The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. When he got there, he ran across Philip and said, “Come, follow me.” (Philip’s hometown was Bethsaida, the same as Andrew and Peter.)

45-46 Philip went and found Nathanael and told him, “We’ve found the One Moses wrote of in the Law, the One preached by the prophets. It’s Jesus, Joseph’s son, the one from Nazareth!” Nathanael said, “Nazareth? You’ve got to be kidding.”

But Philip said, “Come, see for yourself.” (The Message)

So the process of ‘one lighted torch serving to light another’ continues.

It’s been said that evangelism is just ‘one beggar telling another where to find bread.’

Christian witness is highly relational. We who have ”found” Jesus (or been found by Him!) find others, and invite them to find out for themselves.

”Come and see” (46b NIV)

This approach goes back to the Lord Himself (see vv.37-39).

I remember Michael Griffiths writing that, in his experience, he found that it was highly unusual for an adult to seriously investigate the gospel and not then be converted.

PRAYER: Lord, please lead me to people who you want me to invite into the goodness of Christ and the gospel

THOUGHTS:

  • V.45: The more we consider the Old Testament background to Jesus, surely the more compelling the evidence of His uniqueness becomes?
  • v.46: God often works in unexpected places
  • ‘Jesus calls each one individually and uses different approaches, but the same Master calls. Have you heeded His call?’ Warren Wiersbe