Lesson 4: Andrew and Philip

Read John 1:35-46

Video blog (by Mike)



Different Folks, Different Strokes (by Richard)

We saw in week one that Jesus called Peter with a sign -- a net bursting with fish following a night's labor that yielded none. Jesus calls Philip, a Jew from Bethsaida like Peter, without a sign. Why? At the very least, we can glean that Jesus approached different people in different ways that include direct intervention (Paul), signs (Peter) and this encounter with Philip (John 1:43-44). My personal experience confirms this:

• Jesus called my wife as she listened to the Old Rugged Cross in a rustic church in the woods of New England that sported no electricity.


• Jesus called me through a direct witnessing experience from a youth leader when I was 11. I prayed the "prayer" for forgiveness that so many of us did. However, after running from the Lord for many years, Jesus called me back with a much more dramatic experience.


• Jesus called a friend of mine upon his third reading of the Bible in a row, a task he took on after his mom begged him to accompany her to a Christian concert. His testimony sounds cerebral unless you consider Paul's words (1 Corinthians 1:22):

Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.

We could read the Bible 100 times and still not get it. There is a New Testament professor at an Ivy League school who is an atheist. When God calls, what seems like foolishness to some becomes the "power ... and wisdom of God".

If we dive into the Greek grammar of this interaction with Philip we see three things obscured by the translation:

1. When Jesus finds Philip (John 1:43) he literally "keeps on finding" him, that is, this didn't happen in just a moment. Time passed during this "finding" which hints that Jesus was looking specifically for Philip and was committed to finding him. He was/is committed to finding you as well.


2. After searching for and "finding" Philip, Jesus "says" something to him using the same grammar, so it might be better translated "keeps on saying". This was a conversation with Philip, it's not the one sentence command it appears to be in most English translations. Jesus may seek you in a way that is not dramatic.


3. The same holds for Jesus' statement: "Follow me." It sounds like a command that Philip would respond to or reject in an instant but that's not true. The Greek language has a clear way of indicating commands and that grammar is not used here. In fact, like our previous two verbs, this can be better translated "keep on following me". Jesus is inviting Philip to continue (keep on having) the conversation they have already begun. In so doing, he is using a decidedly low-key approach to offer to be Philip's Rabbi.

The story of Philip's call illustrates that Jesus sometimes calls us in a way that is less dramatic and is likely tailored to our need. In Mike's video on Andrew, he referred to the one-time beginning of the Christian journey at salvation that happens in a moment and the ongoing work of salvation in our lives. When viewed in the original language, Philip's story trumpets the latter, that we must "keep on choosing" Jesus.

Will you pass on the Rabbi who changed the course of history? He is seeking you in particular and He will meet you on your ground, in the midst of your need. You need only realize your need for His cleansing sacrifice on the cross and accept the forgiveness only He can truly offer and that He paid such a great price to secure.

Perhaps you have already experienced this one-time call when that which was foolish was turned into power and wisdom in your life and yet you're struggling. "Keep on" following Jesus, keep choosing to do so moment to moment and day to day. You will eventually see the shore, you will see that what temporarily looked foolish is instead wise.

Study Questions

Feel free to answer any or all questions in the comment section below for interaction with fellow participants~Thx

1. John the Baptist introduces Andrew to the Lord. (John 1:40) Who was it that introduced you to Jesus and how did it come about?

2. Jesus personally finds Philip and calls him to be His follower. (John 1:43) Do you think a person can come to Christ by himself with just the Lord calling him and no other person involved?

3. Do you find it easy or hard to share the Gospel (tell others about Jesus)?

4. Explain how to lead a person to faith in Christ.

Lesson 3: James and John

Read Luke 9:49-56

Video blog (by Mike)



Thunder and Blunder (by Richard)

The brothers James and John were called by Jesus to be disciples while fishing like Peter had been previously. Like Peter, they figure prominently in the Gospels:

• When the daughter of a prominent religious figure dies, they are present to see her raised from the dead (Luke 8:49-56).


• Along with Peter, they are present at Jesus' transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-13).


• Along with Peter, they were with Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane as he grieved his imminent death (Matthew 26:36-46).


