“Come and See”
John 1: 35 – 51
Introduction
Have you ever tried a product or purchased an item because someone has recommended it to you? Have you ever gone to a restaurant recommended by a friend? Have you ever rented a movie because someone else said they thought you’d enjoy it or because they said it was fantastic?
Are you more likely to try something recommended by someone you know or by a stranger (or worse, a salesperson!)? Normally we are more likely to follow the recommendation from someone we know and trust, right? I mean, really, when it comes down to it, do you trust salespeople and telemarketers?
At the beginning of our story today, we once again see John. He’s not in the story very long, however. As the story opens he’s with two of his disciples. While standing there he sees Jesus walking by. The first thing John does is what he’s been doing all along – drawing our attention to who Jesus is. Once again he proclaims in a loud voice, “Look, here is the Lamb of God!”
So what do these disciples of John do? They leave John and go after Jesus! What follows is the Gospel of John’s account of Jesus and his first disciples. And there are three things in particular this passage teaches us about discipleship and following Jesus.
Considering Jesus
John’s disciples don’t start following Jesus blindly – they’ve heard John’s testimony. When they leave John to follow Jesus, they do so because of what John has said. John has led them to consider Jesus. They had probably been with John and heard his teaching for awhile, and now they were following up on his teaching by turning to follow Jesus. So think about this. The two men who went after Jesus at the beginning of our story did so because someone they knew and trusted recommended Jesus
This is true of other people in our story too. One of John’s two disciples to follow Jesus was Andrew and our passage deliberately points out that the first thing he did was find Simon, his brother. The first person he went tell about Jesus was his brother. Simon would become Peter, a major leader of the early church! Would Simon have been as willing to consider getting to know Jesus without the witness of his brother Andrew?
And there is yet a third example. After meeting Jesus and turning to follow him, Philip goes and gets Nathanael. Our story doesn’t tell us that they were brothers or what relationship they had, but we can probably be fairly sure that they were at least friends – the narrative indicates that Philip sought Nathanael out to introduce him to Jesus. Nathanael is initially hesitant, even scornful of Jesus because of where he is from. But eventually he does accept Philip’s invitation. Does he accept because Jesus is from Nazareth or because his friend Philip, whom he trusts, has invited him?
Of course, out of all the people in our story, Jesus is the one who is ultimately passing out the invitations. Jesus is the one who invites us to consider who he is (and therefore who God is). For this is why the “Word became flesh and dwelt among us” – to make God known! Now when John’s two disciples turn to follow Jesus, Jesus intentionally turns to address them. He asks, “What are you looking for?” Let’s face it, Jesus knows the answer already. He just wants the two men to say it. Their answer comes – just like in game show “Jeopardy” – in the form of a question: “Where are you staying?”
I love Jesus’ answer here. “Come and see.” It’s like he’s saying, “Come with me and see for yourself. Learn about who I am and what I am like by being with me.” The two disciples “remained with him that day.” This is something everyone is invited to do: remain with Jesus. It reminds me of the image of the vine and the branches, when Jesus tells us to abide in him. This “come and see” invitation is echoed when Philip goes and gets Nathanael. He says “come and see” to Nathanael when he expresses his doubts about where Jesus comes from. Just like Jesus said to Andrew and the other disciple, Philip says to Nathanael, “Come and see for yourself. Meet him yourself and decide.”
One key thing the story draws our attention to, therefore, is this: the importance of considering Jesus. This means being willing to investigate, to ask, and consider who Jesus is. Each of us is asked to consider Jesus personally. While the invitation to consider Jesus comes from others, it is our decision to follow him. The Gospel of John invites us to ask: What is Jesus about? Why would I want to follow him? Why should I?
Confessing Jesus
Do you remember when you became a follower of Jesus? Can you think of specific people whose personal witness to Jesus played a significant role in your decision to follow Jesus? I think all of us can point to people who have played a role in our faith journey – in our spiritual walk. God often, and usually, works through people to draw us into relationship with himself.
I remember when I was in high school, when I was still a Roman Catholic, and a friend of mine became a Christian. It was this friend and our relationship, that triggered my considering Jesus – my decision to think more closely about who Jesus is and what Christianity is all about. As someone who now confesses Jesus as the Son of God and my Lord and Saviour, I can point to people in my life who have made a definite difference in my Christian walk.
It would seem the first disciples could do that also. Nathanael could proudly proclaim, “Thanks to my friend, Philip, I met Jesus, the Son of God and King of Israel!” Simon Peter could say, “Yeah, it was Andrew who introduced me to Jesus.” And Andrew in turn could say, “Were it not for John giving his witness to whom Jesus is, I never would have considered following Jesus.” All of us can point to people who have, in various ways, led us to Christ. And what happens when we are led to consider Christ – when we really, truly encounter the Son of God?
