Bible Stories for Adults
Jesus Calls the First Disciples
John 1:35-51
Welcome and Announcements
Next Week - Jesus Turns Water into Wine (John 2:1-11)
Opening Prayer
The Beginning of Jesus' Ministry - So Far (Luke 3-4)
What event marked the beginning of Jesus' ministry as the Messiah (Christ)?
Matthew 3:13-15
Why is this event understood as the beginning of His ministry?
Luke 3:21-22
How old was Jesus when He began His ministry?
Luke 3:23a
What was significant about Jesus beginning His ministry at the age of thirty?
Numbers 4:3
Who else began their ministry of God's calling at the age of thirty?
2 Samuel 5:4
How did Jesus immediately celebrate His calling as the greatest man of all time?
Luke 4:1-2
Who Was John? (John 1:19-28)
How effective was John's ministry?
Matthew 3:4-6
Did the people understand who John was and what was the purpose of his ministry?
Luke 3:15
How did John respond when asked if he was the Messiah?
John 1:19-20
Who did he say he was?
John 1:21-23
After he quoted Scripture, did the learned Pharisees understand what he was doing?
John 1:24-28
What was the purpose of John's baptism?
Acts 19:1-5
Why was it important for people to repent before the Messiah would come?
Luke 1:16-17
How is this similar to preparations for Christ's second coming?
Revelation 19:6-7
Jesus Returns (John 1:29-34)
How did John further clarify his statements the next day?
John 1:29-31
If John didn't know Him, how was he able to point out Jesus as the Messiah?
John 1:32-34
Jesus' First Disciples (John 1:35-42)
Now that Jesus was on the job and John had identified Him, was John's job done?
John 1:35-36
How did John's two disciples respond to John's claim?
John 1:37
What did they intend to do, follow Jesus from a distance to see where He was going?
John 1:38-39
Who were these two disciples of John?
John 1:40
What did they do after talking with Jesus a few hours?
John 1:41-42a
How did Jesus show His timeless wisdom when He met Simon?
John 1:42b
A Couple More Disciples (John 1:43-51)
Where did Jesus go the next day and who did He meet (there or in route)?
John 1:43-44
How did Philip respond to meeting Jesus?
John 1:45
Was Nathanael also from Bethsaida?
John 21:2
What did Nathanael think about the Messiah coming from his neighboring town of Nazareth?
John 1:46
How did Jesus show His knowledge of people's souls when He met Nathanael?
John 1:47
Did Nathanael believe that Jesus could know him that well at their first meeting?
John 1:48
Not uncommon for devout Jews to pray, meditate & study under shade of fig trees
How did Nathanael respond to Jesus' claims to seeing him praying under the leafy fig tree?
John 1:49
How did Nathanael's confession climax the names given to Jesus by these first disciples?
John 1:37, 41, 49
Nathanael's Greater Thing to See (John 1:51)
Would this proof that Nathanael accepted be enough to convince others?
John 1:50
What great wonder did Jesus tell Nathanael he would get to see?
John 1:51
What story would the faithful Jew Nathanael immediately remember?
Genesis 28:10-12
What was the message Jacob received when he saw the stairway to heaven?
Genesis 28:13-14
How was that message brought also to us through Jesus?
Galatians 3:7-9
How are all peoples on earth blessed through the new children of Abraham?
Galatians 3:14
What is significant of seeing heaven open?
Romans 5:18
What is significant of the angels ascending and descending on the Son of Man?
John 14:6
Jesus' Early Travels (John 2-4)
What significant event occurred in Nathanael's hometown three days after meeting Jesus?
John 2:1-2, 11
Where did Jesus then go that became the home base for His ministry?
John 2:12
Where did Jesus travel to next and what happened on His arrival?
John 2:13-16
How did word of Jesus spread from this visit?
John 2:23
Did only common people recognize Him as being sent from God?
John 3:1-2
Where did Jesus' ministry take Him next and what did He do there?
John 3:22
What did He do when people thought He might be competing with John?
John 4:1-3
Who did He meet on the way?
John 4:5, 7, 39-42
What kind of reception did Jesus receive in Galilee?
John 4:43, 45
Where in Galilee did He go and what happened?
John 4:46, 49-51, 53-54
Jesus in Galilee (Luke 4:14-44; Matthew 4:12-17; Mark 1:14-15)
Where is the next place Jesus went and what happened there?
Luke 4:16, 21, 28-30
Where did He go next and what happened there?
Luke 4:31, 33, 36-37
Who else did He heal while there?
Luke 4:38-40
How did Jesus respond when the people of Capernaum tried to keep Him from leaving?
Luke 4:42-44
Fishers of Men (Luke 5:1-11; Matthew 4:18-22; Mark 1:16-20)
What did Jesus do when people crowded too closely to Him at the Sea of Galilee?
Luke 5:1-3
How did Jesus show His power over nature after He finished speaking?
Luke 5:4-7
How did these fishing disciples react?
Luke 5:8-11
Jesus Appoints Twelve Apostles (Luke 5:12-6:16; Matthew 9:9-13; Mark 2:1-3:19)
How quickly did Jesus' number of disciples grow?
Luke 5:15 (16-19)
What other apostle do we have a record of being directly called by Jesus to be a disciple?
Luke 5:27-28
As the number of Jesus' disciples grew, who did He select as His central apostles?
Luke 6:12-16
What other disciples did Jesus specially appoint?
Luke 10:1-3
How does Jesus tell us to handle the responses we receive when we take His message out?
Luke 10:16
Closing Prayer
Copyright © 1997 by Kurt Rosenhagen
Use of this material is provided free of charge for use in personal or group Bible Study, no permission needed.
The author reserves all rights for use in published material or in uses where fees are involved.
For permission, or to provide your comments, insights and feedback, contact the author at:
kurt@biblestoriesforadults.com