“Come and See.” That is the title of the message this morning and the invitation we receive from Jesus. It is an invitation that Jesus extends to all of us and an invitation that we can either accept or reject, but one we can’t just ignore. Today we will be exploring how Jesus’ first disciples accepted this invitation.
I am blessed to be enrolled in the Upper Room 2 year Academy for Spiritual Formation #33, which started this February in Donaldson, IN. The Academy consists of 8 5-day retreats held over 2 years. The retreats include times of study, worship, prayer and Christian community. The teachers are seminary professors who specialize in the topic of the session. They participate as members of the community for the whole week. One of the teachers in the February session was Mary Margaret Pazdan, who has spent her career focusing on the Gospel of John. She is an incredible teacher and a person of dynamic faith. Her eyes just sparkle as she shares her love for Jesus! Her insights brought the Gospel of John alive to me in ways I have never understood it before, and I want to share some of that with you today. We will look at part of the 1st chapter of John where Jesus calls his first disciples. Please follow along with me using the pew bibles, your own bible or on the screen.
35The next day John again was standing with two of his disciples, 36and as he watched Jesus walk by, he exclaimed, “Look, here is the Lamb of God!”
37The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. 38When Jesus turned and saw them following, he said to them, “What are you looking for?” They said to him, “Rabbi” (which translated means Teacher), “where are you staying?” 39He said to them, “Come and see.” They came and saw where he was staying, and they remained with him that day. It was about four o’clock in the afternoon. 40One of the two who heard John speak and followed him was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. 41He first found his brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which is translated Anointed). 42He brought Simon to Jesus, who looked at him and said, “You are Simon son of John. You are to be called Cephas” (which is translated Peter).
43The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Follow me.” 44Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. 45Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found him about whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus son of Joseph from Nazareth.” 46Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” 47When Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him, he said of him, “Here is truly an Israelite in whom there is no deceit!” 48Nathanael asked him, “Where did you get to know me?” Jesus answered, “I saw you under the fig tree before Philip called you.” 49Nathanael replied, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” 50Jesus answered, “Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than these.” 51And he said to him, “Very truly, I tell you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.” – John 1:35-51 (NRSV)
The two major things I learned in February, which enriched my understanding of this passage of scripture, are a difference in the concept of “Identity” and “Believe” between now and the 1st century Mediterranean culture, which is the context of the Gospel of John.
IDENTITY. Let’s look at “Identity” first. In this day and age, we consider ourselves to be individuals. We have families, but they do not matter much in our relationships with others. Normally, in our everyday lives, people do not ask us who our parents are, or who our spouses or siblings are, when they get to know us. We are very proud of being independent and self-sufficient.
In the 1st century, your relationship was what group or household you were in, which was more important than who you were as an individual. The household you belonged to and your position in that household were of prime importance. The honor and welfare of the household came before your honor and welfare as an individual. We still see this today in some of the Asian cultures.
Here are two examples from scripture. The first one is 2nd Samuel 3:6 (NRSV):
“While there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David, Abner was making himself strong in the house of Saul.”
You don’t hear Abner making himself strong as an individual. He is improving his position as a member in the house of Saul.
Also, in John 4:53 (NRSV), where Jesus heals an official’s son:
“The father realized that this was the hour when Jesus had said to him, “Your son will live.” So he himself believed, along with his whole household.”
It was not just the father himself. The whole household joined together
BELIEVE. The second concept that is different between now and the 1st century is the understanding of the word “Believe”. Right now, we often use the word “believe” as a substitute for “think”. We use it when we are not sure. When we are confident of something, but without absolute proof that we are correct. An example would be: “I believe I turned off the pot on the stove” when you are 50 miles down the road. Or we use it for concepts: “I believe in freedom of speech.” But in the 1st Century the word “believe” was always related to a person. To “believe” was to give your heart to a person. It meant faithfulness, allegiance, loyalty, commitment and trust. It was used as a substitute for “love”. So if we look back at that last sentence of John 4:53 (NRSV):
“So he himself believed, along with his whole household.”
This means the father gave his heart to Jesus, along with his whole household. A second example is in John 1:12 (NRSV):
“But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God.”
All who believed gave their hearts to Jesus. This verse summarizes the first step that is necessary to become a disciple of Jesus. We need to “believe” in Jesus, we need to give our hearts to Jesus. When we do that, we become children of God. We become part of Jesus’ household.
With this new frame of mind, let’s review again the first part of the story in John where Jesus calls his disciples. We will walk through this step by step. These passages of scripture are so rich and so deep with meaning that we could spend hours and hours talking about them, but we won’t. I just want to share a little bit of the part that is so exciting to me. We will start again in John 1: 35-36 (NRSV):
“The next day John again was standing with two of his disciples, and as he watched Jesus walk by, he exclaimed, “Look, here is the Lamb of God!””
