What Do You Want?

Scripture:  John 1:35-39 (Click link for scripture in Bible Gateway)

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. (John 1:35–39 NLT)

John was preaching his message to the crowds and baptizing those who were repenting and turning to God. This was happening at the village of Bethany, near the Jordan River in Judea. People were coming to hear John from all over Judea and Israel, from as far north as Galilee, and many of John’s converts were becoming his disciples. Jesus from Nazareth had come to the area and had been baptized by John in the Jordan River. John saw the sign the Holy Spirit had revealed to him that Jesus was the Messiah, the Chosen One, the Lamb of God.

On this day, John was standing and talking with two of his disciples when Jesus walked by. “That’s him, right there,” John told them, “He’s the Chosen One, the Lamb of God!” John’s two disciples left John where he stood and began following Jesus. When he noticed them behind him, Jesus turned and asked, “What do you want?” Possibly not being the quickest thinkers on the planet, they replied, “Teacher, where are you staying?” Jesus said, “Come and see.” So they went with him. From that day, John began to direct his disciples toward Jesus. John knew his mission, his message, and his limitations. He was true! You’re my hero, John the Baptist!

Jesus asked the two, “What do you want?” That was a valid question then, and it’s a valid question now. They were already disciples, John’s disciples. That means they were dissatisfied with things as they were and with themselves as they were. They were searching, they were hungry for more, they were learning. They were disciples! But when they had learned all that John could teach them, they wanted more, so they followed Jesus.

Here are the questions I’m asking myself today: 1) What do I want? 2) Am I a disciple? Am I searching, am I hungry, am I learning all I can? Why should I have all the fun? I invite you to ask yourself those same two questions!

Prayer:

Father, Please help us to honestly answer Jesus’ question, “What do you want?”