Days With Jesus
Day 3 The First Step of a Thousand Miles
John 1:35-51

Jesus gets his first TITLES
John the Baptist gives Jesus his first and most important title—Lamb of God. This would show his main purpose and ultimate end. Despite other ways he ministered, Jesus came to earth as an obedient Son who would sacrifice himself for the sins of the world (John 3:16, 17; 1 John 4:9, 10). Shockingly, his death would replace the entire OT sacrificial system in one moment. What the blood of innocent animals couldn’t do, the blood of the innocent Son did (Matt. 5:17, 18; Rom. 8:3, 4; Gal. 3:10-14; Heb. 7:26-28; 10:3-5)! Additionally, the designation ‘Son of Man’ refers to his divinity, as Jesus is the one receiving a kingdom so all the people of the world could worship him (Dan. 7:13, 14)! Jesus also referenced Jacob’s dream and that he was the ‘ladder to heaven’ (Gen. 28:12). Jesus is both God and the way to God! Jesus gets six titles in this passage—Lamb of God, rabbi (teacher), Messiah (Anointed one), Son of God, King of Israel and Son of Man. No other section of scripture has a more well-rounded view of Jesus and what his mission was than this. His first coming was as a Lamb that was slain, but his second coming will be as a Lion that will reign (Rev. 5:5; 19:11-16)!

Jesus gets his first DISCIPLES
After getting baptized, Jesus began his ministry by calling men to follow him as their rabbi. This would mean leaving their normal lives to live and travel with him to learn to be like him. After praying all night, Jesus picked disciples from personal interactions or a crowd, and all were a predetermined choice, even Judas. If Jesus put focused time into prayer before decisions, so should we (Luke 6:12-18; Phil. 4:6, 7)! The first to follow are John and Andrew. When Andrew introduces his brother Simon to Jesus, he changes his name to ‘Peter’ (Gr. petros, ‘stone or pebble’) pointing to the kind of future leader he would need to become. God sees in us more than we see in ourselves! After Philip tells Nathanael about Jesus, he mocks Jesus’ hometown of Nazareth. But when Jesus shows supernatural knowledge of his life, Nathanael knows he’s met the Messiah. We are seen and heard by the God who sees and hears us! When the first disciples meet Jesus, they immediately go tell their family and friends. Believers are called to influence their circles for God. God uses people to reach people, so people are changed by God!