Sermon Listening Guide
Speaker: Pastor Kenny Stidham
Scripture: John 1:35-51
Sermon Title: “Eternal Life Revealed ”
John 1:35-51 (NIV)
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).
Jesus Calls Philip and Nathanael
43 The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, “Follow me.”
44 Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida. 45 Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”
46 “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” Nathanael asked.
“Come and see,” said Philip.
47 When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, “Here truly is an Israelite in whom there is no deceit.”
48 “How do you know me?” Nathanael asked.
Jesus answered, “I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you.”
49 Then Nathanael declared, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the king of Israel.”
50 Jesus said, “You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You will see greater things than that.” 51 He then added, “Very truly I tell you, you will see ‘heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on’ the Son of Man.”
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).
Jesus Calls Philip and Nathanael
43 The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, “Follow me.”
44 Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida. 45 Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”
46 “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” Nathanael asked.
“Come and see,” said Philip.
47 When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, “Here truly is an Israelite in whom there is no deceit.”
48 “How do you know me?” Nathanael asked.
Jesus answered, “I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you.”
49 Then Nathanael declared, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the king of Israel.”
50 Jesus said, “You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You will see greater things than that.” 51 He then added, “Very truly I tell you, you will see ‘heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on’ the Son of Man.”
This passage gives us a simple account of Jesus’ initial calling of His first followers and their introduction to the concept of eternal life which is John’s primary term for salvation.
Three ways that eternal life is revealed are prominent in this passage: a Savior shines, Sowers are sent, and Seekers see. The order in which these appear varies.
Eternal life is revealed when:
Andrew finds Peter, his brother, and brings him to Jesus. Jesus demonstrates His omniscience through His knowledge of who Peter was and who he would become after receiving eternal life.
Andrew would be overshadowed by his brother’s dynamic leadership and preaching, but Andrew’s role as a Sower cannot be underestimated.
After seeing the light of the Savior in Scripture, Philip finds Nathanael and leads him to Jesus. Though Nathanael is skeptical, he is soon overwhelmed by the omniscience that Jesus shines into his life and declares that Jesus is the Son of God and the King of Israel.
Jesus assures Nathaniel that as he follows Him, he will see even greater things because He is the connection between heaven and earth and the only source of eternal life.
As Seekers who have seen, Jesus has Sent us to be Sowers and to Shine the light of the Savior so that other Seekers may See and believe, and that believing they may have eternal life.
Three ways that eternal life is revealed are prominent in this passage: a Savior shines, Sowers are sent, and Seekers see. The order in which these appear varies.
Eternal life is revealed when:
- Sowers are sent (v.35-37)
- Seekers see (v.38-42)
Andrew finds Peter, his brother, and brings him to Jesus. Jesus demonstrates His omniscience through His knowledge of who Peter was and who he would become after receiving eternal life.
Andrew would be overshadowed by his brother’s dynamic leadership and preaching, but Andrew’s role as a Sower cannot be underestimated.
- Savior shines (v.43-51)
After seeing the light of the Savior in Scripture, Philip finds Nathanael and leads him to Jesus. Though Nathanael is skeptical, he is soon overwhelmed by the omniscience that Jesus shines into his life and declares that Jesus is the Son of God and the King of Israel.
Jesus assures Nathaniel that as he follows Him, he will see even greater things because He is the connection between heaven and earth and the only source of eternal life.
As Seekers who have seen, Jesus has Sent us to be Sowers and to Shine the light of the Savior so that other Seekers may See and believe, and that believing they may have eternal life.