"COME AND SEE"

 

      Nathanael said, "can any good thing come out of Nazareth?" Philip said, "come and see." The story is recorded in John 1:43-46: "The following day Jesus wanted to go to Galilee, and He found Philip and said to him, Follow Me. Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. 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. And Nathanael said to him, Can anything good come out of Nazareth? Philip said to him, Come and see."

 

      In the first century, when people found Jesus they immediately went and told others. Philip found Jesus and he went quickly to share Him with Nathanael. Apparently Nathanael is also known by the name Bartholomew.

 

      Nathanael was concerned about whether any good thing could come out of Nazareth. Philip did not argue the point. He simply asked Nathanael to "come and see."

 

      COME AND SEE; THAT THE BIBLE IS THE WORD. The Bible claims to be the word of God. Peter said, "knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private  interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit." (2 Peter 1:20-21.) The Bible is not the wisdom and work of men but of the holy Spirit. Paul said, "These things we also speak, not in words which man's wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual." (1 Corinthians 2:13.) The Bible will never pass away. Jesus stated this in Matthew 24:35. "Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away." The Bible is truth. It is our guide from earth to heaven. it is the word of God. It has nothing to fear from honest investigation. So, come and see!

 

      COME AND SEE; THAT JESUS IS THE SON OF GOD. God blessed all nations through the seed of Abraham. The scriptures predicted all nations being blessed through Abraham. "And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, In you all the nations shall be blessed." (Galatians 3:8.) These blessings came in and through Jesus. "Now to Abraham and his Seed were the promises made. He does not say, 'And to seeds,' as of many, but as of one, 'And to your Seed,' who is Christ." (Galatians 3:16.) Peter acknowledged Jesus to be the Christ, the Son of God. "Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." (John 6:69.) Those who believe Jesus to be the Son must obey Him that He might be "Savior."

 

      COME AND SEE THE PRECIOUS BLOOD OF JESUS. Man has a sin problem. Sin has separated mankind from God. "Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; Nor His ear heavy, that it cannot hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God; and your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear." (Isaiah 59:1-2.) The only answer to the sin problem is the precious blood of Jesus. "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8.) The gospel is the great news that Christ suffered sin's penalty in man's place. In 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 Paul describes and defines the gospel. "Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you -- unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures." The only grounds for man's forgiveness is Jesus' death!

 

      COME AND SEE THE CHURCH OF CHRIST. Jesus Christ is the founder of this church. In Matthew 16:18 He said, "And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it." This church was established in the city of Jerusalem about the year A.D. 33. (Acts 2:47.) Jesus established only one church. In Ephesians 4:4 the church is called "one body." In Colossians 1:18 Paul identifies the body as the church. Christ died for the church. "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her." (Ephesians 5:25.) He is the Savior of it. "For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body." (Ephesians 5:23.) The saved are added to the church. (Acts 2:47.) "To Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever." (Ephesians 3:21.)

      COME AND SEE WHAT CHRISTIANITY CAN DO FOR YOU. Christianity had done more for our world than anything else ever could or will do. Christianity will bring you salvation from past sins. Man is a sinner and needs forgiveness. Jesus said, "He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned." (Mark 16:16.)  Chris­tianity opens many doors to do good for others. We are told, "Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted." (Galatians 6:1.) Christianity is the way of life which will lead to heaven. The Christian treats others as he wished to be treated (Luke 6:31, loves his enemies (Matthew 5:44), keeps himself pure (Matthew 5:8), and offers himself as a living sacrifice to God (Romans 12:1-2). The end of this life is peace, joy and the hope of heaven. (Colossians 1:5; 1 Peter 1:4.)

 

      COME AND SEE GOD'S SIMPLE PLAN OF SALVATION. The Bible teaches that man is a sinner. (Romans 3:23.) In order to be saved God requires five simple things: (1) One must hear and learn the truth. "So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." (Romans 10:17), (2) One must believe in God and in Christ as the Son of God. "But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him." (Hebrews 11:6) "He said to them, But who do you say that I am? Simon Peter answered and said, You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." (Matthew 16:15-16.), (3) One must repent of his sins. "I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish." (Luke 13:3), (4) One must confess Christ as the Son of God. "Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven." (Matthew 10:32), and (5) One must be baptized to be save. Jesus made it plain: "He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned." (Mark 16:16.) One obeying these simple commands is saved from past sins and added to the Lord's church. You should take action on these matters today!

      COME AND SEE NEW TESTAMENT WORSHIP. The kind of worship God wants is described in John 4:24. "God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth." God is to be the object of our worship. To worship in spirit means to worship with a sincere heart. To worship in truth suggests that we worship according to the teachings of the New Testament. As early Christians worshipped God:  (1) They assembled each Lord's day to study God's word. "Study to shew thyself ap­proved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." (2 Timothy 2:15), (2) They assembled each Lord's day to pray. Christians are to, "pray with­out ceasing)" (1 Thessalonians 5:17), (3) They assembled each Lord's day to sing. The only instrument used was the "heart." "Speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord." (Ephesians 5:19), (4) They assembled each Lord's day to give as they had been prospered. "On the first day of the week let each one of you lay something aside, storing up as he may prosper, that there be no collections when I come." (1 Corinthians 16:2), and (5) They assembled each Lord's day to partake of the Lord's Supper. "Now on the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul, ready to depart the next day, spoke to them and continued his message until midnight." (Acts 20:7). This is the way the early Christians worshipped on every Sunday. If we are Christians we will do no less!

 

      Come and see what Jesus can mean in your life personally. Come and see the hope we have of eternal life. "And the Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" And let him who hears say, "Come!" And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely." (Revelation 22:17.) For the Christians, tomorrow will be better than today. "Come and see."

 

By Charles Box, Walnut Street Church of Christ, P.O. Box 551, Greenville, Alabama 36036 USA

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