Sermons

“What Are You Looking For?”

Psalm 40:1-10; John 1:29-42 – Rev. Rebecca Littlejohn

Vista La Mesa Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), La Mesa, California – January 15, 2017

Holy God, bless the speaking and the hearing of these words, that we might find what we are looking for and learn to share it freely. We pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Last week, we talked about how, in our baptisms, we are publicly declaring that we are going to be different, that we are going to follow Jesus, that we are going to be part of what God is doing in our world to “fulfill righteousness.” We talked about how our baptism makes a difference. As that great American John Lewis said, of the faith that propelled his early activism: “It was not enough to come and listen to a great sermon or message every Sunday morning and be confined to those four walls and those four corners. You had to get out and do something.”

The gospel passage we heard today gives us some more hints about what that should look like. I want to just move through this interaction between Jesus and his first disciples, more or less line-by-line, and reflect on each bit, to see what we can learn about our faith. First of all, of course, we need to say a word about the first part. We have once again bumped directly into the reality that the gospels don’t always agree with each other. Last week, when we read about Jesus getting baptized by John in the Jordan, the beginning of the interaction was John protesting, as soon as he saw why Jesus had arrived, that he, John, was not worthy to baptize Jesus and it should happen the other way around. This implies that John knew exactly who Jesus was and what his destiny was. In today’s passage, however, John literally says, “I myself did not know him” before explaining that he only figured out who Jesus was because God told him to watch for the sign of the Holy Spirit descending like a dove. We could get hung up on this discrepancy, but I don’t see why we need to, since the result is the same: Jesus’ baptism makes clear that he is the Messiah, which John then proclaims. For our purposes today, what happens next is more important.

The beginning of this interaction is a little goofy. After hearing what John said, Andrew and his fellow disciple just start following Jesus. They don’t say anything to him; they just follow him, like lost puppy dogs or something, apparently hoping he’ll notice them and turn around. Which, of course, he does. “What are you looking for?” Jesus asks them. This is an interesting question for the beginning of a faith journey. Presumably anyone starting out on a faith journey is looking for something, but it might be presumptuous to expect everyone to know what they’re looking for. The question injects a note of seriousness into the conversation. Are you here for reasons that matter? Is this an experience of significance you’re having, or are you just doing what your friends wanted to do? Are you making an intentional choice to seek something out, or are you just wandering around, seeing what presents itself?

Is it imperative that we have a good answer to this question? For some it probably is. For others, I can imagine the Spirit moving in a “I’ll know it when I see it” sort of way. Must we all be looking for the same thing? Certainly not. At least, there is no reason to expect we would all describe it the same way. But perhaps there is some requirement that we be looking for something. If we are to follow Jesus, it is probably because we’ve had a sense that life without doing so is emptier. We are looking for meaning, for hope, for a way of making a difference in the world that doesn’t feel like building up the same block tower every day just to have it knocked over by life.

Do you know what you would say if Jesus asked you what you’re looking for? Can you admit that there would be gaps in your life if you tried to live it without God? He’s not asking the question just to make conversation. Clarifying what our faith is for is a vital step toward having it make a difference in our lives. Recognizing that others may be looking for something different, but seeking nonetheless, is also an important lesson to take from this question.

The disciples’ answer to this question is also a little odd. Perhaps they hadn’t really thought through how they were going to start this conversation, and thus were unprepared when he spoke to them first. The best they can come up with “Where are you staying?” It’s a bit awkward. If I were Jesus, my immediate response would be, “What business is that of yours?” But as it turns out, this question is a bit deeper than it may seem at first. That word “staying” has a couple layers of meaning. Do you remember all that stuff from later in John’s gospel, around chapter 15 and thereabouts, where Jesus is talking about how he abides in the Father and if we abide in him, we’ll abide in God, and we’ll all abide in one another and so on? Well, this is the same word. Andrew and his friend are sort of inviting themselves over, but they’re also asking Jesus “Within whom do you abide?” It’s a subtle way of asking “Are you the real deal?” when you’re pretty sure you’re talking to the Messiah. In a sense, it is a very solid answer to the question of what they’re looking for. And it’s one we should keep in mind, as we consider what newcomers or visitors to our church might be looking for. They may each answer that question very differently. They may come from different backgrounds and be accustomed to different styles of worship. But when people are actively searching for a faith community, they’re looking for the real deal. They want to know that we here at Vista La Mesa Christian Church are abiding in Christ, the Son of the Living God, whether they talk about it that way or not. They are searching for authenticity and true acceptance and a clear sense of being part of something that matters, all of it pointing toward God.

