Come and See Series Recap

Overview

Over seven weeks, we explored Jesus's radical invitation to "come and see." This wasn't about religion, rules, or perfection. It was about relationship. Each week built on the last, taking us from initial curiosity all the way to living on mission in everyday life.

The bottom line: Jesus meets us exactly where we are and invites us into a transformative journey that satisfies our deepest longings and gives us purpose beyond ourselves.

The Seven Invitations

Come and See: Finding What We're Really Searching For
Come and Belong: Acceptance Before Transformation
Come and Worship: More Than Sunday Morning
Come and Heal: Wholeness, Not Just a Fix
Come and Follow: Beyond Belief to Immersive Living
Come and Die: The Daily Journey of Transformation
Come and Go: Everyone Is a Missionary

1. Come and See: Finding What We're Really Searching For

Most people think they need to clean up their lives before approaching Jesus. The reality? Jesus invites us to come as we are, questions and all.

Key insights:

Our restlessness isn't a problem to fix but a compass pointing us to Jesus
There are no prerequisites to getting close to Jesus
Proximity changes everything—we can't truly know Jesus from a distance
Whether we're skeptical, seeking, believing, or already following, there's always a next step

What this means for us: We can stop waiting until we have it all figured out. Jesus's first invitation is simply to draw near and investigate for ourselves.

2. Come and Belong: Acceptance Before Transformation

We usually think transformation leads to belonging. Jesus flips this: belonging comes first, then transformation naturally follows.

Key insights:

Jesus pursues us before we ever pursue Him (like He did with Zacchaeus)
Success and status don't satisfy the deep longing to belong
We don't earn our place at the table—Jesus calls us by name and invites Himself into our lives
Real change happens when we're loved first, not when we try harder to be acceptable

What this means for us: We can stop performing and start receiving. Our identity as God's children comes before any change in behavior.

3. Come and Worship: More Than Sunday Morning

Worship isn't just singing songs on Sunday. It's about what we value most and how we live every day.

Key insights:

True worship means recognizing Jesus's worth and orienting our entire lives around Him
Jesus offers "living water" that satisfies at a soul level—unlike the temporary fixes we usually turn to
Worship happens in "spirit and truth"—it's authentic engagement with who God really is, not just religious ritual
Every area of our lives (work, relationships, decisions) becomes worship when Jesus is at the center

What this means for us: We're invited to identify what we're actually worshiping. What gets our best energy, attention, and resources? Letting Jesus take that central place changes everything.

4. Come and Heal: Wholeness, Not Just a Fix

Healing isn't just about physical restoration. Jesus offers shalom—complete wholeness in every broken area of life.

Key insights:

Jesus is completely impartial—He responds to faith, not status or religious performance
Physical healing points to something greater: resurrection and ultimate restoration
The path to healing involves radical honesty about brokenness, seeing Jesus clearly, and acting in faith
Community is essential—healing often happens in relationship, not isolation
The church should be a safe place to process pain, including hurt caused by the church itself

What this means for us: We can bring our whole selves to Jesus—physical needs, emotional wounds, relational brokenness, and spiritual questions. He welcomes it all.

5. Come and Follow: Beyond Belief to Immersive Living

Following Jesus isn't just about believing certain things or securing heaven. It's about living every aspect of life as His apprentices.

Key insights:

Jesus's earliest followers called Him "Lord" far more than "Savior"—both matter, but Lordship means He guides our whole lives
We don't need special qualifications to follow Jesus—He calls ordinary people to a "radical ordinary life"
Being "yoked" to Jesus means learning from His strength under control, not harsh demands
True rest comes from alignment with God's design, not from the absence of effort
Eternal life is a present reality of abundant living, not just a future hope

What this means for us: We're invited to evaluate where we've compartmentalized our faith. Welcoming Jesus into our work, family, finances, and decisions isn't a burden—it's the source of true rest.

