Wednesday 17 June 2026

Psalm 54

Background
One of our grandchildren decided, while very young, that he wanted pets and hit on the idea of keeping garden snails in an old ice cream tub. For some weeks, whenever we visited, he would say: "Come and see, Papa". He was a real evangelist for the community he was building and wanted everyone to see.

This passage in John's Gospel is the first time evangelism becomes part of the Jesus story as John tells it.

The encounters all begin with conversation and then an invitation: "Come and see" (v. 39), "Follow me" (v. 43), "Come and see" (v. 46), "You will see" (v. 51).

The company of Jesus’ disciples begins to shape itself round invitations to follow, explore and see – both physically and with the eyes of faith. 'Come and see' – what a mystery sits underneath this phrase!

Each person is invited to find their place in the company of disciples without knowing what comes next. There’s no job description and each finds themself responding to what is possibly Jesus’ most important question of all: "What are you looking for?"(v. 38).

For Andrew, who has been a disciple of John the Baptist, the encounter convinces him Jesus is the Messiah and he recruits his own brother, Peter. Philip, who is called by Jesus, finds Nathanael, and talks about finding "Him about whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote" (v. 45).

It’s the first stage in forming a company who would walk, talk, eat, train and go on mission trips with Jesus. These are all moments when ‘come and see’ shaped them into the evangelists Jesus intended.

It feels telling that the first invitation wasn’t to ‘come and do’ but to ‘come and see’. I wonder if our evangelism needs sometimes to be reframed, so we invite people to see and experience wonder in the presence of Christ before they are given tasks to fulfil.

To Ponder:

• Does our evangelism need reframing into invitations to ‘come and see’?
• What is your testimony of being invited to explore faith?

Prayer
God of invitation, help us to see beyond our present reality to a new vision of your kingdom becoming real. Amen.

Bible notes author: The Revd Gareth Hill
Gareth is a supernumerary minister in the Gwent Hills and Vales Circuit in South Wales. He is a former national Head of Mission & Advocacy in the Connexional Team and was previously a newspaper editor and lecturer in journalism. Gareth preaches regularly and publishes a weekly sermon online. He is a published hymnwriter and retains a strong interest in pioneer ministry after founding the Tubestation Surf Church in Polzeath, Cornwall.