Come and See: Inviting Others to Meet Jesus

Jun 28, 2026

Devotional

Day 1: Come and See: The Invitation That Starts the Journey

When Jesus turned a factual question into a relational invitation, he revealed that faith begins not with arguments but curiosity. Following him isn’t about having all the answers—it’s about stepping into a journey where truth unfolds through proximity. The simplest words, "come and see," carry divine power to shift eternities. This invitation requires no expertise, only willingness to point others toward the One who rewrites stories. What if your next conversation held the seeds of someone’s transformation? [10:27]

The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!” When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, “What do you want?” They said, “Rabbi” (which means “Teacher”), “where are you staying?” “Come,” he replied, “and you will see.” (John 1:35–39, ESV)

Reflection: Who in your life needs to hear “come and see” this week? What hesitation holds you back from offering that invitation?

Day 2: Declaring the Lamb of God in a World of Need

John the Baptist didn’t theologize—he named Jesus as the solution to a felt need. Calling him “the Lamb of God” tapped into cultural longing for sacrifice and deliverance. Truth about Jesus becomes potent when it intersects human hunger. Whether someone wrestles guilt, loneliness, or purpose, there’s a facet of Christ’s identity that meets them where they ache. Your words could bridge their despair to hope. [14:32]

The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29, ESV)

Reflection: What specific truth about Jesus (forgiver, shepherd, healer) does someone you know need to hear today? How can you phrase it in language they’d understand?

Day 3: When Family Skepticism Meets Relational Invitation

Andrew’s brother Simon didn’t dismiss him as the kid who once picked his nose—he followed. Family history can make spiritual conversations awkward, but shared blood often opens doors the world can’t. Persistence in prayer and integrity in living matter most. Sometimes your role isn’t to convince but to plant seeds, trusting God to send others to water. [20:57]

Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, “We have found the Messiah” (that is, the Christ). And he brought him to Jesus. (John 1:40–42, ESV)

Reflection: Which family member’s skepticism about Jesus weighs heaviest on you? How might you persistently love them while releasing outcomes to God?

Day 4: Prayer as the Double Dutch of Divine Encounters

Problems are universal, but Christians hold a counterintuitive response: in-the-moment prayer. Like jumping into double dutch, timing matters. Empathy (“that sounds hard”), permission (“can I pray?”), and brief intercession create space for God to move. These 30-second prayers aren’t about eloquence—they’re about introducing someone to the presence that changes everything. [32:44]

Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. (Matthew 7:7–8, ESV)

Reflection: When did someone last share a problem with you? What kept you from praying with them in that moment?

Day 5: Three Sentences That Unlock Eternity’s Door

A prayer needn’t be lengthy to be lethal to darkness. Declare God’s character (“You’re good”), name the need (“provide healing”), and invite encounter (“let them feel Your love”). Three sentences can dismantle barriers, because the power lies not in the words but the One who hears them. Your awkwardness is a small price for someone’s liberation. [35:27]

This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him. (1 John 5:14–15, ESV)

Reflection: Which of the three prayer steps (empathy, permission, declaration) feels most challenging? Practice one this week with a trusted friend first.

Sermon Summary

Jesus sets the tone by naming his mission to seek and save the lost, and the text of John 1 shows how that mission runs on simple invitations. John the Baptist points to Jesus with language people can actually grasp, saying, Look, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. That naming works like a lifeline that lands where a heart can catch it, much like the line, God brought you here to bless you, which can stop a spiral and turn eyes back to Jesus. John models a way to say come and see by speaking something true about Jesus in words a neighbor needs and understands.

Jesus answers a factual question with a relational path. When asked, Where are you staying, he replies, Come and you will see. The invitation is a journey, not a debate. Objections will come, and questions matter, but the goal is not to win arguments. The goal is to walk with Jesus and to invite others to start walking with him.

Andrew meets Jesus and immediately goes for family. He brings Simon, showing the right first instinct and also hinting at the hardest field. Family often requires patient prayer, an integrated life, and sometimes the humility to ask God to send someone else to carry the invite a family member cannot hear from a relative.

Jesus finds Philip and keeps doing what he always does. Every day, with every person, he says, Follow me. That relentless love comes through many channels, but the voice is the same. Philip then finds Nathanael, faces a Nazareth eye roll, and refuses to argue. He says the best possible sentence, Come and see. That quiet confidence becomes the doorway to a life and a community that will shake the world.

