2 Epiphany, Yr A (January 15, 2023) The Rev. Karen C. Barfield

2 Epiphany, Year A (2023)                                                                The Rev. Karen C. Barfield

Isaiah 49:1-7                                                                                           St. Andrew’s on-the-Hill

John 1:29-42

In the name of the one, holy, and living God:

in whom we live, and move, and have our being.  AMEN.

"What are you looking for?"

 These are the first words out of Jesus’ mouth according to John’s Gospel.

 “What are you looking for?”

At some point after John the Baptist has baptized Jesus in the Jordan River,

John is standing with two of his disciples and sees Jesus walking by.

As Jesus walks by, John exclaims, "Look, here is the Lamb of God!"

And two of John’s disciples turn and fall into step behind Jesus.

When Jesus notices that these disciples have fallen in line behind him,

walking the road with him,

he turns and asks them this question: "What are you looking for?'

All of us sitting here today could very well ask each other the very same question.

"What are you looking for?"

What are we looking for?

Why have we all gathered here in this place on a bitter cold Winter morning? 

Wouldn't it be much more comfortable to just stay bundled up in bed with a cup of hot chocolate and a great book? 

or sit listening to some music in front of a warm fire? 

or better yet, just sleep in a couple of extra hours to get ready for the week ahead?

Why do we set our alarms every Sunday morning,

get up,

get dressed,

and come to this place?

     or make sure we set our alarms to get up and tune in online?

What are we looking for?

There must be some thing or some one who has grabbed our attention enough to keep us coming back week after week.

This is the season of Epiphany – a word which means "manifestation" or a "showing." 

God is made manifest in the world in the life of Jesus Christ. 

The light of Christ is made manifest in the darkness of the world.

This is what we celebrate this time of year.

Appropriately, the theme of today's readings is that of "witnessing."

In our reading from Isaiah, we have two witnesses. 

            1) Isaiah, the prophet, witnesses to God's presence and activity in the life of Israel.

2) And Israel, the nation, witnesses to God's promises to God's people.

Isaiah, the prophet, knows that it is God who has called him forth to be a witness. 

He says, "The Lord called me before I was born,

while I was in my mother's womb God named me."

Isaiah has spent many years prophesying for God, 

yet he is frustrated because he feels like he has gotten nowhere. 

No one is listening to him.

No one is heeding what he is saying.

He says, "I have labored in vain,

I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity." 

He feels defeated in the task God has given him,

yet he also knows that his strength remains in God.

In the Gospel reading, John the Baptist is Jesus' witness.

The day after John baptized Jesus, John declares,

"Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!"

John is very clear himself about who Jesus is

and is very clear in telling others who Jesus is.

My friends, whether we like it or not,

we, too, are called to bear witness to Jesus Christ in this world. 

While I doubt many of us would feel comfortable standing on a street corner proclaiming,

            "Jesus Christ is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!"

      we do promise in our baptismal covenant to:

 "proclaim by word and example the Good News of God in Christ" and to

                        “strive for justice and peace among all people,

and respect the dignity of every human being.”

We are called by God to guide people into relationship with Christ.

            We are called by God to witness to God’s love, compassion, and justice in this world.

Isaiah and John the Baptist witnessed to God out of their own experiences with God.

What is our own witness of who Jesus is? 

Do we claim it?

Do we share it?

Later in John's gospel, John the Baptist says of Jesus,

"He must increase,

but I must decrease."

I think that is what our lives as Christians are all about. 

We are called to increase the visibility of Christ in our own lives,

while our own selves decrease.

Oftentimes I think we limit God's activity in the world –  and for many reasons:

our doubt that God really can use us,

our need to control how God uses us,

or perhaps, like Isaiah, we think our witness is fruitless – it doesn't make a difference.

Let’s return to today’s Gospel….

"The next day John again was standing with two of his disciples,

and as he watched Jesus walk by, he exclaimed,

'Look, here is the Lamb of God!' 

“The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. 

“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?' 

“He said to them, 'Come and see.'"

"What are you looking for," Jesus asks.

The disciples answer Jesus' question with a question:

 "Teacher, where are you staying?"

Now, I doubt they really want to know where Jesus is lodging for the night. 

The Greek word for "staying" can also mean "living in something that has permanence" or "staying power." 

It is the same word for "abide." 

These two disciples recognize that Jesus abides in God,

that life itself flows from within him. 

They want Jesus to teach them how they, too, can abide in God.

Jesus issues them an invitation, "Come and see."

Jesus issues us the same invitation. 

That is why we are here. 

That is what we are looking for.

       Come and see.

I would wager that we gather here every week because we want Jesus to teach us how to abide in God. 

What are we looking for?

Maybe we want Jesus to show us how to find quiet attentiveness to God

            in the midst of this noisy world.

Maybe we want Jesus to show us how to connect with the Holy in our midst?

Maybe we seek through Jesus a place of welcome, belonging, and connection.

Maybe we seek through Jesus courage and hope.

Jesus does not give the disciples an answer

            but offers them an invitation:

                        “Come and see.”

In today’s gospel story,

dear Andrew is one of John’s disciples who turns and follows Jesus down the road.

Andrew accepts Jesus’ invitation to “come and see” and…

after spending some time with Jesus,

he goes and finds his brother, Simon, and says, “We have found the Messiah.” 

Andrew then takes Simon with him to Jesus.

This, too, is our calling.

Jesus bids us to come and abide with Jesus

            and then to go out into the world and invite others to “come and see.”

Andrew began with his brother…

            with just one person who was close to him.

So, you see, we don’t have to go out and proclaim Jesus on the street corner.

We can start with our families,

            and friends,

                        and neighbors,

                                    and co-workers.

We have found Jesus,

            the Light of the world!

The one who brings us peace, and grace, and courage, and forgiveness, and hope, and healing.

Come and see!

Will we accept that God sends us out as witnesses to the world?

Will we accept that God abides in us?

      Who might you invite to church next week? 

As we accept the invitation to come and see,

may we also proclaim through word and example "We have found the Messiah!"

AMEN.