The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Follow me.”

John 1:43

Every once in a while, I like to ask a very simple question: Why am I a Christian? Why do I follow Jesus?  These are basic questions, but very important, because simply asking these questions helps us make sure that we are doing this for the right reasons, and it helps guide us moving forward. 

So, today, as we continue this new year together, I want to come back to these basic questions, and think about it with today’s gospel reading (John 1:43-51) in mind. Today’s gospel reading – and next Sunday’s too – focus on how the first disciples of Jesus were called. And looking at their call stories can help us think about why we are here. 

Today, we are looking at the Gospel of John’s account of how Philip and Nathanael were called to follow Jesus. Next week, we will be looking at the Gospel of Mark’s account of how Simon Peter and Andrew, and then James and John, were called to follow Jesus. And putting them together, we learn a lot about what it means for us to follow Jesus, and what it means for us to be part of a church community. 

When you think about why you are a Christian, this might be the simplest answer of all: Because Jesus has called you. All of us have been called by Jesus to follow him. And being here in church is what followers of Jesus do. We get together with other disciples – To worship and to pray and to support each other in our walk of faith. And to listen and learn from Jesus, through God’s Word, with the goal of becoming more and more like Jesus. 

That is what followers of Jesus do. But that leads to another very important question. If we have all been called by Jesus to follow him, then the natural question to ask is: Why? Why should we follow him? 

And that, too, is a question that we can wrestle with by studying the call stores of the disciples. So let’s look at two of those stories, starting with Philip. 

Philip

Today’s gospel reading tells us that: 

“Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, ‘Follow me.’” 

Jesus found Philip. That’s how it began for him. And, in a way, for us. We are here, you might say, because Jesus found us, just like he found Philip, and invited us to follow him. We are not here simply because we decided to be. Not really. We are here because of Jesus. In fact, we are Christians for that same reason – because Jesus found us and invited us to follow him. 

It’s good to remember this – that we have been called by Jesus, and gathered together for a purpose, just as those first disciples were. 

Jesus had a plan. He knew what he was doing. And so he went and found Philip, along with the other disciples, and began the community that would become the church. Jesus went and found ordinary people, like you and me, and began this new community. And the only thing those first followers had in common was that Jesus found them – he chose them – and they accepted his invitation. Just like us. 

Jesus chose us, and we accepted his invitation. And just like those first disciples, we slowly learn what that means. Philip didn’t know that first day what he was getting into. And neither do we. 

Slowly, but surely, over a lifetime of discipleship, we learn why Jesus chose us, why he brought us together, and what his plan is for us. This takes patience, persistence, and prayer. And it takes faith. Just like those first disciples, we have to trust Jesus, and let him guide us. So that we can see more and more of his purpose for us all.  

Nathanael

That is what we can learn from Philip’s call story. It answers the question of why we are Christians: Because Jesus found us, and invited us to follow him. But it doesn’t really answer the question of why we should follow Jesus. We get the answer to that question from Nathanael’s call story. 

Nathanael has a different “origin story” for how he became a disciple of Jesus. Right after Jesus found Philip, and he accepted the call to follow Jesus, Philip went and found Nathanael. (Notice, by the way, how Philip is already becoming like Jesus, by doing what Jesus did. Jesus found Philip; Philip found Nathanael.) 

When he did, Philip told Nathanael that he had found the one about whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus son of Joseph from Nazareth. Nathanael protests, with his famous response – “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” 

Philip is convinced right away that Jesus is the Messiah, the one promised to the people of Israel. That is reason enough to follow Jesus, in Philip’s mind. 

Nathanael, on the other hand, is more skeptical. Nazareth can’t be the home of the promised Messiah. It’s kind of an out-of-the-way place, not close to any economic center, not on any major trade route. Not much of a place at all, really. Wouldn’t the Messiah of Israel come from a more important place, like Jerusalem? That’s what Nathanael is thinking. 

