A Word from John 1

Do you remember the last time you received an invitation? Did somebody invite you to a party, or ask you to join them for dinner? Were you invited to take on a new role at work, or to help out with a project that might inconvenience you? And if you remember your most recent invitation, how did you respond?

Well clearly, we get all kinds of invitations over time. And some of them give us the chance to share good times with people we care about, while others give opportunities for challenging assignments and new adventures. But in the midst of all these offers and requests, I think there’s one key invitation, that we read about in today’s word from John Chapter 1.

John the Baptist was doing his work out by the Jordan River. And when he saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!” Naturally, that intrigued some of John’s disciples. So they followed Jesus. And when Jesus saw them, he turned around and asked what they wanted. And they replied, “Rabbi, where are you staying?” And then, Jesus gave this invitation: “Come, and you’ll see.” (Jn. 1:35-39)

Of course, that turned out to be so much more than an invitation to hang out for a while, or to visit Jesus’ apartment. No, it turned out to be an opportunity to discover the way that God was at work in the world – and to become a part of that mission.

And here’s the thing: Jesus is still inviting people to “Come and see!” To see who he is – and who he wants us to be. To see how far God will go to demonstrate His love – and how far He wants us to go in following him.

And so today, you’re invited to “Come and see.” And what do you think you might discover if you accept that invitation? Amen.