What Do You Want? Jesus' Question to Followers

John’s scene sets the tone. John the Baptist looks every inch the prophet, yet he keeps saying, “I’m not the Christ,” until he points and says, “Behold, the Lamb of God.” Jesus then turns and asks the first red-letter question in John’s Gospel, “What do you want?” The question refuses to fade. It lands not as trivia but as a heart check. Red letters help, but they do not replace the black. The whole Bible speaks, and Jesus’ words tune the ear for all of it.

Jesus’ question aims at motive. Those first followers wanted something, and so does every disciple. Some chase security, some career, some political victory, some a spotlight, and many, underneath it all, long for peace with God. The question does not shame the starting place, but it insists on naming it. Starting with “what do you want” is honest; staying there is too small.

The crowds come for bread. People still flock for the sandwiches. Some even market God, turning grace into a brand. Scripture has seen the hucksters before. The problem is not only at the top. Any heart that treats Jesus as a path to profit is pawning the blood for pocket change. Jesus’ question exposes that trade.

The sick come for healing. Of course they do. Jesus healed then and he heals now. But a body mended without a soul reconciled only delays the ache. He did not come to be a magic genie in a bottle, or a vending machine for crisis prayers. He came to heal the soul.

James and John come for power. They hear “kingdom” and think cabinet seats while Jesus is explaining a cross. Ambition mishears a crucified kingdom. Social capital and religious optics are just the same chase with church clothes on.

Many come for eternal life. That is valid, but if heaven without Jesus would be just fine, the aim is too low. Fire-escape faith lives like a hostage, paying a ransom of fun to keep the policy current. Joy leaks out of that life.

Peter comes back for love. Jesus asks him twice, “Do you love me?” Love becomes the end of the question. When love drives the answer, service follows, fear loosens its grip, and grace quietly lifts a life. Redeem and lift is not name-it-and-claim-it. It is the ordinary fruit of a changed person becoming trustworthy, whole, and useful. God has already shown his love in sending the Son. The question still stands: “What do you want?”

Key Takeaways

• 1. Jesus starts with desire, not data. Jesus’ first move is not to quiz a mind but to read a heart. Desire steers discipleship long before doctrine settles, so the question names the true north or the hidden idol. Honesty at the outset spares years of drifting. The question still asks for a clear, concrete answer. [39:25]
• 2. Mixed motives still follow Jesus. The first followers carried legalism, politics, and confusion to his feet, and he still engaged them. Grace meets people where they actually are, not where they pretend to be. But grace also refuses to leave motives unexamined. Naming the want is the beginning of reordering it. [42:27]
• 3. Healing is real, but short. Bodies matter to Jesus, yet every body healed still dies, while a healed soul lives. Treating him like a crisis-button cheapens the relationship and stunts growth. Prayer becomes communion when it is more than emergency management. The deeper cure is reconciliation with God. [50:41]
• 4. Ambition mishears a crucified kingdom. Power-love cannot thrive in a power-grab. When the cross is in view, status-seeking scrambles the signal and turns service into leverage. The kingdom comes by losing life, not climbing ladders. Only a dethroned ego can hear the way of Jesus. [52:16]
• 5. Love must be the final answer. Fear can start obedience, but it cannot carry it. Love steadies the will, sweetens service, and anchors joy through cost and delay. When love answers the question, the hands find lambs to feed and hearts find rest in the One loved. [57:02]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [38:19] - John’s wild prophet vibe
• [38:48] - Behold, the Lamb of God
• [39:25] - Jesus asks, “What do you want?”
• [39:55] - Why red letters matter
• [41:12] - Red and black belong together
• [42:27] - Naming motives for following
• [44:05] - What people chase now
• [46:28] - Hucksters and monetizing faith
• [50:41] - More than a healer
• [52:16] - Power plays vs the cross
• [54:50] - Eternal life as fire escape
• [57:02] - Love becomes the final motive
• [59:13] - Redeem and lift in real life
• [60:00] - The promise and the question

1. In John 1:38, Jesus asks two followers, “What do you want?” What immediate response do they give, and what does their answer reveal about their initial understanding of Jesus?
2. The sermon mentions people who followed Jesus for healing, power, or eternal life. What example was given of someone treating Jesus like a “vending machine” for crisis prayers? [51:07]
3. How did James and John misunderstand Jesus’ teaching about His kingdom, according to the sermon? [52:16]
4. What contrast does the sermon draw between temporary physical healing and lasting spiritual healing? [50:41]

1. Why might Jesus’ question “What do you want?” be more about motives than actions? How does this question expose the difference between surface-level faith and heart-level discipleship?
2. The sermon argues that “healing is real, but short.” Why might physical healing alone fail to address humanity’s deepest need, even though Jesus clearly cares about suffering?
3. How does seeking power or status (like James and John) conflict with Jesus’ emphasis on the cross and sacrificial love? [52:16]
4. The sermon warns against treating eternal life as a “fire escape.” What dangers arise when salvation is reduced to avoiding hell rather than pursuing relationship with Christ? [54:50]

1. Jesus’ question “What do you want?” invites honesty about our motives. What might your honest answer be today? Are you seeking security, approval, comfort, or something else? How could naming this desire help you grow?
2. The sermon warns against using faith for personal gain. In what areas of life (work, relationships, habits) do you need to examine whether you’re “pawning the blood of Jesus for pocket change”? [48:27]
3. If “love must be the final answer” [57:02], how could prioritizing love for Christ over fear or duty change the way you serve others or make decisions this week?
4. The sermon contrasts temporary healing with soul-level reconciliation. What practical step could you take to prioritize spiritual health (e.g., confession, prayer, forgiveness) alongside physical or emotional needs?
5. How might shifting from a “fire escape” view of faith to a love-driven relationship with Jesus affect your daily habits, relationships, or sense of purpose?
6. The sermon mentions “redeem and lift” as a result of grace transforming character. What specific area of your life (integrity, generosity, patience) could reflect this transformation to others? [59:13]