Come & See

When I was young, my grandpa built me a two-story house for my barbie dolls. I was so excited. I couldn’t wait to find my best friend who lived down the street, so she could come and see it.

The other night I was praying for a friend in a particular situation, asking that this friend would be able to point the other person to Jesus. I stopped mid-sentence as the thought struck me that, I should not only pray that my friend pointed to Jesus, but also that they would bring the other person to Jesus. That reminded me of two specific examples in Scripture.

40 One of the two who heard John speak and followed Jesus was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. 41 He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means Christ). 42 He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon the son of John. You shall be called Cephas” (which means Peter).

43 The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Follow me.” 44 Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. 45 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.” 46 Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.”[1]

John 1:40-46

There are two things I noticed about Andrew and Philip after they encountered Jesus. First, in their excitement, they went and found another person. Second, they brought that person to Jesus. Maybe you think I’m splitting hairs between pointing to Jesus and inviting them to come to see for themselves but let me explain.

First, Andrew and Philip sought out someone with whom to share the good news. Andrew found his brother Simon (Peter). Philip found Nathanael. They were intentional in finding someone to share with. They didn’t want to keep the good news to themselves. Andrew and Philip told the people they found that they had found the Messiah or “Him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote” (vs 41, 45). They pointed to Jesus as the Messiah they had been waiting for.

I often share the hope I have with people I encounter – my doctors, a cashier, etc. I talk about our youth kiddos, mission trips and church events. I share why I’m not anxious if I don’t have a medical answer, or the answer isn’t what I wanted to hear. These are all good things, and we should share them. They can open up further conversation about the Gospel.

But Andrew and Philip took matters one BIG step further. Andrew brought Simon to Jesus (vs 42). Philip told Nathanael, “Come and see” (vs 46) and then they went to find Jesus. Scripture doesn’t say, but I picture both Andrew and Philip grabbing Simon and Nathanael by the arm and pulling them along at a run.

Simon and Nathanael were both changed after they met Jesus. Simon Peter became one of Jesus’ twelve disciples and one of Jesus’ closest friends. He played a major role in the beginnings of the early church. We don’t know as much about Nathanael, but we know he believed who Jesus was and was among those that Jesus appeared to after His resurrection (John 21:2).

We can point others to Jesus, but only Jesus can save them. The lost need to hear how Jesus has changed us, but they also need to be brought to Jesus. How do we do this? It isn’t as if we can take someone by the arm and walk them down the street to where Jesus is waiting, but we can share the Gospel with them (we are all sinners, Jesus died in our place for our sins, He was buried and rose again, and faith in Jesus’ atoning work on the cross is the only means by which we are saved). We can invite others to church. We can pray with them. We can tell them about Jesus the person, His life, His ministry. I have talked with several people who have been in church for years and say they have never really heard the person of Jesus preached. How can someone love Jesus and trust Him as their Savior if they don’t know who He was and what He did?

I am comfortable sharing about Jesus in my life, but I don’t usually take that next step of sharing the Gospel, from actually inviting others to come and see and know Jesus for themselves. Andrew and Philip were so transformed by Jesus that they couldn’t help but rush out to find someone else and invite them to come and see Jesus. Andrew and Philip wanted others to be transformed by Jesus, so they found another and brought that person to Jesus. There is no better gift we can give than to invite someone to come and see Jesus.

Reflection

1. Andrew and Philip were transformed by Jesus first. They were excited they had found the long-awaited Messiah. Are you excited about Jesus? Excited about who He is, what He has done, what He is doing, and what He will still do? Or have you lost your first love? If someone asked you about Jesus, would your answer provoke them to want to know Jesus personally? If Jesus has become more of a Sunday morning ritual, what can you do today to rekindle your first love for Jesus? A good starting place is simply to pray and ask God to renew your love for Him and give you wisdom in growing in that love.

2. I know we can’t “find” and bring everyone in our lives to Jesus. Sometimes our role is to pray and point, to sow seeds. We won’t have the opportunities for deeper, Gospel-conversations. God may use someone else to water the seeds we sow but think of one person you can intentionally find and bring to Jesus. This doesn’t guarantee that the person will come and see, but what specific ways can you walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time, letting your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person (Colossians 4:5-6)?

3. I don’t know about you, but I become complacent about the unsaved. I forget they are eternally lost. I forget that just as I did, they desperately need to hear the Gospel. They need Jesus. Make a list of those you know who have not come to saving faith. Set aside a time each week to pray for their salvation and how God might use you.

[1] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Jn 1:40–46.