Come and See: The Power of a Simple Invitation
A sermon reflection from John 1:35–46 about the power of a simple invitation to Jesus.

Craig Hargrow • Pastor
August 30, 2026

4 Minute Read

The Gospel of John was written so that we might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing we might have life through His name. In John 1, that purpose begins to unfold through a series of personal encounters. Andrew, Peter, Philip, and Nathanael move from hearing about Jesus to meeting Him, following Him, and bringing someone else along.

Their stories remind us that sharing our faith does not always begin with a perfect explanation. Sometimes it begins with a simple, honest invitation: Come and see.

Jesus Invites Us Into Relationship

When two of John the Baptist’s disciples heard him identify Jesus as the Lamb of God, they began to follow Jesus. Jesus turned and asked what they were seeking. When they asked where He was staying, He did not give them a lecture from a distance. He invited them to come and spend time with Him.

Jesus welcomed relationship before instruction. He gave them room to see who He was for themselves.

That matters for the way we share Christ. People are not projects to complete or arguments to win. They are people to love. Before we try to answer every question, we can create space for relationship, listen well, and help someone take one step closer to Jesus.

Bring the People Closest to You

After Andrew encountered Jesus, he went to find his brother Simon. He did not try to reproduce everything he had heard or explain every spiritual truth. Scripture says he brought Simon to Jesus.

Sometimes evangelism needs to begin at home. Sharing with family and close friends can feel difficult because they know our history, our flaws, and our failures. Yet Andrew’s actions reveal his conviction: what he had found in Jesus was too important to keep to himself.

We do not have to have every answer. Our task is to point people toward the One who does.

Invitation Instead of Argument

Philip later told Nathanael that they had found the One promised in Scripture: Jesus of Nazareth. Nathanael responded with skepticism. Philip could have argued with him or walked away offended. Instead, he answered with three simple words: Come and see.

There is power in that kind of invitation. Philip did not pretend Nathanael had no doubts. He trusted that a genuine encounter with Jesus could address what his argument could not.

People may hesitate because of disappointment, past church experiences, unanswered questions, or fear. We can meet that hesitation with patience and an open door. Invite them to worship. Invite them to watch a sermon. Invite them to read the Gospel of John with you. Invite them into a conversation where honesty is welcome.

Keep It Simple

Evangelism often starts small. It may be a message to someone who has been on your heart, an offer to pray, a ride to church, or a conversation over a meal. Faithfulness is not measured by how impressive the invitation sounds. It is measured by our willingness to make it.

Psalm 34:8 says, “O taste and see that the Lord is good.” We can tell others what Christ has done in our lives, but we also invite them to experience His goodness personally.

Life Application

Think of one person you can invite this week to come and experience Jesus. Pray for that person by name, then make one clear and loving invitation. Do not pressure them, and do not be discouraged if the answer is not immediate. Your responsibility is to open the door. God is responsible for what happens in the heart.

Reflection Questions

- What do Andrew’s actions reveal about his conviction concerning Jesus?

- What makes it difficult or easy to share your faith with the people closest to you?

- Have you allowed fear of skepticism to keep you silent?

- Who can you invite this week to come and experience Jesus?

Prayer

Lord Jesus, thank You for inviting me into relationship with You. Give me courage to share what I have found without pressure, pride, or fear. Put one person on my heart and help me offer a simple, sincere invitation that points them toward You. Amen.


