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Come and See

A hot-take showdown, four readers bringing John 1 to life from their seats, and an Invite Lab for sharing the gospel without the cringe

  • 🔥 Youth 14–15
  • Week 3
  • 📅 Sunday, January 17, 2027
🤔 Forehead Guess🏆 Showdown
💡 The big idea

Jesus Christ already knows me, He gives me power to become a son or daughter of God, and the way to know Him for myself (and to help my friends know Him) is to “come and see.”

I can come and see Jesus Christ for myself, remember who I really am because of Him, and invite others to come and see without pressure or cringe.

Study it yourself firstRead John 1 in Gospel LibraryCome, Follow Me manualOpen this week (John 1)
Know the chapters

John doesn’t start his Gospel in Bethlehem. He starts “in the beginning,” in John 1:1. Before the world, Jesus Christ was “the Word.” He was with God, and He created all things, in 1:3. He’s “the light of men,” a light that shines in darkness even when the darkness doesn’t get it, in 1:4–5. Then “the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us,” in 1:14. For teens, that’s huge. The Being who made the universe came close enough to know people by name. The Joseph Smith Translation of John 1, in the Bible appendix, clarifies several of these opening verses.

John 1:12 is an identity verse. To everyone who receives Him, He gives “power to become the sons of God.” We’re all spirit children of Heavenly Father. Sin separates us from Him, but through Jesus Christ we can come back and become more like Him. President Russell M. Nelson spoke to young adults in 2022, in “Choices for Eternity.” He taught that our most important identities are child of God, child of the covenant and disciple of Jesus Christ. Those come before any label from school, sports, grades or followers. John the Baptist shows a healthy identity too. When priests asked, “Who art thou?” in 1:19, he said plainly, “I am not the Christ.” He was a voice pointing to someone greater. Then he pointed his own disciples to Jesus, saying, “Behold the Lamb of God,” in 1:29 and 36. And he let them go.

The second half of the chapter is a chain reaction. Two of John’s disciples follow Jesus. He asks, “What seek ye?” and invites them to “Come and see,” in 1:38–39. One of them, Andrew, finds his brother Simon. Jesus gives Simon a new name, Cephas, which means a stone. Philip finds Nathanael, who fires back a hot take: “Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth?” That’s 1:46. Philip doesn’t argue. He just repeats the invitation, “Come and see.” When Nathanael arrives, Jesus describes his honest heart. He says, “when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee,” in 1:48. In about four verses, Nathanael goes from skeptic to witness: “thou art the Son of God,” in 1:49.

Your youth live in a world of hot takes and online arguments about religion. Philip’s approach is how the Church teaches gospel sharing today. Love people, share what matters to you, and invite them to come and see. No pressure, debate or guilt. Teachers-age youth also prepare the sacrament each week. John’s title “the Lamb of God” is a perfect bridge to what the bread and water mean.

Only have 5 minutes?

Read John 1:1–5, 12, 19–23, 29 and 35–51. Do the Hot Take hook. Hand four readers their parts, and they read the Come-and-See scenes from their seats. Say John 1:12 together and talk through three Invite Lab situations. Close with your testimony that Jesus knows each of them, like He knew Nathanael under the fig tree.

What to bring2 items

Tick what you have. Forgot something? Every step that needs a supply has a no-supplies version in the plan below.

Before class

  1. Choose four readers if you can. You need a strong reader for the Narrator, plus John the Baptist, Philip and Nathanael. Give Nathanael to someone with good deadpan timing. Add your class in My Class to assign parts with one tap.
  2. Mark John 1:1–5, 12 and 19–51 in your scriptures.
  3. Think of a time someone invited you to come and see something about the gospel. Or think of when you came to know the Savior better for yourself. You’ll share it briefly at the end.

If your class is wild

  • The Hot Take hook can get loud and fun. Let it. Then drop your voice for Nathanael’s line. The contrast grabs them.
  • Readers stay in their seats and just read with feeling. Nobody performs. If someone doesn’t want a part, they can follow along and watch for who points to Jesus.
  • In the Invite Lab, some youth will make their invitations as cringe as possible on purpose. Laugh. Then ask, “Okay, now the version you’d actually say.”
  • Some youth have friends who are hostile to religion, or doubts of their own. Keep “come and see” gentle. It’s an invitation, never a pressure campaign. Nathanael’s skepticism was met with kindness.
  • Small class? You read the Narrator and give the other three parts to youth.

The 25-minute plan23 min + bonus

Bonus steps are for when you have extra time. Steps that mention Teach Mode, the Sound Board or other class games refer to the Gospel Sparks app; on the web you can play Forehead Guess and Scripture Showdown from this page.