• John runs alongside Peter to discover the empty tomb of Jesus (John 20:1-10).

While Jesus called Peter his "rock", he instead refers to James and John as the "sons of thunder" (Mark 3:17). Why?

• They quickly suggest calling down fire like Elijah did on Mount Carmel in response to the Samaritans' snub of Jesus, inviting his rebuke (Luke 9:52-56).


• Their Rabbi corrects them again when they insisted that others not in their inner circle cease casting out demons in Jesus' name (Mark 9:38-40).


• Along with their mom, they argued about who would be greatest in Jesus' kingdom (Matthew 20:20-28).


• Peter and John are the first to be arrested (Acts 4:13-21), possibly because their personalities made them easy targets.


• James was the first disciple to die for his faith (Acts 12:1-2).

It's unlikely that Jesus called James and John "sons of thunder" in a derisive way, so, like we did with Peter last week, we should look for a "double-edged sword", that is, a characteristic than can be both good and bad. Based on the evidence above, it's likely the brothers were quick to act and natural leaders (like Peter) at their best and impulsive and loud at their worst.

When I saw my children misbehaving, before I corrected them I asked myself this question: Will that be a valuable trait as an adult? If so, I would demonstrate the flip side of the choice they just made. For example, if my children stubbornly refused to eat vegetables, I would argue that we have teeth both to cut (meat) and pulverize (vegetables) for a reason, much like any parent. However, I knew that standing up for themselves was going to be a valuable adult trait, one that would protect them, and pointed that out as well. Stubbornness is cleverly cloaked integrity and passion, isn't it? Being loud and assertive like "thunder" can cause trouble but it also makes for great leaders like James and John.

Study Questions

Feel free to answer any or all questions in the comment section below for interaction with fellow participants~Thx

1. What are examples of these dual traits from the life of you and your family?

2. Be aware that peering this closely into the lives of your family members may shine the light right back on you. What would your family say about your traits? What is the opposite of what they say? Which is good and which is bad?

3. What can we learn about our own strengths and weaknesses from the examples of James and John?

4. If you know someone who irritates you, put a name on the irritation and ask yourself if they also possess the opposite of that trait. Are you irritated because you have the same trait in its positive or negative form?

Lesson 2: Simon Peter

Read Luke 5:1-11

Video blog (by Mike)



Disciples That Bounce (by Richard)

We begin our study of The Men Jesus Called with Peter, the most prominent of all of Jesus' disciples. What makes Peter so distinct?

• Peter is among the first and possibly THE first of the disciples to be called (Mark 3:16).
• Peter's name appears first in the lists given of disciples (Matthew 10:2-4, Mark 3:16-19, Luke 6:14-16, Acts 1:13).
• Peter was present at the transfiguration along with James and John (Luke 9:28-36).
• Peter speaks more often in the Gospels than any of the Jesus' followers.
• Peter is the first to declare Jesus the Messiah (Matthew 16:16).
• Peter is described by Jesus as the "rock" upon which the church will be built (Matthew 16:18).
• Peter walks on water.

Clearly Peter is central to the group of men Jesus called. What draws me to Peter is that he is all of the above yet also this:

• Peter is quick to speak and act; he sometimes looks foolish, but is clearly a risk-taker and a natural leader. That which makes him a leader makes him a fool and this foolishness is often how God demonstrates His strength (2 Corinthians 12:9). You can't make this stuff up!
• Peter is fearful and begins to sink right after he walked on water (Matthew 14:28-33).
• Peter denies Jesus three times immediately right after Jesus warned him that he would (Luke 22).

It is this "sink or swim" journey that most resonates with me and many, many Christians. We fight the enemy and our own flesh yet we are redeemed and continue to bring redemption to ourselves and others. Over the years I have described King David to children as a "bouncer" -- he screws up then rallies or "bounces" back; Peter is a "bouncer" as well.

What can we take away from our consideration of the life of Peter? It's okay to be who you are, whether you're a natural leader or a natural something else, it's okay to use your talents and abilities, in fact God gave you those (Ephesians 2:10). Be aware that your strength has a flip side that may sometimes be your undoing. It's okay to be undone because that sometimes leads to a show of God's strength in your weakness. Are you a bouncer?

