Come and See (2)

Scripture Readings

New Revised Standard Version: Updated Edition John

29 The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him and declared, “Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks ahead of me because he was before me.’ 31 I myself did not know him, but I came baptizing with water for this reason, that he might be revealed to Israel.” 32 And John testified, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. 33 I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ 34 And I myself have seen and have testified that this is the Chosen One.”

The First Disciples of Jesus

35 The next day John again was standing with two of his disciples, 36 and as he watched Jesus walk by he exclaimed, “Look, here is the Lamb of God!” 37 The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. 38 When Jesus turned and saw them following, he said to them, “What are you looking for?” They said to him, “Rabbi” (which translated means Teacher), “where are you staying?” 39 He said to them, “Come and see.” They came and saw where he was staying, and they remained with him that day. It was about four o’clock in the afternoon. 40 One of the two who heard John speak and followed him was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. 41 He first found his brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which is translated Anointed). 42 He brought Simon to Jesus, who looked at him and said, “You are Simon son of John. You are to be called Cephas” (which is translated Peter).

Kids to the Knowing Place

Introduction: Mike Lange

I was reminded the other night of how much I miss Mike Lange.

For those of you who aren’t rabid hockey fans like me, Mike Lange was the radio and tv announcer for the Pittsburgh Penguins for a long time.

He was the best for two reasons:

For starters, he called the game and did so vividly.

You could close your eyes, and just listening to him, still almost see what was going on down on the ice.

But secondly, his signature catch phrases.

He’s smiling like a butcher’s dog!

When a goalie got beat: He doesn’t know whether to cry or wind his watch.

Get that dog off my lawn.

But one of my favorites was always: You’d have to be here to believe it.

That one was almost always saved for magical moments with the team.

It was like watching it on TV just wasn’t good enough.

He knew we were only getting a tiny sliver of the real thing.

If we wanted the full experience of what was going on, oh we’d have to be there to believe it.

Disciples of John/Disciples of Jesus

John tells them about Jesus

Behold, the Lamb of God!

This is couched in rich symbolism from the Exodus story, a passover lamb who was going to save his people.

John knows his role in the story.

John has quite a following at this point, but it doesn’t bother him at all to lose two disciples.

John knows his role is to point to Jesus. Point to Jesus. Point to Jesus.

And so two of John’s disciples take off and start following Jesus.

Jesus has a question: What are you looking for?

What they might have been looking for?

What a fascinating question!?

Even though John has told them that Jesus is the Lamb of God, who comes to take away the sins of the world, there were probably a thousand different reasons to follow Jesus, some of which aren’t so great.

What comes next?

These two disciples have been following John the Baptist for a while.

Maybe it’s time to see what comes next in their careers.

A little bit of career advancement if you will.

Notoriety

At this point in the story, John is pretty famous.

Lots of people, including Kings and Queens, know who John is.

And here John is telling the disciples that Jesus is even BETTER!

Maybe if we hopped in with this guy, we’d get to be famous too?

Belonging

Their answer is so interesting: Where are you staying?

Can we come with you?

Can we see where you’re staying?

Can we be a part of your movement?

Can we belong to you and what you’re doing in the world?

Never, ever underestimate the value of belonging.

What are we looking for?

I wonder, if we were honest in our walk with Christ, if he asked the same question of us, how would we answer?

Because it is true, you will never see what you are not looking for.

If you are looking for reasons to despair in this life, you’ll find them.

If you are looking for things that are wrong or dysfunctional in a church, you’ll find those too.

If you are looking for reasons to be upset, or angry with a brother or sister, you’ll absolutely find those.

But by the same token:

If you are looking for hope in this life, you’ll absolutely find that too.

If you are looking for beautiful things to celebrate within the life of the church, you’ll find them.

If you are looking for paths to redemption and restoration with a brother or sister, that will make itself clear to you as well.

What are you looking for?

Salvation

There is a version of our faith that one of my friends very callously referred to as “fire insurance.”

I don’t want to go to hell, I’d rather live in heaven.

So I’ll believe in Jesus because I’m so scared of hell.

This isn’t necessarily wrong, but it’s also not born out of love.

It’s born out of fear.

Moral Superiority

Some people just want to be better than everyone else.

If I can show you that I’m in with Jesus, that clearly makes me a better person than the riff raff out there.

If I follow all the right rules, even a few that aren’t specifically mentioned in the Bible, that will make me better than everyone else.

Again, not totally off.

It is true that following Jesus offers us the best possible way to live.

It’s true that following Jesus can and should help us to live better lives, more kind, generous, and loving lives.

But not so that we can rise above everybody else.

Rather so we can lift other people up.

I wonder how our faith would change if we started wanting the same thing as those disciples...

Belonging

When we realize that our faith will indeed lead to salvation not just to keep us out of hell, but rather so that we can belong to Christ, we’re getting somewhere.