1. Hook

Hot Take Showdown

3 min

Silly hot takes get everyone moving and set up Nathanael’s very real hot take, and Philip’s surprising response to it.

  1. SAY“Hot take time. Agree, go left. Disagree, go right. No middle.”
  2. Read quick hot takes. “Cereal is a soup.” “Pineapple belongs on pizza.” “Texting beats calling.” “Nothing good ever comes out of our rival school.”
  3. Ask someone on each side to defend the last one in a sentence. Then ask if anyone changed sides. Usually no one does.
  4. SAY“In John 1, Nathanael has a hot take about a town called Nazareth. His friend Philip does something smarter than arguing. Watch for it.”
🌪️ If they really start arguing about pizza, let it go ten seconds. Then say, “See? Arguing almost never changes anyone’s mind. Remember that.”

Class screen: 🔥 Hot Take Showdown: agree or disagree? · Left: agree · Right: disagree · No middle

2. Story

Readers’ Theater: The Come-and-See Chain Reaction

7 min

Four youth read John 1 in their own voices, and the class watches one person pointing to Jesus set off a chain of people coming to know Him.

  1. SAY“I need four readers. You stay in your seats and just read your lines like you mean them.”
  2. Tap Roles in Teach Mode to assign the parts. Everyone else follows John 1 and counts each time someone points another person to Jesus.
  3. The Narrator reads each scene, then the readers read their verses. After scene 2, ask why it mattered to John to say who he wasn’t.
  4. After scene 7, ask: “What changed Nathanael’s mind?” Listen for this. It wasn’t an argument. He came, saw, and found Jesus already knew him.
🌪️ If a reader stumbles on an old word like “Whence,” say it with them once and move on. No one should feel put on the spot.

Class screen: 🔗 John points. Andrew finds. Philip invites. Nathanael comes and sees. · Four readers, from their seats · Everyone: count who points to Jesus

No supplies? Do this instead

Instead of: Scriptures for each pair (their own, a classroom set, or Gospel Library)

  1. SAY“I need four readers. You stay in your seats and just read your lines like you mean them.”
  2. Tap Roles in Teach Mode to assign the parts.
  3. Hold your scriptures. On each reader’s turn, read their verse a phrase at a time. They echo it with feeling.
  4. After scene 2, ask why it mattered to John to say who he wasn’t. After scene 7, ask what changed Nathanael’s mind.
3. Scripture

Scripture Spotlight: Power to Become

4 min

Youth connect John 1:12 to their real identity, beyond grades, looks or followers.

  1. SAY“Quick one. What labels do people your age get stuck with?”
  2. Take a few answers. The smart one, the athlete, the quiet one, follower counts, mistakes.
  3. Read John 1:12 together. Pairs get sixty seconds to talk about what it means that Jesus gives us power to become something. Each pair shares a sentence.
  4. Add that prophets teach our most important identities. Child of God. Child of the covenant. Disciple of Jesus Christ. No one can take those away.
  5. Say the key verse together with the motions, then once with the screen hidden.

Class screen: 💪 To them gave he power to become the sons of God · Child of God · Child of the covenant · Disciple of Jesus Christ

4. Talk it over

Invite Lab

6 min

Talking through real situations helps youth find natural, non-cringe ways to say “come and see,” like Philip did.

  1. SAY“Philip didn’t argue or preach. He invited. Let’s find the words you’d actually say.”
  2. Show one situation at a time. Pairs get about thirty seconds to come up with one natural “come and see” line. They say it from their seats.
  3. The class rates each line with the Cringe Meter. Hands high means natural. Hands low means cringe. Then ask what made the high ones work.
💬 Ask the class
  • A friend asks why you don’t play in Sunday tournaments. What’s your “come and see”?
  • A friend says they’re so stressed they can’t sleep. What’s your “come and see”?
  • A friend saw pictures of your youth activity online and says it looked fun. What’s your “come and see”?
  • A friend says church is “just a bunch of rules.” What’s your “come and see”?
  • A friend who stopped coming to church asks what seminary is like now. What’s your “come and see”?
🌪️ If a pair freezes, let them phone a friend. One classmate can whisper an idea.

Class screen: 📨 Invite Lab: a real “come and see” with zero cringe · 30 seconds to plan · Cringe Meter: hands high = natural

5. Testimony

Under the Fig Tree

3 min

End quietly with the assurance that the Savior knows each of them and one small, real invitation to carry out.

