Witnessing: "Come and See" 9-15-24
Overview
Witnessing: "Come and See"
Friendship is fertile soil for the gospel. We see this beautifully in the opening chapter of John, where the snowball of witness keeps rolling: John the Baptist points to Jesus as "the Lamb of God," Andrew finds his brother Simon and announces, "We have found the Messiah," and then Philip finds his friend Nathanael with the same good news John 1:35-46. Although the text says Philip "found" Nathanael, it was really Jesus who first found Philip—a reminder of Jesus' own words: "You did not choose me, but I chose you" John 15:16. What Philip does for his friend is simple and profound: he introduces him to Jesus, the Word made flesh John 1:14.
Yet witnessing is often a struggle. Surveys suggest that most Christians have not shared a Bible story, invited someone to worship, or explained the faith to a non-Christian within the past six months. We tell ourselves we'll witness through actions rather than words—but while deeds are the bridge over which the Word crosses, people are converted by the Word, not by deeds alone. Beneath our excuses lies a deeper question: do we really believe what Scripture teaches about eternal destiny? Jesus speaks plainly of judgment, separating sheep from goats and sending some "into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels" Matthew 25:31-46. We are tempted to suppress, ignore, or quietly disbelieve such words. But if we truly believe every person has an eternal destiny, our excuses melt away, and we begin to see neighbors, family, and friends with new eyes.
Notice how Philip handles Nathanael's skepticism—"Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" He does not argue or debate. He simply says, "Come and see." That invitation is enough. Jesus meets Nathanael, reveals his omniscient knowledge of him, and faith is born; Nathanael confesses Jesus as the Son of God and King of Israel. Jesus then promises he will see "heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man" John 1:51—Jesus himself is the ladder connecting heaven and earth, who descended to bear our sin on the cross and ascended in victory through the empty tomb.
This is the message we carry to our friends. Clothed in Christ's righteousness through baptism and faith, we no longer fear judgment day—we long for it, praying, "Come, Lord Jesus." And the grace of witnessing is this: we don't have to convince anyone or argue them into the kingdom. God changes hearts; God brings people to faith. We simply deliver the mail. The most loving thing we can do for another person is share the gospel, and the conversation can be as simple as Philip's: come and see.
Transcript
Gracious Heavenly Father, indeed, may we bring you glory. 3s
You have given us breath and time this side of heaven for the soul purpose of bringing 9s
you glory. 16s
And so Father we ask, in Word and deed, in this place and in all the places we will go this 20s
week, that you will be glorified in Jesus name. 28s
Would you open up your Bibles, please, with me, to the gospel of John, the gospel of 37s
John the first chapter. 43s
If you are using a Pew edition of Holy Scripture, you are going to find that on page 80 44s
in the New Testament. 49s
John the first chapter. 51s
There are four lists of apostles, four lists of apostles in the Scripture. 53s
And in all four of the list, the fifth name for whatever reason is Philip. 64s
Philip, all that we know about the details of Philip's life, all that we know comes from 74s
the gospel of John. 83s
And oftentimes, you'll see that Philip is paired with Nathaniel. 86s
We also know Nathaniel Lisbarthel of you. 93s
So oftentimes, it's the two of them that are paired together, Philip and Nathaniel. 96s
They were friends. 106s
They were friends. 108s
We continue today our sermon series on friends. 110s
As we dive into the Scriptures these weeks, and we look at different various friend relationships. 116s
We ask ourselves the question, what is it that we can learn? 123s
What is it we can learn and put to practice by the grace of God in our various friend relationships? 128s
And so what is it in the relationship with Philip and Nathaniel that we can learn specifically? 135s
What is it that Philip did for his friend, Nathaniel? 144s
The first chapter of the gospel of John is one of the most soaring and beautiful chapters in all of Scripture. 154s
Look please, at verse 1 of chapter 1 of the gospel of John, it says, in the beginning was the word. 167s
Now notice in whatever translation you're looking at, word is going to be capitalized. 173s
In Greek that's logos. 179s
That's just another way of referring to the Lord Jesus Christ, the second member of the Trinity. 181s