Watch or listen to the sermon: Come and See

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From this Tag: Evangelism
November 1, 2026 • 18 Minute Read
Speaking Their Language: How to Share the Gospel With Anyone
Sharing the gospel is one of the most important things a Christian can do, but it is also one of the most misunderstood. Many believers know what they believe, but struggle to communicate it in a way that actually connects with the people around them. The truth does not change, but the way we deliver it must meet people where they are. Why Does Sharing the Gospel Feel So Hard? The challenge is not the message itself. The challenge is the language. When a missionary travels to a foreign country and preaches without an interpreter, it does not matter how sound the doctrine is or how passionately it is delivered. If the people cannot understand the language, the message falls on deaf ears. The same principle applies right here at home. Every person you encounter is coming from a different place, carrying different questions, different wounds, and different beliefs. That means they are often speaking a different language, even if the words sound familiar. The gospel does not change. But the language must. What Can We Learn From Paul in Athens? In Acts 17, the apostle Paul finds himself in Athens waiting for his companions Silas and Timothy. Athens was a city filled with philosophy, intellectual debate, and devotion to many idol gods. It was a culture that shared none of Paul's biblical foundation. Rather than retreating, Paul leaned in. He went to the synagogue. He went to the marketplace. He engaged with philosophers who thought he had no idea what he was talking about. Eventually, he was brought to the Areopagus, a hill named after the Greek God of war, to explain His message to people who worshiped false gods. And that is exactly where he chose to speak. There are three lessons from this passage that every believer can carry into their daily life. Lesson One: Observe People Before You Address People Paul did not walk into Athens with a prepared script and deliver it regardless of his audience. He paid attention. He walked around, looked at the altars, studied the culture, and noticed something remarkable. Among all the shrines to various gods, there was one altar with an inscription that read: "To the Unknown God." Paul did not have to invent an opening. He simply paid attention to what was already there. Sometimes we miss opportunities to share the gospel because we are so focused on what we want to say that we never stop to hear what people are actually saying. We have a script in our heads, and no matter what someone shares with us, we are going to deliver our point regardless. Effective gospel sharing begins with a willingness to listen before speaking, to ask before assuming, and to understand someone's beliefs before trying to correct them. There are people all around us who are already asking spiritual questions. Someone says they do not know what they are supposed to do with their life. Someone wonders if anyone truly loves them. Someone is searching for peace in the middle of chaos. Someone is looking for community but running to all the wrong places to find it. All of those longings are open doors. But we walk right past them because we are too busy preparing our presentation to notice the person standing in front of us. What Does Observation Require? Observation requires humility. You cannot assume you understand someone's story because you have observed their behavior. You cannot look at how someone dresses, how they talk, or how they move and think you know everything about them. Humility means listening with compassion while remaining committed to biblical truth. It means asking sincere questions even when those questions might lead to conflict or to answers you do not have. Lesson Two: You Can Build a Bridge Without Changing the Destination Once Paul identified that point of connection, the altar to the unknown God, He began to build a bridge. He said, in effect, "You have acknowledged a God you do not know. Let me introduce you to Him." He declared in Acts 17:24-25 that God made the world and everything in it, that He does not live in temples built by human hands, and that He does not need anything from us because He is the one who gives life and breath to everyone. Paul took their religious activity and built a bridge from it to the character of the living God. He even quoted their own poets, saying in Acts 17:28, "For in him we live and move and have our being, as even some of your own poets have said, for we are indeed his offspring." He used language familiar to them to communicate a truth that was completely new to them. He was aware of the culture without being controlled by it. What Makes a Bridge Structurally Sound? A bridge has to be functional first. It does not matter how beautiful it looks if it cannot hold the weight of what it is carrying. The gospel we share must be structurally sound. The foundation must be sure before anything else is added. And here is the critical point: speaking a different language does not mean saying a different thing. It means saying the same thing in a different way. There is a real danger in wanting so badly to connect with people that we compromise the message. Some people want to build a bridge so much that they leave out the parts of the gospel that might make someone uncomfortable. But if we tell people that God loves them without explaining salvation, the message is incomplete. If we say Jesus is an inspiration but never proclaim Him as the crucified and risen Savior, we are building a bridge that only goes halfway. You cannot cross a bridge that is not finished. Paul did not stop at empathy. He did not stop at cultural connection. He took the conversation all the way to the resurrection, the judgment of God, and the call to repent. He met people where they were because he cared deeply about where they were going. Are We Too Disconnected From the People We Are Trying to Reach? To build a bridge, you have to know where people are starting from. If we spend all of our time surrounded by like-minded people and go out of our way to avoid those who think or live differently, we will not know how to speak their language. We will hand someone a card and invite them to church without ever understanding what they are actually going through. We cannot get so comfortable in our church culture that we forget what it felt like to struggle, to search, or to not have the answers. The moment we start looking down at people from a distance, we lose the ability to build anything that connects. Lesson Three: Your Faithfulness Is Not Measured by Everyone's Response Even when we observe carefully and communicate faithfully, we cannot control how people respond. Paul proclaimed the resurrection of the dead, and the responses were all over the map. Some mocked him. Some said they wanted to hear more. And some joined him and believed. Same