In John 1:29-42, we have an alternative call story–one that opens up the possibility that Jesus came to offer different leadership.
The life Jesus offers is about freedom
Epiphany 2A | John 1:29-42
Our gospel this morning opens with sight.
John the Baptists sees Jesus and his reaction is a lot like “Well, I’ll be! Look who is before me!”
Who knows if he can pick Jesus out of a lineup or knows him from Adam. But here, now, in this moment, he sees him and declares
“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.’
He sees him and sees into him and sees through him.
Lamb of God
Now there are a few things about this that are delicious. First is that John refers to Jesus as the Lamb of God. Now, given how common a phrase that is for Jesus today, you’d think it was a thing. And you would be wrong.
Zero references to the Lamb of God in the Hebrew Scriptures. And zero references elsewhere in the Greek Scriptures. This passage right here is literally it for that phrase.
John calls Jesus the Lamb of God out of nowhere.
Let’s think about it for a minute. How often do people actually like being compared to livestock: a pig, a cow, or a sheep; like being called a dog or a lemming? This wouldn’t seem complementary.
And given its connotation may very well be as a sacrifice–that he himself is the sacrifice that “takes away the sin of the world” I’m going out on a limb to say these are not the greeting words a normal person would hope for.
Before me
Then John goes on about being the one who comes before the better one…this part is reminiscent of Matthew’s argument about who is supposed to be doing the baptizing.
But this gospel we call John’s opens with “In the beginning was the Word…”
John is actually making a profound and pretty reckless faith statement. This is the one who came before us. He came before us because he was here from the beginning. The Christ was here because the Word was there in the beginning. With God.
So as crazy as it might sound, this is a public witness. Even as it is overrun with our churchy talk and a hermeneutic of a Superman Jesus saving our Calvinistic butts.
This is John saying he’s the one. While also saying We were expecting him to be different.
Then we jump to the next day.
And an odd thing happens. John’s hanging out with two of his disciples. And he points Jesus out to them. And what does he say?
“Look, here is the Lamb of God!”
That’s it! Not even, there’s the Messiah or That’s the guy I was telling you about. He uses a phrase that isn’t complimentary. And certainly sounds nothing like any Messiah they have been waiting for.
And at these words, which very well may be “Look, here is the divine sacrifice!” The two disciples leave their rabbi behind to join Jesus. That is a big leap.
What happens next is kind of comedic in a visual pun sort of way.
It says that they leave John behind and start following Jesus. And because that is what disciples do—they literally follow their rabbi around—Jesus has just picked up a couple of disciples. They are literally following him around.
Then Jesus turns and suddenly notices these two tag-alongs and asks
“What are you looking for?”
Can you see the subtle confusion that’s a little bit funny? These two random strangers are just following him around to the point that Jesus notices them and asks them what do you want?
AND
This is also about two disciples of John’s who are looking for a greater discipleship.
So Jesus’s question is both Hey, what do you guys want? and What are you seeking? It is both!
“What are you looking for?”
That is the question!
What are you seeking?
What do you hope to find?
And I love their response because it so weird.
“Rabbi, where are you staying?”
Which just raises the comedy. Because if it were anyone else, they’d be either
Wow, you guys are way too attached
Or else
I’m not telling you! Strangers!
It’s an absurd question. “Where are you staying?” Where are you staying? ‘Cause it’s not with me!
But it’s not so much absurd as naive and eager. And pretty sincere. Because they’re not looking to crash on his sofa and mooch off of him.
They want to be with him, follow him, learn from him. This is literally their work. And they’re making themselves interns so they can get a new job. Or like Jack Black in High Fidelity. He just hangs out at the record store enough that the owner may as well hire him.
And Jesus doesn’t even bat an eyelash. “Come and see.”
This story has an interesting turn.
Because one of these two new disciples is Andrew. And he goes and gets his brother, Simon. And he tells him
“We have found the Messiah”
John calls Jesus the Lamb of God, but Andrew calls him Messiah, the Christ. The divine sacrifice becomes the liberator. It’s a mashup of the weak and the powerful, the peaceful and the conqueror, the pure and the warrior.
A new kind of Messiah. One that liberates through peace.
And when Jesus sees Simon, he calls him Peter, which means rock. Or more appropriately for us, stone.
Because after Jesus calls a few more disciples, he goes to this wedding in Cana where his Mom will make him perform the first miracle. He’ll turn water into wine. But not just any water. The water they use for the rites of purification. And what is the water stored in? Stone jars.
And the only people who get this are the disciples. These people following Jesus. Because they are in on the joke. Which isn’t a joke at all.
It is funny and also real and genuine.
Because they are not just disciples. They are vessels of God’s grace.
So that’s John 1.
And we’re going to get a completely different story from Matthew next week.
But isn’t this story full? And as funny as it sounds, there is a deep spiritual truth at its heart. A really simple question asked of all those who would follow Jesus.
“What are you looking for?”
And if we’re being honest, its a question we so rarely answer beyond the surface junk. Beyond the stuff that the world tells us to care about. Or what our culture pulls us toward. Fame, power, money, health, youth.
Or we see it in the day-to-day struggles we all have of getting up and doing hard things. For some, that means going to a job they hate. For others, it’s dealing with the aches and pains that have crept up over a lifetime. And for others, it is simply getting out of bed or leaving the house.
What we’re seeking is answers to the burning questions we’ve always had about the world. Or how to deal with our family when we can’t even talk to each other. We seek answers to our questions about living a good life in this world. Jesus, Lord, Messiah, tell us what to do!
And yet he keeps asking us what we’re looking for! Really looking for. Which isn’t something that can be contained in a simple answer. What are you longing for? What makes your heart soar when you even imagine that kind of freedom? That is what he’s really asking about.
What are you looking for?
And their answer can be our answer.
Where can I sit with you and be?
Tell me where you are going, so that I might go there, too.
Rabbi, what are you looking for, because that is what I am looking for.
And even the disciples’ action is our action.
They don’t ask Jesus for permission. They just show up. Just follow him around like two little puppy dogs. Where’s our new home?
They just showed up. Because they saw in this Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world; in him, they saw liberation. For them, for their people. And maybe even everyone else.
We don’t need permission to follow Jesus. And we totally don’t need to be invited. We just go! And because we’re excited, we’ve found the way, we can learn from Andrew. And bring people to this. This being in the divine presence. Saying Come and See!
Because we already feel freer.