So in the beginning was the word, the word was with God and the word was God. 188s
We see in Scripture the Trinitarian understanding from confession. 197s
And here now we have reference to the Father and to the Son going down into verse 14. 202s
It says, and the word became flesh and lived among us. 213s
We've seen His glory, the glorious of a Father's only Son full of grace and truth. 220s
That's the incarnation, isn't it? 228s
That's what we particularly celebrate at Christmas. 231s
The second member of the Trinity, the Lord Jesus became in fleshed. 234s
Or as we share with the kids, God with skin on. 240s
He became in fleshed and dwelt among us. 245s
Then you have the beautiful, beautiful testimony of John the Baptist, 251s
jump over into verse 23 of chapter 1. 256s
John says, I'm the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, 261s
makes straight the way of the Lord as the prophet Isaiah said. 266s
And then the witness of John the Baptist, go over to verse 35, please. 273s
The next day, John again was standing with two of his disciples. 280s
And as he watched Jesus walk by, he exclaimed, look, here is the Lamb of God. 284s
Go down into verse 41, speaking of Andrew, 294s
he first found his brother Simon and said to him, 300s
we have found the Messiah which is translated, anointed, 303s
and this snowball of witnessing continues. 310s
Verse 43, the next day Jesus decided to go togetherly, 315s
he found Philip and said to him, follow me. 320s
Now Philip was from Beth Seda, the city of Andrew and Peter. 325s
Philip found Nathaniel and said to him, we have found him about whom Moses and the law 330s
and also the prophets wrote, Jesus, son of Joseph from Nazareth. 337s
That was for you these sections here. 345s
We have to chuckle a little bit, don't we? 347s
Because exactly who is finding who here, right? 352s
It's the human understanding, having been found that they have found the Lord, 357s
but the one who has found them is Jesus Christ. 363s
Remember what Jesus says? 369s
In John the 15th chapter, you did not choose me, but I chose you. 370s
So what is Philip do? 378s
What is Philip do? 383s
What does he do for his friend, but he introduces his friend to Jesus? 387s
He tells his friend about Jesus. 398s
But that can be a struggle, right? 410s
A struggle. 416s
Once survey said that 60% of Americans state that they're surprised that their friends 419s
who say that their Christians never talk about Jesus. 427s
Interesting. 435s
The surveys go on to say that the majority of Christians within the last six months have 438s
never shared a Bible story with an on Christian. 446s
In the last six months, the majority of Christians have never invited someone to come 451s
with them to worship. 458s
In the last six months, the majority of Christians have never told a non-Christian just how they 463s
can become a Christian. 472s
The reasons for it, I guess we could mass a whole list, right? 479s
I don't share with words, I share with actions. 487s
Let's think that one through, right? 495s
There are a lot of nice non-Christians in the world. 498s
There are a lot of nice non-Christians in the world. 506s
When we do actions, when we do deeds, that's the bridge over which the word crosses. 513s
People are converted by the word. 521s
Not deeds by the word. 527s
This whole witnessing can be a struggle, right? 532s
We can come up with other reasons. 537s
What if it changes the relationship? 540s
What do I say? 545s
I'm just really, really busy. 553s
On and on and on, it can go. 557s
But what I wonder about? 563s
There's our quietude, go deeper. 569s
There's our quietude, go deeper. 575s
The Bible tells us that we all have an eternal destiny. 583s
Every single one of us. 588s
Everyone that has lived is living or will live. 591s
Every single human being will live forever. 596s
The question is where? 602s
In the bliss of heaven or hell. 606s
And so I find myself wondering at times. 614s
I find myself wondering, do we really believe that? 618s
Do we really believe that? 630s
We're presented with the fact of that over and over and over again in God's word in 634s
Heaven, and in the world. 640s
We're presented with the fact of that over and over again. 644s
We're presented with the fact of that over and over again. 655s
We have an incredible ability as human beings, right? 665s
To frame for ourselves what it is we think is truth. 671s
We can be presented with a whole host of facts about something. 678s
But we can be sorely tempted to just define our own truth. 683s
And so when pushed, when the facts are shown to us, when pushed, 690s
what we say, well, I believe this. 699s
Why do you believe that? 701s
Because I believe this. 702s