The invitation still sounds like that today. One path is to invite friends to come and see Jesus’ presence among his people, because where two or three gather, he shows up. Another path is in-the-moment prayer right where the problems surface. Problems are the common language of humanity; prayer is a gentle double dutch entry. The map is simple: empathy that says, That sounds hard. I’m sorry that’s happening; permission that asks, I’m a Christian. Would it be okay if I said a short prayer for you right now; and a short three sentence prayer. First, name what is true about the Lord, Jesus, you are good. Second, ask for the concrete need. Third, ask that they experience his love. Those small come and sees become the soil for stories that end with, that is how my life changed when I met Jesus.

Key Takeaways

1. Invitation beats argument every time The text shows Jesus answering data with a pathway. The call is to invite people into a lived encounter, not to outpace them in a debate. Arguments have their place, but disciples are made by walking, not winning. Courage looks like come and see on the lips and hospitality in the life. [18:13]
2. Say true things people can carry John the Baptist names Jesus in categories his listeners already hold, like Lamb of God. Timely truth lands when it meets real fear, shame, or confusion with words of blessing, guidance, and forgiveness. A well-aimed sentence can reframe an entire season. Speak what is true about Jesus in words the hearer can actually use. [13:33]
3. Family requires prayerful patience and help Andrew goes straight to Simon, and that instinct is right, yet family often hears least from those closest. Long obedience looks like persistent prayer, an integrated life, and asking God to send another voice when needed. Hope does not demand control; it trusts God to weave additional relationships into the story. [22:36]
4. Jesus pursues daily with follow me Philip’s call reveals the constancy of Christ’s heart. The same invitation comes to every person, every day, whether for a first yes or a fresh yes. Paying attention to that pursuing kindness fuels both courage and gentleness in inviting others. Evangelism begins with noticing how Jesus is already after them. [25:05]
5. In-the-moment prayer opens doors Problems surface everywhere, and prayer can meet them right there with mercy. Empathy, permission, and a short three sentence prayer create space for people to experience the living God. This is not performance; it is a handoff to the Good Shepherd. Small prayers often become turning points in very large stories. [34:57]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[05:14] - Mission to connect and engage
[06:54] - Jesus seeks and saves the lost
[08:54] - You are God’s plan A
[10:27] - Simple invite come and see
[11:18] - John 1 in Bethany
[12:58] - Blessing that stops the spiral
[13:33] - Look, the Lamb of God
[17:30] - Come and you will see
[20:57] - Andrew brings his brother
[22:36] - Family needs prayerful patience
[25:05] - Jesus says follow me daily
[26:21] - Nazareth pushback, Philip’s answer
[28:52] - Two concrete invites today
[32:44] - Empathy permission prayer map

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading
John 1:35-46 (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.”

Observation Questions

How does John the Baptist describe Jesus to his disciples, and why might this language have resonated with them?
What does Jesus mean when he responds to the disciples’ question (“Where are you staying?”) with “Come and you will see” instead of giving a direct answer?
What immediate action does Andrew take after meeting Jesus, and how does Philip respond to Nathanael’s skepticism?

Interpretation Questions

Why might John the Baptist use the title “Lamb of God” (v. 36) instead of other messianic terms? How does this connect to the needs or cultural understanding of his audience?
Jesus’ invitation “Come and see” (v. 39) is relational rather than informational. How does this approach contrast with debates or arguments about faith?
Andrew brings his brother Simon to Jesus, but the sermon notes that family can be the “hardest field” for sharing faith. Why might family relationships make spiritual conversations uniquely challenging?

Application Questions

Think of someone in your life who doesn’t yet follow Jesus. What is one true, relatable thing about Jesus (e.g., his forgiveness, guidance, or love) that you could share with them in a way they’d understand?
When have you felt pressured to “win” a debate about faith instead of simply inviting someone to “come and see” Jesus through relationship? What practical step could you take to shift toward invitation over argument?
Is there a family member you’ve been praying for to meet Jesus? How can you balance persistent prayer with trusting God to send others into their lives if they’re resistant to hearing from you?
The sermon suggests praying “in-the-moment” when someone shares a problem. This week, practice saying: “That sounds hard. I’m a Christian—would it be okay if I pray for you right now?” What fears or opportunities might arise?
Jesus’ daily invitation is “Follow me.” What area of your life (e.g., work, relationships, habits) needs a fresh “yes” to following Him this week?
Reflect on a time someone’s simple invitation (like “come and see”) impacted your faith. How could you pay that forward to someone else?

