Come and See

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. -John 1.39

John the Baptist has made his declaration of Jesus as the Lamb of God twice, on two different days. On the second day two of his disciples hear this declaration and begin to follow Jesus. The text says Jesus turns and saw them following, painting the image that they were at a distance trying to figure out what to say, or maybe even just watching Him. Jesus asks them "What do you seek?" They respond by asking Him where He is staying, and Jesus responds with an invitation, come and see.

Jesus could have just given them an answer, but He doesn't; He extends to them an invitation, come and see. This is how Jesus works. He extends an invitation, accompanied by a promise, "Come, and you will see." As He is trusted, Jesus is able to reveal things about Himself to us, but Jesus will never force us to come. If we choose to accept Jesus' invitation, we will see.

This invitation is repeated in John 1.46, Philip tells Nathanael that they have found the Messiah, Jesus of Nazareth. Nathanael asks if anything good can come from Nazareth, a town with no prophecy made about it, and Philip invites him, "Come and see". Coming to Jesus is always by invitation, an invitation into the unknown, but it is an invitation that comes with a promise. Come and see.

Jesus doesn't force, He invites. Following Jesus does not offer certainty of security, of assurance of success, but it comes with the promise that we will see Jesus for who He is. Come, and you will see.

TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!