In John’s description of Jesus’ call to his first disciples, we hear the great words of invitation: “Come and see.”
Here’s a transcript:
I’m thinking about the first chapter of the Gospel of John (John 1:43-51). It’s not the most famous portion with which we’re concerned this week: you know, the beginning. “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God.” The rest of John’s first chapter contains some pretty important pieces: the preaching of John the Baptist, Jesus’ baptism by John, John’s testimony to who Jesus was, and Jesus’ call to his first four disciples. That was Simon Peter and his brother Andrew, then Phillip and Nathaniel.
It’s the call of Philip and Nathaniel with which we are concerned in this passage. Matthew, Mark, and Luke placed the call to the first disciples in Galilee, at the shores of the sea. John placed their call by the banks of the river Jordan. Both of them make a certain amount of sense. I kind of like John’s account, though, because what it means is that Jesus was moving about amongst people who had been attracted by the teaching of John the Baptist. The people who were there were people of similar concerns to Jesus, because he, after all, had come there.
The people who were there were those who were likely to be sympathetic, enthusiastic, and might even make a commitment to a spiritual and religious and social project like that which was forming in the minds of Jesus. So there, in a moment, were Simon Peter and Andrew.
Philip heard Jesus, went to Nathanael, and said, “I think I might have found the Messiah.” Nathanael didn’t think anything good could come out of Nazareth, but he, too, was persuaded when Jesus described something that he had been doing when Phillip brought the word that the Messiah might be here.
I still like Philip’s words to Nathanael as being the single best invitation to a life of faith that there is. The words: “Come and see.” And I have to hand it to Nathanael because, despite his skepticism, he did. He went, he saw, he listened, and he followed.
For those of us who are part of the Church, it’s well to remember those simple words, “Come and see,” an invitation which is not a hard sell. An invitation which includes us, “Come with me and see.” An invitation which acknowledges the choices that others make might be different from our own.
And for those who are wondering about the Church — and there’s a lot to wonder about, let’s be clear — when you receive a gentle invitation, however skeptical you might be (“Can anything good come out of the Church?”), come and see.
And perhaps, just perhaps, you will be as astonished as Nathanael to find yourself known, to find yourself known, valued, and loved.
That’s what I’m thinking. I’m curious to hear what you’re thinking. Leave me your thoughts in the comment section below. I’d love to hear from you.
