Special Calling
1. How did John respond when he was called to follow Jesus?
Matt. 4:21 And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them. Matt. 4:22 And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him.
Mark 1:19 And when he had gone a little further thence, he saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were in the ship mending their nets. Mark 1:20 And straightway he called them: and they left their father Zebedee in the ship with the hired servants, and went after him.
Luke 5:10 And so was also James, and John, the sons of Zebedee, which were partners with Simon. And Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men. Luke 5:11 And when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all, and followed him.
ANSWER: Immediately he forsook all and followed Jesus.
2. What made John immediately forsake all and follow Jesus?
Luke 5:8 When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord.
Luke 5:9 For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the draught of the fishes which they had taken:
Luke 5:10 And so was also James, and John, the sons of Zebedee, which were partners with Simon. And Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men.
ANSWER: The miracle of the fishes
DISCUSSION and APPLICATION QUESTIONS:
What did John learn from the miracle that convinced him to forsake all and follow Jesus?
What will convince us to forsake all and follow Jesus?
MONDAY
Son of Thunder
1. What was the character of John based upon following verses?
Mark 3:17 And James the son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James; and he surnamed them Boanerges, which is, The sons of thunder:
Note: Boanerges means “sons of commotion”
Mark 9:38 And John answered him, saying, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name, and he followeth not us: and we forbad him, because he followeth not us.
Mark 10:35 And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, come unto him, saying, Master, we would that thou shouldest do for us whatsoever we shall desire. Mark 10:37 They said unto him, Grant unto us that we may sit, one on thy right hand, and the other on thy left hand, in thy glory.
Luke 9:54 And when his disciples James and John saw this, they said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did?
ANSWER: Commotion maker, exclusive, selfish, and merciless militant spirit
2. Even after John forsook all and followed Jesus, he had many character flaws. Why he did not see his own flaws?
Mark 9:38 … we forbad him, because he followeth not us.
Mark 10:35 -37 … Grant unto us that we may sit, …in thy glory.
Luke 9:54 … consume them, even as Elias did.
ANSWER: John did not see his own faults because he was motivated by religious zeal.
APPLICATION QUESTIONS:
Is it enough to forsake all earthly possessions in order to follow Jesus?
Are we blind to see our crude and militant spirit because we are spiritually zealous?
How do we damage the work of God by our unrefined spiritual zeal?
The Witness of John
1. How do we know that John became a changed man?
ANSWER: By reading 1 John. From the epistle we can see what John was teaching. The gospel of John and the Revelation are John account of what he has seen and heard but the epistles of John reveal what he really learned from Jesus. Observe the following verses that show the change that took place in John’s character:
Instead of being exclusive, John became inclusive. 1John 3:23 And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.
Instead of being selfish, John became selfless. 1John 3:17 But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?
Instead of being militant, John became self-sacrificing. 1John 3:16 Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.
2. What made John really believe and accept the character of Jesus?
John 20:6 Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulchre, and seeth the linen clothes lie,
John 20:7 And the napkin, that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself.
John 20:8 Then went in also that other disciple, which came first to the sepulchre, and he saw, and believed.
Observe a few things first:
“wrapped together” simply means rolled up or wound up
“other disciple” is John (Read John 19:26, 13:23, 18:16, 20:3, 4)
ANSWER: John believed that Jesus was truly resurrected because when John saw the “wrapped together” linen cloth placed all by itself. John saw the character of Christ gentle and thoughtful in the way Jesus folded the linen. The linen was not thrown down haphazardly on the floor, but rather carefully placed in the tomb. The words of Jesus, His teachings, were the same as the way He lived His life. Now to John, the word of life became more real. This is the life that John witnessed.
3. Who is a witness?
Note: witness = testify
John 3:32 And what he hath seen and heard, that he testifieth; and no man receiveth his testimony.
Acts 22:15 For thou shalt be his witness unto all men of what thou hast seen and heard.
ANSWER: Someone who has seen and heard of something or someone
4. What has John seen and heard, according to 1 John?
1John 1:1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life 1John 1:2 (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) 1John 1:3 That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.
APPLICATION QUESTIONS:
Do you have to literally see and hear Jesus in order to be His witness?
Since we cannot literally see Jesus today, how can we still have that “seen” and “heard” experience?
WEDNESDAY
Life-Giver
1. What did John say to the religious leaders regarding what he had seen and heard of Jesus?
Acts 4:19 But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye. Acts 4:20 For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.
ANSWER: John could not but speak the things which he had seen and heard
2. What helped John to be so bold about sharing Jesus?
Acts 4:13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.
ANSWER: John spent time with Jesus.
3. What does the Bible say about Jesus spending time with John?
Matt. 17:1 And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart
Mark 5:37 And he suffered no man to follow him, save Peter, and James, and John the brother of James.
Mark 13:3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives over against the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him privately
Mark 14:33 And he taketh with him Peter and James and John, and began to be sore amazed, and to be very heavy
ANSWER: Jesus gave special attention to Peter, James, and John. Therefore John was able to witness the transfiguration of Jesus, saw Jesus’ miracle privately, received special instructions, and witnessed His suffering in Gethsemane.
APPLICATION QUESTIONS:
Did Jesus play favorites with Peter, James, and John?
Is it ok for us to give more attention to certain individuals when giving missions training?
CONCLUSION POINTS:
John became a powerful witness because John pressed really close to Jesus and Jesus gave John the privilege of inner circle attention. The great education takes place not in classroom settings but when a teacher and a student just work together for the same purpose.
THURSDAY
Spending Time With Jesus
1. How did John spend the last moments of the life of witnessing?
Rev. 1:1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John: Rev. 1:2 Who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw.
Rev. 1:9 I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.
Note: “bare record” means witness. In Greek, martureo comes from martus which means both a witness and literally or figuratively, a “martyr”
ANSWER: On the island of Patmos, John was willing to give up his life for the testimony of Jesus Christ and the word of God
Do we have any other group of people in the book of Revelation willing to live and die for the testimony of Jesus and the word of God?
Rev. 6:10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? Rev. 6:11 And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.
Rev. 12:11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.
Rev. 12:17 And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
Rev. 20:4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
ANSWER: Yes. They are called the remnant.
APPLICATION QUESTIONS:
If we are not willing to die for something then is it worth it to live for?
How do we develop the love for the truth as it in Jesus, so that we would be willing to live and die for the truth?
What do we need to do in order to be a great missionary like John?
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