John 1:43-51

Be Still: Lord today, open the eyes of my heart. Speak to me through your Word. Guide my steps and lead me in your everlasting ways. Amen

Read: John 1:43-51
'Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?' Nathanael asked. 'Come and see,' said Philip. (v46)

Encounter: As we continue in John’s Gospel, we see Jesus further recruit new disciples to follow him. There is a beautiful flow seen here. Jesus calls Philip, who immediately finds his friend Nathanael and calls him to follow too. The former Archbishop of Canterbury, William Temple, brilliantly describes Philip’s actions like this, 'As soon as he becomes a disciple, he also becomes a missionary; that is the only true discipleship.'

As followers of Christ, we are called to invite people into the abundance of life found in Jesus. That can feel intimidating and scary but be encouraged by the simplicity of Philip's approach. When Nathanael responds somewhat cynically saying, 'Can anything good come from Nazareth?' look how Philip responds. He knows that Nazareth was seen as a small and insignificant place. He understands the validity of Nathanael’s sentiment - how on earth could the Messiah and Saviour of the world come from such a humble and ‘irrelevant’ place? But Philip doesn’t try and persuade Nathanael with impassioned arguments. He doesn’t have the answers as he’s only just started to follow Jesus himself. He simply says, 'Come and see.' Come and meet this man. Be around him. Hear him speak and then you decide.

Apply: So often we are worried about sharing our faith as we fear the questions we’ll get asked. How could a God of love allow so much suffering? Why doesn’t God make himself more clearly known? Our insecurity or lack of confidence in our theological or apologetic prowess can mean we shy away from sharing faith. But take courage - all we need to say is 'Come and see.' Come with me to church and see. Come with me and try Alpha. Come with me and read about Jesus in the Bible. See for yourself. It is not for us to persuade people into the Kingdom of God. But we are called to invite people to meet with Jesus. And whether you’ve been following Jesus for a few hours or a few decades, God can use you! 

Devote: Lord Jesus, show me who I can share my faith with today? Who can I invite to see and experience the love and teaching of Jesus? Amen

Take a moment to pray for a friend or family member. And then be brave and reach out!