We can form our own facts and we can justify then our own beliefs. 706s
Wait, what we can tell ourselves lies. 717s
And we can tell ourselves the lie so much that we start to believe that the lie is true. 723s
And so when asked, well, why do you believe that? 734s
Well, we've told ourselves the lie so much that it just becomes truth for us. 738s
You've heard the phrase, right? 747s
Everyone has their own truth. 749s
And so if we keep feeding ourselves the lie, we have an amazing ability as human beings 754s
to come to the point where we can believe it. 762s
As human beings, we have a tendency to suppress or to ignore what it is we don't like. 773s
So we'll just suppress it or we'll just ignore it. 787s
It's how we deal with it. 792s
We'll ignore it. 795s
Because here's the thing. 800s
Jesus talks about the reality of hell several times. 803s
He talks about that. 812s
Like in Matthew, the 25th chapter, Jesus says, when the Son of Man comes in his glory and all the angels with him, 817s
then he will sit on the throne of his glory. 828s
All the nations will be gathered before him and he will separate people, one from another 832s
as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 839s
And he will put the sheep at his right hand and the goats at the left. 843s
He then goes on to say, then he will say to those at his left hand, 848s
you that are accursed to part from me into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 854s
When we hear that, are we ever tempted to think surely in the end he's not going to do that? 868s
Surely in the end he won't do it. 881s
In fact, we can voice upon that belief times in our own parenting perhaps, 885s
where we gave the consequence right but never carried through on the consequence. 891s
We all experienced that from our own parents, those times in which the consequence was he given. 897s
We continue to do this, then this is what's going to happen and parentally we've done the same thing. 903s
And so in the end, are we tempted to say, well, you know, Jesus says this and the Bible says this, 911s
but in the end, in the end he's not going to do it. 919s
And we could be tempted, we could be tempted to keep saying that lie to ourselves. 927s
We could be tempted to keep saying it over and over and over again. 934s
And in so doing we start to believe it. 941s
Or face with those passages we can suppress it or face with those passages we can simply ignore it. 948s
Do we believe, do we believe that all of us have an eternal destiny every single human being? 957s
Do we believe that? 973s
Because if we believe that, then all of the excuses that we can be guilty of for our question, 977s
why it would all of the excuses, they just melt away. 987s
They just melt away. 999s
And we start to look at each other differently, right? 1004s
We start to look at each other as one with an eternal destiny. 1009s
We start to look at our neighbor as one who has an eternal destiny. 1015s
We start looking at our family members as those that have an eternal destiny. 1023s
Since the Bible says that we all have an eternal destiny, then the question must be asked of the church. 1036s
Do we really believe that? 1044s
Because if we believe that, we look different upon people, don't we? 1056s
Friendship is fertile soil for the planting of the gospel. 1071s
It is natural fertile soil. 1081s
The most loving thing that we can do, the most loving thing that we can do for another person is to share the gospel with them. 1086s
Everything else goes away. 1102s
The one thing that lasts and endures into eternity, the one thing that lasts into eternity is the proclaiming of the gospel that God uses to bring one to faith. 1107s
That's what we can learn. 1125s
That's what we can learn from the friendship of Philip and Nathaniel. 1128s
That's what we can learn. 1132s
That Philip shared about Jesus with his friend. 1137s
That's what we can learn. 1147s
But there's more. 1153s
Look, please, at verse 45 of our text. 1156s
Philip found Nathaniel and said to him, we've found him about whom Moses and the law and also the prophets wrote. 1163s
Jesus, son of Joseph from Nazareth and noticed Nathaniel's response. 1171s
Nathaniel said to him, can anything good come out of Nazareth? 1175s
Nathaniel came from Cana, which was north of Nazareth. 1182s
Is that phrase there just a little rivalry between towns or is Nathaniel getting at the fact that Nazareth is never mentioned? 1188s
Nazareth is never mentioned in the Old Testament. 1201s
Not mentioned one time. 1205s
Is that what Nathaniel is getting at? 1209s
Well, maybe. 1214s
But what was the response of Philip? 1216s
What was Philip's response? 1218s
Philip didn't turn to him and start to argue about the merits of Nazareth, did he? 1223s
