Come and See (John 1:35-51)

Devotional

Day 1: Beholding the Lamb: From Introduction to Life-Altering Pursuit

When two disciples heard John’s declaration, “Behold the Lamb of God,” they left their teacher to follow a stranger. Their journey began with curiosity but led to an unshakable commitment. Jesus didn’t offer answers but an invitation: “Come and see.” True belief starts not with certainty but with willingness to walk toward the unknown. As they lingered with Him, surface questions gave way to soul-level transformation. The Christian life is less about arriving and more about staying near the One who rewrites identities. [03:34]

The next day John again was standing with two of his disciples, and as he watched Jesus walk by he exclaimed, “Look, here is the Lamb of God!” The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. When Jesus turned and saw them following, he said to them, “What are you looking for?” They said to him, “Rabbi” (which translated means Teacher), “where are you staying?” He said to them, “Come and see.” (John 1:35–39, ESV)

Reflection: What initial step toward Jesus have you been avoiding because it feels uncertain? How might saying “yes” to His “come and see” rewrite your story?

Day 2: The Heart’s Deepest Question: What Are You Seeking?

Jesus’ question to the disciples cuts through small talk: “What do you want?” It exposes whether we seek comfort or Christ, blessings or the Blesser. Like Andrew and his companion, our answer determines if we’ll settle for information about God or hunger for intimacy with Him. To ask “Where are you staying?” is to choose presence over productivity. True discipleship begins when we want the Person more than the perks. [11:03]

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. (John 1:38–39, ESV)

Reflection: When alone with your thoughts, what desire dominates your heart? How would pursuing Jesus Himself—not just His gifts—reshape that desire?

Day 3: Under the Fig Tree: Known Before You Knew

Nathanael’s skepticism melted when Jesus revealed He’d seen him praying privately. The Messiah knew his doubts, longings, and secret moments before their first conversation. Being fully known yet fully loved dismantles our masks. Like Jacob renamed Israel, Jesus sees our wrestling and calls us into our true identity. His gaze penetrates fig-tree moments—those vulnerable spaces where we whisper, “How can You love what You see?” [34:18]

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.” (John 1:47–48, ESV)

Reflection: What part of your story feels too messy for God’s love? How does Jesus’ intimate knowledge of you under your “fig tree” change that narrative?

Day 4: From Curiosity to Commission: Inviting Others Into the Story

Andrew didn’t debate theology with Peter—he simply said, “We found the Messiah.” Philip bypassed Nathanael’s skepticism with three words: “Come and see.” Effective witness flows not from argumentative prowess but contagious excitement. When we’ve truly encountered Christ, we become tour guides to His glory, trusting that His presence does the convincing we never could. [17:36]

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.” (John 1:45–46, ESV)

Reflection: Who in your life needs an authentic “I found Him” invitation more than a polished defense of faith? What’s stopping you from saying “Come and see”?

Day 5: Greater Things Await: The Unfolding Glory of Knowing Christ

Jesus promised Nathanael he’d see heaven opened—not just a momentary miracle but an eternal perspective. Like Jacob’s ladder, every encounter with Christ becomes a portal to divine intimacy. The Christian life is a deepening revelation: the more we know Him, the more we realize how much more there is to know. Our earthly journey is merely the first page of an eternal biography. [40:34]

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.” (John 1:51, ESV)

Reflection: What routine spiritual habit has become stale? How might approaching it as a fresh “come and see” invitation rekindle your awe?

Sermon Summary

John names Jesus again as the Lamb of God, and the text moves as an invitation that keeps multiplying. Jesus walks by, John points, and two disciples follow. Jesus turns and asks, What do you want? They answer with, Where are you staying? which is really, Where are you abiding? Jesus replies, Come and you will see. The day ends with staying, not sampling. In John, that is the center of discipleship. Seeing who Jesus truly is leads to remaining with him.