6. Come and Die: The Daily Journey of Transformation

Dying to ourselves isn't morbid or depressing. It's the pathway to true freedom and the life we were made for.

Key insights:

Discipleship moves through four stages: Desire (recognizing our need), Denial (surrendering control), Death (putting off the old self), and Daily (ongoing commitment)
We can't just try harder to change behavior—we have to address the roots (false beliefs and misaligned identity)
The battle between "flesh" and "spirit" is real and ongoing—transformation is a process, not a one-time event
Self-denial isn't self-hatred; it's stepping down from the throne of our lives so Jesus can lead

What this means for us: When we notice "bad fruit" in our lives (anger, anxiety, envy), we're invited to dig deeper. What false belief or identity is fueling it? We can replace lies with gospel truth.

7. Come and Go: Everyone Is a Missionary

Mission isn't for professional clergy or those who move overseas. If we follow Jesus, we're already on mission right where we are.

Key insights:

There's no hierarchy of "regular Christians" and "missionaries"—everyone is sent
The harvest is plentiful—contrary to pessimism, people are ready for the gospel
We go as we are, with what we have, in community, with humility
Mission isn't adding more to our busy lives; it's repurposing everything we already do
We offer peace (shalom), practice hospitality, bring healing, and proclaim the kingdom through both words and actions

What this means for us: Our workplaces, neighborhoods, and relationships are our mission fields. We can stop waiting for a special call—we already have it.

The Big Picture: One Invitation, Many Steps

This series shows that following Jesus is a journey, not a moment. It begins with curiosity and moves through belonging, worship, healing, commitment, transformation, and ultimately mission. Wherever we are on this path, there's always a next step.

Three unconventional truths that defined this series:

Jesus pursues us first. We don't have to earn our way to Him or prove ourselves worthy. He's already seeking us out.
Transformation happens from the inside out. Behavior change without heart change is just performance. Jesus goes after our beliefs, identity, and deepest longings.
Mission is for everyone. We don't need to be pastors, move overseas, or wait for special training. Right where we are, we can join Jesus in bringing restoration to the world.

Practical Next Steps

If you're exploring faith:

Keep showing up and asking honest questions
Read the Gospel of John to see Jesus for yourself
Join a community group where doubts are welcomed

If you're already a believer:

Identify one area where you've kept Jesus at arm's length and invite Him in
Practice daily surrender—begin each day consciously yielding your plans to Jesus
Find a mission partner and start looking for ways to bring peace and healing where you already are

If you're all in:

Help others take their next step—share your story, offer hospitality, pray with people
Look for the harvest in your everyday life—believe that God is already at work around you
Stay connected to community and spiritual practices that keep you close to Jesus

Questions to Reflect On

Take some time to honestly consider these questions. There are no wrong answers—just an invitation to go deeper.

Where do you find yourself in this journey right now? Are you curious, belonging, worshiping, healing, following, dying to self, or being sent?
What would it look like to take one step forward from where you are?
Where have you been trying to satisfy deep longings with things that ultimately leave you empty?
What false beliefs or misaligned identities need to be replaced with gospel truth?
How might God already be working in your everyday life—your workplace, neighborhood, or relationships?

The Invitation Still Stands

Jesus's invitation to "come and see" isn't just for the start of the journey. It's for every step along the way. He keeps inviting us to come closer, to see more clearly, to experience deeper transformation, and to join Him more fully in His mission.

The restless searching for meaning, acceptance, and purpose finds its answer in Jesus. Not in a religious system or a set of rules, but in a person who offers Himself unconditionally. In His presence, we discover who God really is, who we're meant to be, and the fullness of life we were created for.

Wherever we are on this journey—skeptical, seeking, believing, or following—the invitation remains open. Will we take the next step?

Want to Go Deeper?

Listen to the full sermons for each week. Video and audio available here.
Join a community group to process these ideas with others
Talk to a pastor or trusted friend about where you are and what your next step might be
Start simple practices like daily prayer, Scripture reading, or Sabbath rest