He didn't turn to him and start saying, oh, now come on Nathaniel. 1229s
Don't be so hard on Nazareth here. 1233s
I understand. 1235s
Here you come from Cana and all of that. 1235s
He didn't do that. 1237s
But what does he do? 1238s
Look at the end of verse 46. 1240s
At the end of verse 46, he simply turns to Nathaniel and says, come and see. 1242s
Come and see. 1250s
Who? 1251s
Come and see the word made flesh. 1253s
Nathaniel does it. 1261s
Verse 47. 1263s
When Jesus saw Nathaniel coming toward him, he said of him, here is truly an Israelite and whom there is no deceit. 1266s
Nathaniel asked him, where did you get to know me? 1275s
Jesus answered, I saw you under the victory before Philip called you. 1279s
That word no there. 1286s
It means personal experience. 1287s
It means insight. 1290s
Here was one who had been studying the scriptures. 1292s
We learned that earlier in the text. 1294s
Had been studying the scriptures and anticipation of the Messiah. 1297s
When Jesus comes and says, I saw you. 1301s
I saw you. 1305s
He says, how we've just met. 1306s
What Jesus is communicating is his omniscience. 1308s
And what is the response here of Nathaniel? 1311s
The response of Nathaniel is that this indeed is the Messiah, the Messiah. 1314s
Philip says, come and see. 1323s
Come and see. 1327s
And what Nathaniel experiences is the word made flesh. 1331s
It is the simple invitation of come and see. 1346s
And God uses that and brings to faith. 1351s
I think of the man by the name of Stan Tilchen. 1356s
Stan Tilchen, a Jewish man. 1360s
Since his daughter, Judy off the college in college, Judy has a friend who gives her a Bible and says, 1362s
let's read the New Testament together. 1372s
Let's have some time together and read that. 1375s
So Judy does that and gets what? 1378s
The Holy Spirit brings Judy to faith. 1380s
Judy goes home. 1383s
Tell his or father, your father wasn't exactly pleased with regard to that. 1384s
And what does Judy say? 1389s
Judy says, here's the copy of the New Testament dad. 1392s
Just read it. 1395s
Just read it. 1396s
And let me know what you think. 1397s
So the father starts to read it. 1401s
Read through the New Testament. 1404s
And guess what? 1406s
The Holy Spirit brings him to faith. 1408s
And guess what? 1412s
The Holy Spirit then empowers through Stan in evangelistic ministry to the Jews. 1414s
Come and see. 1427s
Come and see. 1429s
Philip tells Nathaniel, and Nathaniel experiences the word made flesh. 1432s
Judy says to her father, come and see. 1437s
And he experiences the word recorded. 1444s
And is brought to faith. 1449s
Friendship is fertile ground for the gospel seed. 1452s
And what a glorious word we have this year. 1460s
Look please at verse 50. 1463s
Jesus answered, do you believe? 1466s
Because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree. 1468s
You will see greater things than these. 1472s
And he said to him, very truly I tell you, 1475s
you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man. 1478s
Jesus is describing himself as what as a ladder that connects heaven to earth. 1486s
And the second member of the Trinity comes down and then he goes to the cross. 1493s
And he bears all of our sin. 1499s
The sin of the entire world. 1502s
He pays the sin that. 1504s
He then ascends up the ladder following the resurrection. 1505s
We have an incredible message to share of God who comes to us in his grace to bear our sin. 1510s
We who deserve the reality of hell itself left to ourselves. 1518s
And God prepares us to stand before himself on judgment day, 1525s
clothing us in the righteousness of Christ, claiming us as his own in the waters of baptism. 1531s
He prepares us to be able to stand before him on judgment day. 1539s
And by his grace he gives the gift of faith that grasps that victory, 1548s
one through the cross in the empty tomb as our own. 1556s
So that we cry and we say, come Lord Jesus, because we don't fear judgment day. 1565s
We look forward to the day when we stand before him because we're cloaked in the righteous garment of Jesus. 1574s
Friendship is fertile soil for the gospel. 1596s
And the grace of it, we don't have to convince anybody about Jesus. 1608s
God's the one that convinces. 1617s
We don't argue somebody into the kingdom. 1622s
God's the one that changes the heart. 1628s
We just deliver the mail. 1634s
That's all we do is deliver the mail. 1639s
And God brings people to faith. 1644s
Every person has an eternal destiny. 1655s
Do we believe that? 1664s
Do we believe it? 1670s
If so, we look at people differently, don't we? 1673s
We look at them differently. 1680s
And the conversation can be as simple as competency, come and see. 1682s