January 19, 2020
St. John’s United Church of Christ, Union, Illinois
John 1:29-42
“Hi, can I help you find something?” The common greeting
from a retail employee, expressing welcome, helpfulness, kindness. “May I help
you?” Another common question, also expressing helpfulness and kindness. “What
are you looking for?” Maybe it’s that hard-to-find pair of pants that actually
fit, or the next best gadget that will solve all your problems. Take the
question out of its context and it becomes just one more mundane response meant
to make the sale.
“What are you looking for,” in this context, however, is an
existential question. We are all looking for something in life. Some meaning,
some purpose, something that drives us, energizes us, makes us happy. In our
day-to-day lives we have hopes and dreams. We want to achieve our goals, feel good
as much as possible, and maximize our quality of life. We want to be happy. And
we can find some happiness, most of the time, if we work hard, are frugal with
our money and time, and take care of the people and things that matter to us.
We often get stuck, however, on some external object that doesn’t
really meet our needs. Maybe we think that the next job, a promotion, or a new
romantic partner will be the thing that brings us happiness. Maybe it’s an
actual object, like a new car, or a bigger TV. Now, getting a great job or
meeting the right person can make you happy. But we often find that the job turns
out to be more stressful than we thought, or the amazing person turns out to have
a shadow side. The shiny new object is great, until we become accustomed to it,
and then it blends into the background like everything else.
Is this the American way? We focus on external achievements
and material things, neglecting our internal needs, our spiritual well-being. We
focus on competing and winning, rather than supporting and collaborating with
each other, taking time for ourselves to wonder, dream, and pray. We each have
a hunger for something more, but what we find often leaves us still empty.
Andrew, the disciple of John the Baptizer, was looking for
something more. He was a fisherman. He, and his brother, Simon, had learned the
trade from their father, and were probably decent fishermen. But they wanted
more. There’s no corporate ladder to climb when you’re a fisherman. If you
wanted a fancier boat, you had to make it yourself. And even finding the right
partner is tough when everyone in the village already knows everyone else’s
shadow side. Simon and Andrew longed for more meaning and purpose, something
greater to be a part of.
They had heard of this wild person baptizing people and went
to hear what he had to say. They learned about repentance, about preparing for
what was to come. John wasn’t the answer to their search, however, as he
himself pointed out. “After me comes a man who ranks ahead of me because he was
before me.” There were rumors of someone who would come to bring glory back to
Israel, the Messiah. Now that was something worth looking for. Maybe that was
what John had been talking about.
Then, Jesus walked by. “Look,” John exclaimed, “here is the
Lamb of God!” John didn’t hold them back, and they followed Jesus. It was in
that moment that the question, THE question, came. “What are you looking for?” They
didn’t really answer, perhaps not knowing what to say. “Rabbi, where are you
staying?” Teacher, we want to be taught by you. We want to follow you. We want
you to show us what we’re looking for. “Come and see,” he said.
What did they see? A minister named Melissa Sevier imagines
the scene this way:
Do they see him interacting with family? Hosting the Sabbath
meal? Praying over the food? Singing a psalm? Laughing at a joke? Telling
stories? Do they see him sharing leftovers with the poor? Talking to unclean
people on the way home? Talking about what to do about a widowed neighbor or a
depressed friend? Do they hear some of his teaching, or is just seeing how he
lives on a random day life-changing enough?
Whatever they experience, it is interesting or moving enough
for them to tell some others about it, and to give them the same invitation to
come and see.[1]
They would see. And they did find something, perhaps more
than they were looking for. They found a teacher. But this teacher wouldn’t teach
them how to build a fancier boat or make it big in carpentry. This teacher
would teach them how to find the love of God planted deep inside themselves and
bring it to life in others. They found a guide. But this guide wouldn’t teach
them which roads to Jerusalem were the safest or quickest. This guide would
show them how to walk the hard road, the road that would eventually lead to the
cross, but to walk with hope in their hearts, compassion in their touch, and
love in every encounter.
They found the Messiah. But this messiah would not lead them
in glorious battle to retake Israel from the Romans and put a king like David
back on the throne. This messiah would lead them in glorious battle against disease,
distress, hopelessness, emptiness, and heartlessness. This messiah would lead
them, not to find a destination, but to see the Kingdom of God wherever they
went, and to proclaim the presence of God in the midst of the journey.
They found the Lamb of God. This ruler would not become a king
or conqueror, but would choose instead to sacrifice himself in order to save others.
This leader would show them how to be servants, to put the needs of others
ahead of their own. This master would not seek power and control, but rather to
take away the sin of the world.
They found the Son of God. In this person, Jesus, they found
the one who understood them better than they understood themselves. They found
the one who would challenge them, test them, make them grow and change in ways
they could hardly imagine. Simon would become a different person, taking a new
name, Cephas, or Peter. They found a teacher who would make them into teachers,
a healer who would make them into healers, a brother who would welcome them
into the household of God.
All of that is yet to come, of course. This was only the
beginning. What were they looking for? What did they find? A teacher, a master,
and so much more. What are you looking for? A sense of purpose, some meaning in
life, a way to be set free? Come and see. Maybe you’ll find it on this journey
of faith. Maybe you’ll find that what you’re looking for is something you
already have, the seed of love, planted by God, waiting for you to give it
away. Amen.
[1] Melissa
Bane Sevier © 2017. Alt. From: https://melissabanesevier.wordpress.com/2017/01/09/where-are-you-staying/.
No comments:
Post a Comment