Sermon- Rev. Lightner- Come and See

Apr 26, 2026

Devotional

Day 1: Under the Fig Tree

Nathaniel sat beneath the twisted branches of a fig tree, wrestling with regional prejudices and personal doubts. Jesus saw him there—not just his physical location, but the hidden ache in his heart. When Philip extended the simple invitation, “Come and see,” it bypassed debate and pointed to evidence. Jesus later named Nathaniel’s private moment under the tree, proving God sees us in our most isolated struggles. [29:17]

Jesus still interrupts doubt with divine recognition. He knows where you retreat when life overwhelms—the car, the shower, the late-night scroll. His vision pierces through fig-tree moments where you feel forgotten. He names your hidden battles before you speak them.

When you question whether God notices your pain, remember: He saw Nathaniel’s silent hour. He sees your unmasked moments too. Where have you convinced yourself God’s gaze doesn’t reach?

“When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, ‘Here truly is an Israelite in whom there is no deceit.’ ‘How do you know me?’ Nathanael asked. Jesus answered, ‘I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you.’”
(John 1:47-48, NIV)

Prayer: Ask Jesus to reveal one area where He’s been present in your hiddenness.
Challenge: Write “He sees me” on a sticky note and place it where you’ll see it hourly.

Day 2: From Doubt to Declaration

Nathaniel’s cynical question—“Can anything good come from Nazareth?”—dissolved when Jesus revealed His supernatural sight. In moments, Nathaniel shifted from skeptic to confessor, declaring Jesus as Messiah. His doubt wasn’t punished but met with proof. Jesus used regional prejudice as a runway for revelation. [33:09]

God specializes in redeeming dismissed places and people. Nazareth’s reputation as a backwater couldn’t limit the Messiah’s purpose. Your past failures, family roots, or cultural labels don’t disqualify you—they become platforms for His glory.

What Nazareth-like label have you accepted over your life? Jesus transforms scorned identities into sacred testimonies. What broken narrative in your story is ripe for His rewrite?

“Then Nathanael declared, ‘Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the king of Israel.’”
(John 1:49, NIV)

Prayer: Confess one lie you’ve believed about your potential due to past labels.
Challenge: Text someone a two-sentence testimony of God’s redemption in your life.

Day 3: The Next Day Momentum

John’s Gospel repeats “the next day” three times—John the Baptist preparing crowds, disciples following Jesus, Philip inviting Nathaniel. Each day built momentum toward divine encounters. God strings ordinary days into a chain of purpose, using yesterday’s obedience to fuel today’s breakthroughs. [11:42]

Your “next day” might feel mundane, but God layers time like bricks in a temple. Philip found Nathaniel because Andrew first followed Jesus. Small yeses compound into kingdom momentum.

What yesterday’s obedience—a prayer, a kindness—could God use today? How might your routine choices ripple into others’ deliverance?

“The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, ‘Follow me.’”
(John 1:43, NIV)

Prayer: Thank God for three “next days” in your past that led to growth.
Challenge: Identify one postponed obedience—do it within the next 12 hours.

Day 4: Out of Lo-Debar’s Shadows

Mephibosheth lived in Lo-Debar—a name meaning “no pasture”—after his family’s ruin. King David hauled him from obscurity to the palace table, mirroring God’s habit of elevating the forgotten. Jesus later pulled disciples from fishing boats and tax booths. Barren places birth unexpected favor. [19:22]

God still raids Lo-Debars—neighborhoods, lineages, and hearts written off as hopeless. Your desert place is His drafting room. Disgrace becomes a throne when the King calls your name.

What “Lo-Debar” in your life feels beyond redemption? How might God repurpose its story?

“Mephibosheth bowed down and said, ‘What is your servant, that you should notice a dead dog like me?’… The king said, ‘I will restore to you all the land that belonged to your grandfather Saul, and you will always eat at my table.’”
(2 Samuel 9:6-7, NIV)

Prayer: Name one “Lo-Debar” area—ask God to reveal its hidden purpose.
Challenge: Encourage someone who feels overlooked with a specific affirmation.

Day 5: Empty Tomb Evidence

The angel didn’t theologize about resurrection—he told the women, “Come and see the empty tomb.” Folded grave clothes testified to orderly victory, not grave robbery. Jesus turns final-looking endings into opening lines. Your darkest “tomb” becomes His proof of power. [43:51]

Doubt dies when confronted with evidence. The rolled stone wasn’t to let Jesus out, but to let us in—to inspect death’s defeat. God invites inspection of His track record: check the tomb, count the scars, trace the chains He’s broken.

