Come and See

Written by Kelly Manley

In preparation for Christmas, the choir sang “Noel” this past Sunday. One of the phrases that keeps swirling in my head are the words “Come and see what God has done”. I love that invitation. Not only is it a beautiful invitation in the words of the song, but it’s a beautiful invitation we see in scripture as well. When the angels announced to the shepherds that Jesus had been born, their immediate reaction was to “...go over to Bethlehem and see…” (Luke 2:15).

We see this progression of invitation into Jesus’ ministry. When John and his disciples are wanting to know where Jesus is staying in John chapter 1, Jesus’ invitation is to “...come and you will see.”

The ministry of Jesus continues to expand and we see this outward invitation that Jesus began to take flight and now outsiders that are not even in Jesus’ circle are inviting their neighbors to come and see what is going on. The woman at the well who is cast out from all “good society” is greeted by Jesus and He interacts with her and most likely treats her in a way no one has dared to treat her in a long time. He also knows everything about her. This must have terrified her but then that fear turns into joy as she starts to recognize who Jesus is. Her reaction then is to invite her community (the very ones who have shunned her!) to “Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?” (John 4:29).

This is the pattern that continues to unfold. Jesus continues to do miracles, people come to see. People invite others to come and see.

One would think the story would be over when Jesus is then crucified on a cross. The man who had invited so many and healed so many has died. However, we know this is not the end. In Matthew 28:6 the angels appear to Mary Magdalene and announce “He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he[a] lay.” Angels announce the good news when Jesus is born and angels announce He is risen and in both situations, the invitation is clear: “Come and see.”

Once Jesus is risen He gives the great commission to His disciples and that same commission is given to us: “as we are going, tell”. Jesus doesn’t just give us this commission and leave us high and dry. He ends the great commission by way of encouragement that He is with us always to the end of the age (Matthew 28:20).

As Christians, we invite our friends and family and those who don’t know Jesus to “come and see” how we are impacted personally by the good news of Jesus. We came to see how we were in need of a Savior. We came to see that we could no longer face life without Jesus and we long for others to “come and see” what God has done.