message. Same moment. Completely different responses. Rejection does not mean failure. Jesus Himself was rejected by people who heard Him speak in person and watched Him perform miracles. John 6:66 tells us that after hearing His teaching, many of His followers turned back and no longer walked with Him. Jesus did not change His message to keep the crowd. If people rejected Jesus, they will reject us too. Because we are not sharing ourselves. We are sharing Jesus. How Do We Handle Rejection When Sharing Our Faith? Public rejection can be discouraging, but it should not be a deterrent. Notice that Acts 17 does not end with the mockers. It ends with those who joined Paul and believed. The mockers did not prevent the believers. Do not allow the people who refuse to listen to distract you from the people who are ready to hear. If you spend all your time arguing with those who are determined to reject the message, you will never reach the ones who are genuinely hungry for it. Say what you have to say. Share the word. And let God do the rest. The World Is Changing. The Message Is Not. Language is changing. Culture is changing. The questions people are asking are changing faster than ever. But Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever. The challenge for every believer is to communicate that unchanging Jesus in as many languages as possible. That means being willing to meet people in their confusion without getting frustrated. It means entering into their search for purpose without acting like we have everything figured out. It means sitting with people in their pain and pointing them, through the word of God, to the one who can actually heal it. We must learn the language without losing the message. We must build the bridge without changing the destination. And we must keep pointing people to Jesus, no matter how many times we are turned away. Life Application This week, before you try to share your faith with someone, commit to listening first. Find one person in your life who does not share your beliefs or who is clearly searching for something, and instead of leading with what you want to say, ask them a genuine question about their life and actually listen to the answer. Pay attention to what they are really asking underneath the surface. Then, when the moment is right, build a bridge from where they are to the truth of who God is. Ask yourself these questions as you go into the week: - Am I so focused on delivering my message that I am missing the questions the people around me are already asking? - Have I become so comfortable in church culture that I have lost the ability to speak the language of people who are still searching? - Am I letting fear of rejection keep me from sharing the gospel with someone who genuinely needs to hear it? - When I share my faith, am I giving people the full message, or am I building a bridge that only goes halfway? The people around you are hungry. Some of them do not even know what they are hungry for. Be the one who offers them living water and the bread of life, spoken in a language they can actually receive.Sharing the gospel is one of the most important things a Christian can do, but it is also one of the most misunderstood. Many believers know what they believe, but struggle to communicate it in a way that actually connects with the people around them. The truth does not change, but the way we deliver it must meet people where they are. Why Does Sharing the Gospel Feel So Hard? The challenge is not the message itself. The challenge is the language. When a missionary travels to a foreign country and preaches without an interpreter, it does not matter how sound the doctrine is or how passionately it is delivered. If the people cannot understand the language, the message falls on deaf ears. The same principle applies right here at home. Every person you encounter is coming from a different place, carrying different questions, different wounds, and different beliefs. That means they are often speaking a different language, even if the words sound familiar. The gospel does not change. But the language must. What Can We Learn From Paul in Athens? In Acts 17, the apostle Paul finds himself in Athens waiting for his companions Silas and Timothy. Athens was a city filled with philosophy, intellectual debate, and devotion to many idol gods. It was a culture that shared none of Paul's biblical foundation. Rather than retreating, Paul leaned in. He went to the synagogue. He went to the marketplace. He engaged with philosophers who thought he had no idea what he was talking about. Eventually, he was brought to the Areopagus, a hill named after the Greek God of war, to explain His message to people who worshiped false gods. And that is exactly where he chose to speak. There are three lessons from this passage that every believer can carry into their daily life. Lesson One: Observe People Before You Address People Paul did not walk into Athens with a prepared script and deliver it regardless of his audience. He paid attention. He walked around, looked at the altars, studied the culture, and noticed something remarkable. Among all the shrines to various gods, there was one altar with an inscription that read: "To the Unknown God." Paul did not have to invent an opening. He simply paid attention to what was already there. Sometimes we miss opportunities to share the gospel because we are so focused on what we want to say that we never stop to hear what people are actually saying. We have a script in our heads, and no matter what someone shares with us, we are going to deliver our point regardless. Effective gospel sharing begins with a willingness to listen before speaking, to ask before assuming, and to understand someone's beliefs before trying to correct them. There are people all around us who are already asking spiritual questions. Someone says they do not know what they are supposed to do with their life. Someone wonders if anyone truly loves them. Someone is searching for peace in the middle of chaos. Someone is looking for community but running to all the wrong places to find it. All of those longings are open doors. But we walk right past them because we are too busy preparing our presentation to notice the person standing in front of us. What Does Observation Require? Observation requires humility. You cannot assume you understand someone's story because you have observed their behavior. You cannot look at how someone dresses, how they talk, or how they move and think you know everything about them. Humility means listening with compassion while remaining committed to biblical truth. It means asking sincere questions even when those questions might lead to conflict or to answers you do not have. Lesson Two: You Can Build a Bridge Without Changing the Destination Once Paul identified that point of connection, the altar to the unknown God, He began to build a bridge. He said, in effect, "You have acknowledged a God you do not know. Let me introduce