Come and See

Revealing the Real Jesus — John 1:29–51

Epiphany is the season of revelation. God revealing himself to us, as best we can understand, in the person and work of Jesus Christ. It is an appropriate season in which to slow down and watch Jesus. During these weeks, we are not analyzing Jesus, but noticing  how he moves through the world and how people respond when they encounter him. In this series, Revealing the Real Jesus, the invitation is simple. Step back. Watch Jesus. Pay attention. And see what is revealed to you along the way.

In John 1, we watch a series of first encounters with Jesus. They are not tidy or uniform. There is no formula. Instead, we see Jesus meeting different people in different ways, all while remaining unmistakably himself.

The first thing that stands out is the way Jesus is named. John the Baptist points to him and calls him “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” That phrase is loaded. It echoes Passover, sacrifice, deliverance, and forgiveness. And it is expansive. Not just Israel. The world.

As the story unfolds, more titles are added. Rabbi. Messiah. Son of God. King of Israel. The titles pile up quickly. What is striking is not the titles themselves, but Jesus’ response to them. Or rather, his lack of response. Jesus does not protest. He does not correct. He does not ask anyone to tone it down. He simply receives the names and walks on.

That tells us something important about Jesus. He is not insecure about who he is. He does not distance himself from the weight of his mission. From the very beginning of his public ministry, Jesus allows himself to be named as the one who will give himself for the life of the world.

The next scene shifts to two disciples of John the Baptist. They hear John point to Jesus, and they begin to follow Jesus as he is walking away. They do not announce themselves. They do not ask questions. They simply follow.

Jesus notices. He turns around. And the first thing he does is not teach or explain. He asks a question. “What are you seeking?”

Jesus draws out desire rather than forcing conclusions. He invites them to name it. And in that moment, we learn something about how Jesus works. He welcomes movement toward himself even when understanding is minimal. These disciples do not yet know who Jesus fully is. They are simply curious enough to follow. And that is enough for Jesus to turn toward them.

Their answer is just as revealing. They do not ask for information. They ask about proximity. “Where are you staying?” In other words, can we be near you? Can we spend time with you?

Jesus does not suggest a better equestion for them. He does not redirect it into something more theological. He simply says, “Come and see.”

It is one of the most open invitations in the Gospels. No test. No prerequisites. No explanation. Just presence. Come and see.

They go with him. They stay with him. John even remembers the hour, as if to say this moment mattered. This was not just information exchanged. This was an encounter.

Next, Andrew brings his brother Simon to Jesus. Jesus looks at Simon and immediately gives him a new name. “You are Simon… you will be called Peter.”

Jesus names him not based on what Simon has done, but on who Jesus knows he will make him into. Identity comes before proof. Calling before performance. Jesus sees people not only as they are, but as they will become by grace.

Then the pattern shifts again. This time, Jesus takes the initiative. He goes and finds Philip and says simply, “Follow me.” Sometimes people seek Jesus. Sometimes Jesus seeks people. Either way, the invitation is the same. Relationship.

Philip, in turn, goes and finds Nathanael. Nathanael is skeptical. “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” It is a reasonable question. Nazareth was small and unimpressive. The Scriptures said the Messiah would come from Bethlehem. Nathanael’s skepticism is not cynical. It is thoughtful.

Philip does not argue. He does not debate. He does not try to solve all the problems. He simply says, “Come and see.”

When Nathanael approaches, Jesus speaks to him honestly. He names his character. He names his integrity. And then he says something that stops Nathanael in his tracks. “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.”

We are not told why that moment is so powerful. We are left to wonder. But Nathanael’s response tells us everything we need to know. “Rabbi, you are the Son of God. You are the King of Israel.”

Jesus does not rebuke Nathanael for his earlier skepticism. He is not threatened by questions. He meets Nathanael where he is and reveals that he already knows him. Jesus can handle skepticism. He does not shame it. He meets it.

When we step back and look at all these encounters together, a pattern emerges. Not a method, but a person. People come to Jesus in different ways. Some follow quietly. Some are brought by friends. Some are skeptical. Some linger nearby. Some are actively sought out by Jesus himself.

But they all encounter the same Jesus. The same grace. The same invitation.

“Come and see.”

That invitation still stands. Christianity is not, at its core, a set of principles to master or a moral system to perfect. Jesus is not an idea. He is a living person. And in the end, what people need most is not just to learn about Jesus, but to meet him.

We meet him in the Scriptures. We meet him in community. And we meet him in the meal he gives us, the Lord’s Supper, where he offers his body and blood for the forgiveness of sins.

As this Epiphany season continues, the question is not whether Jesus is revealing himself. He is. The question is simpler and more personal.

What did you notice about Jesus this week?

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About this series:
This reflection is part of a sermon series called Revealing the Real Jesus. During the season of Epiphany, we are slowing down and stepping back to simply observe Jesus. Rather than rushing to conclusions or applications, we are watching how Jesus moves through the world, how he relates to people, and what he reveals about himself along the way. Each week ends with a simple invitation: What did you notice about Jesus this week?