Sunday 2 February 2014

What are you looking for?

What are you looking for?  It's a given in life that we are all looking for something. Some are looking for a better life, better health, more money, a better job, more peace, and I can go on and on. But just what is it you are looking for? For the most part, we all can come up with something or some idea of some thing that we believe we are looking for that will squelch that yearning or longing for something more, only to find out that when we have discovered what we think it is, the longing just doesn't go a way.  In the gospel of John, John the Baptist giving witness to who Jesus was went out and testified to what he saw, saying, "I did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water said to me! he on whom you see the Spirit descent and remain is the one who baptized with the Holy Spirit. And I have seen and have testified that this is the Son of God."  The next day when he saw Jesus coming, John says, "look, here is the Lamb of God," and it says two of his disciples left and followed Jesus. Did they know what John was saying when he called Jesus "the Lamb of God", did they know even exactly why they followed after Jesus, probably not.  But there was something so convincing in What John had said about Jesus, that they had to go and find out for themselves just who Jesus was, they wanted to know.   When Jesus turned and saw them following him, he said to them, "what are you looking for". The disciple perhaps unsure, or uncertain as to what it was they were looking for, simply respond saying, "where are you staying." A simple request indeed to ask, where are you staying and one that usually brings just as simple an answer, I am staying at such and such a place, or with someone, or a general street address, but Jesus gives none of these. Instead he answers 'come and see'. Come and see, words that not only express an invitation but also words of welcome? You are welcome to come and see for yourselves, I don't have to tell you, you are welcome to come and see where I live, and make up your own minds as to what it is you are looking for. I think that is how Jesus relates to all of us, with an invitation to "Come and see". Jesus doesn't tell us what it is we should be looking for but allows us to discover what it is for ourselves. The disciples went with Jesus, stayed with him for the whole day, one of them even noted that it was 4:00 0' Clock in the afternoon. What they discovered made such an impact on their lives that the exact time of day it occurred was never forgotten.  Jesus words, his teaching no doubt revealed all that they were looking for, longing for in the Messiah, and they  had no need to go back, to return to John for what they were looking for was found in Jesus. We too will find what it is we are searching for, seeking in our lives if we respond to his invitation to 'Come and See'.  "Andrew went out and found his brother Simon and told him, 'we have found the Messiah and he brought  him to Jesus. Jesus seeing him says, "you are Simon son of John. You are to be called Cephas, which means Peter." Like the new name He gave to Peter, signifying the new life he would have as a disciple of Jesus, so too are we changed, made over, given new life through accepting Jesus' invitation to us to 'Come and See'.

Blessings, 
Rev. Hannah+