  1. SAY“Before Philip ever called him, Jesus saw Nathanael. I believe He sees you too.”
  2. Briefly share a time you came to know the Savior better for yourself.
  3. Hand out cards. On one side, they write one way they’ll come and see this week, like reading John 1–3. On the other, one person to invite.
  4. Show the challenge on the screen. Invite someone to say the closing prayer.

Class screen: 🌳 Before anyone called you, He saw you. Come and see. · One way you’ll come and see · One name you could invite

No supplies? Do this instead

Instead of: One index card or sticky note per person, and a few pens

  1. SAY“Before Philip ever called him, Jesus saw Nathanael. I believe He sees you too.”
  2. Briefly share a time you came to know the Savior better for yourself.
  3. Invite everyone to quietly pick one way they’ll come and see this week. Then they think of one person to invite.
  4. Show the challenge on the screen. Invite someone to say the closing prayer.
6. Wiggle break

Chain Reaction

2 minBONUS

A fast chain game shows how one invitation turns into many, like Andrew to Simon and Philip to Nathanael.

  1. SAY“Everybody up. One person starts. Tap someone and say, ‘Come and see.’ Link arms, and go find the next person together.”
  2. Start the timer. Keep going until the whole class is linked. Then the chain touches all four walls without breaking.
  3. SAY“John pointed two people to Jesus. By the end of the chapter, there were five disciples. Invitations multiply.”
🌪️ Keep it to a fast walk. If the chain gets rough, they start over.
⏱️ Big Timer (a class game in the Gospel Sparks app)

Class screen: 🔗 Chain Reaction: tap, “Come and see,” link up, repeat · Link the whole class · Touch all four walls

7. Game

Scripture Showdown

5 minBONUS

A quick team quiz reviews the whole lesson.

  1. SAY“Two teams, one captain each. Huddle for ten seconds. Then only the captain answers.”
  2. Tap Scripture Showdown.
  3. Use the steal rule. If a team misses, the other team can steal by naming the verse.
▶ Play Scripture Showdown on the web

Class screen: 🏆 Scripture Showdown!

Readers’ theater

The Come-and-See Chain Reaction

John 1:1–51 ↗

Reading parts (volunteers, from their seats)

  • NarratorFrom their seat, reads each scene and every line Jesus speaks, straight from the text (no one plays Jesus).
  • John the BaptistReads John 1:20, 23 and 29 from their seat, pointing away from himself.
  • PhilipFrom their seat, reads Andrew’s news (John 1:41) and his own invitation to Nathanael (John 1:45–46).
  • NathanaelThe honest skeptic; reads John 1:46, 48 and 49 from their seat.

Scenes

  1. ✨🌌 Before Bethlehem: “In the beginning was the Word”

    John starts his Gospel before the world began. Jesus Christ was the Word. He was with God. Everything was made by Him. And His light shines in the darkness, even when the darkness doesn’t get it.

    🙌 The Narrator reads John 1:1–5 slowly.

  2. 🏜️❓ “Who art thou?” “I am not the Christ.”

    John the Baptist was drawing huge crowds. So leaders in Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to find out who he claimed to be. John could have taken the spotlight. Instead, he told them exactly who he wasn’t. He was just a voice, preparing the way for someone greater.

    🙌 The Narrator reads John 1:19 and 1:22. John the Baptist reads John 1:20 and 1:23.

  3. 🐑👉 “Behold the Lamb of God”

    The next day, John saw Jesus coming toward him. He didn’t call Him King or Master. He called Him the Lamb of God. The One who would take away the sin of the world. The next day, he said it again. And two of his own disciples left him to follow Jesus. John let them go.

    🙌 John the Baptist reads John 1:29. The Narrator reads John 1:37.

  4. 🚶🏠 “What seek ye?” “Come and see.”

    Jesus turned around and saw them following. He asked what they were looking for. They asked where He was staying. He didn’t hand them a pamphlet or an argument. He said, “Come and see.” They spent the rest of the day with Him.

    🙌 The Narrator reads John 1:38–39, including Jesus’s words.

  5. 🎣🪨 Andrew’s first move: find his brother

    The first thing Andrew did was find his brother Simon. He told him, “We have found the Messias.” He brought Simon to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and gave him a new name. Cephas. It means a stone.

    🙌 Philip reads Andrew’s line in John 1:41. The Narrator reads John 1:42.

  6. 🌳🔥 Nathanael’s hot take about Nazareth

    Jesus called Philip to follow Him. Philip found his friend Nathanael. He told him they had found the One that Moses and the prophets wrote about. Jesus of Nazareth. Nathanael wasn’t impressed. Nazareth? Nothing good comes from there. Philip didn’t argue. He just said, “Come and see.”

