The God Who Sees

The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples, and he looked at Jesus as He walked by and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!” The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. Jesus turned and saw them following and said to them, “What are you seeking?” And they said to Him, “Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where are You staying?” He said to them, “Come and you will see.” So they came and saw where He was staying, and they stayed with Him that day, for it was about the tenth hour. One of the two who heard John speak and followed Jesus was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means Christ). He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon the son of John. You shall be called Cephas” (which means Peter).

The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. 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.” Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward Him and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!” Nathanael said to Him, “How do You know me?” Jesus answered him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” Nathanael answered Him, “Rabbi, You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” Jesus answered him, “Because I said to you, ‘I saw you under the fig tree,’ do you believe? You will see greater things than these.” And He said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”

John 1:35-51

The Lord God Almighty, the maker of the heavens and the earth and all things, the one who “upholds the universe by the word of His power,” sees you (Hebrews 1:3).

To some, the reality that God sees us might prove unsettling, if we are well acquainted with and honest about our sin, short-comings, and failures. For those who are not in Christ, this is indeed a sobering reminder: “no creature is hidden from His sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account” (Hebrews 4:13). However, as children of the King, this response need not, and should not, be our response. By grace and through faith we are united to Christ and reconciled to God, adopted into His family, the family of light (Romans 6:5; 5:10)! In fact, if we rightly understand God’s character, and His disposition toward us as His beloved sons and daughters, the reality that He sees us proves a blessed comfort and a cause for rejoicing.

This is the truth that shocked Nathanael and convinced him of Jesus’s identity as the Son of God, the King of Israel. He was seen by Jesus before Nathanael even knew Him. But Christ not only saw these men that would become His disciples, He knew them and called them. Praise be to God that He not only sees us but knows and calls us. God is no passive, distant observer; though He be the King of the universe, He condescends to deal intimately and intentionally with each of His beloved children.

When addressing John’s disciples, Christ does not respond with simple, factual information. He responds with an invitation. He beckons them: “Come and you will see.” Often, when we question God, desiring to know the “what,” “where,” “why,” or “how” of His will, He answers us with a relational response. Rather than simply answering the question we think we want to know, He invites us to walk with Him, to “come and see.” How often do we neglect to follow Christ’s call in an area of our life for lack of the information we think we need? He is faithful. And He beckons us to follow Him. Though we tend to tarry, as C.S. Lewis says, Christ graciously calls us to “come further up, come further in,” always further up and further into Himself. In light of Jesus’s call, the disciples would learn and experience many things, but chiefly, they would learn about and experience life with Christ Himself, because it was to Him that He was calling them.

In light of Christ’s call on our lives, we often overcomplicate evangelism. We tend to neglect Christ and focus on ourselves and what we think we can do. We get caught up in strategies and methods, conversational tactics and approaches, but forget the beautiful simplicity of Christ’s exhortation: “Come and see.” Seeking to be faithful stewards of the minds and opportunities God has given us by thinking critically about the intricacies and implications of God’s missional call on our lives is important. But along with the potentially complex outworkings of faithful stewardship, we must remember that, fundamentally, evangelism proves as simple as proclaiming: “Behold, the Lamb of God,” “We have found the Messiah,” or “Come and see.” In response to Nathanael’s question, Philip says: “Come and see.” In the face of others’ doubts and objections, as those who have encountered the living God, who have tasted and seen that He is good, we must only exhort others: “Come and see.”

The high King of heaven sees you, knows you, loves you, and invites you to “come and see,” not once but continually, not only individually but corporately. And it is good for us to remember Christ’s promise to Nathanael: “You will see greater things than these.” We are blessed beyond measure to live in light of the revelation of Jesus Christ, in light of His call on us, both individually and corporately, as His Church. We have witnessed His glory and grace, His kindness and power, and we will see more still. Let us long and pray for His return, all the while beckoning others to “come and see!”

May the Lord bless you and keep you.