Sunday, May 22, 2011

Come and see

John 1:35-51 NASB

Again the next day John was standing with two of his disciples, and he looked at Jesus as He walked, and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God!" The two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. 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. One of the two who heard John speak and followed Him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. He found first his own brother Simon and said to him, "We have found the Messiah" (which translated means Christ). He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, "You are Simon the son of John; you shall be called Cephas"
(which is translated Peter).
The next day He purposed to go into Galilee, and He found Philip. And Jesus said to him, "Follow Me." Now Philip was from Bethsaida, of the city of Andrew and Peter. Philip found Nathanael and said to him, "We have found Him of whom Moses in the Law and also the Prophets wrote--Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph." Nathanael said to him, "Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?" Philip said to him, "Come and see." Jesus saw Nathanael coming to Him, and said of him, "Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!" Nathanael said to Him, "How do You know me?" Jesus answered and said to him, "Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you." Nathanael answered Him, "Rabbi, You are the Son of God; You are the King of Israel." Jesus answered and said to him, "Because I said to you that I saw you under the fig tree, do you believe? You will see greater things than these." And He said to him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see the heavens opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man."


My thoughts -

John and two disciples hear Jesus speak. They are impressed. They have to have more of this in their lives. So they ask Jesus, "Where are you staying?"

Jesus answers with an invitation.

"Come and see."

Philip goes to Nathaniel and tells him all about Jesus. Upon hearing that Jesus is from Nazareth Nathaniel questions how Jesus could be all that.

"Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" he asks.

Philip answers with an invitation.

"Come and see."

We can share the good news. We can preach the gospel. We can tell all about the wonders of God's love for us through Jesus. But if anyone asks we may be best off answering with an invitation.

Come and see.

Nathaniel was impressed with Jesus that Jesus could tell him things about himself that Jesus should not have been able to know. Jesus tells him that if he finds that impressive, just wait. He will see many more amazing things than that on this journey of faith.

Come and see.

If we really believe Jesus is who he said he was. If we really believe God is who we say God is. If we really believe we can talk and argue and shout and try to convince anyone and everyone. But Jesus, in gathering his followers, did not make his own case through an argument. He didn't shout people down. He didn't declare his divinity and say "Follow me or burn in hell." he gave an invitation.

Come and see.
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