you to Him." He declared in Acts 17:24-25 that God made the world and everything in it, that He does not live in temples built by human hands, and that He does not need anything from us because He is the one who gives life and breath to everyone. Paul took their religious activity and built a bridge from it to the character of the living God. He even quoted their own poets, saying in Acts 17:28, "For in him we live and move and have our being, as even some of your own poets have said, for we are indeed his offspring." He used language familiar to them to communicate a truth that was completely new to them. He was aware of the culture without being controlled by it. What Makes a Bridge Structurally Sound? A bridge has to be functional first. It does not matter how beautiful it looks if it cannot hold the weight of what it is carrying. The gospel we share must be structurally sound. The foundation must be sure before anything else is added. And here is the critical point: speaking a different language does not mean saying a different thing. It means saying the same thing in a different way. There is a real danger in wanting so badly to connect with people that we compromise the message. Some people want to build a bridge so much that they leave out the parts of the gospel that might make someone uncomfortable. But if we tell people that God loves them without explaining salvation, the message is incomplete. If we say Jesus is an inspiration but never proclaim Him as the crucified and risen Savior, we are building a bridge that only goes halfway. You cannot cross a bridge that is not finished. Paul did not stop at empathy. He did not stop at cultural connection. He took the conversation all the way to the resurrection, the judgment of God, and the call to repent. He met people where they were because he cared deeply about where they were going. Are We Too Disconnected From the People We Are Trying to Reach? To build a bridge, you have to know where people are starting from. If we spend all of our time surrounded by like-minded people and go out of our way to avoid those who think or live differently, we will not know how to speak their language. We will hand someone a card and invite them to church without ever understanding what they are actually going through. We cannot get so comfortable in our church culture that we forget what it felt like to struggle, to search, or to not have the answers. The moment we start looking down at people from a distance, we lose the ability to build anything that connects. Lesson Three: Your Faithfulness Is Not Measured by Everyone's Response Even when we observe carefully and communicate faithfully, we cannot control how people respond. Paul proclaimed the resurrection of the dead, and the responses were all over the map. Some mocked him. Some said they wanted to hear more. And some joined him and believed. Same message. Same moment. Completely different responses. Rejection does not mean failure. Jesus Himself was rejected by people who heard Him speak in person and watched Him perform miracles. John 6:66 tells us that after hearing His teaching, many of His followers turned back and no longer walked with Him. Jesus did not change His message to keep the crowd. If people rejected Jesus, they will reject us too. Because we are not sharing ourselves. We are sharing Jesus. How Do We Handle Rejection When Sharing Our Faith? Public rejection can be discouraging, but it should not be a deterrent. Notice that Acts 17 does not end with the mockers. It ends with those who joined Paul and believed. The mockers did not prevent the believers. Do not allow the people who refuse to listen to distract you from the people who are ready to hear. If you spend all your time arguing with those who are determined to reject the message, you will never reach the ones who are genuinely hungry for it. Say what you have to say. Share the word. And let God do the rest. The World Is Changing. The Message Is Not. Language is changing. Culture is changing. The questions people are asking are changing faster than ever. But Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever. The challenge for every believer is to communicate that unchanging Jesus in as many languages as possible. That means being willing to meet people in their confusion without getting frustrated. It means entering into their search for purpose without acting like we have everything figured out. It means sitting with people in their pain and pointing them, through the word of God, to the one who can actually heal it. We must learn the language without losing the message. We must build the bridge without changing the destination. And we must keep pointing people to Jesus, no matter how many times we are turned away. Life Application This week, before you try to share your faith with someone, commit to listening first. Find one person in your life who does not share your beliefs or who is clearly searching for something, and instead of leading with what you want to say, ask them a genuine question about their life and actually listen to the answer. Pay attention to what they are really asking underneath the surface. Then, when the moment is right, build a bridge from where they are to the truth of who God is. Ask yourself these questions as you go into the week: - Am I so focused on delivering my message that I am missing the questions the people around me are already asking? - Have I become so comfortable in church culture that I have lost the ability to speak the language of people who are still searching? - Am I letting fear of rejection keep me from sharing the gospel with someone who genuinely needs to hear it? - When I share my faith, am I giving people the full message, or am I building a bridge that only goes halfway? The people around you are hungry. Some of them do not even know what they are hungry for. Be the one who offers them living water and the bread of life, spoken in a language they can actually receive.
October 25, 2026 • 8 Minute Read
God Does Not Discriminate: What the Bible Says About Who Can Receive the Gospel
