Finding and Following

Sermon John 1:(36-42) 43-51 January 14, 2018 Ordinary Time/Ordination & Installation of officers.

Finding and Following

Last week we had to cancel services because of the snow and ice we experienced three days before. We had so much snow and wind it created quite a turmoil for us here on the Eastern Shore of Virginia. Some of us went without power for an hour and some for a day. Many were sequestered to their homes for a period of up to four days before they could dig out and come and see the rest of the world again. In that re-engagement with one another the stories abounded. There was a need for us to know how each of us handled the time alone caught in the house without a way out.

As I listened to one story after another, what I heard was a thread of communication, the power of community. It seemed that there was a whole lot of checking in with each other and asking how they were doing. There was a whole lot of getting out there with shovels to dig out a friend who thought they could go out, but didn’t quite make it and got stuck. There was a whole lot of gratitude floating around the frustrations of isolation.

I find it interesting as I listened to all of these stories how powerful the connection of friendship can be. I realize that it is so important for relationships to keep up with each other, to check in frequently, and to share news with one another about the world and the things that are happening. The gospel of John provides us with a unique setting for the calling of the disciples. The friends and families that followed Jesus were found by each other as much as they were by Jesus.

Take a few moments and think of the things that you recently got excited about and had to share the news with your friends; was it the latest Star Wars movie? Or perhaps, the sale going on online? Or the newest book hitting the best seller list before it even hit the stands? As you were telling your friend, the whole point was to encourage them to ‘come and see’ and experience what you did.

The first person in the story of the series of the people who became disciples was Andrew, who was a disciple of John the Baptist. He found his brother Simon and then went and found Jesus. Jesus then went to Galilee and found Philip who then found Nathaniel.

The first disciples in the gospel of John were based on one’s shared experience finding another and following.

Let me repeat this again: Andrew finds Simon before Jesus finds Philip.

Andrew hears and sees.

Andrew follows, abides, and finds.

Philip is found by Jesus.

Philip finds Nathaniel.

Nathaniel is not impressed.

Nathaniel comes and sees Jesus.

Nathaniel hears, abides, is found, and follows.

Notice how the whole discipleship experience is interdependent.

Its more than a game of hide and seek. Its more than a blind turning and dropping and going.

It requires the witness and testimony of others.

It requires the experience with Jesus the Christ. The only way that experience with Jesus happens is through your experience and our experience. There a few isolated stories of people encountering Jesus apart from another person-but really and truly, our encounters with Jesus happen in tandem with our encounters with humanity.

Your experience with Jesus matters. It matters not for your own good-but for the good of others-you have a story to tell-who knows, you might just be believed when you tell your friend about your encounter with Jesus-who knows, your friend might just ‘come and see’ as well.

All the names we hear used in this first chapter of John for Jesus are names used by those who have experienced him Notice the names are all different. Perhaps they are all different because each one has had a unique encounter with Jesus. When we abide we Jesus we bear witness to the experience in our own way. Just as witnesses share with a police officer the varying ways they encountered the traffic accident, so we hear and see and abide with Jesus in varying ways.

As we come to Jesus we come in varying ways. Some of us need a teacher-Rabbi. Some of us need a Savior-Lamb of God. Some of us need the fulfilled prophecy-Messiah. Some of us need the power of God-King of Israel. Jesus and our encounter with him is beyond our own vocabulary to describe him.

As disciples,

those who have come to see,

who found,

who abided,

who followed,

have discovered the identity of Jesus.

They came to him and their eyes were opened.

The revelation of God comes often in surprising ways. And perhaps, that’s what makes coming to see him so enticing; so inviting, so exciting!

Those who have come to be disciples can’t leave the finding of other disciples only up to God. Let me say it again, "We cannot leave the finding of other disciples up to God."

We are all drawn into telling our story.

We are all called to be witnesses.

Your witness matters.

What you’ve seen and heard makes a difference.

Tell it.

Ultimately, none of us are here because of the furniture, or the wonderful organ, or the great coffee, or even the tasty baked goods (ok, well maybe); granted they sure help getting us here; but truly, ultimately we are here to continue together our encounter with the One who has called us by name.

We are here to come and see Jesus and abide with him, and worship.

Ordination prayer for new elder. 

With each opportunity, with each eye opening experience, we have a new story to tell. We don’t just meet and see Jesus once in our life. He calls us, or a friend calls us, and we go together to abide at his feet. Or climb a mountain and hear him again.

Who is finding? Who is following? We as disciples are doing both.

Jesus said, “Go into the world and make disciples of all nations…and I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Amen. 

Resources: NIB, Karoline Lewis-Working Preacher