What closed door in your life needs a “come and see” inspection for God’s fingerprints?

“The angel said to the women, ‘Do not be afraid, for I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay.’”
(Matthew 28:5-6, NIV)

Prayer: Ask God to highlight one “resurrection evidence” in a current struggle.
Challenge: Share the empty tomb story with someone today—verbally or by text.

Sermon Summary

The Gospel narrative unfolds deliberately, building momentum through a repeated refrain of "the next day" that moves people from witness to revelation. A pattern emerges: past events become testimony, testimony becomes invitation, and invitation confronts doubt. When Philip points Nathaniel to Jesus, he refuses to argue against skepticism; he offers a simple summons, come and see, trusting evidence over debate. That invitation redirects attention from origin and reputation to the person and work of Christ. Nazareth’s low status and Nathaniel’s assumptions expose how cultural labels and disappointed expectations often harden into theological doubt.

Jesus meets doubt not with shame but with knowledge: he already saw Nathaniel under the fig tree. The fig tree symbolizes private prayer, reflection, and hidden longing, and the claim that Jesus saw Nathaniel there affirms God’s knowledge of the inner life. Seeing precedes calling; recognition becomes the hinge on which deliverance turns toward destiny. Deliverance operates between doubt and destiny—God uses overlooked places and underestimated people to rewrite trajectories. Personal testimony becomes louder than past trauma when transformation proves God’s activity.

Scripture anchors the invitation in eyewitness reality: the empty tomb functions as the definitive "come and see" that answers doubt about death and defeat. Resurrection provides the certifying sign that God’s plans surmount human despair and human plots. The persistent pastoral application urges gentleness in invitation: resist debating people into faith; instead, invite them to inspect the risen Christ. An authentic invitation meets skepticism with evidence, sees the hidden longings of the heart, and points toward a deliverance that leads to destiny.

Key Takeaways

1. Momentum shapes God’s unfolding plan Momentum in the narrative shows how yesterday’s events prepare the ground for tomorrow’s revelation. Small, repeated steps become the architecture of calling; what looks like delay often constructs credibility and context. Expectation grows through gradual witness rather than sudden proof. [11:42]
2. Invitation, not argument, dissolves doubt Argument often fortifies resistance; an invitation opens a path toward encounter. Come and see shifts the focus from defending doctrine to presenting evidence of God’s work. Gentleness and an offered experience can expose truth more effectively than winning a debate. [14:18]
3. God sees the hidden places The fig tree image affirms that private prayer, silence, and sorrow never go unnoticed by God. Divine sight meets human solitude and validates interior struggles before any public transformation occurs. Recognition precedes calling and becomes the basis for restoration. [28:22]
4. Deliverance bridges doubt and destiny Deliverance arrives between skepticism and vocation, turning questions into a clarified sense of purpose. God uses overlooked contexts to promote people, converting shame into testimony. The pathway to destiny travels through exposure, healing, and acknowledgment. [30:57]
5. Empty tomb proves death defeated The tomb’s emptiness functions as historical and theological evidence that God overcomes finality. Resurrection answers doubt with a visible, verifiable sign that God’s intentions persist beyond suffering and apparent loss. This proof reorients hope and commissions renewed life. [43:51]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[04:52] - Opening prayer and recognition
[09:32] - Scripture reading: John 1:40-51
[10:36] - "The next day": building momentum
[13:11] - Nathaniel’s doubt about Nazareth
[14:18] - The power of "Come and see"
[24:09] - A story about debate and grace
[28:22] - Jesus sees you under the fig tree
[32:36] - From deliverance to destiny
[35:29] - Testimony over trauma
[43:51] - The empty tomb: proof of resurrection
[50:21] - Practical invitation and response

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading
John 1:40-51 (ESV)
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.”