We find ourselves confessing Jesus! And that is exactly what happens here to these men. John started it. He got the ball rolling: “Look, here is the Lamb of God!” “And I myself have seen and have testified that this is the Son of God.” John testifies to Jesus. John witnesses to Jesus. John confesses Jesus.
When I talk about confession here, I am not talking about stepping into a booth and confessing your sins to a priest. I am not even talking “confessing your sins one to another.” I’m not talking about telling anyone about something you’ve done wrong. No, I am talking about confessing – declaring personally and publicly – that Jesus is the Son of God.
Confession can take more than one form. We see one form in the Gospel here – finding someone you know and immediately telling them about Jesus. Have you ever done this? God has done something wonderful in your life and you tell someone you know, someone you’re close to but who isn’t a believer? There is no greater testimony, someone has said, than a changed life.
A life lived in obedience to Jesus – when you are truly following him – is another form of confession. Saint Francis of Assisi said, “Preach the gospel at all times, and when necessary use words.” Actions speak louder than words. No one cares what you know till they know that you care. Through our actions, our very lives, we should be confessing Jesus as Lord and Son of God.
But we are nevertheless called to give witness to who Jesus is: Son of God, Lamb of God, the Word made flesh, King of Israel, the Messiah. We are called to confess who Jesus is. We can do this in words, and we can do this in actions, but there is no way out: we are called to confess Jesus.
In other words, confessing Jesus as Son of God is a public event. That’s why when we come to believe in Jesus we obey Scripture and are baptized. It’s a public proclamation that we call Jesus Lord. We don’t do it in the privacy of our bedrooms and closets. To many Christians internalize their faith and privatize their relationship with God. We keep it inside. But eventually this good news has to get outside – into the streets, our workplaces, our homes, amongst our families, co-workers, friends, and neighbours. Mostly, it has to get outside of us. It can’t stay inside. It cannot. Good news has to be shared. It has to be given away. Giving away the good news of Jesus is what it means to confess Jesus as the Son of God.
Calling Others to Consider Confessing Jesus
In the very act of confessing Jesus, we are also calling others to consider confessing Jesus. Our lives, our testimony, are an invitation to consider this same Jesus who has touched our lives and changed our hearts: “This is what the Lord has been doing in my life lately.” “This is how God has provided for our needs this month.” Sometimes this invitation has to be given directly: “Why don’t you come to church this Sunday with me?” “Would you like to come to this Bible study?” “Hey, there’s a great youth program at our church for your kids. Do you think they’d be interested?” When we testify to the work of God in our lives, we are inviting others to accept this same Jesus, to consider him, and to confess him.
We are not all called to be evangelistic superstars. There is only one Billy Graham. There was only one Paul the apostle. That I think is how God wants it. God spreads the good news of Jesus primarily through ordinary people through ordinary circumstances. It’s when we talk to our neighbours or when we have family over for supper or we drive our friends’ kids to the hockey game. God’s means of working doesn’t usually appear supernatural in any obvious sense – He chooses to work salvation into our lives through the ordinariness of our lives. This means that each of can participate in what God is doing and that our witness to Jesus, our confession of him as Son of God, does not have to be perfect. It just has to be honest, and heartfelt, and real.
Conclusion
The fact is that people are more likely to consider Jesus if they hear about Jesus from someone they already know and trust. This means that the people you have the best chance of introducing to Jesus are those who know you and trust you, whether family member, friend, or neighbour. Evangelism is best when it happens through relationships that are already there. These days people are less likely to accept Jesus in the context of a large Billy Graham style crusade than they are through friendships and close relationships.
Jesus asks John’s disciples, “What are you looking for?” He asks each one of us this same question. Whether we realize it or not, each of us is looking for something. Every person on the planet is created by God to need Him, to be in relationship with Him. It’s more true to say that whether we realize it or not, each of us is looking for someone, a specific Someone; that is, God. And Jesus is the one who can show us who God is, because “God the only Son, who is close to the Father’s heart . . . has made him known.” This is what the Gospel of John is about: making God known through Jesus Christ the Son of God. If you already know Jesus as the Son of God, you are still invited to follow him, to follow him down deeper paths of discipleship, obedience, and faith. We can always learn more. We will never know Jesus completely. Our relationship with him never reaches a point of perfection when we can say, “Well, that’s about as far as I can go!” If you know Jesus but want to know him more, this invitation is still for you.
But if you’re sitting here today and wondering who this Jesus is and you’ve never made the decision to follow him, I hope and pray that you will consider making that decision today. Jesus invites you to follow him. He invites you to get to know him. Eventually Jesus wants you to confess him as Lord and Son of God. But it all starts with an initial response to what he says to those first two disciples: “Come and see.”