    🙌 Philip reads John 1:45. Nathanael reads the first half of 1:46, full skeptic. Philip answers, “Come and see.”

  7. 👁️🌳 “When thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee”

    As Nathanael walked up, Jesus described him. A true Israelite, with nothing fake about him. Nathanael was stunned. He asked how Jesus knew him. Jesus said He saw him under the fig tree. Before Philip ever called him.

    🙌 The Narrator reads John 1:47. Nathanael reads, “Whence knowest thou me?” The Narrator reads the rest of 1:48.

  8. 🙌🌤️ From skeptic to witness in four verses

    Nathanael’s hot take was gone. He declared that Jesus was the Son of God, and the King of Israel. Jesus promised he would see even greater things than this. The chain started with John pointing away from himself. Now it had five new disciples.

    🙌 Nathanael reads John 1:49. The Narrator reads John 1:50.

Key verse

John 1:12 ↗
“But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name”
In plain words: Everyone who receives Jesus and believes in Him gets His power to become who they really are: sons and daughters of God, growing to be like our Heavenly Father.
🙌 “As many as received him” (open hands as if receiving a gift) · “gave he power” (make a fist of strength) · “to become” (hands rising from low to high) · “the sons of God” (point up). Say it three times, then once with the screen hidden.

More verses

John 1:5 ↗
“And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.”
In plain words: Jesus’s light keeps shining even in the darkest places, even when the darkness doesn’t understand it.
John 1:29 ↗
“Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.”
In plain words: Look! Here is the Lamb of God, the One who takes away the sins of the whole world.
John 1:46 ↗
“Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see.”
In plain words: “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” Philip didn’t argue. He said, “Come and see for yourself.”
John 1:48 ↗
“Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee.”
In plain words: “How do You know me?” Jesus said, “Before anyone called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.”

Forehead Guess words18 words

  • 📖 The Word
  • 💡 Light
  • 🗣️ John the Baptist
  • 🐑 Lamb of God
  • 🎣 Andrew
  • 🪨 Simon Peter
  • 🪨 Cephas
  • 📣 Philip
  • 🙆 Nathanael
  • 🌳 Fig Tree
  • 🏡 Nazareth
  • 👑 Messiah
  • 🏜️ Wilderness
  • 👀 Come and See
  • 🧑‍🏫 Rabbi
  • 🌍 Creator
  • 🔥 Hot Take
  • 🙌 Son of God
Clues for each word
  • The Word: John’s title for Jesus “in the beginning”
  • Light: It shines in darkness, and darkness can’t understand it
  • John the Baptist: Said “I am not the Christ” and pointed to Jesus
  • Lamb of God: Takes away the sin of the world
  • Andrew: First thing he did was find his brother
  • Simon Peter: Got a new name: Cephas
  • Cephas: A new name that means “a stone”
  • Philip: Answered a hot take with “Come and see”
  • Nathanael: Skeptic who became a witness in four verses
  • Fig Tree: Where Jesus saw Nathanael before Philip called him
  • Nazareth: “Can there any good thing come out of” it?
  • Messiah: Andrew said, “We have found” Him
  • Wilderness: Where John was “the voice of one crying”
  • Come and See: The invitation in John 1:39 and 1:46
  • Rabbi: It means Master or Teacher
  • Creator: All things were made by Him
  • Hot Take: Nathanael had one about Nazareth
  • Son of God: What Nathanael declared Jesus to be
▶ Play Forehead GuessFull screen, 60-second timer, works on any phone.

Scripture Showdown10 questions

  1. How does John 1 begin?
    • A. With a star
    • B. With Mary and Joseph
    • C. “In the beginning was the Word”
    Show answer

    ✅ C. “In the beginning was the Word” John 1:1. John starts before the world was made.

  2. According to John 1:3, who made all things?
    • A. Jesus Christ
    • B. The angels
    • C. Moses
    Show answer

    ✅ A. Jesus Christ “All things were made by him.” The Creator came to earth.

  3. What does John 1:12 say Jesus gives to those who receive Him?
    • A. Riches
    • B. Power to become the sons of God
    • C. A long life
    Show answer

    ✅ B. Power to become the sons of God Your truest identity comes from Him.

  4. When asked “Who art thou?”, what did John the Baptist say first?
    • A. “I am Elias”
    • B. “I am a prophet”
    • C. “I am not the Christ”
    Show answer

    ✅ C. “I am not the Christ” John 1:20. He knew exactly who he was and who he wasn’t.