Observation Questions

What was Nathanael’s immediate reaction when Philip told him about Jesus, and how did Philip respond? (John 1:46)
What does Jesus’ statement about seeing Nathanael “under the fig tree” reveal about His knowledge of people? (John 1:48) [28:22]
How does the sermon describe the significance of the repeated phrase “the next day” in John 1? [11:42]

Interpretation Questions

Why do you think Jesus’ knowledge of Nathanael’s private moment under the fig tree was significant for Nathanael’s faith? (John 1:48-49)
How does the phrase “come and see” contrast with debating or arguing about faith, based on Philip’s interaction with Nathanael? [14:18]
The sermon mentions that “deliverance operates between doubt and destiny.” How does Nathanael’s story illustrate this idea? [30:57]

Application Questions

When have you hesitated to invite someone to “come and see” Jesus because of their skepticism? What practical step could you take to extend that invitation this week? [14:18]
What “labels” or assumptions do you struggle with (about people, places, or even yourself) that might be hindering your ability to see God’s work? How could you reframe those labels? [15:51]
Jesus saw Nathanael in his hidden moment under the fig tree. What private struggle or longing do you need to trust God sees and cares about today? [30:04]
The empty tomb is described as the ultimate “proof” of God’s power over despair. How does this truth reshape how you respond to doubts about God’s ability to restore broken areas of your life? [43:51]
Share a time when someone’s simple testimony (rather than an argument) impacted your faith. How can you prioritize sharing evidence of God’s work in your life over debating doctrine? [27:15]

Sermon Clips

40s

#DoubtToDestiny

“People often say that your destiny is your deliverance. No. Deliverance comes between your doubt and your destiny. That's why you see what Nathaniel said. After he realized that Jesus saw him under the tree, he realized something about Jesus. He realized that what Philip had said was true. He realized who Jesus was which moved him from deliverance to destiny because he said, rabbi, you are the son of god and you are the king of Israel.”

27s

#ComeAndSeeRevelation

“That's what happens when people come and see Jesus. You may come with questions but you'll leave with a revelation. You you may come with suspicion but you'll leave surrender. You you may come wounded but you'll leave here. You you may come with doubt but you'll stand up in your destiny if you trust god. Amen. He called him some names, you know, rabbi, teacher. He called him son of god, divine.”

31s

#JesusSeesYou

“You ought to be excited about the fact that Jesus sees you. He sees you when you're praying and nobody knew. He sees you when you're crying folk. He sees you when you're laying on the side of the road and and despair and despair. He sees you when you're questioning and nobody on. He sees you when you almost gave up and and wanted to. He sees you when you're in your car. In your room. He sees you at the hospital, in your office, in this. He sees you in your silence.”

50s

#SeenUnderTheFigTree

“This lets us know that god knows everything about us. The text said that Jesus said that I saw you under the fig tree before Philip ever came and found you. In other words, god is looking for us and knows where we're at at all times. Before Philip called you, I saw you. Before you started walking, I saw you. Before you had faith, I saw you. Before you got to church, I saw you. Before you cleanse yourself up, I saw you. Before you heard the right words, I saw you. The phrase fig tree has a deep meaning in in the Jewish culture. A fig tree represents a place of peace and tranquility.”

41s

#ChooseDestinyNotDoubt

“The reality of doubt is doubt is always going to be there but you have to choose whether you acknowledge doubt or whether you speak to your destiny. Because doubt is not your destiny. Doubt is a stepping stone on its way to your deliverance. And this is where the Philip teaches us something. Philip does not fight with Nathaniel's doubt with arrogance. He does not respond to to Nathaniel's doubt talking down to him. He simply says, come and see.”

28s

#InviteDontGiveUp

“He does not do like we all do sometime and mark his name off the list. He does not say I'm done with you. Y'all y'all know how we do it. You know? When we've been telling somebody something over and over and over again, you know what we do. I'm done with you. We throw our hands up and we begin to walk away. He says, come and see. It's an invitation. He does not try to manipulate him. He does not try to perform something for him. He simply says, come and see.”

40s

#InviteWithGrace

“This is important church because we must learn how to invite people without insulting them. My invitation was insulting. It was demeaning. It was lowering him but but but but but because I did that, I hurt my possibilities and probably a lot of other possibilities of people from getting him to come and see the savior. The text today matters because some people are not one sermon away but they're one word away from turning their backs on Christ but these three words come and see are words of invitation.”

37s

#ShowGodsLove

“Too many people talk about god without showing god's love. You know, you know, you you you know, people say that I'm with the lord. They're talking about the lord but yet and still we can't never find no god in the absence of them and we begin to doubt god because of people. Nathaniel had a theological problem and a cultural problem. Nazareth was not known as a place of greatness. It was small, overlooked. It was not the kind of place that people expected the Messiah to come from. So, Philip says, Jesus of Nazareth, Nathaniel says, nothing good can come from them.”

38s

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