Sermon Clips

29s

#TurningPointPrayer

“One of the things that was true about Chan's story that we just watched, which is similar to Ryan's story a couple weeks ago, was that there were a number of key people throughout the course of his life that spoke the gospel, that lived out the gospel, that helped him find his way to lead the foundation. But here's what happened for both of them, for both Ryan and for Chan. The turning point for them was a prayer alone in their house that was basically help. I need help.”

37s

#PrayRightNow

“``What if between now and the end of the year, six months, you had five people share a problem and you could pray with them? And what if a year from now someone was worshiping next to you because they met Jesus, because you were willing to say a short simple prayer that was a little uncomfortable for you, maybe a little uncomfortable for them, but they experienced that giant hug that Shannon talked about. Grace, mercy, love, and their lives are totally changed because you were willing to take a small step of double dutch and say, can I pray for you? How amazing would that story be?”

39s

#BlessingNotCondemnation

“And and that blessing might not look like what I want it to look like. It might not look like everything comes up like roses and dandelions and bunnies and fruit fruit. It might not turn out the way I want it to. Right? But she reminded me that my life was not the sum total of what was happening in the ministry, in my work, whether to be successful or not. She reminded me that God's disposition toward me is blessing, not sort of condemning. And that stopped my spiral into cataclysmic melancholy, and it pulled my eyes out of my problems and helped me to fix my eyes on Jesus, who frankly was the only one who was going to stop this mess anyway.”

36s

#ComeAndSeeTruth

“The Bible is just written by a bunch of old people. All these contradictions, all these errors. Okay. Okay. I I've heard that before, but it's also changed more lives than any other book in human history. Come and see for yourself. You owe it to yourself. How could there be a good God? So much suffering in the world. Great question. Come and see. Come and see. Come and see. And see. God is a nice idea for people who need religion, need that kind of thing. I'm not a God kind of person. The list wait. God created you and every person is a God kind of person. Come and see.”

42s

#InviteDontArgue

“Others of us, we can get in this sort of this position where I can't wait to argue someone into the kingdom and and prove to them how the bible's true or how Jesus is good. Right? So some of us can get so excited about an argument, we forget the point is not to win an argument. The point is to invite people to follow Jesus. The point is to follow Jesus. Right? So when Jesus is asked a factual question, where are you staying, bro? He says, I'm not telling you. Come and see.”

33s

#PermissionToPray

“Permission. I'm a Christian. Would it be okay if I said a short prayer for you right now? Would you read this out loud? Because some of can never imagine saying this. We're gonna practice together where it's safe. Safe space. Okay? Together, I'm a Christian. Would it be okay if I said a short prayer for you right now? Now, course, they might already know you're a Christian. Might even say that part. Or you might not know them at all. Like, might be a complete stranger. You might say, listen. I don't know if you I'm a Christian. I don't know what you think about God or prayer or any of it, but but I believe in God, and I've seen them move through prayer.”

31s

#YouAreGodsPlanA

“One of the things that struck me about this series, about these videos, these interviews we've been doing, it's been so much fun to interview people and hear the story is almost every single one of them has, at critical points in their lives, the right person came along. Like, the right person came along in this moment. So here's what I wanna propose. Here's where we're kinda going today. That is if you're a Jesus follower, I got bad news and good news. The bad news and good news both all wrapped up is this. You are God's plan a to reach people called that Jesus calls lost.”

26s

#ComeBeOnAJourney

“Come and see. Here's Jesus, come and see. Jesus, come and see. And that is this, come and be on a journey with Jesus. Not facts. Not that facts aren't important. Not an argument. Not a disputation. There's a place for facts, but ultimately the whole point of this whole thing is to start walking with Jesus. Come and see.”

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Come and See: Inviting Others to Meet Jesus

Devotional

Day 1: Come and See: The Invitation That Starts the Journey

Day 2: Declaring the Lamb of God in a World of Need

Day 3: When Family Skepticism Meets Relational Invitation

Day 4: Prayer as the Double Dutch of Divine Encounters

Day 5: Three Sentences That Unlock Eternity’s Door

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Come and See: Inviting Others to Meet Jesus

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