Is Jesus Calling You As His Disciples?

7th March, 2010

Written By Rev Law Hui Seng

Posted By Teresa Han

John 1:35-50
Main Idea: Jesus Is Calling Every Christian To Be His Disciples
Objectives: a. To examine how Jesus calls His disciples; b. To challenge the congregation to respond to Jesus calling to be His disciples.

A. Introduction
- Why do I entitle my sermon today as, “Is Jesus Calling You As His Disciples?”
- There are too many so called christians or believers around and we are not making a difference for Jesus. We are very much remaining at the level of doctrinal beliefs of our faith. We know what to believe but we do not do the right thing with what we believe.
- For example, we know scolding bad words or dirty words, cursing words are against the teaching of Jesus which says that what enters the mouth does not dirty us but it is what come out of our mouth that dirty us; Mat 15:11 “What goes into a man’s mouth does not make him unclean, but what comes out of his mouth, that is what makes him unclean.”
- We know it is immoral to do adultery but we do it anyway. We know lying is wrong, we lied. Mat 5:37 “Simply let your “Yes” be “Yes” and your “No” be “No”; beyond this comes from the devil.
- We know that hatred is sinful, we hate anyway. Proverbs 6:16-19 “There are 6 things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies and a man who stirs up dissension among others.”
- We know that our anger until sunset is wrong, we do it anyway. Ephesians 4:26, 27 “In your anger do not sin. Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.”
- Do not get drunk with wine, but we ignore the teaching and get drunk. Ephesians 5:18 “Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead be filled with the Spirit.”
- Do you see my point? We do believe in what is right, but we do not practise it. We live like any other non-christians who do not know the word.
- I strongly believe that the problem has to do with whether we are disciples of Jesus or not every now and then; whether we obey the person Jesus or not everyday. That is why my sermon today: “Is Jesus Calling You As His Disciples?”
- As long as you call yourself, a believer, a convert, you will just believe in the doctrines, and you never practise the doctrines. Some of us may be converted into a ritual called baptism or confirmation; you may just join a religion called christianity; you may the person Jesus just as any other idol, etc.
- We never regard Jesus as God whom we have to be responsible to; who will judge us; whom we have to obey, to follow. Are you following Jesus everyday, every moment? If you are, you are a disciple of Jesus. You will fear Him more than anything else. You will not be a Sunday Christian only.
- Is Jesus calling you to be His disciples? In Jesus’ days, he called people to follow him. He called disciples.

B. Unique ways used by Jesus to all His disciples.
- Jesus’ calling of each disciple is very unique, let us examine from the passage today.
- See see each one of them is convinced to follow Jesus.
- The 2 disciples of John upon hearing John saying,”Look, the Lamb of God!” Then verse 37 says, “When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus.” One of them could be Andrew. And then, Andrew who told his brother, Simon, they had found the Messiah (verse 41), Andrew brought Simon, his brother to see Jesus. Take note of how Jesus called Simon in verse 42, “...You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas (translated, Peter)” Jesus has that kind of attraction and divine power to convince just by naming and Simon, then, he felt called to follow to Jesus.
- Then Jesus went on to call Philip in verse 43, where it says after Jesus found Philip, He just issued the calling to him, “Follow me.”
- Then Philip introduced Jesus to Nathanael by telling him that the group of them had found Jesus of Nazareth, the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and also the prophets wrote about in verse 45. But Nathaniel was sarcastic towards the person of Jesus and he asked, “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” (verse 46)
- Philip did not give up but he continued to invite Nathaniel to come and see Jesus in verse 46. When Jesus Nathaniel approaching Him, Jesus used His prophetic gift to tell him of his faith toward Israel and how honest he was as he had nothing false. And Jesus was able to tell him what happened before Philip called on him. Upon encountering Jesus in such a powerful manner, Nathaniel felt convinced to follow Jesus and he declared in verse 49, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel.” And then, Jesus went on to promise him that he would see heaven open and angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man in verse 51.
- As I reflect on the methods used to called each of His disciples, I see that the method varies from individual to individual. However, I do see that the underlining factor, the common factor, that caused these people, even a fisherman like Peter, not an educated man, would like to respond to Jesus calling to be His disciples.
- I believe the common factor that caused people to respond to his call is in essence, in nature: His divinity; His sacredness; He has the power from God which the respondents were convinced. You see the first 2 disciples were amazed by the power of Lamb of God; Philip must have seen or heard of Jesus divinity or divine power in somewhere, before he responded to Jesus calling, “Follow me.” Nathaniel was amazed with Jesus prophetic power and even affirm Jesus as the Son of God and the King of Israel and responded to Jesus calling.
- May be another common factor and it could be a more important factor than the first one that caused people to follow Jesus was that Jesus was believed and perceived to be the Old Testament divine person, saviour, whom Israel had been waiting. You get the clue in verse 45, where the group of disciples said they found the one Moses wrote about in the Law and the one whom the prophet wrote about.

C. Applications.
- Now, I strongly believe that Jesus whom God has sent to us is still very much calling us, each one of us to be His disciples. This calling is not very different from calling to be a clergy like an ordained pastor; serving God as a full time missionary, etc.
- Basically, people who are called by Jesus has this essential encounter with the divinity of God. Therefore, your knowledge of Jesus as God; your recognition of Him as your personal God; how you are in touch with Him in a powerful manner is very crucial in determining whether you follow Him as His disciples or not.
- My personal encounter with Jesus in His calling for me to be a pastor happened in my devotional prayer time. I just felt led to give up all my personal ambitions of becoming rich physically, owning a big house and big car, and aspiration to become a politician which eventually lead to becoming a deputy chief minister of Sarawak. Basically, I encounter God by presenting my life as a living sacrifice to God as taught by Romans 12:1,2. I just felt so convinced by His word. I felt at that time, if I did not make that decision I would regret for life. It was during my university second year I made that decision.
- What about you? Could God be using your life crisis to call you to respond to his calling to be his disciples? Your prayer and bible reading time? Your fasting time? A convention like Wesley Heritage on 20th to 22nd August, at Sibu, this year? While you are serving in any capacity in this church? Some of us have sensed the call and you have responded to it.
- But many still have not got it as I see you are only Sunday Christian.

D. Conclusion.
- You only have one life. Use your limited time on earth to be Jesus’ disciples.