Yeah, he had brother in Andrew who cared enough to open his mouth to share, and to bring Pete to Jesus.
Will you do that? Could God also use you in saying…
"Come and see." ~ John 1:39
How often do you visit the Mall? In many department stores today, employees are trained and thoroughly instructed to tactfully guide.. to take customers to find exactly what they are looking for.. rather than merely pointing or gesturing this way or that.. rather than merely giving the customer-guest verbal directions on how to find it.
That's just good customer service and when you think about it, this common act of courtesy is so American.. I mean just walking alongside of the seeker until they find.
Christians, of all people, even though we aren't lookin' to make a financial profit in a sale.. need to do this. We are either gathering or scattering.. unto Christ. And guess what… our curious friends really need this from us even more than that. It takes humility, insight, warmth, discernment and love.
And question… is there a better time to learn this than right now? No.
It's time to Harvest America.
Yes, we each have a part to play so to speak. You know how "fishing for souls" (witnessing for Christ, with the aim to win someone to righteousness via true repentance and faith in His finished work on the cross..) can be a one-time event. It can also happen naturally over time as we continue to meet with that person.. as we considerately, wisely, sympathetically and perhaps even skillfully share the Good News about what He did for us.
But witnessing may also involve simply walking alongside that person, that one who has been out seeking for love in all the wrong places so to speak.
Our genuine interest in them as a valuable person; in their spiritual welfare, in their overall benefit is so important. And our prayers for them can make a huge difference. I encourage this. Yes, our personal involvement with them alone even send a message that says: "Come and see. Hey, let's walk together, and I'll simply take you to the one Person who can answer every question, and can meet every need that you will ever have."
Use words, ask some key questions, don't get too personal, but add in there some real kindness and compassion as well.
Been looking at (these verses today).. "Again, the next day, John stood with two of his disciples. And looking at Jesus as He walked, he said, 'Behold the Lamb of God!'"
Isn't that exactly what we as believers need to say, "Behold the Lamb"? Sure it is. We don't say behold me, or other. We point them to God.
John the Baptizer wasn't some milquetoast, timidly chic-ified wimp of a guy feeling all ashamed or embarrassed inside. No, he knew Christ and he was very bold in helping the people of his day.. where they most needed to be helped. We can pray and appropriate the same kind of anointed attitude.
They, like us, were sinners back in the day and they, like us, were in rad-need of a Savior. Yes indeed, they needed "saving" more than anything else. And that's a biblical term by the way, one that I'll keep using.
You see, I grew up on the Southern California coast and when I saw a Laguna Beach lifeguard fishing a valley-dude up from the depths of the Pacific Ocean to perform some CPR on the sandy person, what I was witnessing was a dying man that was being saved. Perhaps you still need to be saved?
It's a good term no matter how many religious types use or miss-use it.
Primarily pointing people… not to self or to some other minister, or politician, or guru… but to Jesus the Savior—that's still so very important. I try to get people out to vote right, but what even comes close to this in significance?
What your country needs today, what my country needs today.. is Christ and the positively-disruptive spiritual awakening that only He can bring. We, the Church, for the most part have been adrift here.. away from God for several years now. And the time is now that we need stop this. It's the time for something new and good. We need the authentic biblical reviving of God's Spirit if we are to continue. You and your nation need the same thing. I don't mean some scary-strange televangelist hype in the name of revival—I mean the real deal.
Our Lands, yours and mine, need to hear the Message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ more than anything else.
Even if this ministry stuff is not our full-time profession, can we all preach Him for decisions? I mean very clearly, no-compromise, with an accept-or-reject-proposition in a non-pushy or preachy kinda way?
Absolutely—we all are called to worship Him and do this by His power. You, me—we ain't our own. We've been bought at a high price.
Yup, the nations of this world still need the Gospel more than anything else. No politician, no prophet with fire in his eyes, no new tech, or preacher with so-called-miracles in his hands.. no famous talk show host, no cool new music group even is going to undo all the whackness, weirdness, and problematic-jive that we in our waywardness have brought about.
There are many motivational speakers out there on the circuit (I enjoy hearing some of them ..) and they are raking in the bucks trying to moralize our country, but more moral dead people here is not what's needed. You know secular reforming ain't going to save our country from its rapid decline, from its increase in murderous crime, and filthy degradation. Let's do something different and get back to the Bible. Let's do something different and apply what it says.
The Scripture passage goes on to say, "The two disciples heard him speak [John 1:37], and they followed Jesus. Then Jesus turned, and seeing them following, said to them, 'What do you seek?' They said to Him, 'Rabbi' (which is to say, when translated, Teacher), 'where are You staying?'"
Funny response. I guess they just wanted to hangout with Christ cuz they were curious.
And "He [Jesus, who likes to hangout with sinners like you and me..] said to them, 'Come and see.' They came and saw where He was staying, and remained with Him that day (now it was about the tenth hour)."
Isn't that exactly what we need to say? Come and see! You know.. when they sincerely ask, "Can you tell me where I can find a lightbulb?...I'm so sick of jamming and stubbing my toes in this place where I can't see a thing"
"Sure. Come with me, and I'll take you to where the light is." You know that a witness is one who shares their personal experience of how they turned and emerged from darkness and how they saw God's light in Christ so they wouldn't have to stumble around in the black of night any longer.
You may be tempted to debate to change another's view, but nothing speaks more powerfully than what Christ did in you. ~ Sper
"Hey there, I'm starving-hungry. Can you show me where I can find some bread?"
"For sure. I've been hungry before. Come and see! Yeah, walk with me, and I'll take you right now to where the bread is."
We're called to be witnesses. People who shares our own personal experiences of how we became fully satisfied in Christ—the actual bread of life.
The Gospel has to be proclaimed, its truth we need to share; but sometimes seekers also need to see how much we care. ~ Sper
Then.. "One of the two who heard John speak, and followed Him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. He first found his own brother Simon, and said to him, 'We have found the Messiah' (which is translated, the Christ).
And he brought him to Jesus. Now when Jesus looked at him, He said, 'You are Simon the son of Jonah. You shall be called Cephas' (which is translated, A Stone)." That was the look of love.
And Christ's love saved Pete. What a wonderful story—and it had a happy ending for Cephas too. It can for you as well! Turn and come to Christ just like you are.. willing for Him to change you.
If you're already a believer, then pray, expect, and go tactfully bring someone to Christ. You can't same em, I can't save em, but God can. He can use us to Harvest if you will, lost and lonely people in America.
And God is so delighted to use people in this endeavor as they sow, water, and reap the way that His Son did this.. "From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, 'Repent, for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand.'
And Jesus, walking by the Sea of Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. Then He said to them, 'Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.'" (Matt. 4:17-20, nkjv, emphasis mine).
Want help in harvesting?
If I may.. permit me to ask once again. Do you perhaps need a location to bring an unbeliever to? Ok, you're on. Bring em to Harvest America (one of the 1,893 spots in the USA, or simply find a laptop with a bud, a smart phone, or even a library computer if needed) this upcoming Sunday evening.
*Take some time away to first pray, and just to meditate upon how to bring em: Matthew 4:18-19 and John 1:42-43
