“Come and see.”
These are the words of someone inviting others to check something out. It assumes that the one being invited is either interested in what will be shown or should be in the inviter’s opinion. Often it involves the desire to introduce something or someone that the inviter has seen for himself. Of course, the invitation is not always accepted for any number of reasons, but the point is that there never would be a response if the request had not been given in the first place.
This is essentially how people are introduced to Jesus today. It’s by invitation. Most often a follower of Christ reaches out to someone who is not and asks them to go with them to discover Jesus for themselves. ‘Come and see who Jesus is as I have come to know him’ is the most effective way of beginning a discipling relationship with someone. People who already know you may be one conversation away from meeting Jesus.
This summer our theme is Encountering Jesus. We are going to study the book of John together and highlight occasions when people met Jesus. Each Sunday we will analyze how people’s lives were impacted through their encounters with Christ, how it changed them and how this applies to us today.
If you don’t already have a regular Bible devotional planned for July and August I encourage you to start reading through the gospel of John. As usual at the middle of each week, you will receive an email like this one to give you a heads up for the encounter that will be spoken on the following Sunday. You can really be prepared to come to church and affirm insights that you gained on your own and probably learn a few new things about what’s going on in the story. You will be amazed over time by how much you have grown in your biblical knowledge and your faith in Christ as a result.
This Sunday I will be speaking from John 1:35-51 on the theme ‘Come and See’. This will get us off to a great start for our series as we note how Jesus begins the process himself by calling people to follow him and get to know him. Those who accepted his invitation then went out and invited others to discover Jesus as they had. I think that as you read over this account you will realize that this is still the way people meet Jesus today and discover for themselves the destiny that Christ has for them when they choose to follow him. Someone invites them to experience what they have.
As always I’m looking forward to meeting with you on Sunday for worship. I pray that over these next days you are fully aware of the work that Jesus is doing in your life so that you be ready at any moment to share your experience of life transformation with others.
Blessings.
Pastor Del