One of the most powerful truths in Scripture is that God's grace has no boundaries. No cultural wall, social status, or personal background can limit who God chooses to hear, receive, and save. Acts chapter 10 makes this unmistakably clear, and it carries a challenge for every believer today. What Is Acts Chapter 10 Really About? Acts 10 marks a turning point in the spread of the Gospel. While the idea of salvation for all people is woven throughout the New Testament, this chapter draws a clear line in the sand. God specifically reveals to the apostle Peter that salvation through Jesus Christ is not limited to the Jewish people. It is for the Gentiles too, which means it is for everyone. If you were not born into the Jewish nation, you were considered a Gentile. And in the cultural and religious climate of that time, many believed Gentiles had no real access to God. Acts 10 says otherwise. Who Was Cornelius and Why Does He Matter? The chapter opens with a man named Cornelius, a centurion in the Italian regiment of the Roman army. Most biblical scholars believe he was a Gentile. Historical context supports this, since Jewish people were not permitted to rise to high military ranks in the Roman army. But here is what stands out about Cornelius. The Scripture describes him this way: "A devout man, and one that feared God with all His house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway." - Acts 10:2 Being a Gentile and being devout were not mutually exclusive, even though many people of that era believed they were. Cornelius was praying, giving, and worshiping a God that some people told Him He had no access to. Does God Hear the Prayers of People Others Have Written Off? An angel of the Lord appeared to Cornelius and said something remarkable. He told him that his prayers and his giving had come up as a memorial before God. The word "memorial" here is not casual language. It is a reference rooted in Old Testament sacrificial offerings, specifically the portion of the offering set apart directly for God. This was not just God noticing Cornelius from a distance. This was God saying, "I receive it. I accept it." People had written Cornelius off. The religious and cultural walls of his day said he was on the outside. But God was paying attention the entire time. What Does This Mean for People Who Feel Overlooked or Rejected? This is where the message becomes deeply personal. There are people who have been mislabeled, dismissed, and counted out by others, sometimes even by people they love and trust. But here is the truth that Acts 10 makes plain. People's opinions of you do not change God's mind about you. Consider what Scripture says: - "According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love." - Ephesians 1:4 - "Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God? But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows." - Luke 12:6-7 - "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." - John 3:16 People may reject you. God still hears your prayer. People may dismiss you. God is still looking after you. People may count you out. But God has plans for you that they were never consulted about. Keep praying. Keep worshiping. Keep doing what God has called you to do, regardless of the naysayers. Peter's Vision: What God Has Cleansed, Call Not Common While Cornelius was receiving His vision, Peter was on a rooftop in Joppa, hungry and praying. He fell into a trance and saw a vision of a large sheet descending from heaven, filled with all kinds of animals, including those considered unclean under Jewish law. A voice told him to rise, kill, and eat. Peter refused. He said he had never eaten anything common or unclean. The voice responded a second time: "What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common." - Acts 10:15 This happened three times. Then the sheet was taken back up into heaven. While Peter was still trying to make sense of the vision, the three men sent by Cornelius arrived at the front door. The Spirit of God told Peter to go downstairs and go with them without hesitation, because God had sent them. Why Did Peter Go Into a Gentile's Home? Peter walked into Cornelius's house knowing full well that Jewish law and cultural norms said he should not be there. He even acknowledged it openly. He said it was unlawful for a Jewish man to keep company with someone of another nation. But then he said something that changed everything. He said God had shown Him something different. God told Him not to call any person common or unclean. Peter did not bend the rules on his own. He did not decide to evolve past his upbringing through personal growth alone. He had an encounter with God that required Him to act differently than everything He had been taught. And when he stood before a room full of Gentiles, he opened his message with one of the most powerful lines in the book of Acts: "Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons." - Acts 10:34 What Happened When Peter Preached to the Gentiles? Peter shared the Gospel. He told them about Jesus, His life, His death, and His resurrection. And before he even finished speaking, the Holy Spirit fell on everyone in that room. They began speaking in tongues and magnifying God. The Jewish believers who had traveled with Peter from Joppa were astonished. They witnessed it with their own eyes. And that was not an accident. If Peter had gone alone and come back with a story, no one would have believed him. God made sure there were witnesses. Obedience to God, even when it goes against everything you were raised to believe, opens the door for God to do miraculous things. Why Are We Reluctant to Share the Gospel With Certain People? This is the honest question that Acts 10 forces us to sit with. If God does not discriminate regarding who can receive the Gospel, why do we hesitate to share it with certain people? Why do we put up barriers based on culture, background, politics, or personal history? Breaking past those barriers is not easy. Many of us carry generational teachings, real experiences, and deep-rooted perspectives that shape how we see others. That is real and it should not be minimized. But Peter's transformation was not a natural evolution. It took a direct encounter with God, repeated three times, before He moved. The Gospel is designed to kick open doors that have been closed. And when we are willing to receive what God has for us, He will do things that astonish even the most skeptical witnesses. Salvation is available to everyone. It does not matter where someone was born, how much money they have, the color of their skin, their political affiliation, or how they identify. The same grace that woke you up this morning is the same grace extended to the person you may have already written off. Life Application This week, identify someone or a group of people that you have placed a barrier between yourself and. It may be cultural, historical, or personal. Ask God honestly whether that barrier is one He wants to remain or one He is calling you to walk through. You do not have to force it. If God says stay, stay. But if God says go, trust that He will protect you and use you when you get there. The Gospel does not belong only to the people who look like us, think like us, or come from where we come from. It belongs to the world. Ask yourself these questions this week: - Is there someone I have decided is not worth sharing the Gospel with, and where did that belief come from? - Am I allowing cultural or social norms to override what God may be calling me to do? - If God receives the prayers and worship of people others have written off, what does that say about how I should treat those same people? - What would it look like for me to take one step this week toward someone I have kept at a distance? God is no respecter of persons. Neither should we be.
September 27, 2026 • 7 Minute Read
