Summary
Witnessing: "Come and See"
When Philip met Jesus and was called to follow, his very next move was to find his friend Nathanael and tell him, "We have found him about whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph" John 1:45. This small scene in the opening chapter of John gives the church a pattern for witnessing: friendship is the fertile soil into which the seed of the gospel is planted, and the simplest invitation—"come and see"—is enough for the Holy Spirit to work with.
Notice what Philip does not do. When Nathanael pushes back with, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" John 1:46, Philip does not argue, defend the merits of a small town, or try to win a debate. He simply says, "Come and see." He brings his friend to Jesus and lets Jesus do the rest. And Jesus does: He reveals Himself as the one who already knew Nathanael under the fig tree, and Nathanael confesses Him as the Son of God and King of Israel. Faith is born by the encounter with the Word made flesh.
Why is this so urgent? Because every human being has an eternal destiny. Scripture is not vague on this point. Jesus Himself speaks plainly of the separation of the sheep and the goats and of an eternal fire Matthew 25:31-41. It is tempting to soften, suppress, or quietly ignore those words—to tell ourselves that surely, in the end, He will not really mean them. But if we actually believe what He says, our excuses for silence begin to fall away, and we start to look at neighbors, family, and friends as souls with a destiny, not merely as nice people who happen to share our lives.
Common excuses do not hold up under that weight. "I witness by my actions, not my words" sounds humble, but there are many kind unbelievers in the world; deeds are the bridge over which the Word travels, yet it is the Word—not the deed—that the Holy Spirit uses to create faith. The majority of Christians, by their own admission, have not shared a Bible story, invited someone to worship, or explained the faith to a non-Christian in the past six months. Sixty percent of Americans say they are surprised that Christian friends never speak of Jesus. The pattern of Philip cuts straight through this reluctance.
The relief in all of this is that the Christian is not asked to argue anyone into the kingdom. We do not have to convince, debate, or manufacture conversions. God is the one who changes hearts; we simply deliver the mail. Philip's "come and see" still works because the message itself is what God uses—Jesus the ladder joining heaven and earth John 1:51, the Son who descended to bear the sin of the world on the cross and ascended in victory through the empty tomb. Clothed in His righteousness through Baptism and faith, the believer no longer fears the day of judgment but longs for it.
That is the gospel a friend can hand to a friend. It is the most loving thing one human being can do for another—because everything else in this life passes away, but the Word that brings someone to faith endures into eternity. Like Philip with Nathanael, or like the daughter who simply handed her Jewish father a New Testament and said, "Read it," the conversation can be as ordinary as an invitation. Witnessing: "Come and See" 9-15-24 returns again and again to that one small, sufficient sentence: come and see.
Video citations
- Witnessing: "Come and See" 9-15-24 — Gracious Heavenly Father, indeed, may we bring you glory. You have given us breath and time this side of heaven for the soul purpose of bringing you glory. And so Father we ask, in Word and deed, in…