The Road to Easter: Come and See
(NIV) John 1:35 The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. 36 When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!”
37 When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. 38 Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, “What do you want?”
They said, “Rabbi” (which means “Teacher”), “where are you staying?”
39 “Come,” he replied, “and you will see.”
So they went and saw where he was staying, and they spent that day with him. It was about four in the afternoon. 40 Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus.
I love the gospel of John. Whenever I talk to new Christians, I always advise them to begin reading John every day—read the red before you go to bed. John begins his gospel with a beautiful description of the Son of God, then introduces John the Baptist. And then, Jesus begins to call His disciples.
It is fitting that John the Baptist would be the one to declare that Jesus was the Lamb of God as He passed by. After all, the Baptizer was foretold in Isaiah 40 as the one who would prepare the way of the Lord. And, it was he who baptized Jesus.
Two of John’s disciples left to follow Jesus, Andrew and an unnamed disciple. When Jesus turns to address the men, in some translations He asks, “What are you looking for”, and they simply answer, “Where are you staying?” And then, oh and then, Jesus answers with that wonderful invitation, “Come and see.”
When asked where He was staying, why didn’t Jesus just give an address and say you can drop by anytime?
1. The invitation is not just to come for a visit, but to stay, to abide with Jesus, for it only in abiding with Jesus that we learn who He is and are transformed by His presence.
2. Our connection with Jesus was never intended to be casual, as in just drop in any time, but to be an abiding life-long relationship.
When Jesus said, “Come and See,” he was inviting all who hear into a life of discipleship. I am reminded of a hymn by Charles Widmeyer, “Come and Dine.”
“Come and dine,” the Master calleth, “Come and dine”;
You may feast at Jesus’ table all the time;
He Who fed the multitude, turned the water into wine,
To the hungry calleth now, “Come and dine.”
There is a divine connection between each of us who abides in Jesus. May that connection be strengthened as we anticipate Easter, 2024, and may we once again answer the call to “Come and see.”
In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
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