Two Men Follow Jesus and Ask to Stay
Welcome to Day 11 of our journey with Jesus. Today, we see what happened when people met Jesus. The main truth for today is this: Jesus invites people who have heard about him to come and spend time with him. Let’s begin.
Current details of the journeyView the calendar, Episode and passage
Jesus in Action
John 1:35–51
Step 1 of 5
See what happened when people met Jesus.
Johannes der Täufer und zwei seiner Jünger waren am nächsten Tag wieder an dieser Stelle, als Jesus vorüberging. Da schaute Johannes ihn an und sagte: »Seht, dies ist Gottes Opferlamm!« Als die beiden Jünger das hörten, folgten sie Jesus. Jesus drehte sich zu ihnen um, sah sie kommen und fragte: »Was sucht ihr?« Sie antworteten: »Rabbi, wo wohnst du?« »Kommt mit, dann werdet ihr es sehen!«, sagte Jesus. Also gingen sie mit Jesus dorthin, wo er wohnte. Es war ungefähr vier Uhr nachmittags, und sie blieben bei ihm bis zum Abend. Einer der beiden, die Jesus auf das Wort von Johannes hin gefolgt waren, hieß Andreas. Er war der Bruder von Simon Petrus. Wenig später traf er seinen Bruder Simon und erzählte ihm: »Wir haben den Messias gefunden, den von Gott versprochenen Retter!« Dann nahm Andreas seinen Bruder mit zu Jesus. Der sah ihn an und sagte: »Du bist Simon, der Sohn von Johannes. Von jetzt an sollst du Petrus heißen!« Als Jesus am nächsten Tag nach Galiläa gehen wollte, traf er unterwegs Philippus. Auch ihn forderte er auf: »Komm, folge mir nach!« Philippus stammte wie Andreas und Petrus aus Betsaida. Später begegnete Philippus Nathanael und erzählte ihm: »Wir haben den gefunden, von dem Mose im Gesetz geschrieben hat und den die Propheten angekündigt haben. Es ist Jesus aus Nazareth, der Sohn von Josef.« »Nazareth?«, entgegnete Nathanael. »Was kann von da schon Gutes kommen!« Doch Philippus antwortete ihm: »Komm mit und überzeuge dich selbst!« Als Jesus Nathanael erblickte, sagte er: »Hier kommt ein wahrer Israelit, ein ganz und gar aufrichtiger Mensch!« Nathanael staunte: »Woher kennst du mich?« Jesus erwiderte: »Noch bevor Philippus dich rief, habe ich dich unter dem Feigenbaum gesehen.« »Rabbi, du bist wirklich Gottes Sohn!«, rief Nathanael. »Du bist der König von Israel!« Jesus sagte: »Das glaubst du, weil ich dir gesagt habe, dass ich dich unter dem Feigenbaum sah. Aber du wirst noch viel größere Dinge zu sehen bekommen.« Und er fuhr fort: »Ich sage euch die Wahrheit: Ihr werdet den Himmel offen und die Engel Gottes hinauf- und herabsteigen sehen zwischen Gott und dem Menschensohn!«
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John the Baptist saw Jesus passing by and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!” Two disciples heard him and began following Jesus.
Watch: An invitation from Jesus: Come and See
Watch the companion video, then continue reading to examine the biblical testimony in its full context.
Jesus turned and asked the first words attributed to Him in John’s Gospel: “What are you seeking?”
They answered with a question about where He was staying. Jesus replied, “Come and you will see.”
Testimony Points Beyond Itself.
The disciples first learned about Jesus through another witness. John’s testimony mattered, but John did not gather followers around himself. He directed them toward Jesus.
Healthy testimony does the same. It can identify, invite, and bear witness, but it cannot replace encounter. The goal is not permanent dependence upon what someone else says about Jesus. The goal is to hear Him.
Jesus Asks What They Seek.
Jesus’ question reaches beneath outward movement. People approach Him for many reasons: curiosity, relief, argument, belonging, healing, knowledge, forgiveness, or life. He does not treat motives as irrelevant.
“What are you seeking?” is a fitting question near the beginning of this journey. Are you seeking confirmation of what you already believe? Evidence for dismissing Jesus? A spiritual experience? A solution to one immediate problem? Or truth, even if the truth overturns your present categories?
An Invitation Open to Examination.
Jesus does not tell the two disciples to believe without looking. He invites them to come, see, and spend time with Him. John says they remained with Jesus that day.
The invitation is simple but demanding. You cannot examine Jesus while always keeping Him outside your attention. You must remain long enough to listen, observe, question, and allow the evidence to accumulate.
Andrew emerged from that day convinced that they had found the Messiah. He immediately brought his brother Simon to Jesus. The encounter began with testimony, moved through investigation, and produced witness.
The Journey’s Invitation.
You are not being asked to trust an algorithm or accept a slogan. You are invited to walk through the Gospel witness carefully. Some questions will not be resolved in a single day. Some assumptions may resist correction. Continue anyway.
Jesus’ invitation remains: Come and see.
Seeing Requires Time.
A hurried glance can confirm almost any prejudice. The first disciples stayed with Jesus. In the chapters ahead, they will see signs, hear difficult teachings, witness compassion, misunderstand His mission, watch Him die, and encounter Him alive. “Come and see” is therefore not an invitation to one impressive moment. It is permission—and a summons—to keep looking until the whole Gospel testimony has been heard.
Consider this.
Are you willing to examine Jesus directly, or have you allowed assumptions to end the investigation before it begins?
Notice the encounter
Accept the invitation to “come and see” by reading John 1:35–51 without rushing past what each person discovers about Jesus.
What This Means for Your Life.
Jesus does not shame honest questions. In John 1:35–51, He receives people who begin with someone else’s testimony, then invites them to stay, observe, and decide for themselves. That matters if you are curious, cautious, or even skeptical: Christianity is not built on a slogan, but on a claim about a real person who can be examined.
The deeper question Jesus asks is not only, “Do you know the facts?” but, “What are you seeking?” If you are looking for proof that fits your current assumptions, you may stop too soon. If you are open to truth, even when it unsettles you, then His invitation is still open: come and see.
One way to respond today is to read John 1:35–51 slowly, maybe more than once, and note what each person learns about Jesus. Ask yourself where your own search is leading: toward control, comfort, relief, or the truth itself. You do not need to pretend certainty you do not have. You do need enough honesty to keep looking.
Reflection question: What would change if you treated Jesus as someone to be honestly examined, not merely agreed with or dismissed?
