Curiosity as a Gift: Come and See Jesus

The passage from John 1:29–42 is used to trace a simple but profound trajectory: God gives curiosity as a gift, curiosity draws people toward Jesus, and encountering Jesus compels active love in the world. Opening by honoring worship and prayer, the speaker frames curiosity not as idle wondering but as an engine God places in human hearts to seek the One who fills the God-shaped hole. John the Baptist’s declaration—“Behold the Lamb of God”—functions as both identification and invitation; those who had been following John are stirred to follow Jesus and to ask the practical, searching question, “Whom do you seek?” Jesus’ response, “Come and see,” models an incarnational, relational call: faith begins in proximity, conversation, and shared time, not merely argument.

That curiosity, when met with Jesus, moves people from observation to relationship. The first disciples spend the day with Jesus, remain with him, and then carry their discovery outward—Andrew finds his brother Simon and declares that the Messiah has been found. This pattern becomes the norm for Christian witness: curiosity leads to encounter, encounter breeds companionship, companionship produces testimony. The talk presses that Christianity is not a private trophy to be hoarded but a kingdom that resides in people and spreads through lived demonstration.

To make this practical, the speaker turns to the teaching about sheep and goats: true discipleship is measured by loving action toward “the least.” Love is concretely theological—feeding, visiting, clothing, welcoming—the ordinary acts by which Christ is encountered in the world. The final exhortation is winsome and tactical: live a life so marked by costly love that the world becomes curious about its source. The theological claim is sober and hopeful: God first loved; Christians are sent to embody that love so others, driven by genuine curiosity, may be invited to “come and see.”

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Key Takeaways

• 1. Curiosity is a God-given gift Curiosity is not mere distraction but a Spirit-woven hunger that drives humans to seek meaning beyond measured comforts. When cultivated, it becomes the apprentice that leads a person toward theological questions, honest confession, and an openness to be formed by God. Guarding and stewarding that curiosity prevents it from becoming idol-making and instead channels it toward the One who satisfies. [43:34]
• 2. Respond to “Come and see.” Jesus’s invitation is relational and open-ended rather than doctrinally coercive; the call to “come and see” privileges shared presence over abstract proof. Accepting the invitation means spending time, asking questions, and allowing one’s world to be rearranged by encounter rather than argument. Faith formed this way is resilient because it grows from relationship, not merely from information. [46:28]
• 3. Love is demonstrated through service Christian identity is inseparable from visible acts of compassion that correlate directly with Christ’s own care for the vulnerable. The judgment scene about sheep and goats reframes theology as ethics: salvific truth is evidenced when practical mercy is offered, not merely affirmed. Serving the least is not transactional but sacramental—when mercy is given to neighbors, Christ is tangibly present. [65:27]
• 4. Lead lives that provoke curiosity A faithful witness invites inquiry by embodying an alternative logic of living—sacrifice, forgiveness, and unexpected kindness—that unsettles worldly calculations of gain. Living in such countercultural love creates questions in observers that open doors for gospel conversation. The aim is not spectacle but consistency: persistent, humble love that points the curious to Christ. [68:45]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [38:49] - Prayer as part of worship
• [43:04] - Series: The gift that keeps on giving
• [45:17] - Scripture reading: John 1:29–42
• [46:06] - John’s declaration: “Lamb of God”
• [55:30] - Curiosity as a divine gift
• [65:27] - Love in action: Sheep and Goats
• [68:45] - Live to make others curious
• [69:21] - Closing prayer

Here is a Bible study guide based on the sermon:

Bible Reading

John 1:29–42 (ESV)
> The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks ahead of me, because he was before me.’ I myself did not know him, but for this purpose I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel.” And John testified, “I saw the Spirit descend as a dove from heaven, and it remained on him. I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.”
>
> The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples, and as he looked at Jesus walking, he 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?” They said to him, “Rabbi” (which translated means Teacher), “where are you staying?” He said to them, “Come and see.” They came and saw where he was staying, and they remained with him that day, like 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 brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which is translated 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 is translated Peter).

Matthew 25:31–40 (ESV)
> “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’”

Observation questions

1. John the Baptist declared, "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!" [45:17] What does this declaration reveal about Jesus' identity and purpose?
2. When Jesus asked the disciples, "What are you seeking?" [52:44] they responded by asking, "Rabbi... where are you staying?" [53:34] What does this exchange suggest about the nature of their initial pursuit of Jesus?
3. The sermon highlighted that curiosity is a gift from God that drives us to seek Him. [43:34] How does the disciples' initial curiosity about Jesus mirror this idea?
4. The passage from Matthew 25 describes Jesus separating people like a shepherd separates sheep from goats. [01:05:27] What actions are attributed to the "sheep" in this passage?

Interpretation questions

1. The sermon suggested that Jesus' invitation, "Come and see," [46:28] prioritizes shared presence and relationship over abstract proof. [46:28] How does this invitation contrast with other ways people might try to convince someone of a belief?
2. The sermon stated that "Christianity is not a private trophy to be hoarded but a kingdom that resides in people and spreads through lived demonstration." [54:49] How does the disciples' immediate action of Andrew finding his brother Simon and declaring, "We have found the Messiah," [46:28] illustrate this idea?
3. The sermon emphasized that "love is concretely theological—feeding, visiting, clothing, welcoming—the ordinary acts by which Christ is encountered in the world." [01:05:27] How does the judgment scene in Matthew 25 reframe theology as ethics, showing that salvific truth is evidenced by practical mercy? [01:05:27]
4. The sermon posed the question, "Whom do you seek?" [52:44] and suggested that the answer is Jesus, even if people don't consciously know it. [01:00:07] What are some common ways people in the world seek to fill that "God-shaped hole" without realizing they are seeking Jesus? [43:51]

Application questions

1. Curiosity is presented as a God-given gift that draws us to seek Him. [43:34] In what areas of your life have you noticed a sense of curiosity that might be leading you to seek deeper meaning or connection with God? How can you intentionally nurture that curiosity?
2. Jesus' invitation to "Come and see" [46:28] emphasizes relational encounter. Think about someone in your life who might be curious about faith. What is one tangible way you could invite them to "come and see" Jesus through spending time together or sharing an experience?
3. Andrew immediately shared his discovery of the Messiah with his brother Simon. [46:28] When you experience something profound in your faith, what is your natural inclination: to keep it to yourself or to share it with others? How can you be more like Andrew in sharing your discoveries?
4. The sermon highlighted that "love is demonstrated through service." [01:05:27] Consider the "least of these" mentioned in Matthew 25. [01:06:40] What is one specific, practical act of service you can commit to this week that would embody Christ's love for someone in need?
5. The call is to "lead lives that provoke curiosity." [01:08:45] In what ways can you live out your faith this week with such costly love, sacrifice, or unexpected kindness that it might cause others to wonder about the source of your joy and peace?
6. The sermon suggested that when we show love to others the way God shows us love, it means loving all people, not just those we are familiar with or comfortable with. [01:00:56] Is there someone in your life who is difficult to love or understand? How can you intentionally extend Christ-like love and compassion to them this week?