Come and See: The Invitation to Discipleship

Bible Passage: John 1:35–51

John 1:43–51 ESV

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.” 47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!” 48 Nathanael said to him, “How do you know me?” Jesus answered him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” 49 Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” 50 Jesus answered him, “Because I said to you, ‘I saw you under the fig tree,’ do you believe? You will see greater things than these.” 51 And he said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”

Summary: In this passage, we witness the early encounters of Jesus with His first disciples, highlighting the invitation to explore a relationship with Him. Each character's response to Jesus reveals different aspects of faith and discipleship.

Application: This sermon can help Christians understand that following Jesus is an active pursuit requiring personal discovery and relational engagement. It addresses doubts and encourages believers to invite others to experience Jesus personally.

Teaching: The sermon will teach that discipleship begins with an invitation to experience Jesus and that relationships are a crucial element of this journey. It will emphasize the importance of personal testimonies in encouraging others to follow Christ.

How this passage could point to Christ: In this passage, Christ is revealed as the Lamb of God and the Messiah, embodying the fulfillment of Old Testament promises. His calling of the first disciples reflects God's ongoing mission to redeem humanity through intimate relationships with Him.

Big Idea: Jesus invites us to come and see for ourselves the truth of who He is, challenging us to deepen our faith and engage others in the journey of discipleship.

Recommended Study: As you prepare, consider diving into the context of John’s Gospel using Logos to understand the significance of the titles given to Jesus by His first disciples. Explore how the theological themes of invitation and identity play a role in the narrative, and look for commentaries that address the interplay between evangelism and discipleship in this passage.

1. Invitation to Investigation

John 1:35–39 ESV

35 The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples, 36 and he looked at Jesus as he walked by and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!” 37 The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. 38 Jesus turned and saw them following and said to them, “What are you seeking?” And they said to him, “Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where are you staying?” 39 He said to them, “Come and you will see.” So they came and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day, for it was about the tenth hour.

The two disciples hear John the Baptist say Behold, the lamb of God

This declaration provokes action

These disciples moved from an invitation

to an investigation

to a desire for more understanding

a desire to learn more about Jesus

This invitation comes as we know that they had previously met Jesus

This invitation comes from Jesus Himself

These Disciples had been alerted as to the Messiah

They are immediately amazed

In fact they hear John the Baptist state this and they follow Jesus

They want to know more

Jesus inquires and tells them to come and See

This invitation is huge

You want to know God Jesus invites come and see

These disciples were curious

They wanted to know more

They desired the Lord

Thus they sought Him out

They devoted themselves to His teaching

He called, they answered

The disciples had a desire to see the Lord and all of who He was/is

Their invitation and obedience to follow gave proof of their devotion

Perhaps you could emphasize Andrew and the other disciple's responsiveness to John's simple declaration about Jesus as 'The Lamb of God.' Their decision to follow Jesus starts with an observation, 'Come and see,' which mirrors an invitation to personal discovery and faith exploration. Encourage believers to embrace and extend the invitation to 'come and see' in their journeys with Christ, reminding them of the relational initiation of discipleship.

2. Impact Through Sharing

John 1:40–46 ESV

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.”

Here we see a bold move by the disciples

We see the impact of the Messiah

Hearing of the Messiah meant telling of the Messiah

The message of the Messiah would spread like wildfire

because of the truth of the Gospel

because of the invitation of the Disciples

The ministry of the Messiah was about to be in full swing

The Lord was at work

Next we see another disciple answer a call

this disciple is bold enough to go share with others

upon sharing we see the impact

Sharing with Nathaniel meant a new follower had been accrued

3. Insight from Encounter

John 1:47–51 ESV

47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!” 48 Nathanael said to him, “How do you know me?” Jesus answered him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” 49 Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” 50 Jesus answered him, “Because I said to you, ‘I saw you under the fig tree,’ do you believe? You will see greater things than these.” 51 And he said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”

Lastly we see Nathaniel

He gains insight about the Lord

From an encounter with the Lord

The divine actions of Jesus give Nathaniel divine insight about His Lord

This insight reassures him that he is indeed talking to the Messiah

What a powerful message this sends

to those who only encounter the Lord through others

To those who only encounter through sermons or teaching

Others can definitely share the good news

others can definitely guide you to the Lord

But an encounter with the Lord is much more rewarding

An encounter with Jesus is much more powerful than just being told about Him

An encounter with God in the Flesh

A powerful example of Love and devotion from our God

As believers it is not enough to just be fed on Sunday and leave our prayers and Bibles in our nightstand the rest of the week

We need to be in the Word Personally

We need to be in the Word regularly

We need to be in prayer on a daily and hourly basis

We need to be seeking encounter with God

This is what will deliver sure strengthening in our relationship with him

Maybe emphasize how Jesus' personal interactions with Nathanael reveal His divine knowledge and Messiahship. Nathanael's skepticism turns into faith when he encounters Jesus personally. This could encourage the congregation to trust Jesus' personal engagement in their lives and to recognize that Jesus' understanding of them is foundational to discipleship. Consider driving home the point that Jesus' call to follow Him engages both the heart and the mind