rabbi’s.  They heard something in his speech that they didn’t hear in other Rabbi’s speech.  So, after Jesus turned and asked them what did they seek, the two disciples asked Jesus where did he live. 

In today’s world, and as Christians, that would mean that those who watched you and followed you, would eventually ask you – Where do you live (or where do you go to church). 

They wanted to follow Jesus to his home. 

And Jesus said to them, Come and see. 

As Christians today, if someone watched your life and heard your speech and wanted to follow you home, what would they find when they arrived in your home?  Would you have to go 1 hour ahead of them to clean it up and to remove the porn magazines, or remove the wine bottles left out from the night before?  Would you have to call and ask the man who stayed the night to gather up his things and leave before you got there with your followers?  Too many times, we walk a good walk, talk a good talk, but when someone follows you home – your audio does not match your video.  Your life does not match your speech.  We can walk a good walk among people; we can talk a good talk among them, but what do they see when they follow you home. 

The Apostle Paul admonished Timothy, who was a young pastor, in I Timothy 4:16 – he admonished Timothy to take heed to himself, and to the doctrine that he preached and to continue in it.  What he was saying is take heed to how you walk, and take heed how you talk and be sure that your speech is lined up with the doctrine of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  For in doing this, he told Timothy that he would both save himself and those who heard him. 

What he was saying was this:  When you walk the walk of holiness; and you talk the talk of holiness; be sure you live the life of holiness behind closed doors and in the open.  For when you do this, you won’t have to beg people to come to your church, because they will see your works, hear your speech and automatically want to follow you home.  They will begin to ask – what church do you attend? 

But many times, its done backwards.  We meet people for the first time and insist that they come to our church.  When they come, they see that the audio doesn’t match the video.  In other words, people talk a good talk, but when you follow them home their lives are not a good testimony of the Lord Jesus Christ.  They are walking in the flesh and there is envy and strife and every evil work.  They are winning the world, yet losing their homes.  Their wife is miserable, the children are unruly, and yet they wonder why no one wants to follow them. 

The two disciples saw Jesus as he walked and heard him as he talked and they followed him home to find that his home was a place of peace.  His mother was saved, his brothers were saved and they respected him.  He had lived a life pleasing to God and won his family to the Lord. 

God help the church today that we will walk as Jesus walk, talk as Jesus talk and live as Jesus lived.  For the bible tells us that if any speak, let him speak as the oracle of God.  And that men ought to see our good works and therefore, they will glorify our God which is in heaven.  At one point, Jesus told his followers who didn’t believe, that if they didn’t believe who he said he was that they believed on him for his very works sake.  What works are we manifesting to those who are watching us?  We should be able to say believe on me for my very works sake as we work the works of God while it is day.  Jesus went about doing good, healing all that were oppressed of the devil.  We as his disciples must do the same – go thoughout our neighborhoods doing good, praying for the sick, casting out demons and being an example to the believers in word, in spirit, in conversation, in faith and so on. 

Let us examine ourselves today – and see whether or not we are abiding in the faith.  Let us esteem the sacrifice of Jesus above all else and prove that we honor God by our obedience and by our love one for another. 

It’s time to ask ourselves the questions – Who Is Following You?  And when they follow you, what do they see?  Do they see your good works and glorify your father in heaven, or do they see hypocrisy and deceit and eventually stop following?  As they follow us, then we point them to Jesus just as John the Baptist did.  Behold, the Lamb of God who will deliver you, set you free and save you from your sins.   Amen. 

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