They followed Jesus because John...
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They followed Jesus because John had said, "Behold, the Lamb of God!" and they knew they had found the Messiah. John fulfilled his purpose as the forerunner, originally gathering together a group of disciples, some of whom became Jesus' first disciples. They didn't follow John for John's sake but to find another, the Lamb of God. We might wonder about those of John's disciples who did not choose to follow Jesus. It can be easy to lose track of one's ultimate purpose or goal in the midst of day-to-day concerns. Why do we gather as the church? For the fellowship, for the support in times of loss or trouble? For business contacts, to be seen in the right places? Even when we gather for worship and for Christian education, do we gather for the sake of Jesus our risen Lord, or because this is where we are comfortable or where we grew up? Whatever good reasons we have for gathering where we gather, do we do so for Jesus' sake or for some other, more personal reason? Or a combination of the two? Are we content with only a kind of religious "forerunner" or substitute, that will keep us religious and active, rather than seeking the ultimate goal, the Lamb of God? The local church and the church (the Body of Christ) are not the same thing, though they are irretrievably woven together. Do we accept the one too readily at the expense of the other? -- Johnson-Hoy