Let’s review what John’s role was. John was the witness. He was there to call the Truth of Jesus into the world. John spoke the Truth so clearly that two of his disciples ended up leaving him, to follow Jesus. They heard the Truth John spoke with their hearts. Let’s continue:
“37The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. 38When Jesus turned and saw them following, he said to them, “What are you looking for?…”
This question, “What are you looking for?” is the primary question of our spiritual journey. What are we looking for? What is our heart’s desire? What are our hearts yearning for over anything else in the world? I can just imagine Jesus’ eyes boring into them as he asks, “What are you looking for?” And to us, in this day and age, their answer makes no sense at all. As we continue on, it says,”
“…They said to him, “Rabbi” (which translated means Teacher), “where are you staying?””
When we hear this now, we go, “Why would they ask that?” But if you refer back to the concept of identity as household, what they are asking is, “Who are your relatives, Jesus? Who is your household? What is your identity?” And we all know that Jesus’ household is his relationship with his Father. Jesus is the Son of the living God. His household is the Kingdom of God. So these people are asking him, “Who is your household? Who are your relatives? Who is your family?” Jesus can’t explain it to them.
39”He said to them, “Come and see.”…”
All he can say is, “Come and See. Come and know me. Come and spend time in my presence.”
“…They came and saw where he was staying, and they remained with him that day. It was about four o’clock in the afternoon.”
So they came and accepted his invitation. They saw where he was staying and understood the relationship between Jesus and his Father, which is an incredible relationship of love. They left being disciples of John, they left the household of John and they joined the household of Jesus. They gave their hearts to Jesus. They believed in Jesus. They are now his disciples because of the time they spent in his presence.
The two disciples have been changed. They have changed their households and changed their identities. Let’s see how their behavior changes because of this experience. The scripture tells us, in John 1:40-41 (NRSV):
40One of the two who heard John speak and followed him was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. 41He first found his brother Simon…
I want to stop here and spend a little time thinking about Andrew and Simon Peter. Andrew was originally part of Simon Peter’s household, as a biological brother. He then left that household to become a disciple of John, becoming a member of John’s household. Now Andrew has left John’s household and is a disciple of Jesus. In my mind, I can picture Simon Peter, sitting there on the beach by the Sea of Galilee, mending his nets. His brother Andrew runs up to him, all excited. This is the brother who has left Simon Peter’s household. Andrew runs up to him,
“…and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which is translated Anointed).”
Andrew is so excited that he wants to tell his immediate family about this discovery. He has found the Messiah, which is the ultimate goal in the Jewish faith. And I can just picture Simon Peter sitting there and saying, “Andrew, you already left our household and went with John. And now you are with this Jesus guy? Come on! What are you going to be doing next? Why should I believe you?” But Simon Peter does believe Andrew, and he follows him. It continues on in John 1:42 (NRSV),
42He brought Simon to Jesus, who looked at him…”
I can just picture Andrew and Simon Peter walking together, towards Jesus. Jesus looks at Simon Peter and puts his hands on his shoulders, looking him square in the eyes. And Simon Peter knows that this is a man different than any man he has ever met before in this life. And as Jesus looks Simon Peter in the eyes, he can see into the innermost part of Simon Peter’s soul. Jesus knows all of his secrets, and all of his flaws, and all of his virtues. The scripture continues:
“…and said, “You are Simon son of John. You are to be called Cephas” (which is translated Peter).”
And in this instant, Peter is totally changed. He gives his heart totally to Jesus and joins Jesus’ household. Peter is no longer who he was before.
Let’s continue on:
43The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Follow me.”
Now Philip also has joined Jesus’ household. He believes in Jesus and is part of a growing group of disciples. Let’s see what Philip does because of this interaction with Jesus.
44”Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. 45Philip found Nathanael…”
Philip’s reaction is to reach out, to share this experience of Jesus, this experience of belonging, of being transformed.
45”…and said to him, “We have found him about whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus son of Joseph from Nazareth.””
Now Nathanael is very much like all of us. Our first thought, when we encounter Jesus, is “Yeah, right, whatever.”
“46Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?”…”
Nathanael is a total doubter, because Nazareth has this awful reputation. What can Philip say to this? He cannot explain this life-changing encounter he has had with Jesus.
“46”…Philip said to him, “Come and see.””
That is all Philip can say, “Come and see. Come experience being in the presence of the Messiah. Come experience being in the presence of the living God.” The scripture continues, telling the story of the disciples gathering together, but we will stop here for today.
I will wrap this up by asking a very important question. This is a question we need to keep in our minds every time we study the Word of God. We need to take a step back and ask “What does this have to do with me? What is my part in this dialog that is happening in the Word of God?” I would like to share a quote from Mary Margaret’s book “Becoming God’s Beloved in the Company of Friends” that addresses this question:
“We explored how Jesus’ invitation to “come and see” is the catalyst for personal experience that is often shared with another: Andrew invites Peter and Philip invites Nathaniel. Consequently, what happens to us because we choose to believe in Jesus? We expect change because we risk entering into a new relationship. We know that Jesus’ relationship to the Father is his identity. How will this relationship affect us? Will we see and touch and hear differently in our daily lives?”