Sermons
A Message by the Rev. Harvey G. Throop
Palisades Presbyterian Church
San Diego, California
Come and See!
( John 1:35-51 )
"Come and see what God has done:
he is awesome in his deeds among mortals ."
(Psalm 66:5)
You just can't beat word-of-mouth advertising! Whether it's about a new store, a new product, a new motion picture or a new restaurant, word-of-mouth advertising the best kind of advertising there is!
Would you be surprised to know that many people come to a church more often than not through word-of-mouth advertising? It's true! People come to a church because somebody told them about it.
The traditional "church language" for "word-of-mouth" advertising is evangelism. The word "evangel" means "news," and the word "evangelism" means "spreading the news."
I suspect that some among us tend to cringe when we hear the word “evangelism.” The word reminds us of slick television-type preachers whose interest seems more on dollars than on salvation. So many folks tend to shy away from the word because they don't want to be linked with the more evangelical types that they've sometimes encountered.
That's unfortunate, because an “evangel” – by definition -- is simply one who has a story to tell or an announcement to make.
In many people's experiences, however, evangelists tend to be either "shouters" or "debaters." You've seen them. Someone on a city sidewalk with a Bible in hand pacing about preaching "the Word" to anyone who happens by. They speak loudly and gesture vigorously as they proclaim their version of the Gospel. If we don't altogether ignore such individuals, we have, at least, been turned off by a few such characters.
Another kind of evangelist common to many people's experience is the "debater" or "arguer." You and I both know how they work. They'll approach you and begin by asking you what sounds like a harmless question, such as, "Do you believe the Bible is the Word of God?" And you answer, "Yes, of course." Then they'll follow-up by asking something like, "Well, do you know what it says in Leviticus 19?" You don't have a clue what it says in Leviticus 19. Suddenly, they've got you on the defensive. And if you're a minister, you really feel like a dummy because you can't remember offhand what Leviticus 19 says. Then they follow with other texts: "Do you know what it says in the 3rd chapter of Joel?"
In no time, they've got you overwhelmed with scripture. You have already agreed at the beginning of this conversation that scripture is the word of God, but you don't know any of the stuff they're throwing at you. You've possibly never read it before, and so they've got you feeling guilty right from the start. That is evangelism by debate.
Now, these two types of people mean well, but they end up -- unintentionally -- driving more people away from Christianity than to it, because they make their faith offensive to the people around them.
The obvious question that is raised by all this, then, is this: "How is one supposed to witness to one's religious faith?"
The churches that are growing today are the churches whose members are sharing the story of their faith. As author and Presbyterian clergyman Bruce Larson once observed, “Jesus did not tell the world to go to church. He told the church to go into the world.”
Jesus was as turned off by phony public piety as you and I are. The antics of the scribes and Pharisees used to disgust Jesus no end. He compared them with whitewashed tombs, which “look fine on the outside, but are full of bones and decaying corpses on the inside” (Matthew 23:27). It was in the context of his disgust over the behavior of the scribes and Pharisees that Jesus instructed his followers to “close the door” when they prayed, to give their offerings in secret, and to avoid all public recognition for their religious deeds (see Matthew 6:2-7, 16-18).
A boisterous Christianity is the last thing in the world many people see in what Jesus asked of his disciples.
You and I are living in an unchurched society. We all recognize that. But I also think that we are surrounded by many people who sense that something is missing from their lives. Some will say, “I think what is missing in my life is spiritual. I need something spiritual in my life.”
Others will say, “There must be something more for me. I want to feel like my life is making a difference – counting for something.” These people work in the office where you work, shop in the stores you shop in and live on the street where you live.
So, why are we so hesitant to talk about our faith? We talk about everything else. We talk about the football play-offs, about the weather, about the President-elect and about the latest motion pictures we've seen or books we've read. How many of us ever talk about our faith?
Jesus did not say, “Think about this; meditate on this.” He said, “Share it.” After all, the old-time hymn is not entitled, “I Love To Think About Telling The Story.” No, it's “I Love To Tell The Story!”
There is an incident in the Gospel of John which models for all of us, I believe, the kind of approach that can be the most meaningful.
John the Baptist is walking down the road. He sees Jesus coming toward him, points to him and says, "Behold, the Lamb of God." Two of John's disciples, out of curiosity, begin to go after Jesus. Jesus sees them and asks, "What do you seek?" They answer, "Rabbi, where are you staying?” Jesus says, "Come and see." They do, and they end up staying with him for the rest of the day.
One of the two disciples of John who followed Jesus is Andrew. After being with Jesus, Andrew goes to his brother, Simon Peter, and says to him, "We have found the one you are looking for. Come and see!" (John 1:45, 46).
Notice Andrew's approach. There is no shouting, no heavy theology, no manipulation, no throwing scripture at him, no cornering him against a wall. Just an invitation, 'Come and see." That's it. Word of mouth advertising! That's how it happens.
It's interesting to note that the writer of Psalm 66 used those same three words in his psalm of praise -- "Come and see." He wrote: "Come and see what God has done: he is awesome in his deeds among mortals" (Psalm 66:5).
Jesus used those same words when he spoke to John's disciples, "Come and see" (John 1:39).
When Nathanael asked Philip, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth ?", Philip answered, " Come and see."
Following her encounter with Jesus at the well, the Samaritan woman said to her fellow townspeople, "Come and see a man who told me everything I have ever done!" (John 4:29).
Interesting, isn't it, and so simple: "Come and see."
When was the last time you invited someone to church?
Word-of-mouth advertising: it reaches more people than we might think. And there are many people we need to reach!
Church growth experts tell us that we are surrounded by a veritable sea of seekers -- people who are searching for something more in their lives. People say, "I want to feel like my life is making a difference, that it's counting for something, so that when I'm gone, I'll leave footprints on the hearts of others that will be worthwhile."
We need to share the stories of our faith-journeys by word-of-mouth. That's how the word gets around. The bulletin cover this morning says it all:
I always liked the story of Ben Franklin, who is credited with bringing light to the streets of Philadelphia. Colonists had complained for years about dark and dangerous streets. But as with the weather, no one ever did anything about it."If Christ's love was warmed your home
… tell somebody;
If in worship, you have come close to God
… declare it.
If prayer has shown you the power of God
… say so.
If through Christ you have found forgiveness --
and the power to forgive
… let someone know.
If the church has given you a chance to
serve the God you love
… tell someone.
If God has worked a miracle in your life
… say so."
Franklin could have drawn up a master plan for citywide lighting and campaigned for its adoption. But the questions would have been overwhelming: who would pay for it? Who would be in charge of it? After all, critics can scuttle any new plan with a few difficult questions.
Rather than to debate the issue, Benjamin Franklin simply hung a beautiful lantern on a long bracket in front of his house. Every evening, he quietly cleansed the wick and polished the glass. Sure enough, the light drew attention from his neighbors. They wanted one, too. Soon, his entire neighborhood was lit, and the streetlights appeared throughout the city. Philadelphia, first, and then other American cities glowed at night through the witness of one person.
That's the way it should be with our witness. Our task is not to argue or debate or try to shame others into the faith. Rather, our job is to reflect the love, grace, joy, peace and forgiveness of Jesus Christ.
To every one of us, life brings an opportunity to share our story -- to tell someone else about our faith journey to Christ.
"Come and see." With those three simple words, our Lord and his countless followers have drawn millions to the faith.
I challenge each of us today to use those same three words and say to another in the words of the Psalmist: "Come and see what God has done: he is awesome in his deeds among mortals" (Psalm 66:5).