Saved to Share: What Does It Mean to Love Your Neighbor?
One of the most familiar stories in the Bible holds a challenge that most of us quietly avoid. The parable of the Good Samaritan is not just a feel-good story about helping strangers. It is a direct call to live out the gospel through compassion, and it starts with an uncomfortable question: Are you actually being a neighbor to the people around you? Who Was Really Being Tested in This Story? In Luke 10:25-37, a lawyer approaches Jesus with a question. But this was not an honest question from someone seeking truth. The scripture makes it clear he was testing Jesus. This man was an expert in the Mosaic law. He was respected, educated, and well-known in his community. When he stood up and asked, "Master, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" he already knew the answer. He wanted to see what Jesus would say. Jesus did not take the bait. Instead, He turned the question right back around. He asked the lawyer what was written in the law and how he read it. The lawyer answered without hesitation, pulling from Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18: "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself." - Luke 10:27 Jesus told Him He answered correctly. Do this and you will live. Why Did the Lawyer Ask "Who Is My Neighbor?" The lawyer could have taken his win and walked away. Jesus, the one He was trying to test, had just confirmed His answer. But he pushed further. He asked, "And who is my neighbor?" That follow-up question is where things get interesting. Rather than giving a definition, Jesus told a story. And the story did not answer the question the lawyer asked. It answered a much more important one. What Happened on the Road from Jerusalem to Jericho A man was traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho when he was attacked by thieves. They stripped him, beat him, and left him half dead on the side of the road. Three people came down that same road. - A priest saw the man and crossed to the other side. - A Levite came, looked at the man, and also crossed to the other side. - A Samaritan saw the man and stopped. The priest and the Levite were the religious leaders of the day. They were the ones people looked to for spiritual guidance. And yet they walked past a man who was naked, wounded, and nearly dead. Some have tried to justify their actions using Levitical law about ceremonial cleanliness. But the man was not dead. He was half dead. The excuses do not hold up. What the priest and Levite allowed was their concern for their own religious reputation to keep them from showing basic human compassion. What the Good Samaritan Actually Did The Samaritan had every cultural reason to keep walking. Jewish people and Samaritans did not get along. There was deep animosity between the two groups. And yet this Samaritan stopped. He did not just glance at the man. He went to him. He poured oil and wine on his wounds, which were costly supplies. He put the man on his own animal, took him to an inn, and cared for him through the night. The next morning, he paid the innkeeper two days' wages and told him that if any additional expenses came up, he would cover them on his return. No questions asked. No strings attached. No investigation into how the man ended up in that situation. Jesus Flipped the Question After telling the story, Jesus asked the lawyer: "Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?" - Luke 10:36 The lawyer could not even bring himself to say "the Samaritan." He said, "The one who had mercy on him." Jesus said, "Go and do likewise." - Luke 10:37 Notice what Jesus did not do. He did not define who qualifies as a neighbor. He redirected the entire conversation. Instead of telling the lawyer who deserves his compassion, Jesus told Him to become the kind of person who shows compassion. The question shifted from "Who is my neighbor?" to "Am I being a neighbor?" Compassion Is Not the Warm-Up to the Gospel. It Is the Gospel. This is where the story hits hardest. Showing compassion to someone in need is not just a nice thing to do before you share a Bible verse. It is itself an expression of the gospel. James 2:14-17 puts it plainly: "What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, 'Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,' but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead." - James 2:14-17 First John 3:17-18 echoes the same truth: "If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth." - 1 John 3:17-18 A faith that produces no action toward someone who is suffering is not a living faith. Compassion in action is the evidence of gospel belief. Jesus Was the Ultimate Good Samaritan The deepest layer of this story is what it reveals about Jesus Himself. Every person who has ever lived has been, in some way, like the man on the side of the road. Stripped. Wounded. Left for dead by sin. Jesus saw us in that condition and did not cross to the other side. He came down. He went to us. He poured something on our wounds that cost Him everything. His blood. He carried us. He is still interceding on our behalf. If Jesus showed that kind of compassion to us while we were still sinners, as Romans 5:8 reminds us, "But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us," then how can we walk past people in need and justify it? You Do Not Have to Step Off Your Path One of the most practical takeaways from this passage is that the Samaritan was already on a journey. He was going somewhere. He did not abandon his plans. He simply kept his eyes open along the way and responded to what he saw. God is not asking most of us to completely reroute our lives. He is asking us to stay alert on the path we are already on. When someone crosses our path who is hurting, destitute, or in need, the call is simple: do not cross to the other side. Do what you can. That is sharing the gospel. Not always with words. Sometimes with presence, with resources, with time, and with no expectation of anything in return. Life Application This week, make a deliberate choice to be a neighbor to someone you might normally pass by. It does not have to be dramatic. It might be a coworker who is struggling, a neighbor going through a hard season, or a stranger in a moment of visible need. The challenge is to respond with practical, no-strings-attached compassion rather than looking away or telling yourself it is not your problem. Ask yourself these questions as you go through your week: - Am I more focused on defining who deserves my help, or am I focused on becoming the kind of person who helps? - Is there someone in my life right now who is "on the side of the road" that I have been crossing to avoid? - What would it look like for me to show compassion this week with no questions asked and no expectation of anything in return? - Do my actions reflect the gospel I say I believe, or does my faith stop at words? The lawyer wanted a definition. Jesus gave Him a direction. Go and do likewise.

