John 1:35-49 – Christ's invitation to “Come and See”
The passage we have read this morning contains one phrase which occurs twice. It is the wonderful invitation to Come and See. The first time it is issued by Jesus to Andrew and another unnamed disciple. The second time it is issued by Philip to his friend Nathaniel. And it's this invitation, Come and See that I want us to focus on this morning.
Let me begin by setting the context for this invitation.
John the Baptist had gathered a group of disciples around himself. They were those who had listened to his preaching, had been baptised by him, and who had joined him in looking forward to the coming of the one of whom John preached.
With great reluctance John had baptised Jesus. Then, a few days later, he had seen Jesus walking by the Jordan just not far from where he was preaching and baptising. He pointed Jesus out to his disciples saying “Look, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world”. Two days later, the same thing happened, and this is where our reading began. John again pointed to Jesus saying, "Look, the Lamb of God!"
This time, two of John’s disciples, hearing how he described Jesus, set off to follow him and catch him up. As they approached him, Jesus turned round and challenged them, “What do you want?” That is to say, "What are you looking for?", "Why are you following me?"
In response, they say, “Rabbi / Teacher, where are you staying?”
Now they are not asking Jesus for his contact details – "Can you give us your address so that we can contact you in the future?" No. They address him as Rabbi or Teacher. They want to learn from him. They want to sit at his feet and listen to him. Their question is "Where are you staying so that we can come and learn from you? We want to be your disciples."
And Jesus replies, “Come and See”. He invites them to come with him and to spend time with him. He invites them to dwell with him and to get to know him and to discover for themselves who he is. “Come and see.”
And that’s just what they do. They spent that day with him.
This is where I wanted to begin this morning. Inviting and Telling begins with Jesus. He invited Andrew the other unnamed disciple to come and learn of him. He is the one who was continually inviting people to come to him and to learn from him, calling fishermen from their nets and tax collectors from their toll booths.
And this is his call to us still – "Come and see", "Come and learn from me"
You see, Jesus came into the world that we might know God. John begins his Gospel by telling us that the Word of God became flesh and lived among us in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. The word of God is the means by which he speaks to us and reveals himself to us. And as the writer of the letter to the Hebrews declares:
In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being… (Hebrews 1:1-3)
In all the pages of the Old Testament God was revealing something of himself to his people in so many different ways. But now, God has made himself known in this final and definitive way through the Lord Jesus, who shows us precisely what God is like. There is no longer room for endless speculation about the character of God; we see God's character displayed in all its glory and goodness in the Lord Jesus. Jesus is what God is like.
John expresses it like this:
For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in the closest relationship with the Father, has made him known. (John 1:17-18)
Jesus came into the world that we might know God. Not that we might understand God with our minds for that it quite impossible for us. Can you understand quantum physics? How then can you then understand the one who made the universe? But Jesus came that we might know God; that we might have a living relationship with him, knowing him as a gracious Father and faithful friend and Saviour.
So Jesus invites us to Come and See. To learn of him and to come to know the depths of the character of the living God by spending time with him and sitting at his feet. This is why Jesus came, that we might know God and learn more of his grace and goodness as we learn of him.
Do you remember what happened when Jesus visited the home of his friends Mary and Martha? Martha busied herself in preparing food for her guests while Mary sat at Jesus feet, listening to him and learning from him. Martha was resentful and complained to Jesus, telling him to order Mary to help her but Jesus replied:
‘Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed – or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.’ (Luke 10:41-42)
Mary had adopted the position of a disciple with a Rabbi or Teacher, something unknown for a woman. Martha thinks Mary's place is with her in the kitchen but Jesus has very different ideas. It's not that the housework is unimportant, but rather, says Jesus, that this is the thing of most importance – to sit at Jesus feet and to learn of him
Jesus Christ invites us each one to come to him and learn of him. Whoever you are, he invites you today. You may know little about him and understand little about the Christian faith or you may have a doctorate in theology – whoever you are he invites you to come and see, to learn of him, to discover more of the riches of God's grace and goodness through knowing him better and spending time with him.
