John the Baptist really sought the increase of Jesus while he himself decreased. He not only called the masses to Behold the Lamb of God, but he pointed his own disciples to do the same.
John 1:35-42 The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples, (36) and he looked at Jesus as he walked by and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!” (37) The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. (38) Jesus turned and saw them following and said to them, “What are you seeking?” And they said to him, “Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where are you staying?” (39) He said to them, “Come and you will see.” So they came and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day, for it was about the tenth hour. (40) One of the two who heard John speak and followed Jesus was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. (41) He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means Christ). (42) He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon the son of John. You shall be called Cephas” (which means Peter).
Two disciples of John leave him and begin to follow Jesus. One of those, Andrew goes to call his brother Simon to join him in following Jesus. As Simon comes to Jesus, Jesus exercises authority over his life and changes his name.
John 1:43-51 The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Follow me.” (44) Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. (45) Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” (46) Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” (47) Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!” (48) Nathanael said to him, “How do you know me?” Jesus answered him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” (49) Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” (50) Jesus answered him, “Because I said to you, ‘I saw you under the fig tree,’ do you believe? You will see greater things than these.” (51) And he said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”
Next came Philip and he brought Nathanael along with him. Philip recognized that Jesus was the messiah promised through Moses and the Law but Nathanael was reluctant. The miracle of Jesus’ knowing him without being with him would break down his doubt. The real miracle of Jesus is that he takes broken sinful “Jacobs” into the presence of God and brings God close to them.
Though Andrew brought Simon now called Peter to Jesus it appears they went back to fishing. On a second encounter the Lord would change the course of their lives, along with their partners James and John.
Luk 5:1-11 On one occasion, while the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, he was standing by the lake of Gennesaret, (2) and he saw two boats by the lake, but the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. (3) Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, he asked him to put out a little from the land. And he sat down and taught the people from the boat. (4) And when he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” (5) And Simon answered, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.” (6) And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking. (7) They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. (8) But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” (9) For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish that they had taken, (10) and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.” (11) And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him.
The ministry of Jesus exists today much like it did at the beginning. The call of the Christian evangelist is not a call to know doctrines and do things. It is a call to discipleship. We are to go into all the world and make disciples. It is a call to Behold the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world and to adore Him. It is a call to learn from Him and it is a call to obey him and follow him wherever he would go. It is a call to deny oneself, and take up his own cross each day, and to walk in the way that Jesus walked.
Are you his disciple? He wants you to be. Count the cost. There will be no more costly calling in your life than the call to walk like Jesus and with Jesus. At the same time, there will be no greater joy and no greater privilege.
