Day 15 — Tell your Story and Invite
Opening prayer
Lord Jesus, as I read your Word today, help me to see again the joy of simply saying, “Come and see.” Give me courage to speak honestly about what you have done for me, and love to invite others to discover you for themselves. Amen.
Headline
We do not need to be pushy, impressive or able to answer every question; we can simply tell our story and invite others to come and see Jesus.
John 1:43-49
43 The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, “Follow me.”
44 Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida. 45 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.”
46 “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” Nathanael asked.
“Come and see,” said Philip.
47 When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, “Here truly is an Israelite in whom there is no deceit.”
48 “How do you know me?” Nathanael asked.
Jesus answered, “I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you.”
49 Then Nathanael declared, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the king of Israel.”
Comment
Today we come to the end of our Worth Sharing reading plan.
Yesterday we began to think about four simple practices that help us take the next step in witness. We pray. We love. Today we add two more: we tell our story and we invite.
And our reading from John 1 gives us a wonderfully simple picture of both.
Philip meets Jesus. Then he finds Nathanael and says:
“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.” (v.45)
Philip does not begin with an abstract argument. He begins with what has happened to him: “We have found…”
That is often where witness begins for us too. If we are Christians, God has done something gracious in our lives. We have found treasure in Christ — or perhaps better, he has found us. We have discovered truth, forgiveness, adoption, hope, new life. We have come to know Jesus.
So one of the simplest things we can do is tell our story.
Your story does not have to be dramatic. It does not need to be polished, clever or emotionally overwhelming. In fact, ordinary stories are often the most helpful, because they connect with ordinary people.
You might simply say:
“This is how I became a Christian.”
“This is why I trust Jesus.”
“This is why I have hope.”
The point is not to make your story impressive. The point is to make Jesus clear.
A simple way to prepare is to think through three questions. What was life like before faith became real to me? How did I come to understand and trust Jesus? What difference has he made?
You do not need to say everything. You do not need to give your whole life history. But having a simple, honest version ready means that when someone asks, you are not starting from scratch.
And then there is the fourth practice: we invite.
Nathanael is not immediately impressed by Philip’s testimony. In fact, he is sceptical:
“Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” (v.46)
Not exactly encouraging!
Philip could have panicked. He could have tried to win the argument. He could have given a lecture on messianic geography. But he does something much simpler.
“Come and see,” said Philip. (v.46)
That is a wonderfully simple invitation.
Come and see Jesus. Come and see for yourself.
Philip is not saying, “I can answer everything.” He is saying, “Come and meet him.”
And that is often what invitation is. Come to church with me. Come to the guest service. Come to the 321 course. Come and read a Gospel with me. Come and see.
We invite people all the time to things we enjoy: meals, movies, sport, holidays, cafés, concerts. So why not church? Why not Jesus?
What is the worst that can happen? They say, “No thanks.” That is okay. You have not failed. You have witnessed. You have opened a door.
And they may say, “Yes.”
Over the next two Sundays, we have guest services designed for exactly this purpose. On 2 August, we will be thinking about the beauty of Christianity. On 9 August, we will be thinking about the sense of Christianity. And after that, 321 begins on Sunday 16 August, as a relaxed way for people to explore who God is, who we are, and what Jesus has done.
So ask God: who could I invite?
Not in theory. By name.
Perhaps the invitation is not simply, “Would you like to come to church?” but, “I would love you to come with me. I’ll pick you up. We’ll sit together. We’ll go for coffee afterwards.”
That can make a big difference.
So where have we come over these fifteen days?
We began by rediscovering the treasure we have found in Christ: truth, love, glory and new life. We then faced honestly the things that make sharing hard: the pain-line, the fear of rejection, and the idols that silence us. And this week we have remembered three great truths: God is sovereign, God is gracious, and God is powerful.
So now we are ready. Not pushy. Not artificial. Not trying to sell a product, win an argument, or prove we are clever or brave.
Just ready.
Ready to pray. Ready to love. Ready to tell our story. Ready to invite.
Why does God want you to hear this today? Perhaps because this is the moment to take one small step. The treasure of Christ is not diminished when it is shared. It multiplies. So ask God for your two. Pray for them. Love them. Tell your story when the door opens. Invite them to come and see. And trust the God who is sovereign, gracious and powerful to do more than we can ask or imagine.
Reflect
- How would you briefly tell your story of coming to faith, or of why you trust Jesus today?
- What do you learn from Philip’s simple words to Nathanael: “Come and see”?
- Who might God be calling you to invite to church, a guest service, 321, or to read a Gospel with you?
Action
Write down the names of two people you will keep praying for beyond this series.
Then complete these two sentences:
“One sentence from my story I could share is…”
“One person I could invite to come and see is…”
Closing prayer
Almighty God and Father, thank you for the treasure we have found in Jesus Christ. Thank you for the truth that sets us free, the love that adopts us, the glory that awaits us, and the new life you give by your Spirit. Thank you that this treasure is worth sharing, even when it is costly. Please make Jesus precious to me. Give me love for those who do not yet know him. Help me to pray, to love, to tell my story, and to invite others to come and see. And by your sovereign grace and mighty power, may many find the treasure of Christ. Amen.
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