John 1:39 – He saith unto them, Come and see…
This was Jesus' response to His two new converts. These men had been disciples of John the Baptist and had begun following Jesus because of what their preacher had said about Him. John the Baptist had declared, "Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world," and through his preaching, and the manifest presence of the One he preached about, these disciples of John became disciples of Jesus, taking their first steps on the path of faith.
Something remarkable happens as they begin to follow Jesus. They had heard much about Him, but now they hear directly from Him. In verse 38, for the first time, they hear Jesus addressing them. He doesn't congratulate, encourage, or welcome them; instead, He asks a piercing question: "What seek ye?" This question should resonate deeply in our hearts as His disciples. Why are we following Him? What do we expect from this journey? What do we expect from Him? Where do we think this path will lead? Have we counted the cost of this lifelong walk of faith?
Perhaps they believed that following Jesus would lead to a throne, to a world transformed by God's love and peace, to a toppled Roman Empire, to the fulfillment of all God's promises. God will do all these things, but the path to glory runs by the cross—His cross and ours.
I’m not sure what they were seeking, and sometimes I’m uncertain of what I’m seeking or expecting from this life of faith. But pondering this brings a flood of expectations, too many to count. It forces me to sift through them and focus on one solid desire for a walk with Jesus.
I think these men, by God’s grace, captured what we should desire in the Christian life: “They said unto him, Rabbi (which is to say, being interpreted, Master), where dwellest thou?” They wanted to see the life their new Master lived—how He spent His days, where He rested, what He ate, the table He sat at, His conversations, and His demeanor with those close to Him. This is what we should seek in our walk of faith: to abide with Him.
Often, we expect the power to feed the five thousand, grace for imprisonment, or strength for missionary journeys. We seek the exciting and glorious parts of the Christian life. Those days may come, but between them, there will be weeks, months, even years of simply abiding with Him—standing with Him as we prepare meals, walking with Him to the store, lying down with Him at night. Thank God we are not just allowed but commanded to abide with Him: "Abide in me, and I in you."
The disciples were granted access to His innermost life: “They came and saw where He dwelt, and stayed with Him that day, for it was about the tenth hour.” Jesus' words, "Come and see," granted them entry into this abiding life. This wasn’t just a one-time occurrence but set the pattern for the rest of their lives—they would walk, eat, rest, work, preach, and sleep with Him. They would abide with Him. And so it is with us today. Jesus bids us, "Come and see." Abiding with Jesus means more than global missions; it means He is with us in our daily lives, whether at the stove or on the street. He flies with us over the seas, but He also walks with us to the local market. Jesus wasn’t content to simply tell them where He lived—He invited them to "Come and see." The Christian life cannot be fully explained; it must be experienced.
Finally, "Come and see" becomes our invitation to the world, just as it was Jesus’ invitation to us. Andrew, one of the two men, after following and abiding with Jesus, went to his brother Peter and, in essence, said, "Come and see." After Philip began following Jesus, he went to Nathanael and said, "Come and see." The Samaritan woman at the well, after believing, ran through her town, crying, "Come, see a man..."
That is my invitation to you today: Come and see.
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