2 EPIPHANY, YEAR A
SERMON PREACHED AT CHRIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH, NORWAY, MAINE
THE REV. ANNE STANLEY
20 JANUARY 2008
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Isaiah 49:1-7; Psalm 40:1-12; 1 Corinthians 1:1-9; John 1;29-42
If you’re keeping track, you’ll know that today is the third epiphany of Jesus, the third revelation to people of who Jesus was or was becoming. We began with the epiphany to the wise men, who came and who saw and believed. Last week at his baptism, Jesus was shown to be the beloved Son of God. And today it’s through the witness and testimony of an increasing circle of people, beginning with John the Baptizer, that Jesus’ Sonship (or “lambship”) is revealed.
“Witness” and “testimony” aren’t words we often use in the Episcopal Church. We tend to get squeamish about too much of that activity. But when you come right down to it, witnessing and giving testimony are precisely what today’s readings are all about! Look at the people who did it that day!
John the Baptizer was the first. He had just baptized Jesus, in this story. We don’t hear about the baptism itself, as we do in the other gospels. In this gospel we hear about what happened the next day. That’s when John told about the baptism and he proclaimed what he had discovered and knew to be true: “Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” John the Baptizer’s testimony and witness.
Andrew heard John’s witness and he followed Jesus. Andrew told Simon, and Simon followed, too. The circle has been widening ever since.
Imagine yourself in this story. Imagine that you are strolling along that day with some of the other disciples of John the Baptizer. You’re not too far from the river; some of the people you’re with were baptized just yesterday. Imagine that you have just heard John himself talking about this Jesus person whom he baptized yesterday, too. John is saying that Jesus is the Son of God, the Lamb of God, the one who ranks ahead of John because he was before him. “Lamb” of God? Jesus is mightier than John? You wonder what all that could possibly mean. You notice that that same Jesus is walking just ahead of you on the path. There he is! Suddenly Jesus turns around and looks you in the eye. You meet his gaze. “What are you looking for?” he asks you…... What ARE you looking for? What are YOU looking for? What are you LOOKING for?....
What answer do you give? How do you answer Jesus? Do you answer? What are you looking for? That ‘s a question for all of us. What are we looking for?
Before you can think of what to say, the person next to you blurts out, “Where are you staying?” That’s a pretty funny sort of response, you think.
But Jesus doesn’t seem to think it’s so odd. Because right away, Jesus answers, “Come and see…What are you looking for? Come and see.” That’s all—no dissertation, lecture, no theology, just an invitation to come and see for themselves. So they do.
Thus begins the invitation of faith. The essence of discipleship. That we not only answer Jesus’ invitation to see for ourselves but that we then invite others to come, too, and see for themselves. That we pay attention to what people have disclosed to us, we find out for ourselves and then we invite others to find out, too.
“Come and see.”
What is it that we are looking for? What have we learned from others? What have we discovered for ourselves? What do we share about our own discoveries and experiences? What do we invite others to come and see? DO we invite others?
The old witness and testimony thing.
When you see a pool of water, still as glass, the temptation is to toss a pebble into it to see what happens. So we find a pebble and we toss it in. Immediately the surface is disturbed and ripples fan out in ever widening circles.
Our lives can become as still as glass, like a pool. But one fine day someone tosses a pebble our way. The pebble invites us to “come and see,” and that disturbs our smooth old equilibrium. We respond by ignoring it or we pay attention by following to see what it’s all about.
Every one in this church today is here because of some pebble dropped into our smooth old pool of life-as-usual. Maybe something you read, perhaps an experience you had or an invitation from a person---a grandparent, a parent, a friend, a child…..
What would have happened, or rather, what wouldn’t have happened, if Andrew had ignored John on the road that day or had ignored Jesus’ invitation? What would have happened if Andrew had NOT invited Simon to come along to see for himself?
My experiences differ from yours; we each have our own stories to tell. Sometimes they are stories of struggles with our faith, sometimes they are stories of tremendous insight and power, of large pebbles, maybe even rocks, that have disturbed our equilibrium and moved us mightily. Or maybe our lives have gotten as smooth as a glassy pool again and we long for another pebble, a person, an experience, more bible study, a class, a retreat, to get us going again, expanding, deepening our relationship with God! I suspect we all have more than one story to tell.
But do we tell them? That’s the question. Do we invite others to come and see?
Jesus is the Son of God, even the “Lamb” of God. So said John the Baptizer. Listen to him! And “come and see,” said Jesus.
Why don’t we share? Why is witnessing to others so difficult? Sometimes I think it’s because witnessing can take on a militant and aggressive tone that scares people off. Testimony has gotten a bad name. Like the homeless shelter I heard of last week that allowed Jesus-talk only, that insisted that residents watch Christian TV programs only, that they read Christian literature and nothing else. Residents complained.
“Come and see,” was all Jesus said.
We have our Annual Meeting coming up on Friday. Sounds pretty tedious on the surface of it. After a week of meetings, who in their right mind wants yet another one? But in truth, Annual Meeting at Christ Church is no ordinary meeting. We share in a wonderful meal, in conversation, in hearing a little bit about what’s happened in our parish community this past year but mostly looking ahead. Not making our own fun and games the end-all, be-all but looking always to the One who calls us to “Come and see.” This year we’ve got a “provocative proposal” to present and chat about and to figure out--together. Come and see! Come and see what Jesus may be inviting us to do in the coming year.
Speaking of inviting, how about inviting a friend to our Annual Meeting? Why not? To church on Sunday, for sure, but why not our 5:30 P.M. Friday night, January 25, Annual Meeting as well? Why not drop a pebble into someone else’s pool? Extend the circle outwards? Like John the Baptizer, like Andrew, like Simon Peter.
“What are you looking for?” Jesus asked the people behind him on the path. “Where are you staying?” they answered with a question.
“Staying.” A favorite word throughout the fourth gospel. Stay, remain, abide. “Come and see,” Jesus said. They went and they saw and they believed. Jesus’ dwelling place with us is not temporary, you see. Jesus has staying power. Jesus remains with us, abides with us, stays with us, wherever we are.
That is the witness of the fourth Gospel. That is Jesus’ own witness. Jesus invites us all to follow him and see him for ourselves.