Based on the sermon summary and transcript, the primary text is John 1:35-51. The discussion guide will be derived from this passage and the sermon's key takeaways.
Bible ReadingJohn 1:35-51 (NLT)
35 The following day John was again standing with two of his disciples. 36 As Jesus walked by, John looked at him and declared, “Look! There is the Lamb of God!” 37 When John’s two disciples heard this, they followed Jesus.
38 Jesus looked around and saw them following. “What do you want?” he asked them.
They replied, “Rabbi” (which means “Teacher”), “where are you staying?”
39 “Come and see,” he said. It was about four o’clock in the afternoon when they went with him to the place where he was staying, and they remained with him the rest of the day.
40 Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of these men who heard what John said and then followed Jesus. 41 Andrew went to find his brother, Simon, and told him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means “Christ”).
42 Then Andrew brought Simon to meet Jesus. Looking intently at Simon, Jesus said, “Your name is Simon, son of John—but you will be called Cephas” (which means “Peter”).
43 The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Come, follow me.” 44 Philip was from Bethsaida, Andrew and Peter’s hometown.
45 Philip went to look for Nathanael and told him, “We have found the very person Moses and the prophets wrote about! His name is Jesus, the son of Joseph from Nazareth.”
46 “Nazareth!” exclaimed Nathanael. “Can anything good come from Nazareth?”
“Come and see for yourself,” Philip replied.
47 As they approached, Jesus said, “Now here is a genuine son of Israel—a man of complete integrity.”
48 “How do you know about me?” Nathanael asked.
Jesus replied, “I could see you under the fig tree before Philip found you.”
49 Then Nathanael exclaimed, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God—the King of Israel!”
50 Jesus asked him, “Do you believe this just because I told you I had seen you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than this.” 51 Then he said, “I tell you the truth, you will all see heaven open and the angels of God going up and down on the Son of Man, the one who is the stairway between heaven and earth.”
Observation questions- What was the first thing the two disciples did after John the Baptist identified Jesus, and what was Jesus's initial question to them?
- What was Philip’s immediate action after Jesus said to him, “Come, follow me”?
- How did Nathanael react to Philip’s news about finding the Messiah, and what was Philip’s simple response to his skepticism?
- What specific knowledge did Jesus demonstrate about Nathanael that caused his dramatic change of heart and confession of faith?
Interpretation questions- The disciples' first instinct was not to ask Jesus for a theological treatise but to ask where he was staying. What does their desire to simply "remain with him" [01:01:02] reveal about the foundation of a relationship with Christ?
- Philip told Nathanael they had found the one "Moses and the prophets wrote about," but he also mistakenly identified Jesus as "the son of Joseph." [01:10:19] How does the fact that God used Philip's imperfect invitation show that the effectiveness of our witness does not depend on our flawless performance?
- Jesus saw Nathanael under the fig tree before Philip ever called him. How does this detail underscore the truth that Jesus is always at work in a person's life long before we are prompted to invite them?
- Nathanael moved from prejudice ("Can anything good come from Nazareth?") to worship ("You are the Son of God!") based on an encounter with Jesus. What does this tell us about the ultimate goal of an invitation versus winning an argument?
Application questions- Spiritual influence begins with visible devotion. [01:00:36] What does your "walk with Jesus" look like on an ordinary Tuesday? Are there habits of prayer, Scripture, or repentance that someone could observe, sparking their curiosity about your faith?
- Argument often entrenches resistance; invitation invites exploration. [01:04:31] Is there a relationship in your life where you've been tempted to argue a point about God? What would it look like to shift your approach to a simple, relational "come and see" this week?
- Human evangelism initiates; God accomplishes. [01:08:43] Thinking about a past conversation where you felt you fumbled or said the wrong thing, how does the truth that Jesus perfects our invitations free you from anxiety and encourage you to try again?
- Prayer reshapes attention and readies hearts. [01:13:26] Who are one or two people on your heart who are far from God? What is a practical rhythm you could start—like setting a phone reminder or adding them to a prayer list—to faithfully lift them up to God?
- Authentic witness flows from a life visibly formed by Jesus. When people look at your life, what do they see? Do they see a person who is genuinely satisfied by Jesus, or someone just holding a "bag of Jesus" they aren't consuming for themselves? [01:03:14]
- Evangelism becomes ordinary, humble, and dependent. What is one simple, low-pressure next step you could take with an unbelieving friend or family member—like inviting them for coffee, to a church event, or to watch a service online—that embodies this "ordinary" invitation?
