Come And See

Again, the next day, John stood with two of his disciples. And looking at Jesus as He walked, he said, “Behold the Lamb of God!”
The two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. Then Jesus turned, and seeing them following, said to them, “What do you seek?”
They said to Him, “Rabbi” (which is to say, when translated, Teacher), “where are You staying?”
He said to them, “Come and see.” They came and saw where He was staying, and remained with Him that day (now it was about the tenth hour).
One of the two who heard John speak, and followed Him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. He first found his own brother Simon, and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which is translated, the Christ). And he brought him to Jesus.
Now when Jesus looked at him, He said, “You are Simon the son of Jonah. You shall be called Cephas” (which is translated, A Stone).
John 1:35-42 NKJV]

Jesus’ invitation when first we meet with Him is always “Come and see”, or “Come and Dine”; to go with Him to meet Him “where He was staying”. We are not told exactly where that is in these verses; but by following Him, he will be leading us to a temple made without hands — the place He called The Kingdom of Heaven

Andrew and the other disciple, were swiftly convinced that they had met with The Messiah; and we know that they became His disciples as His teaching grew in them and they came to see — that is, understand — the amazing revelation He brought.

Coming to Jesus is the important first step, and opening ourselves to understand His teaching is the second; but it requires us to remain “with Him that day” — for His Spirit to transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself. [Philippians 3:21 NKJV]

Jesus came to us to reveal many things, but mainly to reveal the way, the truth and the life — all found in The Kingdom; all found in Him, if we will listen to His “Come and see”.

Finally — in these verses — we see the Holy Spirit recreate or regenerate an individual. Jesus looked at Simon and saw the new nature within; renaming Simon, ‘Cephas’, (the stone, or rock). In Matthew’s gospel, Simon Peter is named by Jesus as “the rock on which I will build my church”, and here is the moment — John places this event at the first meeting — showing us that the change of nature begins immediately we have contact with Jesus. Come and See.

When God puts His Spirit within us, we can say—“even now” it is as black as night, but I will not accept a slander against Jesus Christ.

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