What Is a Disciple? Jesus Calling You to Come, See, Follow

From the sermon preached on October 11, 2026

The honest answer to what is a disciple is simpler than most people expect: a disciple is someone who has heard Jesus calling and answered by coming close, letting Him change how they see, and following Him with their whole life. It is not a title for the especially religious, and it is not the same thing as never missing a Sunday.

Most people around here could tell you when they felt like they belonged, or when they knew exactly what they were for. Maybe it was the Friday night bleachers, the kids still at home, or the farm needing every hour you had. Fewer could tell you where that feeling went, or why nobody noticed.

In John 1:35-51, two men are walking behind Jesus of Nazareth without being sure why, and He turns around and asks what they are looking for. What follows is a plain picture of Jesus calling ordinary people in three movements: come, see, and follow. Each one speaks to the belonging and the purpose so many people quietly stopped expecting to find.

John the Baptist, a wilderness prophet who preached repentance, saw Jesus walk by and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God!" (John 1:36). Two of his followers heard it and started walking after Jesus. They were Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, and John the Apostle, the son of Zebedee who later wrote this Gospel.

Jesus turned and asked them, "What are you seeking?" (John 1:38). That question gets real fast when it is aimed at you. Underneath the surface answer, most of us are after peace, healing, forgiveness, a place to belong, or a reason to get up in the morning.

They answered with a question of their own, asking where He was staying. Jesus did not hand them a lecture or a list of conditions; He said, "Come and you will see" (John 1:39). That is how the invitation to come and see Jesus still works.

Psalm 34:8 says, "Taste and see that the Lord is good," which means you do not have to take anyone else's word for it. Other people's stories matter, but to come and see Jesus is to find out for yourself. You can come and see Jesus the way a child turns toward a parent's voice, with your questions still in your pockets.

Here is one honest step for today: on the back of a receipt, finish the sentence "What I am really looking for is..." in your own words. Then leave it where you will see it tomorrow.

The first thing Andrew did after his day with Jesus was bring his brother Simon, whom Jesus renamed Peter (John 1:41-42). If anyone asks what is a disciple, Andrew's first move is a good start: a disciple follows Jesus and then brings someone else along.

The next day Jesus found Philip of Bethsaida and said, "Follow me" (John 1:43). Jesus calling Philip was no accident, and the same is true of the ways Jesus calls us today.

Philip found his friend Nathanael, who answered the way any small-town skeptic might: "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" (John 1:46). Philip did not argue; he said, "Come and see." Then Jesus told Nathanael He had seen him under the fig tree before anyone called him (John 1:48), and Nathanael's doubt gave way to faith.

Jesus promised Nathanael he would see greater things, even heaven opened (John 1:50-51). When Jesus calls us today, He opens our eyes to Him as Savior and friend (John 15:15), to the Holy Spirit as a daily guide (John 14:26), and to peace where anxiety used to sit. The way Jesus calls us today is rarely an audible voice; more often it is the moment you realize Someone saw what you thought nobody did.

Tonight, tell God plainly about one moment when you felt completely unseen, the way you would to someone at the kitchen table. You do not have to dress it up for Him to hear it.

The third word is follow, and it costs something. Kyle Idleman, a pastor and author of the book Not a Fan, argued that fans want the benefits of being near Jesus without anything being asked of them. The first disciples left families and work behind, and history records that all but one of the Twelve died for what they believed.

Following is not only about direction, and that is a big part of the answer to what is a disciple. It means learning to think like Jesus, love people like Him, and give things up like Him.

One Trinity Church pastor grew up knowing all about God and never missed church with his family. It was not until he was 15 or 16 that he heard Jesus calling him personally, clearly enough to know Jesus was real and wanted him. He says Jesus saw him as an awkward, conflicted, selfish teenager and wanted him anyway.

That is where belonging and purpose in faith actually come from. You can sit in a pew for decades and still feel like a guest, because belonging starts when you realize Jesus came looking for you first. There is no deeper belonging than God's family and no bigger purpose than living for the King who called you; that is belonging and purpose in faith made real.

Pick one thing today you would do differently if you were following instead of watching from the stands, like the phone call you have put off or the apology you owe. Small obedience like that is where belonging and purpose in faith start to feel real.

The people who answered Jesus first each add something to the picture in John 1:35-51.

1. Andrew
How He Met Jesus: He heard John the Baptist point to Jesus and spent the day with Him.
What It Shows Us: A new follower often goes and gets someone they love.

2. John the Apostle
How He Met Jesus: He walked beside Andrew behind Jesus and later wrote this Gospel.
What It Shows Us: Curiosity is a fine place to start.

3. Simon Peter
How He Met Jesus: His brother Andrew brought him, and Jesus gave him a new name.
What It Shows Us: Jesus sees who you will become, not only who you have been.

4. Philip
How He Met Jesus: Jesus found him on the way to Galilee and said, "Follow me."
What It Shows Us: Jesus does the seeking, and we do the answering.

5. Nathanael
How He Met Jesus: He came skeptical, and Jesus told him He had seen him under the fig tree.
What It Shows Us: Honest doubt does not disqualify anyone willing to come and look.

Taken together, the passage shows a disciple doing these things:

• Recognizing their own sin and their need for a Savior.
• Placing their faith in Jesus Christ alone for forgiveness.
• Living with purpose for Jesus every single day.
• Bringing others to meet Jesus, the way Andrew and Philip did.

Saying out loud that you are looking for something is hard when everyone around you assumes you are fine, and harder still when you have been carrying it for years. Trinity Church gathers at campuses in Ashkum, Goodland, and Watseka, so whether you live in Clifton or Gilman, out near Cissna Park or Danforth, over in Milford, or anywhere across Iroquois County and into Indiana, there is a seat not far from home. You can sit in the back, ask the hard questions, and take your time.

The answer to what is a disciple comes down to this: someone who heard Jesus calling, came close enough to see Him clearly, and followed instead of watching from a distance. Come is more than a suggestion, see is more than something you do with your eyes, and follow is more than being a fan. Jesus knows your past, and He wants you anyway.

Come find a seat at the Ashkum Campus, the Goodland Campus, or the Watseka Campus of Trinity Church, with no dress code and no need to have anything figured out, and plan your visit here.

When you are ready to tell someone what you are looking for, even before you walk in, send a prayer request or connection card and reach out here. Come as you are, tired and all.