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What's it Like to Become a Disciple - Part 1

Disciple is a word that many in the Christian community throw around sometimes without really letting others know what it is.  Basically, a disciple is a follower of Jesus.  So how does someone become a disciple?  What happens when you begin to follow Jesus?  Let's look at a short story found in John 1:43-51 and see.

One day Jesus decided to go to Galilee.  He found Philip there and said to him, "Follow me."  Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. 
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."
Nathanael:  "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?"
Philip:  "Come and see."
Jesus saw Nathanael coming and said to him, "Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!"
Nathanael:  "How do you know me?"
Jesus:  "Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you."
Nathanael:  "Rabbi, you are the Son of God!  You are the King of Israel!"
Jesus:  "Because I said to you, I saw you under the fig tree, do you believe?  You will see greater things than these.  Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man."


-  So as the story gets started, how did Philip and Jesus cross paths?  Jesus found Philip.  Philip was fortunate enough to receive a direct call from Jesus through an encounter with him.  Do you think that the same is true for us today, that before we can follow Jesus, we must have an encounter with Him?  Absolutely, you would never follow someone you had no idea who they were would you.

-  How does Philip react to his encounter with Jesus?  Philip seems excited to have met the Lord.  The first thing he does is run find his friend Nathanael and tell him who Jesus is.  How do we react when we see Jesus?  Are we filled with excitement rushing out to tell others about him?  Or do we make excuses saying that we're not smart enough, or aren't "mature" enough Christians to share the message of Christ?  A quote from Disciples Path reads, "When we experience something that changes our lives for the better, we almost can't stop sharing the news.  That's the natural reaction when we encounter something (or someone) that brings us joy!"

When Philip had an encounter with Jesus, he responded with great enthusiasm and went out sharing the good news of who he knew with his friend.  How will Nathanael respond to the good news of Christ's love?

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