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A look at the appointed gospel from the Revised Common Lectionary for January 12, 2020 - The Baptism of Our Lord.
“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! This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks ahead of me because he was before me.’
I myself did not know him; but I came baptizing with water for this reason, that he might be revealed to Israel.” And John testified, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. 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.’ And I myself have seen and have testified that this is the Son of God.”
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.” They came and saw where he was staying, and they remained with him that day. It was about four o’clock in the afternoon. One of the two who heard John speak and followed him was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother.
He first found his brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which is translated Anointed). 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).”
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My Two Cents….
Growing up in the 1970s meant that Saturday morning was “cartoon time.” For hours, I’d watch Hanna Barbera’s Scooby-Doo, Captain Caveman, Speed Buggy, and Laugh-A-Lympics. There would also be Tom and Jerry. Coming from the Warner Brothers Studios were all the Bugs Bunny cartoons. Daffy Duck and Elmer Fudd. Bugs Bunny, Tweety Bird, and Sylvester ran around my television screen with their silly antics. It was a weekly ritual and grounding place for my childhood.
One of my favorite cartoons was the RoadRunner and Wile E. Coyote. Not such why cartoon characters always chased each other but that is what they did. It was the case with the hungry coyote and the oversized and oddly colored desert bird.
Wile E. was a self-proclaimed “super genius” and as such came up with complicated schemes to catch his dinner. The traps that he built were fantastic: ropes, pulleys, trampolines, catapults, and dynamite. He’d order it all through the ACME supply catalog and it was all shipped in wooden crates.
None of the elaborate schemes ever worked but it was fun to watch the ‘sure-fire’ plan disintegrate or explode (as was usually the case). At the end of each attempt, Wile E. was smoldering or a tiny poof at the bottom of a canyon. The RoadRunner would “Beep Beep” and zoom away.
Wile E. never accepted defeat. Each week, he’d be back at it. The chase continued until Mel Blanc (the voice of all the Looney Toons characters) spoke his last and Warner Bros. animation stopped creating the reels.
When it comes to John’s witness to his disciples, there is no elaborate contraption or scheme. He is with his disciples as Jesus walks by them. Look - there is the Lamb of God! This simple observation was all it took to capture the hearts of John’s disciples. One of them turns out to be Andrew.
When Jesus notices them following him, he asks them what they seek. A bit confused, they want to know where he is staying. Another simple response - “come and see.” That is all it takes for not only Andrew to become a disciple of Jesus but also for him to get his brother, Peter. The rest is apostolic history.
Simple. Not complicated. No need for complex drawings with ropes, pulleys, or dynamite. John simply points Jesus out and Jesus invites with “come and see.”
The invitation to discipleship is open-ended and allows for free-response. It doesn't trap or trick. There is no manipulation either. Andrew is left to wonder and wander in Jesus’s direction.
As we enter this week, how might we provide a similar witness when it comes to sharing our faith? What would it look like if we pointed out God’s presence in our lives to those around us? Look! See that blessing? I’m thankful to God for that kindness or sign of love.
How many times do you speak the word “God” in a positive way during the course of the day? Try this out. Count the number of times that you mention God during a regular day. Once you have a baseline (0,1, or 100), challenge yourself. See if you can say “God” one more time a day for a week. Allow God-language to slowly seep into your regular speech.
When you start using God’s name in a regular way, you will be giving a witness to the presence of God in your life. Be prepared, people will react. Some will be put off. Don’t worry, they might get used to it. If not, that it on them. Others will be curious to learn more. In time, they might even ask you more about the God of whom you speak.
If that should happen - don’t use the big theological words that you remember from confirmation class. Don’t slip into the mode of Wile E. Coyote and rush to construct an ACME wonder to catch them for Christ. Such efforts will explode in your face.
Take a page from Jesus’s own playbook. A simple “come and see” is all that it takes. Invite them to see what God means to you by walking with them for a while. Share God’s love and grace. Be welcoming. Tell them about your own practices of worship, prayer, and study. Invite them to join you.
In Christ's Light,
Walt
Permission granted to share today's content with family and friends. Copyrighted 2020. Walt Lichtenberger
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