(Further reading: 8 Responses to Christ's Call)

Study Questions

Feel free to answer any or all questions in the comment section below for interaction with fellow participants~Thx

1. What do you think Christ spoke about as He was teaching from Simon Peter’s boat (Luke 5:3)?

2. Sometimes God asks a person to do what seems to be a crazy thing (Luke 5:4-5). Has God asked you to do anything crazy? Did you do it or not?

3. Can you remember a significant moment in your life where God so impacted you it literally changed your direction?

4. What do you think about the following statement? Some people are in Christianity for the new car or house or more money (the fish) that will come versus for the person of Christ.

Lesson 1: The Twelve

Read Mark 3:13-19

Video blog (by Mike)



Disciples Yesterday and Today (by Richard)

In Mike's introductory video for this week, we not only learn about the twelve disciples Jesus called, but we also discover the major part of Christ's method for determining who should and should not be a disciple, namely, a full night of prayer. Jesus' commitment to prayer is easily missed, because we can be focused on the goal to the neglect of the journey.

"Disciple" is a familiar word in Christian culture but can be misunderstood out of its 1st century context. First let's establish that the word is not interchangeable with "apostle". An apostle is one who is "sent out" while a disciple tends to stay put. A disciple is understood in this time period in the context of a relationship to a rabbi or teacher, it's about a "total immersion" experience for both teacher and student.

I took 3 years of French in high school while all my friends took Spanish. Did I do so because I'm more clever than them? No, I took French because the class was almost entirely female and I was a teenage boy, it seemed like simple math to me. Over the years my French eroded for lack of practice but I sometimes debate doing a total immersion weekend where I would be thrust into a classroom with a teacher and others where nothing but French would be spoken all weekend. If I couldn't ask to go to the restroom or for a meal in French, well ...

The Rabbi / Disciple Learning Model

• The relationship between a rabbi and his disciples in this historical context was one of total immersion -- it was intense and short. Disciples and rabbis traveled, ate and slept together as a pack.


• A disciple was picked by a rabbi, not vice versa.


• A disciple would submit their will entirely to the authority of their rabbi.


• The focus of this group was the Word of God, in this context, the Old Testament. They would sometimes debate minor issues and compare interpretations of various scholars for weeks at a time, not focused on the resolution of the debate but rather on the methodology of considering the issue. To achieve this result, a rabbi would answer a question with a question or use illustrative stories (parables) to encourage thought process and not just conclusion. You can see this pedagogy illustrated in Mark 3:20-30 when Jesus is accused of being of "Beezlebub" after casting demons out of a man.

Mike and I seek to emulate this learning model along with you. We will spend weeks presenting ideas on the topic of The Men Jesus Called in an intense but short burst of interaction once per week featuring introductory videos by Mike and blog posts by me. We seek to follow Jesus' model in the context of modern technology, joining hands with people from all over the world in a way that is entirely new for the purpose of reaping a result that is ancient, that is, a rabbinic, Christ-like way of interacting and changing lives.

Study Questions (Set 1)

Feel free to answer any or all questions in the comment section below for interaction with fellow participants~Thx

1. Find one example of Jesus and any of his disciples in the role of rabbi and disciple. What tips you that they are in these roles in your example?

2. What do you think would be a contemporary model for the intense relationship of a rabbi and disciple?

3. What is the first thing that pops into your mind when I say “disciple”?

4. Do you think contemporary Christian culture has lost this kind of relationship?

5. In what ways would you characterize your life as completely submitted to Jesus’ (your rabbi) authority?

6. What characteristics of the rabbi/disciple relationship of Jesus and His disciples do you NOT see today?

7. What changes are you willing to make to achieve this level of intimacy in your spiritual walk?

Study Questions (Set 2)

Feel free to answer any or all questions in the comment section below for interaction with fellow participants~Thx

1. What do you think it was about Jesus that these twelve men would follow Him?

2. In your mind, what does it mean to "follow Jesus"?

3. Jesus prayed all night prior to choosing the Twelve (Luke 6:12). And then the Twelve He chose were, quite frankly, full of flaws. Do you think Christ's prayer was answered? Why or why not?

