Come and See: 3 Things We Give Up When We Truly Follow Jesus

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Have you ever met someone who changed the trajectory of your entire life?

    Do you remember the exact day, hour, or even minute you met them? Maybe it was the moment you met your spouse, the boss who gave you your first big break, or a mentor who saw potential in you when no one else did. Certain encounters are so powerful, so deeply personal, that the details remain burned into your memory decades later.

    Yet, as time passes, how easy is it to let the awe of our most important relationships fade? In our fast-paced world, it's easy to replace genuine, deeply personal connections with empty routines, social expectations, or quick hits of entertainment. 

    Spiritual growth can suffer the exact same fate if we allow it. According to research conducted by the Pew Research Center, roughly 28% of U.S. adults now identify as religiously unaffiliated (often called "nones"), with millions moving away from organized religion because they find it routine, insincere, or lacking true spiritual substance. You see most people aren't looking for religious traditions, social popularity, or dynamic performances; they are searching for authentic life transformation.

    So how do we move beyond cold ritualism and experience a true, life-altering encounter with God? The answer is found in the quietly profound moment when two young men had their very first meeting with Jesus Christ.

The Scripture: John 1:35–39

"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!'

The two disciples heard him speak, 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?'

He 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)."

— John 1:35–39 (NKJV)

Unpacking the Passage: A Life-Changing First Encounter

    To truly appreciate this scripture, step back to around A.D. 70. The Apostle John is now an old man who has spent his entire life enduring persecution, founding churches, and preaching the gospel. As he sits down to write his Gospel account, his mind wanders back across the decades to the very first time he ever met Jesus.

    At the time, John was a young man, a disciple following John the Baptist. One morning, around ten in the morning, John the Baptist pointed toward a local carpenter walking by and declared, "Behold the Lamb of God!" Understanding their teacher's prompt, young John and his friend Andrew immediately left John the Baptist to follow Jesus.

    Notice how cautiously they started—following Him at a slight distance, unsure of how this holy man would receive them. But Jesus didn't ignore them. He turned around, looked directly at them, and asked a penetrating question: "What do you seek?" Caught off guard, they answered with a question of their own: "Teacher, where are You staying?" Jesus didn't offer a lecture or demand credentials; He simply gave a warm invitation: "Come and see."

    They went with him that day, stayed with Him, and their lives were permanently altered. One encounter changed both of their lives! Decades later, as the Apostle John wrote down these words, he still remembered the exact hour—10:00 AM—that he met the Lord! It was a moment that the apostle John could never forget! John the Baptist’s simple act of pointing others away from himself and directly to Jesus was a moment that changed the apostle Johns life and ministry.

The Big Idea: Leading Others to Follow Jesus, Not Substitutes

    John the Baptist gives us the ultimate blueprint for our personal lives, our families, and our churches: our goal must always be to lead people into a real, personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Today, it is all too easy to offer people substitutes for Christ. When we truly decide to follow Jesus, there are three major substitutes we must give up:

1. Give Up Empty Religion for a Personal Relationship

    It is entirely possible to participate in all the outward rituals of faith while missing a relationship with Jesus entirely. Jesus famously warned in Matthew 7 about those who performed impressive, outwardly religious deeds, yet received the devastating response: "I never knew you; depart from Me."

    If we only guide people toward legalistic rules, church attendance, or dynamic programs without helping them know the Person of Christ, we give them a false sense of security. Our goal isn't just to fill pews or get people to look and act moral—it's to cultivate a genuine, intimate love for Jesus.

2. Give Up Cultural Popularity for True Devotion

    When Andrew and John first followed Jesus, He wasn't a famous public figure; He was simply a 30-year-old carpenter from Nazareth with no followers or prestige. He had performed no miracles. No one had yet heard His teaching. There was no great crowds following him around like there were for John the Baptist at this time. Following Him wasn't popular.

    In the 19th century, the great Italian military leader Giuseppe Garibaldi raised an army of devoted volunteers. His recruit plea was radically honest:

"I offer neither pay, nor quarters, nor provisions; I offer hunger, thirst, forced marches, battles and death. Let him who loves his country with his heart and not with his lips only, follow me!"

    Thousands of men stepped forward because they believed in the cause. That is the level of devotion Christ calls us to. We must lead people to follow Jesus based on truth—not because it is trendy, politically convenient, or validated by social media. True faith follows Christ through hardship and cultural pushback, loving Him with our heart and life, not just our lips.

3. Give Up Entertainment for Real Spiritual Substance

    When John and Andrew first spent the day with Jesus, He hadn't performed a single miracle or healing yet. There were no spectacular displays or theatrical productions. They followed Him simply for who He was.

    Today, many churches try to attract and retain people using high-energy entertainment and sensational experiences. But when the excitement fades or the world offers something more entertaining, people drift away because they were attached to the show, not the Savior. When we point people directly to the person of Jesus, they realize He is more than enough—no gimmicks required.

Tying It All Together

    Decades after his first encounter, the Apostle John could still remember the very hour his life was transformed because he met a person, not a program. He connected to the Savior not a Style. He found a Relationship not a Religion. 

  • Reflect: Think back to the initial question: When did you first encounter Jesus, and is your faith driven by a personal relationship with Him today?

  • Encouragement: Jesus is still extending the exact same invitation to you and those in your life: "Come and see." You don't need all the answers or flawless religious performance to draw near to Him.

  • Challenge: Look around your family, workplace, and community this week. Who can you encourage to look past religion, popularity, and entertainment so they can meet Jesus for themselves?

This is Part 2 in our series, Life-Changing Encounters with Jesus.

Location: Ashmore, IL 61912, USA

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