  5. What title did John the Baptist use for Jesus in John 1:29?
    • A. The Lamb of God
    • B. The King of Kings
    • C. The Good Shepherd
    Show answer

    ✅ A. The Lamb of God A lamb was the sacrifice everyone recognized. Jesus is the ultimate sacrifice.

  6. What did Jesus ask the two disciples following Him?
    • A. “Who sent you?”
    • B. “What seek ye?”
    • C. “Are you hungry?”
    Show answer

    ✅ B. “What seek ye?” John 1:38. Then He invited them: “Come and see.”

  7. Who was the first person Andrew brought to Jesus?
    • A. Philip
    • B. His brother Simon
    • C. Nathanael
    Show answer

    ✅ B. His brother Simon John 1:41–42. The first invite was family.

  8. What does the name Cephas mean?
    • A. A stone
    • B. A fisher
    • C. A friend
    Show answer

    ✅ A. A stone John 1:42. A stone is strong and steady, and Peter became a leader of the Church.

  9. What was Nathanael’s hot take?
    • A. Fishermen can’t be prophets
    • B. Nothing good comes out of Nazareth
    • C. The Messiah isn’t coming
    Show answer

    ✅ B. Nothing good comes out of Nazareth John 1:46. Philip answered with an invitation, not an argument.

  10. Where did Jesus say He saw Nathanael before Philip called him?
    • A. By the river
    • B. In the synagogue
    • C. Under the fig tree
    Show answer

    ✅ C. Under the fig tree John 1:48. Jesus already knew him.

▶ Play Scripture ShowdownTeams take turns on one screen.

From general conference

“John chose the earliest and perhaps most commonly recognized image in the religious tradition of his people. He used the figure of a sacrificial lamb offered in atonement for the sins and sorrows of a fallen world and all the fallen people in it.”

— Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, “Behold the Lamb of God,” April 2019

Share after scene 3 of the readers’ theater (“Behold the Lamb of God”), or in The Lamb and the Sacrament extra, to explain why John called Jesus “the Lamb of God.”

Read the talk ↗

Songs

  • Come, Follow Me Hymns, no. 116

    Jesus told Philip “Follow me” (John 1:43). This hymn is that invitation. Find it ↗

  • I Am a Child of God Hymns, no. 301

    John 1:12: through Jesus Christ we have power to become the sons and daughters of God. Find it ↗

  • I Know That My Redeemer Lives Hymns, no. 136

    Nathanael went from skeptic to witness: “thou art the Son of God.” Find it ↗

This week’s challenge

Come and See Week

Come and see for yourself. Read John 1 again this week and underline every title of Jesus Christ you find. During the sacrament, think about what “the Lamb of God” means for you. Then give one real, no-pressure invitation to the person whose name you wrote down.

Text the parents

Today in class we studied John 1. We saw Jesus as “the Word” and Creator, and John the Baptist pointing people to “the Lamb of God.” Philip answered Nathanael’s skeptical hot take with a simple “Come and see,” in John 1:46. We also read John 1:12. Jesus gives us “power to become the sons of God.” Ask your teen what changed Nathanael’s mind. And what’s a natural, non-cringe way to invite a friend?

📝 After class

What worked? Who needs a check-in this week? Jot it here on a printed copy, or in the app’s private class notes.

Got extra time?

🏷️ Title Collector · 5 min

  1. Pairs race to list every title of Jesus Christ in John 1:1–14, 29, 34, 38, 41, 45 and 49. The Word, the Light and the Lamb of God are a start.
  2. Each pair picks one title. In one sentence, they explain what it teaches about Him.
  3. Ask: “Which title means the most to you right now, and why?”

🍞 The Lamb and the Sacrament · 4 min

  1. Read John 1:29. Share Elder Holland’s quote from Conference quotes about why John chose the image of a lamb.
  2. Ask the teachers: “When you prepare the sacrament, how could remembering ‘the Lamb of God’ change how you do it?”
  3. Ask everyone: “What’s one thing you could think about during the sacrament this Sunday?”

🔦 Light in the Dark · 4 min

  1. Turn off the lights and turn on one phone flashlight. Read John 1:4–5.
  2. Ask: “Can darkness put out a light? What happens to the dark when the light is on?”
  3. Ask: “What does it mean that some people don’t ‘comprehend’ His light? What helps you understand Him better?”

Sources

Scripture quotations are from the King James Version, the Bible used by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Tap or click a reference to open it in Gospel Library. Start with the official Come, Follow Me manual; these ideas are here to help it come alive.

All Youth 14–15 lessons