"What do you want? Come and see."
podcast: https://www.pastorwoman.net/podcast/episode/20a3e1ad/what-do-you-want-come-and-see-john-no5
I took this picture standing under a copse of trees. Peaceful, Undisturbed.
The shoreline where Jesus called his first disciples is magical. [you will hear the water on the Sea of Galilee on the podcast, or in this short clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FiYhRKa-R7w]
But then, being on the Sea of Galilee just about anywhere is that way for me. When you are traveling in Israel, walking where Jesus walked, some of the named sites are uncertain... was Jesus really right here, or was it over there? But in the case of the Sea of Galilee, a freshwater lake, we know that Jesus sailed on it--heck, he walked on it!1 And looking out from the boat, we view the same places Jesus did: Mt. Arbel and the Mt. of the Beatitudes, Magdala, Capernaum, Tiberias, and more.
Come with me down a gentle grade, just below Tabgha . . . we will walk across tiny little shells and pebbles, to the water as it laps onto the shore. This location is where seven streams have converged into the lake, and fish have spawned for what is believed to be thousands of years. Well of course, that was the place Jesus encountered the fishermen! And Jesus’ invitation to his first disciples was so simple.
John wrote accordingly:
"The next day again John (the Baptist) was standing with two of his disciples, and he looked at Jesus as he walked by and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!”
The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus.
Jesus turned and saw them following and said to them, “What are you seeking?” And they said to him, “Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where are you staying?”
He said to them, “Come and you will see.” So they came and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day, for it was about the tenth hour. One of the two who heard John speak and followed Jesus was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means Christ). He brought him to Jesus.
Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon the son of John. You shall be called Cephas” (which means Peter). John 1.35-42
John the Baptist had done his job--he had told them all about the Messiah who would change their lives. No doubt, he had also told them that Jesus was nearby, having recently baptized him in the Jordan River. So when the Baptist saw Jesus walking near the shore that day, he pointed Jesus out to them. Confident in the Baptist’s teaching about Jesus, and curious themselves, they followed Jesus.
Do not miss Jesus’ question to them: What are you seeking or put more simply, What do you want ? They wanted to see for themselves; the fellows had to know more, they wanted to be near Jesus a while. Come and see, he invited, and so they did; and being near Jesus was life to them; being near him made sense .
And alas, we have a passing of the baton—John's disciples have become Jesus’ disciples instead. Why was it that these men would choose to follow Jesus, literally, follow him to where he was staying that night? Because the Baptizer had done his job—he had prepared them for Yeshua’s coming, and when they saw that he recognized Jesus as the Messiah, they trusted him—they believed him. In addition, they no doubt knew what the Scriptures said about the coming of the Messiah, and they wanted to see for themselves if this could indeed be the promised one.
Perhaps they were whispering to each other, wondering what Jesus might be like, when he turned and asked, ‘what is it that you want?’ And then invited them to ‘come and
see . . .’ Isn’t that just like Jesus? He did not make them chase him, he turned around and invited them; he made a move toward them. Do not miss this 'take' of Jesus. He is so good.
If they had tagged along behind, Andrew and Peter would not have learned too much, especially compared to being with Jesus. But that is like you, and that is like me. We do not learn what we ought, or what we might, if we tag along behind, or choose to keep Jesus at arm's length. However, if we accept his invitation, he turns around and looks at us, and says, ‘come and see’, and we join him … oh, we learn a lot! We learn what he thinks of us personally and individually; we learn the plans he has for us, and what he wants us to do. We enter into relationship with him.
His question is the same to you today: 'Hey, Kevin, hey Lori -- What do you want?
Come and see what living life with Me each day can mean,’ Jesus extends his hand to you just as he did on the Galilee that afternoon so long ago. He says, ‘Don’t walk into a new day without Me--do not go it alone. Commit your way to Me, trust in Me and I will act.2 Don’t go into the night alone either; when you lay your head down, cast all your anxieties on Me because I care for you.3 Go to sleep in peace because while you sleep, I do not - I am watching over you.’4
What do you want, my friend? O, if only you could know that you want what Jesus offers - life, peace, hope, wisdom, his presence forever. Go ahead and accept his invitation. Put your hand in his hand and entrust what concerns you to him. 5
Listen: I love the One, LadyA, BoysIIMen... a brand new song. So beautiful.
So glad I am on the journey with you,
Christine
John, no.5
1 - Great video of the Holy Land: https://www.holylandsite.com/sea-of-galilee-calling-the-disciple
2 - Psalm 37.5
3 - 1 Peter 5.7
4 - Psalm 121.4
5 - Questions about this? Hit reply and email me. Walking with Jesus daily is like nothing else this side of Heaven.
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