John chapter 1 tells the story of a true believer named Philip and a skeptic named Nathanael.  Jesus walked up to Philip and said, "Follow Me" and that was enough for Philip to believe and follow.  Philip had already been seeking a relationship with God when Jesus found Him.  So, as a good believer, Philip did what any true believer in anything would do -- he went and told someone.  

My friend, Chris Baker, is a true believer in Apple.  For years, Chris told me about his Mac and how great it was.  At first, I didn't really have much of a response.  But Chris kept talking to me about it.  Then he showed me what it could do.  Finally, he convinced me, and I bought a Mac.  And I love it.

Phillip did the same thing.  He went to Nathanael and said, "We have found the Messiah!"  The Messiah was the long promised Savior that the Jews had been looking for since the inception of their nation.  Philip knew that Jesus was the Messiah, because He had already experienced and believed.  Nathanael's reaction was, "Can anything good come our of Nazareth?"  (Nazareth is where Jesus was from.)  Nathanael was like many of us - he stereotyped Jesus before he got to know Him.  He had a prejudice against people from Nazareth for some reason.  But Philip said a beautiful thing: "Come and see."

Chris was saying the same thing to me: "Come and see.  Check it out for yourself."  And when I started to investigate Apple, I really liked it!  By the way, Chris is also a true believer in Jesus!

When Nathanael got to Jesus, Jesus said about him, "Here is an Israelite in whom is no deceit!"  Nathanael's reaction was classic skeptic: "How do you know me?  I don't know you!"  So Jesus said, "Before Philip called you, I saw you sitting under a fig tree."  And Nathanael believed.

Now you may think that Nathanael was not a real skeptic, but I assure you he was.  However, if someone you never met immediately told people all about you and then told you where you were sitting, I think you would believe too!

Look at the stark contrast of Philip and Nathanael.  Philip was out seeking. Nathanael was sitting under a tree.  Philip believed immediately.  Nathanael had to see the proof.  Philip led.  Nathanael followed.

So you are a skeptic?  Great!  Let me say this to you: "Come and see.  Come see my Jesus!"

I am not talking about a church or a denomination.  I am not talking about a style or genre.  I am not talking about being rank and file or being a "yes man".  I am talking about finding out who Jesus is for real.  Forget what you have learned from Sunday school when you were 8.  Forget what you have seen on TV about Christians.  Forget what you have seen in the actions of those who claim to be true believers but aren't really.

Find a Bible and pick it up.  And start reading the book of John.  Read Matthew, Mark and Luke also.  Pay attention to what Jesus did, who He did it for; what He said.

When Chris was telling me about Apple, that was great.  But I had to do something with the information.  I had to do research myself.  He showed me, but I had to take the leap of faith myself.

It is okay to be skeptical, but do the research; do it objectively.  Come and see.