Come and See
Morning watch 6.5.25 @3:59 am
John 1:45-46
This morning I was brought to John where Philip finds Nathanael and tells him about Jesus. It's such a simple story, but there's so much packed into it.
Philip was so excited when he met Jesus - he immediately knew this was the One they'd been waiting for. I love that about Philip. When he encountered Jesus, he didn't keep it to himself. He ran straight to his friend Nathanael to share the news. That's what real excitement does - it spills over.
But here's the thing that struck me: Philip described Jesus as "the son of Joseph from Nazareth." He wasn't wrong, exactly, but he didn't have the whole picture either. Jesus really did grow up there, and people really did know him as Joseph's son. But Philip didn't know about Bethlehem, didn't know about the virgin birth. He was working with limited information, yet God used his incomplete understanding anyway.
That gives me hope. I don't have to wait until I understand everything perfectly before I share what I know about Jesus. Philip shared what he knew, and it was enough.
Nathanael's reaction makes me wince a little because I recognize myself in it. "Can anything good come from Nazareth?" He had his preconceptions, his biases about what the Messiah should look like, where He should come from. Nazareth was nobody's idea of an important place. It was small, insignificant, the kind of town you drive through without stopping.
I wonder how often I do the same thing - dismiss something or someone because they don't fit my expectations. How many times have I looked at a small church, a quiet person, an unremarkable ministry and thought, "Nothing significant could come from there"?
But Philip's response is brilliant. He doesn't argue. He doesn't try to explain why Nathanael is wrong. He just says, "Come and see." Five simple words that changed everything.
I need to remember that approach. When people express doubts or skepticism about faith, my instinct is often to argue, to provide evidence, to convince them with words. But maybe sometimes the better response is just to invite them to experience it for themselves. "Come and see."
The deeper truth here is about looking beyond appearances. Jesus looked like just another small-town guy. Nothing impressive on the outside. No royal robes, no palace, no obvious signs of greatness. If you judged by external appearances, you'd miss Him completely.
Paul talks about this - not knowing people according to the flesh, not judging by outward appearance. It's so easy to get caught up in the externals, especially in church life. Big buildings, fancy programs, eloquent speakers, large crowds. But those things might have nothing to do with where God is actually working.
I think about some of the most spiritually mature people I know. They're often not the ones who stand out in a crowd. They're the quiet ones, the ones serving behind the scenes, the ones who've learned to find God in ordinary places.
This challenges me to look deeper. When I meet someone new, do I see them with spiritual eyes or just with natural vision? When I visit a church, am I looking for God's presence or just impressive presentation?
The beauty of Philip's invitation is that it put the responsibility on Nathanael to discover the truth for himself. Philip couldn't convince him, couldn't make him believe. All he could do was extend the invitation and trust that Jesus would reveal Himself.
That takes pressure off me too. I don't have to have all the answers. I don't have to overcome every objection. I just need to be faithful in extending the invitation: "Come and see."
Lord, help me to see beyond the surface, to recognize Your work in unexpected places and unlikely people. Give me Philip's heart - excited to share what I know, even if my understanding is incomplete. And give me his wisdom - knowing when to simply invite rather than argue.
Help me remember that You often choose the small, the overlooked, the ordinary to display Your glory. Keep me from missing You because You don't look the way I expected.