4. How did it happen that the Lord called you to follow Him?

The Twelve (video blog supplement #1)

Study Questions

Feel free to answer any or all questions in the comment section below for interaction with fellow participants~Thx

1. What do you think it was about Jesus that these twelve men would follow Him?

2. In your mind, what does it mean to "follow Jesus"?

3. Jesus prayed all night prior to choosing the Twelve (Luke 6:12). And then the Twelve He chose were, quite frankly, full of flaws. Do you think Christ's prayer was answered? Why or why not?

4. How did it happen that the Lord called you to follow Him?

Disciples Yesterday and Today

In Mike's introductory video for this week, we not only learn about the twelve disciples Jesus called, but we also discover the major part of Christ's method for determining who should and should not be a disciple, namely, a full night of prayer. Jesus' commitment to prayer is easily missed, because we can be focused on the goal to the neglect of the journey.

"Disciple" is a familiar word in Christian culture but can be misunderstood out of its 1st century context. First let's establish that the word is not interchangeable with "apostle". An apostle is one who is "sent out" while a disciple tends to stay put. A disciple is understood in this time period in the context of a relationship to a rabbi or teacher, it's about a "total immersion" experience for both teacher and student.

I took 3 years of French in high school while all my friends took Spanish. Did I do so because I'm more clever than them? No, I took French because the class was almost entirely female and I was a teenage boy, it seemed like simple math to me. Over the years my French eroded for lack of practice but I sometimes debate doing a total immersion weekend where I would be thrust into a classroom with a teacher and others where nothing but French would be spoken all weekend. If I couldn't ask to go to the restroom or for a meal in French, well ...

The Rabbi / Disciple Learning Model

• The relationship between a rabbi and his disciples in this historical context was one of total immersion -- it was intense and short. Disciples and rabbis traveled, ate and slept together as a pack.


• A disciple was picked by a rabbi, not vice versa.


• A disciple would submit their will entirely to the authority of their rabbi.


• The focus of this group was the Word of God, in this context, the Old Testament. They would sometimes debate minor issues and compare interpretations of various scholars for weeks at a time, not focused on the resolution of the debate but rather on the methodology of considering the issue. To achieve this result, a rabbi would answer a question with a question or use illustrative stories (parables) to encourage thought process and not just conclusion. You can see this pedagogy illustrated in Mark 3:20-30 when Jesus is accused of being of "Beezlebub" after casting demons out of a man.

Mike and I seek to emulate this learning model along with you. We will spend weeks presenting ideas on the topic of The Men Jesus Called in an intense but short burst of interaction once per week featuring introductory videos by Mike and blog posts by me. We seek to follow Jesus' model in the context of modern technology, joining hands with people from all over the world in a way that is entirely new for the purpose of reaping a result that is ancient, that is, a rabbinic, Christ-like way of interacting and changing lives.

Study Questions

Feel free to answer any or all questions in the comment section below for interaction with fellow participants~Thx

1. Find one example of Jesus and any of his disciples in the role of rabbi and disciple. What tips you that they are in these roles in your example?

2. What do you think would be a contemporary model for the intense relationship of a rabbi and disciple?

3. What is the first thing that pops into your mind when I say “disciple”?

4. Do you think contemporary Christian culture has lost this kind of relationship?

5. In what ways would you characterize your life as completely submitted to Jesus’ (your rabbi) authority?

6. What characteristics of the rabbi/disciple relationship of Jesus and His disciples do you NOT see today?

7. What changes are you willing to make to achieve this level of intimacy in your spiritual walk?

SCHEDULE (7 weeks)

Topics and Passages:

January 10 - The Twelve (Mark 3:13-19)

January 17 - Simon Peter (Luke 5:1-11)

January 24 - James and John (Luke 9:49-56)

January 31 - Andrew and Philip (John 1:35-46)

February 7 - Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas
(John 1:45-51; Luke 5:27-28; John 20:24-29)

February 14 - James the Less, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot
(Matthew 10:1-4; Acts 1:9-14)

February 21 - Judas Iscariot; Matthias (Luke 22:1-6; Acts 1:15-26)