Inviting a Friend to Jesus
Month 10: Telling the Good News · Loving Others
Today's Scripture
Read together: John 1:43-46
43 The next day Jesus decided to set out for Galilee. Finding Philip, He told him, “Follow Me.” 44 Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the same town as Andrew and Peter. 45 Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the One Moses wrote about in the Law, the One the prophets foretold—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” 46 “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” Nathanael asked. “Come and see,” said Philip.
Memory Verse
“How then can they call on the One in whom they have not believed? And how can they believe in the One of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone to preach? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!””— Romans 10:14-15 (BSB)
📖 Bible-in-a-Year (optional)
Today's reading: Isaiah 34-36
Reading the whole Bible in a year — do this when you have extra time. (Around Day 297 of 365 — God promises a highway home for His redeemed people.)The Heart of It
When Philip met Jesus, the very first thing he did was go find his friend Nathanael. Nathanael was actually a bit doubtful. He said, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" (). Philip didn't get into a long argument. He didn't try to have all the answers. He just said three simple words: "Come and see." He invited his friend to meet Jesus for himself. That's one of the most powerful ways to tell the good news. It's not a speech, just an invitation. Come and see what I've found. Come and see who Jesus is.
You don't need to be a preacher to do what Philip did. You could invite a friend to church, or to youth group, or to your family's dinner where you talk about God. You could even just say, "Jesus is real to me. Want to hear about it?" That is real gospel work. And notice who Philip invited. He invited a friend, someone he already knew and cared about. The people God most often wants to reach through you are the ones already in your life. Loving others well and telling them about Jesus aren't two separate things. The most loving thing you can ever do for a friend is point them toward the One who can save them. So you don't have to win every argument. You just have to care enough to say, "Come and see."
Around the Table
Philip ran to tell his friend about Jesus and said, "Come and see!" We can invite our friends too.
Let's do it: Practice saying it big and friendly: "Come and see! Jesus is awesome!"
Nathanael had doubts, but Philip didn't argue — he just invited him to meet Jesus.
Let's talk: Who is one friend you could invite to church or to hear about Jesus?
"Come and see" lets Jesus do the convincing. You don't have to have every answer to make an introduction.
Let's go deeper: Why might an invitation sometimes reach a skeptical friend better than a debate?
💬 Conversation Starter
What's something you love so much that you're always inviting friends to try it — a game, a food, a place? How could you invite a friend to "come and see" Jesus?
🛡️ Defending the Faith
You don't have to know everything to share Jesus. "Come and see" works because Jesus is real and can stand up to honest looking. When a friend has a hard question you can't answer, it's perfectly fine to say, "Great question. Let me find out and tell you." That's part of being ready "with gentleness and respect" ().
For Dad · Go Deeper
Most people don't come to Christ through a stranger's sermon. They come through someone they already trust who simply opened a door. Philip's "come and see" is the original relational evangelism, and it's deeply reassuring for ordinary families. Your kids are not being asked to become street preachers. They're being invited to be the friend who makes the introduction. Help them see their existing friendships as the mission field. Teach them that loving service and spoken invitation belong together. Kindness earns the hearing. Words give the reason. Also free them, and yourself, from the lie that you must answer every objection. "I don't know, let's find out" is honest and humble, and far more attractive than bluffing. So model curiosity about hard questions rather than fear of them.
Draws on: Sean McDowell & J. Warner Wallace, So the Next Generation Will Know.
Let's Pray Together
"Father, thank You for the friends You've put in our lives. Help us love them enough to say, 'Come and see.' Let them meet Jesus through us. In Jesus' name, amen."
The most loving thing I can do for a friend is help them come and see Jesus.