He invites us today, as we celebrate communion together to Come and See. I cannot express it better than in the words of the lovely hymn of Graham Kendrick:
Come and see, come and see
Come and see the King of love
See the purple robe and crown of thorns he wears
Soldiers mock, rulers sneer
As he lifts the cruel cross
Lone and friendless now he climbs towards the hill
Come and weep, come and mourn
For your sin that pierced him there
So much deeper than the wounds of thorn and nail
All our pride, all our greed
All our fallenness and shame
And the Lord has laid the punishment on him
Man of heaven, born to earth
To restore us to your heaven
Here we bow in awe beneath
Your searching eyes
From your tears comes our joy
From your death our life shall spring
By your resurrection power we shall rise
We worship at your feet
Where wrath and mercy meet
And a guilty world is washed
By love's pure stream
For us he was made sin
Oh, help me take it in
Deep wounds of love cry out 'Father, forgive'
I worship, I worship
The Lamb who was slain.
Come and see here the character of our God who loved us so well that he gave his own Beloved Son for us. Come and learn of him and find rest for your soul and hope for eternity. Come and find life and joy in him.
Jesus invites us to Come and See, come and learn, come and worship. And this is his continual call to us, a lifelong call. No matter how many years, or few, we have known Christ, he calls us still to “Come and see” – to discover more of his grace and goodness; to see more of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ; to grow in love for him and in likeness to him.
And no matter what we may have done or failed to do this week, he continually invites us to come to him and find rest for our souls in him.
There is no one else like Jesus, no other way into the presence of God. And he continually invites us with the word “Come” – Come deeper. Come closer.
And it is only because Jesus invites us to come and see, that we who have tasted and seen that the Lord is good can echo his invitation to Come and See.
These words occur twice in the verses we read this morning. First they are Jesus' invitation to Andrew and another disciple in verse 39. Then later they are the words of Philip to Nathaniel in verse 46.
Jesus had left the Jordan for Galilee and there he found a man named Philip who was from Bethsaida, the same town as Andrew. Jesus invited him to join his little band of disciples with the words, “Follow me”. Jesus was inviting Philip also to come and spend time with him, to learn from him and to see and understand for himself who he is.
Immediately Philip went and found his friend Nathaniel. Listen to what he says, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the law, and about whom the prophets also wrote – Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” By spending time with this man, he is saying, we have discovered that he is the Promised One in whom all the Scriptures find their fulfilment; he is the focus of all the promises and purposes of God.
But Nathaniel is sceptical. He has a thorough knowledge of the Old Testament Scriptures and knows what God has promised to do for his people through the Messiah. How can this man from Nazareth be the one through whom God will fulfil such great promises? “Nazareth!”, he says, “Can anything good come from there?”
Philip replies with the simple invitation, “Come and see”, echoing the words Jesus had earlier spoken to Andrew. Philip does not try to have an argument with Nathaniel; he does not try to convince him of the truth of what he has announced to him; he simply invites him to come and find out for himself. “Come and see”. Spend time with this man; get to know him and find out for yourself.
So saying, Andrew leads Nathaniel to Jesus. And Nathaniel does see – but we have to leave the rest of his story for another day.
“Come and see.” This is the call of Jesus to us and this is the call that he wants us then to issue to others around us.
Perhaps you are afraid of talking to others about the Lord Jesus Christ and about what he means to you because you are afraid of what they might say. How will you answer their questions or respond to their scorn? You can encourage them to "Come and See." Read a Gospel account for yourself and see what you make of Jesus. Come and meet with the living presence of the Lord Jesus Christ among his people. Come and join us in worship. Come and join an Alpha group. Just come – come and see.
Let's close with a word of prayer:
Heavenly Father, by the ministry of your Spirit open our eyes to see more of your love for us in the Lord Jesus Christ and to rejoice in all that we discover in him. Help us to be those who encourage others to come and see something of your glory, grace, goodness and mercy in the Lord Jesus. For his name’s sake. Amen
24/10/24 – Peter Misselbrook