Have you ever been involved in recruiting people for a specific task or group? Have you ever been recruited? Recruiters are like match makers. They have a task or need to fill and they seek people with the gifts and graces that will satisfy that requirement. Back in my Navy wife days, I once worked with a recruiter to find a job in the new area to which we are being assigned. She found me a position that I absolutely could not have found on my own, as the company only worked with recruiters. I was only a few years out of college with no resume to speak of, and I was terrifically blessed to land this opportunity, thanks to her. It remains one of my favorite jobs of my pre-pastoring life to this day. It was a match made in heaven.

We continue our discovery of John’s profound words from the first chapter of his gospel today. John described the recruiting effort make by our Lord as he set about to gather up his disciples. As you read it, you may be surprised at how quickly it happened. Do you suppose the Holy Spirit was involved?

John 1 (Common English Bible)

³⁵ The next day John was standing again with two of his disciples.³⁶ When he saw Jesus walking along he said, “Look! The Lamb of God!” ³⁷ The two disciples heard what he said, and they followed Jesus.

John was very focused on this “Lamb of God” descriptor of Jesus. So many other words could have been used: messiah, rabbi, healer, teacher, miracle giver … yet John focuses our attention on the sacrifice that pure, unblemished Jesus came to bring to the world. He wanted these recruits to understand what they were being asked to do from the very beginning. They would accompany the Lamb of God as he performed many acts of ministry, traveling and recruiting others to come and see. Their mission would end with his death as he fulfilled the greatest part of his legacy. That was exactly what the Lamb of God was sent to do.

³⁸ When Jesus turned and saw them following, he asked, “What are you looking for?”

They said, “Rabbi (which is translated Teacher), where are you staying?”

³⁹ He replied, “Come and see.” So they went and saw where he was staying, and they remained with him that day. It was about four o’clock in the afternoon.

Come and see. Jesus had them with that invitation. Think about the unchurched people in your family, neighborhood, workplace and community. What might happen if you invited them to come and see?

⁴⁰ One of the two disciples who heard what John said and followed Jesus was Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter. ⁴¹ He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which is translated Christ ). ⁴² He led him to Jesus.

This is one of my favorite passages in the gospels. Andrew followed Jesus first, and immediately went to his brother Simon, to invite him to come and see also. It was an act of pure sibling love. Simon Peter became quite the hero in the gospel stories, but Andrew? Not so much. Maybe your role is to bring a superstar to the Lord, if not to become one yourself. Might we start with our own family, as Andrew did?

Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon, son of John. You will be called Cephas” (which is translated Peter).

And thus, Simon was changed and Peter became the rock upon which the entire church was built.

Are you being recruited for some task by the Lamb of God? Are you recruiting others to join you? May the Holy Spirit guide all that we say and do as we invite others to come and see the one who gave up his life for the world.

Come and See by Kathy Schumacher