Andrew then finds Simon and says flat out, We have found the Messiah. He brings his brother, and Jesus looks through him and gives him a future: You are Simon, you shall be called Cephas. Jesus names a new identity before the journey even unfolds. Knowing Jesus transformatively changes names, desires, and direction. The question, What do you want? presses under the surface. If comfort, control, or success drives the heart, following stalls. The Lamb removes sin, not just guilt, and reorders loves.

Jesus then goes north and finds Philip. Follow me is the next movement of the same invitation. Philip finds Nathanael and names Jesus by Scripture and street address, the one Moses and the prophets promised, Jesus of Nazareth. Nathanael balks. Can anything good come from Nazareth? Philip answers with the only path that works: Come and see. Jesus greets Nathanael as an Israelite in whom there is no deceit, tying his story to Jacob. Jesus knows the heart and its wrestle. Before Nathanael speaks, Jesus says, I saw you under the fig tree. Being known by him personally breaks suspicion and awakens confession. Rabbi, you are the Son of God, the King of Israel.

Jesus then widens their horizon. Because of one private sign, he promises public glory. You will see greater things. Heaven will open. Angels will ascend and descend on the Son of Man. Jacob’s ladder is Jesus himself, the living meeting place of God and man. The Christian life is not getting just enough Jesus to get by. The passage calls the church to behold him, abide with him, invite others to him, and expect to know him even more gloriously. Habits of the word, prayer, repentance, and fellowship are not boxes to check but places to remain with him. As believers keep coming and seeing, they learn to live by a new name, rest in being fully known, and hunger for greater things.

Key Takeaways

1. Beholding starts true discipleship [08:45] Seeing Jesus as the Lamb leads to staying with Jesus as Lord. The text ties Come and you will see to remaining, not passing interest. Real sight pulls a person into presence, where desire is reshaped and life takes a new center. [08:45]
2. Jesus gives a new name [19:06] Cephas is spoken over Simon before he earns it, because grace names a future and then grows a life into it. Identity flows from Christ’s identity and work, not self-invention. When Jesus asks, What do you want? he aims to realign the heart under that new name. [19:06]
3. Being seen frees guarded hearts [34:18] Nathanael is known under the fig tree before he speaks a word, and the exposure does not crush him, it steadies him. The human ache is to be fully known and still chosen. Jesus meets that ache, and honest confession becomes possible where fear once ruled. [34:18]
4. The Son of Man is Jacob’s ladder [42:16] Heaven’s traffic runs on Jesus. Access, presence, and promise converge on him, not on a place or a performance. Greater things is not spectacle for spectacle’s sake, but a widening vision of Christ as the living gate of glory. [42:16]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:27] - Retreat story and meeting people
[03:18] - Jesus draws and invites
[04:08] - Accept and extend come and see
[05:15] - Behold the Lamb; first followers
[11:03] - What do you want?
[13:54] - Where are you abiding?
[15:06] - Abiding as essence of life
[16:00] - Andrew finds Simon the Messiah
[18:41] - You shall be called Cephas
[23:57] - Jesus finds Philip: Follow me
[28:40] - Can anything good from Nazareth?
[29:43] - An Israelite with no deceit
[33:30] - I saw you under the fig tree
[42:16] - Angels ascending and descending

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading
John 1:35-51 (ESV)
[The calling of the first disciples, Jesus’ interaction with Nathanael, and the promise of greater revelation.]

Genesis 28:12-17 (ESV)
[Jacob’s vision of the ladder connecting heaven and earth, foreshadowing Christ as the mediator.]

Psalm 32:2 (ESV)
“Blessed is the man against whom the Lord counts no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit.”

Observation Questions

In John 1:38, Jesus asks the two disciples, “What do you want?” How do they respond, and what does their question (“Where are you staying?”) reveal about their deeper desire?
When Jesus renames Simon as “Cephas” (Peter) in John 1:42, what does this act signify about His authority and purpose for Simon’s life?
How does Nathanael’s skepticism about Nazareth (John 1:46) contrast with his confession of faith in John 1:49? What causes this shift?
In Genesis 28:12, Jacob sees a ladder connecting heaven and earth. How does Jesus reinterpret this imagery in John 1:51?

