Come and See!

One of the two who heard John speak and followed Jesus was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which 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 means Peter).

The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Follow me.” Now Philip was from Bethsaida, 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 anything good come out of  Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.”” (John 1:40–46)

Having studied the Scriptures for a great portion of my life, I am amazed how fresh they can be day after day.  In reading a passage we discover some truth, some nugget of wisdom we did not see before. This seems like a simple story of Andrew and Peter; Philip and Nathaniel. There’s more.

Andrew and Philip, saw something, experienced something in the presence of this Nazarene Carpenter.  They perceived in these moments; The Messiah!  They were moved to take action.  Andrew finds his brother Simon and brings him to Jesus and Simon gets a new name; Peter. Philip announces to Nathaniel, We have found the him, The Christ!  There are some doubts but in the end Nathaniel is convinced and follows Jesus.

A simple invitation, Come and See.  The message is made of words, but it is so much more.  Having grown up in the South, sometimes referred to as the Bible Belt, I was surrounded, even saturated with the Gospel.  It was in my public school, it was on the Court Square (the center of town) I heard it all the time.  The Gospel was a part of the fabric of society and you could hear it everywhere.  To be honest I miss some of those elements in today’s politically correct culture of toleration and no offense.

The Gospel however is more than words.   People need to see it.  There is an invitation to Come and See.   What does the Gospel look like?  Simply put the Gospel of Jesus Christ is love.  Not a romantic, sappy, Hollywood kind of love but rather the love that brings about change and transformation.  When people see kindness, compassion, generosity, sacrifice; they discover the Kingdom of God has come near.

I never met Mother Teresa, however she had a huge impact on my life in six words; Do small things with great love. Simple acts in a moment paint a picture of Almighty God; Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  So we are artists in this world creating pictures of God for people to Come and See.  Our palate; the gifts and fruit of the Holy Spirit wrought in our lives by grace.  The Gospel of Jesus is to be heard, seen, touched, breathed and consumed and when we partake fully people will see and notice, asking can I have some!

JD+