Craig Hargrow

Pastor

September 6, 2026 • 4 Minute Read
Meeting People Where They Are
In John 4, Jesus meets a Samaritan woman at a well. The encounter crosses barriers of history, culture, religion, reputation, and gender. Others might have avoided the road, the conversation, or the person. Jesus did not. This story gives us a practical picture of what it means to share the Gospel with truth and compassion: leave where we are comfortable, go where others may not go, see the person before addressing the problem, and begin with shared understanding. We are saved to share, and that requires a willingness to meet people where they are. The Need to Leave Ministry rarely happens if we refuse to move beyond what is familiar. Jesus did not wait for the Samaritan woman to enter a space where everyone already agreed or behaved the same way. He went through Samaria and met her in the middle of her ordinary day. Paul expressed this same missionary heart in 1 Corinthians 9:22: “I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.” Paul was not changing the truth. He was willing to change his approach so that people could understand it. Meeting people where they are may require us to leave our routines, preferences, assumptions, and fear. The Gospel remains the same, but faithful love is willing to take a step toward the person who needs to hear it. Go Where Other People Will Not Jesus entered a place many people would have avoided and spoke to someone many people would have ignored. He was not controlled by social barriers or public opinion. There are people in every community who feel overlooked because of their background, choices, questions, or reputation. If the church only welcomes people who already know how to fit in, we miss the people Jesus intentionally sought. Going where others will not does not always mean traveling far. It may mean starting a conversation with the person everyone avoids, listening without rushing to judge, or showing consistent kindness where others have withdrawn it. See the Person Before Addressing the Problem First Samuel 16:7 reminds us that people look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart. Jesus knew the woman’s story, but He did not reduce her to it. He saw a person who needed living water. People can tell when they are being treated as a problem instead of a person. Truth matters, but the way we carry truth also matters. Compassion does not ignore sin; it creates a path for an honest encounter with the Savior. Before we speak, we should ask God for eyes that see beyond labels. Every person has a story. Every person bears God-given dignity. Every person is someone Christ is able to reach. Start With Shared Understanding Jesus began with water—the ordinary reason both He and the woman were at the well. From that shared point, He led the conversation toward living water and true worship. We do not have to force a spiritual conversation. We can listen for a natural place to begin: family, work, grief, hope, purpose, or a need for prayer. Shared understanding builds a bridge. From there, we can speak about the hope we have in Christ in language the other person can understand. The goal is not to display how much we know. The goal is to help someone see Jesus clearly. Life Application Ask God to show you one barrier you need to cross this week. It may be discomfort, an old assumption, a strained relationship, or simply a busy schedule. Choose one person and make room for a genuine conversation. Listen first. See the person. Then share truth with humility, compassion, and love. Reflection Questions - Where has comfort kept me from going where God may be sending me? - Do I see people first, or do I see their problems and labels first? - What common ground could help me begin an honest conversation about faith? - Who needs me to meet them where they are this week? Prayer Father, thank You for meeting me where I was. Lead me beyond comfort and fear. Give me eyes to see people as You see them, wisdom to listen, and courage to share the Gospel with truth, compassion, and love. Amen. Watch or listen to the sermon: Meeting People Where They are -

