Come and See

The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him,

 'We have found the Messiah' (that is the Christ). 

And he brought him to Jesus.

John 1.41,42

"Come and see,"said Philip

John1.46

Josh Moody:

Andrew plays a part that is so often under-emphasized, even under-appreciated, but is so often central to the progress of the gospel. “The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon … And he brought him to Jesus” (v 41-42). Andrew is less known to posterity than Simon (or, as he is usually called, “Peter”), but without Andrew’s ministry of “bringing” there would have not been Peter’s ministry of “preaching.” Is it due to the downplaying of the role of personal evangelism—of individual, faithful, unheralded witnessing—that our churches are so weak? Is it because we do not emphasize one-on-one discipleship conversations over a cup of coffee that we do not see more great leaders and preachers? If we do not have Andrews, then, under God’s providence, we are unlikely to have Peters. If you are a “Peter” you will know who the “Andrews” were in your life. Perhaps take a moment to thank them and encourage them now. If you are an “Andrew,” let this section of this passage encourage you that the fruit of your personal ministry is profound, pervasive, and influential. Keep on being an Andrew.

 Andrew went out and found Peter  and Philip found Nathanael (John 1:41, 45). Now, as then, the work of Christ is progressed through the personal witness, ministry, and invitation of individual disciples.

 Calvin wrote:

We must not be afraid that Christ will hold back from us or deny us early access, if only He sees us striving towards Him. No, indeed! He will stretch out His hand to help our exertions. And will He not hasten to those who come to Him, He who seeks afar off the wandering and astray, to bring them back into the right road?

 (Calvin’s New Testament Commentaries, Vol. 1, page 36) 

Here, then, we are called to “come and see” by means of this comparison between the two cities and the examples of Andrew and Nathanael, Simon and Philip. Let us check where we are calling people to focus: are we asking people to focus primarily on us or on our “ministries,” or primarily on the person of Christ himself? It is too easy to begin to “market,” or even “sell” our religion, rather than to call people to behold the Lamb of God. The difference is subtle, for we must be active in calling people to follow Jesus, and this surely does require proclamation, promotion, and active public persuasion that Christ is the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. But though the difference is subtle, it is crucial; in our hearts, we must set apart Christ as Lord, seek to bring people to love him rather than love us, and let the savor of that commitment spread out as a sweet aroma to all those whom we serve for Christ’s sake.