Reproducing after our own kind is a principle that God establishes at creation (Genesis 1:11). If you plant an apple seed, you get apples. Likewise, God commissions us to “Go and make disciples of all nations”. We are to be disciples making disciples. In John 1:35–46, Jesus calls the first disciples to follow him. It involves three things:

Telling

Jesus is described in various ways in this passage – “Lamb of God”, “Messiah”, “the person Moses wrote about”.  Each description will have meant something to the person who heard it. When we share our story with people, we need to set it in context, meet them at their point of need and be relatable. We need to share our experience of Jesus in a way that others will understand.

Following

The disciples were able to invite others and tell others about Jesus because they knew who he was from spending time with him. In v.35, John the Baptist says, “Look! There is the Lamb of God!”  He was confident in Jesus and knew who he was because he had spent time with him. They were cousins and friends. We need to spend time with Jesus to know who we are following and to have confidence in him. It’s this that will enable us to lead those who are following us, to become followers of Jesus.

Inviting

Invite others to come and see. In the passage in John 1, Andrew brings Simon. Phillip invites Nathanael. Bring people with you. Introduce them to Jesus. We are not just inviting someone to an event but to an encounter with Him. Invite people to follow with you. It might be inviting them to join you at a church meeting or a family hub, it might be inviting them to a Christmas or Easter celebration or to your house.  It might be offering to pray for them and asking them to join in. Don’t wait for people to ask, make the first move, and invite them. 

Jesus always intended to gather disciples around him so that he could send them out. Mark 3:14 says “He appointed twelve that they might be with him and that he might send them out”. Being sent and making disciples, reproducing after our own kind, was always Jesus’ intention.

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