When we realize that we have a new way to live not so that we can be morally superior to everyone else, but so that we can make a new world where everyone belongs, we’re on to something.

When our church community becomes much much more than just a social club, but rather a united and worshipping community where everyone belongs to each other? Well now…that’s the good stuff.

So how do we get from here to there?

We love teaching/learning.

Presbyterians would, I think, have preferred that Jesus at this point open up his powerpoint presentation and give us the 8 point plan to get to a place of belonging from wherever we are...

But instead, to the disciples and to us, Jesus offers an invitation when it comes to belonging.

Jesus wants us to “Come and see.”

You want to know where I’m staying? Come and see.

You want to know how I’m active in the world? Come and see.

You want to know what discipleship really looks like? Come and see.

You want to know how to belong to this movement I’m starting? Come and see.

You cannot belong from a distance.

In other places in the gospels, Jesus admonishes people who are kind of interested in being disciples, but only dipping their toes in to the experience.

One says he’ll follow Jesus wherever he goes, but when Jesus says that there won’t be a lot of stops at the comfort inn, the disciple turns back.

Another said “First, let me go home and bury my father,” but Jesus says “No, let the dead bury their own dead.”

Yet another said “Well at least let me go say goodbye first!” and Jesus once again tells him no way.

This seems harsh of Jesus, but I think what each of these would be followers of Jesus are doing is trying to belong, but belong from a distance.

You just can’t do that!

If you want to follow Jesus, you have to come and see what he’s doing.

The Worst First Date

When I was in youth ministry, I would always council teenagers about the worst possible first date you could go on.

Going to the movies

Don’t get me wrong: I absolutely love going to the movies.

In fact, I very frequently go alone.

But as a first date? It kind of stinks:

You don’t talk.

You don’t interact.

You hardly look at each other.

Maybe, maybe if you’re lucky and it’s a scary movie you might get to hold hands.

And then the lights come up, you head home, and know nothing about that person that you didn’t know when you came in.

There’s no interaction, and so the relationship doesn’t have anywhere to go.

Sunday morning as “The Movies”

Some folks only explore their Christian faith on Sunday mornings, and to be honest it’s a whole lot like going to the movies.

There’s not a lot of interaction.

There’s not a lot of discussion.

We don’t really get to know our neighbor.

And when the lights come up, we try to beat the traffic so we can catch the Steeler game.

There’s nothing wrong with Sunday morning!

I love the work we do together here, and the worship that we experience.

But as I’ve been pondering Jesus asking us what we’re looking for, a question and a challenge has come to my mind for us to chew on this week:

What is your next level of belonging?

Come and see what Christ is up to in the youth ministry.

They’re just coming back from a break this week, so I bet they won’t even notice you’re there!

But every week, young people gather in the Church and experience Christ in their midst.

What do you think you would experience if you came and saw what Jesus is up to in that group of young people?

What if you found what you were looking for?

(Hold that thought for a little bit)

Come and see what Christ is up to in small groups.

I have mentioned that Beulah is far superior to many churches I’ve been in just in terms of the sheer number of small groups we have on offer.

Just about every single day there is a small group, whether a mens group or a women's group or a Bible study or even discovery hour.

Did you know we have one on Wednesdays, open to everyone, where you get to hear what’s coming in the sermon early and even help the pastor write it?

Just saying.

I’ve made a habit out of getting to a few of them, and it is clear to me that Christ is at work in our small groups.

So come and see!

Again, it’s great to have Bible studies and discussion groups, but even more than that come and see what kind of belonging you might experience.

Come and see what Christ is up to in our mission work.

Have you ever been on a trip to Haiti? Or Malawi?

Or perhaps we could start small, and pitch in to help out with the food bank?

Or perhaps you would be interested in helping the deacons with their care and visitation ministries?

I can’t tell you how many people I know who get in to mission work because they think they’re there to help other people, only to find that what they’re really doing is seeing what Jesus is up to in the world.

I know so many people who say “I went so that I could give, but I was so surprised at what I recieved.”

Come and see where Christ might be taking you next.

Outside/Inside

Of course, there is a part of this sermon that leads us to asking our neighbors to come and see what we’re up to around here.

There’s a lot that they’re looking for, too.

Evangelism is scary for us, I know, so we’ll hold that thought a little longer.

I wonder though, if there are things right here under our roof that we could explore in new ways:

What are you looking for?

If it’s belonging, and belonging in Christ, then you’re going to have to come and see.

Come and see what Jesus is doing in our youth ministry.

Or exceptional friends.

Or our music ministry.

Or our small groups.

Or the prayer shawl ministry.

Or on a committee.

Or…heck…just by meeting someone you don’t know all that well at this service, or the other one.

There is so much good stuff going on here at Beulah.

Christ is so very alive in this place, in all kinds of ways that we look.

Our faith can and will go to new and exciting places in the coming months and years.

And oh…you’d have to be here to believe it!