The Gospel of John: Savoring the Peace of Jesus in a Chaotic WorldSample

At restaurants, I am often the first person at the table to decide what I want. As soon as I identify something that sounds good, I stop looking at the other choices. While this saves me from analysis paralysis, I sometimes make hasty decisions.

Following Jesus means slowing down and considering our actions and decisions in light of His plan. We can’t afford to choose our morality or devotion from the world’s menu. Instead, we need to accept Jesus’s invitation for us to come and see His plan for living. The first followers of Jesus came to Him through the ministry of His cousin, John the Baptist.

Read John 1:35-39. Interestingly, Jesus started the conversation by asking the two men following Him what they wanted. I mean, He’s God—He knows everything. But His question helped them clarify their desires. They weren’t looking for an address when they responded by asking where Jesus was staying. They called Him “Rabbi,” a term of respect given to Jewish teachers meaning “Master.”3 Embedded in their question was a desire to be with Jesus and listen to His message.

Jesus didn’t give them a detailed sermon about His incarnation. Instead, He invited them to “come and see”—not just so they could check out His lodging, but to spend time with Him. He extends the same invitation to us to be in a relationship with Him. We do that through the power of His Spirit, by obeying His Word, and in community with His people. He leads us as we make a myriad of decisions about our thoughts, attitudes, words, and actions. Understanding His purpose, instead of just leaning on our understanding, helps us make sense of our circumstances.

Once people discovered Jesus, they wanted to bring their friends and relatives to Him. Philip even used Jesus’s words in answering Nathanael’s objections: “Come and see.”

Jesus didn’t start His ministry with a big tent revival. He called individuals who then told others, who in turn told more people. Scholars surmise Nathanael was a Jewish law student since Philip appealed to him by referencing Moses and the prophets. Jesus seemed to confirm this by stating He saw Nathanael under the fig tree. The fig tree phrase was used in rabbinic literature to describe meditation on the law.4 In verse 51, Jesus referred to Jacob’s vision of seeing a ladder (Gen. 28:10-17). He knew Nathanael, as a student of the Scriptures, was familiar with the story. Jesus pointed to Himself as that stairway—the mediator between God and man.

Jesus didn’t rush to accomplish His plan, revealing a portion at a time. He responded to seekers and sought out others, inviting them to come and see.

When it comes to following Jesus, we often want the whole plan laid out. Yet Jesus says, “Come and see.” He invites us into a deeper relationship—to know Him and learn from Him. Often, His words prompt me to respond similarly to King David’s words in Psalm 27:8: “My heart has heard you say, ‘Come and talk with me.’ And my heart responds, ‘Lord, I am coming.’” Other times, my heart responds, but not with an eagerness to join Him. I’m busy, distracted, or overwhelmed.

Today, we focused on this truth: We can savor peace when we respond to Jesus’s invitation to come and see.

3. Ibid., 40.

4. Ibid., 41.