John 1: We Have Found the Messiah

Scripture
John 1:35–51

The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!”
When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, “What do you want?”
They said, “Rabbi” (which means “Teacher”), “where are you staying?”
“Come,” he replied, “and you will see.” So they went and saw where he was staying, and they spent that day with him. It was about four in the afternoon.
Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, “We have found the Messiah” (that is, the Christ). And he brought him to Jesus.

Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas” (which, when translated, is Peter). The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, “Follow me.” Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida. Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” Nathanael asked. “Come and see,” said Philip.

When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, “Here truly is an Israelite in whom there is no deceit.” “How do you know me?” Nathanael asked.
Jesus answered, “I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you.” Then Nathanael declared, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the king of Israel.” Jesus said, “You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You will see greater things than that.” He then added, “Very truly I tell you, you will see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”

Scripture Reflection

“Come and see.” That is the simple, powerful invitation running through this story — a chain reaction of discovery and proclamation. John points to Jesus as the Lamb of God, and two disciples follow. Andrew finds Peter and says, “We have found the Messiah.” Philip finds Nathanael and says, “Come and see.” One encounter sparks another, until even the skeptical Nathanael is won over by the revelation of Jesus.

This is how movements of God so often spread. One person encounters Jesus and cannot keep it to themselves. In times of revival, the testimony of “We have found Him!” becomes contagious, rippling through communities, families, and entire regions. God uses ordinary people, freshly awakened, to carry an extraordinary message: “Come and see.”

In our day, we long for a fresh awakening in New England that spreads just like this — not merely through pulpits and platforms, but through neighbors and coworkers, parents and children, telling one another, “We have found the Messiah.”

May God activate Andrew and Philip evangelism in our time, in this place. May every believer have a fresh heart-level revelation that Jesus is indeed the savior of the world, and that he is REAL. May every believer be activated as a witness, ready to point others to Jesus with joy, wonder, and expectancy. May our hearts burn again with the thrill of having found Him — and may we, like Andrew and Philip, go out to tell the world: “Come and see.”

Praying it UP / IN / OUT

UP: Worship Jesus as the long-awaited Messiah, the fulfillment of every promise, the hope of every nation. Give thanks for His faithfulness to reveal Himself.

IN: Pray for a fresh personal encounter with Jesus that reignites awe and love. Ask God to renew your confidence and joy in sharing Him with others.

OUT: Intercede for friends, neighbors, and family members who have yet to see Jesus for who He is. Pray for divine appointments and the courage to say, “Come and see.”

Closing Prayer

Jesus, Messiah,

We thank You that You still invite the seeking, the questioning, the longing to come and see. You do not hide Yourself from those who desire to know You. You draw near to the humble, the hungry, the honest.

Renew our hearts with the wonder of having found You. Let the story of our own encounter with You burn so brightly that we cannot help but share. Make us bold like Andrew, faithful like Philip, eager to say, “We have found the Messiah.”

Lord, let the simple witness of ordinary people become a holy wildfire across our region. Let invitations ripple from house to house, heart to heart, until New England is filled with the testimony of Jesus.

Amen.