So how does Philip respond to this? He does not try to defend Nazareth, or Jesus, or his claim that Jesus is the one. Instead, he simply says to Nathanael: “Come and see.” 

Come and see what? He doesn’t say any more than that. Maybe because Philip doesn’t yet know what they will see. But he trusts in Jesus. So he invites Nathanael to trust him too. 

Nathanael accepts the call from Philip to follow Jesus. And when he does, he begins his own relationship with Jesus. And he receives an amazing promise from Jesus: That Nathanael would see “heaven opened” and see “the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.”

Why Follow Jesus? Come and See

That is Nathanael’s call story. So how does it answer the question: Why should we follow Jesus? The answer is tied up in that simple invitation from Philip to Nathanael: “Come and see.” Why should we follow Jesus? “Come and see.” 

What does that mean for us today? Well, here is one way to think about it. Let me offer a specific suggestion today, something you can do in your life throughout this year. And it is simply this: Recommit to putting Jesus first in your life, throughout this year. 

Follow Jesus, every moment of every day of this year. Live for him. Learn from him. Look for opportunities every day to serve him. Take up your cross when necessary – put his will ahead of your own. But follow Jesus. Every day. In every way. 

And then, notice what happens. And as the year unwinds, ask yourselves these simple questions: Did my life have more meaning for me this year? Did I see Jesus at work in my life this year? Am I glad that I put Jesus first in my life this past year? Could I sense his presence in this world, in my life? He promises to be with us always – how did I see that promise kept? 

Come and see. That’s the invitation. Come and see. And when you do, you will rediscover why to follow Jesus. 

That’s not to say that I think you will have an easier year if you do this. Or that you will make more money this year. Or that you will avoid sickness this year. No. But I do think that you will be able to sense our Lord’s presence in your life in a more real way if you do this. I do believe that your life will have more meaning this year. But the only way to find out is to put Jesus first, above everything else. 

Putting Jesus First

Now let me backup for just a moment and say just a bit more about what it means to put Jesus first in your life. 

It means, of course, that nothing else can come before Jesus. Not even our families. Although, when we put Jesus first, it almost always means we spend more time with our families. We make our homes places of love, 

sanctuaries from the world where compassion and forgiveness are always found. Putting Jesus first can cause tension at times in our families. Jesus warns us about that. But more often, putting Jesus first is a great gift and blessing to our families. And to our friends and world. 

Putting Jesus first also means that the church will have a prominent place in our life, of course. Church is how Jesus intends for us to follow him. We can’t faithfully follow Jesus without being active in the church, the community that he founded. That doesn’t mean that you should join every church committee and attend every church function. But putting Jesus first does mean remembering the Sabbath, setting a day aside for worship and rest. It does mean looking for ways to learn more about him, in Sunday School and in Bible study and in your own devotional reading. 

And putting Jesus also might mean it probably does mean spending time praying and reflecting on what your unique gifts are, and how those gifts can be used to serve the church. It means giving your time, talent, and treasure to the church, and to those ministries dedicated to serving those in need, in our community and world. Putting Jesus first also means learning from Jesus how to serve others, following his example. It means striving for justice and peace in our world. 

But putting Jesus first is ultimately going to mean something different for each of us. And only you and Jesus can figure out what it will mean for you. But I invite you to recommit to doing this. 

Closing

I invite you to this year following Jesus in this way. And at the end of the year, ask yourself what difference it made, and where you saw Jesus at work in your life. And when you do that, you will get a better answer why you are here than I can possibly provide for you. 

You will know why you are here, and why you follow Jesus as his disciple. And you will know this far more fully than from what you can learn in a thousand sermons. And maybe you’ll even see heaven opened, and catch a glimpse of those angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man. 

The only way to find out is to do as Philip suggested to Nathanael all those many years ago. Come, follow Jesus, and see. See what wonderful things happen when you put Jesus first in your life. Let us do this faithfully, to the glory of God. Amen.