New Believer's Bible Sample - Flipbook - Page 45
page 997
F I R S T
S T E P S
We can come to faith
in different ways
read JOHN 1:40-46
Just as all of us have differing personalities and temperaments, so we all come to
faith in different ways. Andrew and John
found Jesus through a preacher’s message.
Simon Peter and Nathanael came to Jesus
as the result of the personal efforts of a
believer. In the case of Philip, God spoke
directly to him—which, by the way, is the
exception rather than the rule.
Jesus Christ stands at the door of the
human heart and knocks. We each must
open that door and ask him to come into
our lives. “God,” you may say, “I know I
am a sinner. But I believe that Jesus Christ
died on the cross for my sin. I am sorry for
my sin, and I turn and repent of it. Come
into my life and be my Savior and Lord.
I choose to follow you from this moment
forward.”
Some have a tremendous emotional
experience at conversion, while others
may not. I didn’t. When I asked the Lord to
come into my life, I didn’t feel a thing; so
I wrongly concluded that perhaps I wasn’t
even converted. Emotions are not bad, of
course; when you come to faith in Christ,
you may experience God in a very real and
profound way. But this does not happen
with everyone. God wants us to live not
by feeling, but by faith (see Romans 1:17).
For the next note on “Experience New Life in Christ” turn
to page 998.
Spirit descend and rest is the one who will
baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ 34 I saw this happen to Jesus, so I testify that he is the Chosen
One of God.*”
The First Disciples
following day John was again standing
with two of his disciples. 36As 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 J esus.
38 Jesus looked around and saw them following. “What do you want?” he asked them.
35 The
J ohn 2
They replied, “Rab
bi” (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.
40Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one
of these men who heard what John said and
then followed Jesus. 41Andrew went to find his
brother, Simon, and told him, “We have found
the Messiah” (which means “Christ”*).
42 Then An
drew 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 Gali
lee. He found Philip and said to him, “Come,
follow me.” 44 Philip was from Bethsaida, An
drew and Peter’s hometown.
45 Philip went to look for Nathanael and told
him, “We have found the very person M
oses*
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.
47As they approached, J
esus said, “Now
here is a genuine son of Israel—a man of complete integrity.”
48 “How do you know about me?” Na
thanael 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.*”
The Wedding at Cana
The next day* there was a wedding celebration in the village of Cana in Galilee.
Jesus’ mother was there, 2 and Jesus and his
disciples were also invited to the celebration.
3 The wine supply ran out during the festivities, so Jesus’ mother told him, “They have no
more wine.”
4 “Dear woman, that’s not our problem,”
Jesus replied. “My time has not yet come.”
5 But his mother told the servants, “Do
whatever he tells you.”
2
1 :34 Some manuscripts read the Son of God.
1:41 Messiah (a Hebrew term) and Christ (a Greek term) both mean “anointed one.”
1:42 The names Cephas (from Aramaic) and Peter (from Greek) both mean “rock.” 1:45 Greek Moses in the law.
1:51 Greek
going up and down on the Son of Man; see Gen 28:10-17. “Son of Man” is a title Jesus used for himself. 2:1 Greek On the third
day; see 1:35, 43.
