I got to take sermon notes at my home church. I tried taking notes on paper this time, but I still left out some text. If it needs to be better I will either have to buy a recorder or bring my laptop to the crying room. 
The text of the sermon was John 1:35-39, with v. 43. If you’re in the mood you can contrast this sermon with another sermon on the same text preached in Houston. I knew should have taken better notes in November.
Summarized from the pastor’s perspective:
After Jesus was baptized, He began His ministry and called his first two disciples, John and Andrew. The call completely changed their lives.
Our discipleship is a daily walk, not an automatic consequence. We are called day by day with two admonitions: “Come and you will see”, and “Follow me”. These are fundamental to the life of a disciple. The depth and quality of discipleship relies on our response to his call.
John the Baptist preached to large amounts of people at the pinnacle of his career. Yet when Jesus came, he stepped aside and pointed to the Christ. When two of the Baptist’s followers heard John, they turned and followed behind Jesus. Jesus asked what they were looking for, but He already knew what was in their hearts. He told them to “come and see; listen to what I have to say.” John and Andrew accepted the call, spending all day with Jesus. They found out He was the Messiah, and Andrew was so excited he got his brother and told him they found the Messiah.
Again, Jesus says, “Come to me.” Discipleship is not a one-time call. The call is day after day. Christ tells us: Don’t depend on what others say. Come to me in prayer. Come to me when you’re in trouble. Come to me in faith. Come and lay your troubles on me. Come to me and confess your sins. I am the Lord who is with you and who is your Savior. If discipleship doesn’t feel like something you are doing, it may be that you’re not answering his call. Spend time with Christ in prayer. If your discipleship is struggling—if it doesn’t seem to make any difference in your life—it may be that you are failing to answer Jesus’ call.
Secondly He says, “Follow Me.” When I taught my son Zachary to drive a stick shift, I didn’t sit in the kitchen and give him spoken directions as to how to drive his car. I asked him to “follow me” out to the car, where I drove, showing him what to do. After 5 minutes I told him that it was time for him to drive, and he said, “What, already?” Zach made some mistakes and got discouraged, but then he got better. I then had to show him some more things, like parking on a hill, downshifting, and so on. He had to watch carefully, then do what I did.
Christ tells us to watch carefully, then do what He does. See Him deal with enemies with kindness. See Jesus go to the Father in prayer. See His compassion for the sick and needy. See Him go to dinner with Zaccheus. Discipleship is the difference between doing our own thing versus doing His thing, not our way but His way.
One way we can focus on doing things his way is at the time of Morning Prayer. Instead of getting up and running around doing what I want to do, I need to ask the Lord to direct me, to make His thoughts my thoughts, and to strengthen me.
It was a great day for John and Andrew—they discovered the Messiah. Each day is a great day for us because we stand with them, to confess Christ, who died for you, rose for you, and forgives your sins. The one who is calling is indeed the Lamb—the one who offered his life as a sacrifice for us and all; who then rose from the grave as victor over death—and who now lives and rules as our Lord and Savior. I come and see, and I willingly follow, because of who he is and what he has done and does for me. May He move us to respond in joy, to answer, “Lamb of God, I come.”
