Epiphany 2 - Year B
January 18, 2015 John
1:43-51
Come and See
What is it that motivated you to
get out of bed this morning, leave behind the comfort of your home, drive to
this location, and then take your seat in this gathering hall? Seriously?
What motivated you to do that? Don’t
start shouting out your answers, but know that in just a few minutes I am going
to ask you share your answer with someone sitting close by.
Today’s Gospel lesson is actually
the second half of a larger section in which Jesus starts to call his disciples. I apologize to the students in Tuesday’s
bible study for not noting the repetition between John 1:45-51 and John
1:35-42. The critical phrase (or least
the critical phase for the purposes of this sermon) occurs in both sections.
Let’s look at this first chapter
of John’s Gospel.
If you were in worship last
Sunday, in a congregation following the Revised Common Lectionary, you heard
Mark’s version of Jesus’ baptism. You
will note that in the Gospel of John there are hints, but no actual recording
of Jesus ever being baptized. There is a
testimony from John that he saw the Spirit descend and remain on Jesus –
but no pouring of water. In Pastor
Hartsell’s sermon last week he asked, “Why was Jesus baptized?” Perhaps the writer of John knew this would be
perplexing and thus does not speak of such things.
But, you were asked those
questions last Sunday, and have, no doubt, by now, come to a good and lasting conclusion,
so let’s move on. It is in Jesus’
encounter with John and John’s disciples that Jesus begins to acquire a few
disciples of his own. In fact, the first
two follow Jesus because John shares with them his vision of who Jesus is.
Verse 36. John says “Look, here is the Lamb of God!” One of the two who heard him say this was Andrew. Andrew goes and gets his brother, Simon, whom
Jesus right away renames Cephas (which is translated as Peter).
When the two disciples approach
Jesus, he asks them what they are looking for.
They don’t actually respond, at least not in a style that makes sense to
us. Perhaps their reply, “Teacher,
where are you staying?” may have
been an idiom for what was he teaching or what he believes. But their response does not ask for an
explanation of his doctrine nor an indication of his authority.
“What are you looking for?” “Where are you staying?” then comes an even
more interesting response. It is now
Jesus’ turn to speak – and he tells them, “Come and see.”
That is the critical verse –
critical at least for today’s sermon. “Come
and see.”
That same verse is repeated in
today’s section of John 1. This time it is spoken by Philip. Things are moving fast. Jesus has left the banks of the River Jordan
and is now in the region of Galilee. We probably
ought to assume that Andrew and Peter are with him. The next person to him Jesus issues an
invitation is Philip, who is described as being from the same city as Andrew
and Peter.
Philip seems to rather rapidly become
a follower, because he right away goes and finds Nathanael. He tells Nathanael, “We have found him
about whom Moses and the law and also the prophets wrote.” Pretty strong statement for someone whom he
only just met, wouldn’t you say? Nathanael
(naturally) expresses some skepticism.
Philip’s response is not a theological treatise nor some credo but a
simple invitation – “Come and see.”
“Come and see.”
There must have been some magic
in that invitation to come and see. There
must have been something to look at, once Andrew followed Jesus to where he was
staying and once Nathanael returned with Philip to the place where Jesus was
waiting.
Come and see. A rather simple invitation. A clear cut expectation as to what it will
take to transform the life of another.
Come and see.
Would it be possible for you to
issue a similar invitation? Is there
something sufficiently powerful to which you could point?
I what to propose that the answer
to these last questions is the same answer as the answer to my first question
this morning. That you are sufficiently
motivated and that it is possible for you to issue a similar invitation. The invitation and the motivation is the
reason you left your home this morning, traveled to this assembly hall, and
took your seat.
So now is the time I want you to
say out loud what all too often remains unspoken. Turn to someone near you – always look around
to see if there is someone without a conversation partner – it might be easier
to talk to someone who is not your housemate.
Tell them, what motivated you to come here today? What is so darn exciting about being in this
place that you would “come and see”?
Allow pairs sufficient time to
talk.
I know that some of you don’t like
it when I ask you to talk to each other.
I never used to like it either, till Bishop Hanson explained why he so
often does it. “Too many folks in the
Church are talked AT, and not enough are TALKING.” he said. The Church will continue to decline, he said,
until more of us are talking – talking about the amazing, wonderful, exciting,
noteworthy things that God is doing in our lives. We don’t need more folks spouting sophisticated
theological treatises; we don’t need loud proclamations of credo; we need
neighbors who share with neighbor what it is they find in the Church.
Jesus invites his first disciples
to “Come and see.” Those first disciples
invite others with the same words. What they
shared was their version of what you have just shared with one another. Nothing more; but certainly nothing less.
Whenever someone does share with
me why they come to LCM, or why they come to worship on Sunday mornings, it is
ALWAYS an inspiring, awe producing exchange.
Even the apologetic response, which usually goes something along the
lines of - “I don’t know. There just seems
to be something right about it.” makes me aware of the passive way in which the
community welcomes us and allows us to feel at home and at ease.
Whenever someone shares with me,
it is ALWAYS an inspiring, awe producing exchange. My heartbreak is that such sharing does not
happen often enough. I don’t ask…. I don’t give opportunity…. The other person doesn’t want to be put on
the spot….. take your pick. The result is too few invitations to simply “Come
and see.”
Let’s change that. Let’s turn it around. Let’s become more confident in our reasons
for being a part of the Community of Christ and above all let’s stop worrying that
we need to be able to answer every question or respond to every query. All we need do is speak of that which we have
seen/experienced and have confidence that it is enough.
“Come and see.” It was enough for Jesus. It brought Nathanael into the fold. Surely it is enough for those whom we encounter.
Amen.
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