Come and See Jesus: The Lamb and Messiah

John’s opening scene in John 1 gives a real picture of what it means to be a disciple. Discipleship is not just knowing the idea of following Jesus. Discipleship is getting on the trail, seeing where Christ is leading, and being outfitted for the journey. The church body matters because disciples need visuals, people whose lives help make Christ visible.

John the Baptist points at Jesus and says, “Look, the Lamb of God.” The Lamb of God carries all the weight of sacrifice, sin, forgiveness, and God’s promise. Jesus dies in the place of sinners, takes their punishment, and makes them right with God. Christ is not merely a teacher with good ideas. Christ is God’s sacrifice for broken people who cannot fix themselves.

Jesus turns toward Andrew and the other disciple and asks, “What are you looking for?” That question gets to the heart of every person following behind Christ. Andrew and his friend answer by asking where Jesus is staying, and Jesus says, “Come and you’ll see.” Christ does not put them off, but Christ also does not hand them every answer in one afternoon. Christ invites them into a life of seeing more and more of who He is.

Andrew’s encounter with Jesus immediately moves him toward Simon. Andrew calls Jesus the Messiah, the promised King, and brings his brother to Him. Philip does the same with Nathanael. Philip does not get tangled up in Nathanael’s prejudice about Nazareth. Philip simply says, “Come and see.”

Nathanael’s skepticism meets Christ’s personal knowledge. Jesus sees Nathanael under the fig tree before Philip calls him, and Nathanael suddenly sees Jesus as the Son of God and King of Israel. Jesus then promises greater things. The disciples will see heaven opened, angels ascending and descending, and the glory of the Son of Man.

God’s plan sends captivated people to introduce others to Jesus. The Dead Sea receives but does not give life out, while a disciple receives the goodness of Christ and passes it on. Introduction is not manipulation. Christ calls people, opens eyes, and changes hearts. Disciples simply pray, care, speak honestly, and offer a simple invitation to come and see.

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Key Takeaways

• 1. Jesus is the Lamb and King [01:05:28] Jesus carries both sacrifice and authority. The Lamb of God dies in the place of sinners, while the Messiah brings them under the good rule of God’s kingdom. Forgiveness is costly because Christ bears what sin deserves, and freedom is real because Christ becomes a better Master than sin, evil, or fear. [65:28]
• 2. Jesus asks what people really want [50:20] Jesus does not merely ask for religious activity or church familiarity. Jesus brings desire into the open and exposes what the heart is actually chasing. The invitation, “Come and you’ll see,” calls people to remain near Him long enough for their deepest wants to be reshaped. [50:20]
• 3. Captivated disciples introduce others to Christ [01:06:38] Andrew does not keep the Messiah to himself after meeting Him. Philip does not need every objection answered before inviting Nathanael to come. A faithful introduction trusts that Jesus is able to meet skepticism, prejudice, pain, and honest questions better than clever arguments can. [66:38]
• 4. Skepticism can become spiritual sight [01:09:51] Nathanael begins with contempt for Nazareth, but Christ meets him with knowledge that reaches below appearances. The Holy Spirit opens eyes when Christ reveals Himself. Faith is not pretending every question disappeared, but surrendering when Jesus becomes impossible to dismiss. [69:51]
• 5. Prayer prepares the trail for others [01:17:50] Discipleship requires strength because spiritual conversations can feel scary and awkward. Prayer cares for another person before any invitation is spoken. God often prepares both the one who introduces and the one being introduced, making room for a simple, honest “Come and see.”
  
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Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [39:50] - Prayer for Jesus to Meet Needs
• [41:29] - Beginning the Trail of Discipleship
• [43:16] - The Oregon Trail Metaphor
• [45:35] - Jesus, the Lamb of God
• [49:03] - What Are You Looking For?
• [51:24] - Come and You Will See
• [54:02] - Andrew Finds the Messiah
• [59:41] - Philip Invites Nathanael
• [61:59] - Can Anything Good Come from Nazareth?
• [65:28] - Jesus Redeems Humanity
• [66:38] - Introducing Others to Jesus
• [69:24] - Nathanael Sees the Son of God
• [73:41] - Outfitted for the Journey
• [76:31] - A Prayer and Invitation Challenge

Bible Reading

John 1:35-51
“The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples, and he looked at Jesus as he walked by and said, 'Behold, the Lamb of God!' The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. 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?' 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. One of the two who heard John speak and followed Jesus was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, 'We have found the Messiah' (which means Christ). 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). The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, 'Follow me.' Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. 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.' Nathanael said to him, 'Can anything good come out of Nazareth?' Philip said to him, 'Come and see.' Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, 'Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!' 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.' Nathanael answered him, 'Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!' 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.' 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.” [41:29]

Isaiah 53:7
“He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth.” [45:35]

2 Samuel 7:12-13
“When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.” [54:02]

Observation questions

1. What titles are given to Jesus in John 1:35–51, and who uses each title? [01:00:48]
2. After John the Baptist identifies Jesus as the Lamb of God, what do Andrew and the other disciple do?
3. What question does Jesus ask the two men following Him, and how do they respond? [50:20]
4. How does Philip respond when Nathanael questions whether anything good can come from Nazareth? What happens when Nathanael finally meets Jesus? [01:04:20]

Interpretation questions

1. Why does calling Jesus the Lamb of God matter for understanding sin, forgiveness, and the need for Jesus to die in the place of sinners? [46:44]
2. Jesus is also called the Messiah, the promised King. How do Jesus’ roles as Lamb and King fit together, and why is it important not to separate them? [01:05:28]
3. What does Jesus’ invitation, “Come and you will see,” show about the way He draws people to Himself over time rather than answering every question at once? [52:18]
4. Philip does not debate Nathanael’s prejudice or try to solve every objection. What does his simple invitation reveal about the difference between introducing someone to Jesus and trying to control their response? [01:08:34]

Application questions

1. Jesus asks, “What are you looking for?” What desires, worries, goals, or hopes are most shaping your life right now? How might staying near Jesus reshape those desires? [53:01]
2. Where do you most need to remember that Jesus is the Lamb who has taken your sin and the King whose rule brings real freedom? [01:05:48]
3. Who has helped make Jesus visible to you through their words, character, care, or example? How could you become that kind of helpful visual of Christ for someone else in this group or church family? [42:38]
4. Is there someone in your life who is skeptical, hurt by church experiences, or dismissive of Christianity? What would it look like to care for them well and offer a simple, honest “come and see” invitation without becoming argumentative? [01:14:43]
5. What makes spiritual conversations feel difficult or intimidating for you? What specific prayer could you begin praying this week—for courage, love, an open door, or a particular person? [01:17:43]
6. Who is one person you could intentionally pray for this week and, if an opportunity comes, invite to hear about or encounter Jesus? What would a natural and truthful invitation sound like in your own words? [01:18:20]