04.26.2026 | Jesus’ First Followers
John 1:35-51
Have you ever played “Follow the Leader?” In the game, one person is the leader, and the rest of the group must imitate whatever actions he or she does. If the leader jumps up and down, then the group must jump up and down. If the leader clucks like a chicken, everyone must also cluck like a chicken. The point of the game is to pay special attention to the leader and mimic what they do.
Thinking about the rules of this game helps us understand what Jesus meant when He said to the disciples, “Follow Me.” Jesus was inviting them to walk with Him and watch Him teach people about the kingdom of God. Along the way, Jesus would also be teaching them and showing them how He is the Son of God. Then, Jesus would give them power and opportunity to share in the work of telling others about the kingdom of God.
One day, these followers of Jesus would have the chance to tell the world the good news about Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. This small group of disciples led to hundreds of followers, and after Jesus’ resurrection the number of believers grew into the thousands! Today, there are billions of people who have accepted the invitation to believe in Jesus and follow Him!
Jesus still calls people to follow Him today as His disciples. Everyone who repents and trusts that Jesus died and rose again for their sins is His disciple. Jesus is worth following, no matter what we have to leave behind.