Interpretation Questions

Why might Jesus’ question, “What do you want?” (John 1:38) be unsettling or revealing for someone considering following Him? How does this question expose motives?
Jesus tells Nathanael, “I saw you under the fig tree” (John 1:48). Why is this statement so transformative for Nathanael, and how does it reflect Psalm 32:2?
What does it mean for Jesus to be the “ladder” in Jacob’s vision (Genesis 28:12-17)? How does this redefine access to God’s presence?
Simon is renamed before he demonstrates faithfulness. What does this teach about God’s grace and our identity in Christ?

Application Questions

Jesus invites the disciples to “come and see” (John 1:39). What practical step could you take this week to intentionally “abide” with Him rather than treating faith as a casual interest? [15:06]
Andrew immediately brings his brother Simon to Jesus (John 1:41-42). Who in your life needs to hear, “We have found the Messiah,” and how could you invite them to “come and see”?
Jesus renames Simon, declaring his future identity as “Peter” (John 1:42). What false labels or past failures do you need to release to fully embrace the new identity Christ offers? [19:06]
Nathanael’s doubt (“Can anything good come from Nazareth?”) is met with an invitation to encounter Jesus personally (John 1:46). When have you struggled to trust God’s work in unexpected places or people? How can you lean into “come and see” instead of skepticism?
Jesus promises Nathanael, “You will see greater things” (John 1:50). What areas of your spiritual life feel stagnant? How might you posture yourself to expect and pursue “greater” revelation of Christ? [42:16]
The sermon emphasizes that being fully known by Jesus frees us from fear (John 1:48). What part of your heart or story have you guarded from God? How could surrendering it to Him deepen your trust? [34:18]
Jacob’s ladder (Genesis 28:12) points to Jesus as the bridge between heaven and earth. How does this truth reshape your approach to prayer, suffering, or everyday moments?

Sermon Clips

60s

#BeholdAndAbide

“``And so where does that start? It starts with beholding. Do you see Jesus as the lamb of god who takes away your sin? Have you believed his good news that you are a sinner in need of a savior deserving death and that he is the savior who died in your place for your sin and who rose again. It starts with beholding but true beholding always leads to following staying with him, being covered by the the dust of his sandals. This looks like developing the habits of abiding, habits of prayer, habits of the word, habits of repentance, habits of fellowship, not, not, not, not, not so that you can check it off a list. But so that you can be with your lord”

63s

#ComeAndSeeJesus

“This is how we get to know Jesus more. It's the the essence of the Christian life. It's following him, abiding in him, remaining with him, staying with him in all these ways. You see how it could work? You see how it could work in your life? If you wanna see the glory of heaven open up, then you must come and see Jesus. The son of god, the son of man, the lamb who takes away the sins of the world. Seeing him will result in knowing him transformatively. Being known by him personally and then knowing him even more gloriously. Don't don't settle for a superficial knowledge of Jesus. Come and see and then see some more. Invite others to come and see with you.”

60s

#TransformedDesires

“And to go back to that question, what do you want? How is your answer to that question different because you know Jesus than if you didn't know Jesus. How does knowing Jesus shape your desires when you're alone? And no one is watching the choices that you make. How does he change your motivations for how you live and work and play? How does he change your relationships? If those things aren't different because you know Jesus, you need to get to know him in a different way. You need to know him as the lamb who died for your sin, not just so that you could be forgiven but so that your sin could be taken away.”

57s

#JesusTheWay

“And so Jesus borrows this story and he says, that ladder that Jacob saw, that staircase to heaven, that was the son of man. Son of man is Jesus' favorite title for himself and so Jesus is saying, that way into the glorious heavenly places, that way into covenant relationship with god, that way into the promises and presence of god, that's me. He's like, this right here, this is the house of god. This is the son of god dwelling or or tabernacling among us like we talked about last week. And because you have believed in me, Nathaniel, because you have accepted this little sign that I am the savior king, you are going to see me in all of my glory. That's awesome. That's awesome”

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Come and See (John 1:35-51) - SERMON ONLY