What do you want? John, #5

What do you want? John, #5

Listen to the podcast: https://www.pastorwoman.net/…/what-do-you-want-john-5-john-…

That shoreline where Jesus called his first disciples is magical. But then, being on the Galilee just about anywhere feels that way to me.

Jesus’ invitation to his first disciples was so simple and obviously just what they were waiting to hear. But the same invitation he made to them stands for you and me. Step a little closer. First consider John’s rendering of that afternoon on the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee. The sun would have been lower in the sky, the water lapping across the tiny pebbles and shells underfoot: “The following day John was again standing with two of his disciples. As Jesus walked by, John looked at him and declared, “Look! There is the Lamb of God!” When John’s two disciples heard this, they followed Jesus. Jesus looked around and saw them following. “What do you want?” he asked them.

They replied, “Rabbi” (which means “Teacher”), “where are you staying?”
“Come and see,” he said. It was about four o’clock in the afternoon when they went with him to the place where he was staying, and they remained with him the rest of the day.
Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of these men who heard what John said and then followed Jesus. Andrew went to find his brother, Simon, and told him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means “Christ”).

Then Andrew brought Simon to meet Jesus. Looking intently at Simon, Jesus said, “Your name is Simon, son of John—but you will be called Cephas” (which means “Peter”).” John 1.35-42, NLT

John the Baptist had done his job--he had told them all about the Messiah who would change their lives. No doubt, he had also told them that Jesus was nearby, having recently baptized him in the Jordan River. So when the Baptist1 saw Jesus walking near the shore that day, he pointed Jesus out to them. Curious fellows, but also confident in the Baptist’s teaching about Jesus, they followed Him.

Do not miss Jesus’ question to them: What do you want? They wanted to see for themselves, the guys just had to know more, they had to linger a while with Jesus. Come and see, he invited, and so they did, and being near Jesus was life to them; being near him made sense.

His question is the same to you - What do you want? Well, that’s simple, Lord, we want insight for living these days, we want hope and a future, we want peace of mind; you see, Jesus, our world is so uncertain. It seems we are standing on shifting sand and sometimes we are sore afraid. 'Come and see', Jesus invites yet again.

‘Come and see what living life with me each day can mean,’ Jesus extends his hand to you just as he did on the Galilee that afternoon so long ago. ‘Don’t walk into a day alone, commit your way to Me, trust in Me and I will act.2 Don’t go into the night alone either; when you lay your head down, cast all your anxieties on Me because I care for you.3 Go to sleep in peace because while you sleep, I do not - I am watching over you.’4

What do you want? You want what Jesus offers - life, peace, hope, wisdom, his presence forever. Go ahead then and accept his invitation. Put your hand in his hand and entrust what concerns you to him.5

Christine

PastorWoman.com

1 - the Baptist, just shortened from John the Baptist. This can be confusing because John the disciple is writing, but in this section he is writing about John the Baptist
2 - Psalm 37.5
3 - 1 Peter 5.7
4 - Psalm 121.4
5 - Questions about this? Hit reply and email me. Walking with Jesus daily is like nothing else this side of Heaven.