Come and See

Orchard Crest is positioned as a congregation that expects God to move and calls its people to be active witnesses. The congregation is invited into practical community work—monthly “connect nights” for fellowship, mission trips like the upcoming Honduras team, and a major school partnership called Hope Connect that will teach biblical parenting and character to families at Orchard Hills. That outreach will include meals, training, children's programming, and short biblical teachings on finances, marriage, emotional health, and godly parenting, emphasizing the church’s aim to be the church in the community rather than merely a gathering place.

The theological center of the teaching rests on John 1’s “Come and see.” Three early disciples—Andrew, Philip, and Nathanael—model distinct patterns of response: immediate testimony, scriptural fulfillment, and skeptical encounter turned confession. Each response points to the same Christ: Messiah, fulfillment of law and prophecy, and Son of God. Those encounters were not abstract doctrines but personal meetings that compelled people to invite others; the call to “come and see” remains the simplest and most powerful form of evangelism.

Practical discipleship follows. Personal testimony, regular invitation, and a visible, lived-out faith create situations where neighbors and unbelievers can see Jesus at work. Life transformed by Christ becomes persuasive because it bears witness over time—even to the cost of persecution, as the early witnesses ultimately sacrificed for their testimony. The congregation is urged to name itself among those witnesses, to cultivate a faithful, energetic church identity, and to commit to everyday invitations that introduce others to Jesus. The sermon closes with an invitation to join, to be baptized, and to serve—linking proclamation to real, local ministry and making the gospel observable in word and deed.

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Key Takeaways

• 1. The invitation still changes lives The simple verbal invitation remains a primary means God uses to bridge curiosity and encounter. An invitation carries less persuasion than the living evidence of transformed life, but it opens the door for that evidence to be experienced firsthand. When Christians invite with clarity about who Jesus is, they create an occasion where unbelief can be confronted by presence, not just argument. [44:05]
• 2. Invitation requires a personal encounter Telling someone about Jesus will not substitute for their own meeting with him; the call is to bring people to a place where they can see and meet Christ. Genuine belief often arrives when a person’s questions are held in tension with a tangible encounter—an answered prayer, a compassionate community, or a moment of conviction. Therefore invitees should be offered accessible environments where Scripture, worship, and relationship converge. [59:21]
• 3. Serve neighbors through local schools Ministry embedded in neighborhood institutions creates windows for gospel witness that are relational and practical rather than programmatic. Teaching parents biblical parenting, offering meals, and caring for children models the gospel’s social and spiritual power; it invites trust and opens doors for conversation about ultimate hope. Long-term presence in schools communicates credibility and builds spiritual opportunities beyond a single event. [08:37]
• 4. Make your witness unmistakably visible A persuasive witness is not primarily clever speech but consistent, visible transformation: holiness that improves relationships, generosity that blesses neighbors, and steadfast faith under pressure. This kind of testimony makes the gospel intelligible to skeptics because it answers the practical questions people actually live with—how to love, how to forgive, how to handle sorrow. Each believer is called to write their name into that legacy of witness by living in ways that invite others to “come and see.” [68:16]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [04:10] - Opening announcements
• [05:11] - Connect Nights explained
• [06:49] - Women’s ministry update
• [07:44] - Introducing Hope Connect
• [08:37] - Hope Connect logistics and needs
• [10:53] - Training and schedule details
• [14:53] - Transition to worship and prayer
• [33:36] - Scripture reading (Hebrews 2:4)
• [41:19] - The power of the invite
• [44:05] - Reading John 1: Come and see
• [49:37] - Youth ministry testimony
• [64:52] - Describing the church’s character
• [67:39] - Final charge: write your name as witness

### Bible reading

John 1:35–51 (ESV)
35 The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples, 36 and he looked at Jesus as he walked by and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!” 37 The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. 38 Jesus turned and saw them following and said to them, “What are you seeking?” And they said to him, “Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where are you staying?” 39 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. 40 One of the two who heard John speak and followed Jesus was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. 41 He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means Christ). 42 He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon the son of John. You shall be called Cephas” (which means Peter).

43 The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Follow me.” 44 Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. 45 Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” 46 Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” 47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!” 48 Nathanael said to him, “How do you know me?” Jesus answered him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” 49 Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” 50 Jesus answered him, “Because I said to you, ‘I saw you under the fig tree,’ do you believe? You will see greater things than these.” 51 And he said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”

Hebrews 2:4 (ESV)
4 while God also bore witness by signs and wonders and various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.

### Observation questions

1. In John 1, what specific title did John the Baptist use to identify Jesus to his disciples, and what was their immediate reaction? [44:05]
2. After Andrew spent time with Jesus, who was the first person he went to find, and what news did he share with them? [44:44]
3. When Philip told Nathanael about Jesus, what was Nathanael’s skeptical response, and what three-word invitation did Philip give him? [45:33]
4. According to Hebrews 2:4, what are the different ways God testifies to His presence and the truth of His message? [33:36]

### Interpretation questions

1. Andrew calls Jesus the "Messiah," while Philip describes Him as the one "Moses wrote about in the law and so did the prophets." How do these different ways of describing Jesus show that He fulfills the long-held hopes of His people? [57:41]
2. When Nathanael doubts that anything good can come from Nazareth, Philip doesn't argue or use a complex defense; he simply says, "Come and see." Why is a personal encounter with Jesus often more powerful than a logical argument? [59:21]
3. Jesus tells Nathanael He saw him under the fig tree before Philip even called him. What does this reveal about how Jesus knows us personally, and how does that knowledge lead to Nathanael’s confession that Jesus is the "Son of God"? [45:58]
4. The early witnesses like Andrew, Philip, and Nathanael eventually faced persecution and even death for their testimony. What does their willingness to die as martyrs tell us about the reality of their encounter with the risen Christ? [01:02:16]

### Application questions

1. Most people find their way into a church family because someone they know personally invited them [41:19]. Who was the person in your life who first invited you to "come and see" Jesus, and what was it about their invitation that moved you?
2. It is easy to get "fired up" for God during big events or retreats, but sometimes that excitement fades in the routine of daily life [49:10]. What are some practical ways we can keep our passion for Jesus and His church fresh every single week?
3. Serving our neighbors through local schools—like teaching parenting skills or providing meals—is a way to "be the church" rather than just "at church" [13:14]. What is one specific way you can use your time or talents to serve the families in our community this month?
4. A persuasive witness is often found in a life that is visibly transformed—showing kindness, honesty, and peace under pressure [01:08:16]. If your neighbors or coworkers were watching your life this week, what evidence of Jesus’ work would they be able to see?
5. We are all called to write our own names into the legacy of witnesses for Christ [01:07:39]. Who is one person in your circle of influence—a friend, a family member, or a neighbor—that you can invite to "come and see" what God is doing in our church?
6. When we pray for our community, we are asking God to show "signs and wonders" like healing relationships or bringing people to faith [36:50]. What is a "miracle" or a specific work of God you are currently praying to see in the life of someone you know?