John 1:35-51
35 The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples, 36 and he looked at Jesus as he walked by and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!” 37 The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. 38 Jesus turned and saw them following and said to them, “What are you seeking?” And they said to him, “Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where are you staying?” 39 He said to them, “Come and you will see.” So they came and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day, for it was about the tenth hour. 40 One of the two who heard John speak and followed Jesus was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. 41 He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means Christ). 42 He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “So you are Simon the son of John? You shall be called Cephas” (which means Peter).
43 The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Follow me.” 44 Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. 45 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.” 46 Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” 47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!” 48 Nathanael said to him, “How do you know me?” Jesus answered him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” 49 Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” 50 Jesus answered him, “Because I said to you, ‘I saw you under the fig tree,’ do you believe? You will see greater things than these.” 51 And he said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”
Reflection
As Jesus’ first disciples and trusted servants, Jesus chooses unlikely men, all of whom will fail him at one time or another. John is showing us a common kingdom principle: God chooses the weak in order to exalt his name (cf. 1 Cor. 1:26–27). This is good news for all of us who recognize our own weaknesses and sin. Our failings do not disqualify us from Christ’s kingdom. There is only one hero in the gospel story: Jesus himself.
The most important qualification for Jesus’ disciples is to be absolutely clear in heart and mind about who Jesus is and what he has done. Here we see that in the span of 16 verses, Jesus is identified as “the Lamb of God” (John 1:29), “the Messiah” (v. 41), “the Son of God” (vv. 34, 49), “the King of Israel” (v. 49), and “Son of Man” (v. 51) —all tremendously important names that take on a fuller meaning throughout John’s Gospel.
2 Timothy 4:1-8
4: I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: 2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. 3 For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, 4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. 5 As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.
6 For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.
Reflection
Paul’s final charge to endurance begins with the solemn call to “preach the word,” knowing that God and Christ will ultimately hold the preacher accountable for his faithfulness to the Scriptures. This responsibility requires a steady competence and familiarity with the Bible: “be ready in season and out of season” (2 Tim. 4:2).
Paul gives two reasons for this awesome charge. First, “the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching” (v. 3a). Timothy must persevere steadily, because people will be fickle. Paul therefore directs Timothy to gospel-preaching endurance. “As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist [literally, one who speaks the gospel], fulfill your ministry” (v. 5). The second reason Paul gives for carrying on his mighty charge to “preach the word” is that the work of the gospel must continue after Paul is gone. “For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (vv. 6–7). Paul is passing the baton of faithful preaching, knowing that he is nearing the end of his earthly race. To encourage Timothy to this noble task, Paul points forward to the day when earthly faithfulness will be recognized and rewarded by heaven’s King: “Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing” (v. 8). What a day that will be!
Psalm 119:114
114 You are my hiding place and my shield; I hope in your word.
Paul says that “people will not endure sound teaching” (2 Tim. 4:3) and that they will “turn away from listening to the truth” (2 Tim. 4:4). Pray, therefore, that you will not be among those people —because your feet are squarely planted on the unshifting and unshakeable Word of God.