In our fast-paced world, we're constantly bombarded with distractions, notifications, and obligations. But what about our relationship with Jesus? As we continue looking at the first chapter of John, we discover the foundation of what it means to be an authentic follower of Christ and an effective witness to the world around us.
John 1:38-39: "And Jesus turned and saw them following, and said to them, 'What do you seek?' They said to Him, 'Rabbi (which translated means Teacher), where are You staying?' He said to them, 'Come, and you will see.' So they came and saw where He was staying; and they stayed with Him that day, for it was about the tenth hour."
The first question Jesus asks in His public ministry is profound: "What do you seek?" He's asking, "What are you really after? Why are you following me?" It's a question He continues to ask each of us today.
Think about it — not everyone who comes to the Christian faith does so for the right reasons. Some want to join a club. Some want to pacify their conscience. Some enjoy the unity of religion. But Jesus wants to know what's really in your heart.
Andrew and John, those first disciples, were so overwhelmed by the question that they deflected with their own question: "Where are you staying?" They had so much they wanted to know, so many questions after John the Baptist had declared, "Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!" Rather than dumping all their questions on Jesus right there on the dirt road, they simply asked for more time with Him.
Jesus's response is beautiful in its simplicity and warmth: "Come and you will see." So inviting. So tender. And they spent that evening with Him, talking, communing, and fellowshipping with the Savior.
From that night forward, these men would go on to proclaim Jesus and eventually, as the book of Acts tells us, "turn the world upside down." But the prerequisite to their gospel proclamation was first spending time with the One they would proclaim.
This principle hasn't changed. Jesus later told His disciples it was actually to their advantage that He would go away so they could receive the Holy Spirit. Through the Spirit, we now have the privilege of an even deeper intimacy with Jesus than the disciples had when He walked physically beside them.
Let me ask you a straightforward question: Have you ever spent an evening with Jesus? For so many professing Christians, our relationship with God is relegated to a peripheral pocket of our lives — a Sunday morning here, a quick prayer there. But Jesus calls His disciples first and foremost to spend time with Him, to converse with Him, to abide in Him.
This isn't about legalistic practices or spiritual checklists. It's about genuine relationship. It's about setting aside focused time to commune with your Savior, to listen to His voice through His Word, to speak to Him in prayer, and to simply be in His presence.
This is the fountainhead from which all other aspects of the Christian life flow. You cannot be an effective witness for Christ if you don't know Him intimately. You can't reflect His character if you haven't beheld His glory. And you certainly can't lead others to a Jesus you yourself aren't actively following.
So before you worry about evangelism strategies or ministry programs or theological debates, focus on this simple foundation: spend time with Jesus.
1. What would it look like for you to spend dedicated, uninterrupted time with Jesus this week?
2. How often do you ask yourself, "What am I really seeking in my relationship with Jesus?"
3. In what ways has spending time with Jesus equipped you to share Him with others?
Stay dialed in,
Jonny Ardavanis
