“He said to them, “Come and you will see.”

~ John 1:39(a) 

Two weeks ago like many of you I began a new Bible reading plan for 2016, this year I am following JR Vassar and Church at the Cross’s reading plan (here) and I’m loving it. As this year started I have found myself in the Gospel of John and been reminded of the simple doings of the Christian life because this little phrase, “come and see,” keeps popping up in the first few chapters.

Originally with the early disciples:

John 1:39 – 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.

     – Jesus to early Disciples, when asked where He was staying.

John 1:45-46 – Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” (Context: John 1)

     – Phillip encounters Christ and runs to Nathanael to find tell him.

Then with the Woman at the Well:

John 4:29 – “Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?” (Context: John 4)

     – Woman encounters Christ and goes and tells her whole town.

In reading through these passages, I was reminded of this truth:

The Christian life is one of beholding and telling. 

Beholding Christ for who He is, and telling those around us.

“The ultimate aim of the gospel is the display of God’s glory and the removal of every obstacle to our seeing it and savoring it as our highest treasure. “Behold Your God!” is the most gracious command and the best gift of the gospel. If we do not see Him and savor Him as our greatest fortune, we have not obeyed or believed the gospel.” 

~ John Piper