John 1:39

Two Invitations

Come, and ye shall see John 1:39.

Come and see John 1:46.

I want to speak today about seeing things for yourself. Whether is it nicer to see a thing for yourself or just to hear about it? Well I think you will all agree with me that it is much more satisfactory to see it for yourself.

Just suppose a circus came to your neighborhood and some of your school friends went to see it, and came back and told you all about it. It would be very interesting to hear about all the funny things the clown did, and the wonderful feats the “strong man” performed, and the clever way in which lovely ladies rode on beautiful horses; but would that be as good as going to the circus and seeing them for yourself? Not a bit of it! If you went you would know about them in quite a different way. You would see them, not through other people's eyes, but with your own.

Or suppose your big brother went to London and came back and told you about the grand sights he had seen the Tower, and the Houses of Parliament, and

Westminster Abbey, and St. Paul's, not to speak of the crowds of people, and the splendid shops, and the beautiful parks, and the Zoo would you rather just hear about them all from him, or go to see them for yourself? Why, you haven't a scrap of doubt as to which would be best.

Now it isn't always possible to go and see for ourselves. Sometimes we have to be content with hearing about things, but there are some things we are all invited to go and see, and they are some of the best things.

In the first chapter of St. John's Gospel there are two invitations to come and see. They were both accepted, and the people who accepted them found the very best thing in the world.

The first invitation was given by Jesus. You remember how He was baptized in the Jordan by John the Baptist. The next day John was standing with two of his disciples Andrew and John when Jesus went past, and the Baptist exclaimed, “Behold, the Lamb of God!” Immediately the two disciples followed Jesus. And when Jesus saw them following, He turned and asked, “What seek ye?” They replied, “Master, where abidest thou?” And He said, “Come, and ye shall see." So they went with Him and stayed with Him that day. They went and saw for themselves, they talked with Jesus, they got to know Him, and afterwards Andrew went and told his brother Simon, “We have found the Christ.”

The other invitation was given by Philip to his friend Nathanael. Philip had just become a disciple of Jesus, and he went straight to tell his friend that he had found in Jesus of Nazareth the wonderful Savior whose coming Moses and the prophets had foretold. But when Nathanael heard the word “Nazareth” he was very doubtful. “Could any good thing come out of Nazareth?” he asked, “out of Nazareth, that little country town where the people had such rough manners! Besides, had it not been prophesied that the Messiah should be born in Bethlehem? How came He to be living in Nazareth?” Philip did not stop to argue. He just said, “Come and see.” So Nathanael went with him, and before Jesus had spoken many words to him, he knew that Philip was right; and very reverently he said, “Thou art the Son of God.”

So the two stories are much alike. “Come and see.” They came and saw, and they found Jesus, the Christ, the Son of God.

Jesus is still giving that invitation to everybody “Come and see.” “Come and find out all you want to know about Me. Come and let Me bear your burdens. Come and let Me carry you in My arms, safe from all dangers, as I used to carry the little children when I was on earth.” You have heard about Him from your parents and your minister and your teacher, but that isn't enough. You must go and see Him for yourself.

And how are you to come? Well, you haven't far to go, for Jesus is just beside you very, very near to you. He is waiting for you to come, and all you have to do is just to put your hand in His, and let Him lead you. He will show you all His love and all His goodness, and at last He will take you home to the happy place He has prepared for you, where you will see Him face to face.