Craig Hargrow

Pastor

Currently Reading
August 30, 2026 • 4 Minute Read
Come and See: The Power of a Simple Invitation
The Gospel of John was written so that we might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing we might have life through His name. In John 1, that purpose begins to unfold through a series of personal encounters. Andrew, Peter, Philip, and Nathanael move from hearing about Jesus to meeting Him, following Him, and bringing someone else along. Their stories remind us that sharing our faith does not always begin with a perfect explanation. Sometimes it begins with a simple, honest invitation: Come and see. Jesus Invites Us Into Relationship When two of John the Baptist’s disciples heard him identify Jesus as the Lamb of God, they began to follow Jesus. Jesus turned and asked what they were seeking. When they asked where He was staying, He did not give them a lecture from a distance. He invited them to come and spend time with Him. Jesus welcomed relationship before instruction. He gave them room to see who He was for themselves. That matters for the way we share Christ. People are not projects to complete or arguments to win. They are people to love. Before we try to answer every question, we can create space for relationship, listen well, and help someone take one step closer to Jesus. Bring the People Closest to You After Andrew encountered Jesus, he went to find his brother Simon. He did not try to reproduce everything he had heard or explain every spiritual truth. Scripture says he brought Simon to Jesus. Sometimes evangelism needs to begin at home. Sharing with family and close friends can feel difficult because they know our history, our flaws, and our failures. Yet Andrew’s actions reveal his conviction: what he had found in Jesus was too important to keep to himself. We do not have to have every answer. Our task is to point people toward the One who does. Invitation Instead of Argument Philip later told Nathanael that they had found the One promised in Scripture: Jesus of Nazareth. Nathanael responded with skepticism. Philip could have argued with him or walked away offended. Instead, he answered with three simple words: Come and see. There is power in that kind of invitation. Philip did not pretend Nathanael had no doubts. He trusted that a genuine encounter with Jesus could address what his argument could not. People may hesitate because of disappointment, past church experiences, unanswered questions, or fear. We can meet that hesitation with patience and an open door. Invite them to worship. Invite them to watch a sermon. Invite them to read the Gospel of John with you. Invite them into a conversation where honesty is welcome. Keep It Simple Evangelism often starts small. It may be a message to someone who has been on your heart, an offer to pray, a ride to church, or a conversation over a meal. Faithfulness is not measured by how impressive the invitation sounds. It is measured by our willingness to make it. Psalm 34:8 says, “O taste and see that the Lord is good.” We can tell others what Christ has done in our lives, but we also invite them to experience His goodness personally. Life Application Think of one person you can invite this week to come and experience Jesus. Pray for that person by name, then make one clear and loving invitation. Do not pressure them, and do not be discouraged if the answer is not immediate. Your responsibility is to open the door. God is responsible for what happens in the heart. Reflection Questions - What do Andrew’s actions reveal about his conviction concerning Jesus? - What makes it difficult or easy to share your faith with the people closest to you? - Have you allowed fear of skepticism to keep you silent? - Who can you invite this week to come and experience Jesus? Prayer Lord Jesus, thank You for inviting me into relationship with You. Give me courage to share what I have found without pressure, pride, or fear. Put one person on my heart and help me offer a simple, sincere invitation that points them toward You. Amen. Watch or listen to the sermon: Come and See

Craig Hargrow

Pastor