Jesus’ answer to the disciples’ question is an even more important lesson for us. “Where are you staying?” they ask him. “Come and see,” he replies. This is one of the best tools we have for evangelism. You may look it here at Vista La Mesa, but the reasons you love it may not apply to someone else’s life. We cannot guarantee that our experience of something will be someone else’s experience of it. We cannot know if someone else will have the same response as us, even to the same sermon or song or activity. Each of our friends or neighbors or co-workers will have to explore that for themselves. “Come and see” is what we can offer them, an open invitation to check things out and see if this is what they are looking for. But regardless of the diversity of our life circumstances, people who are on a faith quest, seeking something more for their lives, will know if they’ve found the real deal here or not. They will be able to tell if the love we share here is the authentic love of God or merely the kind of mutual human affection people who’ve lived together as community for years have that can be hard to break into. They will be able to tell if we’re living for something bigger than ourselves, or just living with church as a habitual part of our regular lives. Inviting someone to “come and see” is both a way offering for them to seek God on their own terms, and a way of setting our shared faith life up to be tested as to its vitality and depth. They will see what we’re getting out of it, which will show them what we’re putting into it. Are you ready to offer such an invitation?

I hope so, because the next thing that happens in this story is very important. Andrew and his friend go and hang out with Jesus for a while. But before things get too far, Andrew can’t keep it to himself any longer. He has to run home and find his brother, Simon. As commentator Gail O’Day puts it, “The story of the first two disciples is incomplete until their witness brings others to Jesus.” This is what we do with life-changing things; we tell everyone we know about them. Not because we think we’re supposed to, but because we can’t help ourselves. Because we’re convinced that others’ lives will be better with what we’ve found, just as ours are. “We have found the Messiah,” Andrew told Simon. I’ve got to share this with you. You’re going to want to meet this guy. And it’s the sharing that is emphasized. This may be the only place in the Bible where Simon Peter is talked about, rather than talking. He’s got quite a mouth on him, if you recall. But he doesn’t say a word. The way the story is told implies that Jesus, the Messiah, is exactly what Simon was looking for. Andrew told him how to find Jesus, and there is no discussion of whether I have time to go right this second, or whether Andrew is sure, or whether Simon would have preferred to find Jesus on his own terms. Andrew tells him they found the Messiah, and the next moment, he’s getting introduced. When we invite people into this life of faith we share, people who are searching for God, they will respond. They may not know how to describe what they’re looking for, but when it’s God’s timing we’re working within, the invitation will be welcome and the response will be genuine and enthusiastic. Faith is designed to be shared; that’s just part of how it works.

And so finally, there is this moment at the end, where Jesus gives Simon his new name. For John, the focus is on Jesus’ supernatural knowledge of Simon’s destiny, rather than his response of faith as other gospels might present it. But again, the result is the same. Simon steps forward as Peter, with a new sense of purpose. Life in Christ is supposed to make a difference; it is supposed to change us. We don’t all get new names, necessarily, but becoming part of what God is doing in the world does give us a new identity. And like the psalmist, Peter pretty much doesn’t shut up about it after that. “I have told the glad news of deliverance in the great congregation’ see, I have not restrained my lips… I have not hidden your saving help within my heart… I have not concealed your steadfast love and your faithfulness.” There are important questions and responses for us to ask and ponder and share in this story. What are you looking for? Where do you abide? Come and see. Go and share. You shall be called. Guided by this call and response narrative, we can deepen the difference that our baptism has in our lives and “get out and do something.” Alleluia and Amen.