When things seem too good to be true, skepticism runs high. Think about the new facility that opened. Your friends rave about it, to the point they become voluntary evangelists. But can you be sure? Should you scope the place out before agreeing with your friends? Can you come and see for yourself?

John the Baptist, a prophet Jesus classified as greater than Elijah, came to a doubting point in his life. Stranded in prison, with no chance of leaving, he sent two of his disciples to Jesus, with one question:

Are you the One to come, or should we look for another (Matthew 11:3)

Remember, this is John the Baptist. The forerunner to Jesus, the Messiah. The one who baptized Jesus Himself! The Jews at the time believed that the Deliverer mentioned in the prophecies of the Old Testament pointed to One who would save them from the Roman Empire. Not fully comprehending Jesus’ mission, they thought He would restore the former greatness of the Jewish people. John the Baptist fell among this train of thought for some time. Trapped in prison, wondering when Jesus would make His move, and seeing no evidence of such a plan, he made a last effort attempt to confirm that Jesus indeed was the Messiah.

Remember, this was the forerunner chosen by God to introduce Jesus to the world.

Instead of yelling at John’s disciples, or telling them that they misread their Bibles, Jesus continues doing His work. The disciples “Come and see” what Jesus does, healing the sick, giving sight to the blind, and preaching the good news! He instructs them to tell John what they have seen and heard.

The Bible does not tell us what happened afterwards, but we can conclude that the disciples returned and confirmed that Jesus was indeed the Messiah. Jesus chose to address his doubt by inviting his disciples to see for themselves.

Unlike a personal experience invitation, this invitation focuses on the skeptical one(s), by inviting them to discover the truth for themselves. You may not have a personal experience to share, but you can invite someone to come and see. The Bible says that the harvest is plenty but the workers are few. Many long for answers to life’s deepest questions, and they want to come and see for themselves. But the invitations are few.

Pray for the Holy Spirit to open your eyes to divine appointments. Who knows, maybe you can extend a come and see invitation 😀