“‘COME AND SEE,’ SAID HE”

JOHN 1:29-42

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 Son of God."

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).

Confidence is a wonderful thing.  When you’re confident you don’t go through life second guessing yourself all the time. You don’t spend a lot of time worrying about what you should do or could do.  You don’t spend a lot of time worrying about what you should have done or could have done.  Of course it is possible to be a little too confident.  That was the problem one evening when a man brought his boss home for dinner.  Unfortunately, the boss was a little arrogant and overbearing.  Because of that the man’s four year old son kept staring at the boss while they were eating. The boss was so wrapped up in himself though that he didn’t notice it until they were finished eating.  That’s when he asked the little boy why he was staring at him.  “Sonny,” he said, “why do you keep looking at me like that?” “Oh,” the little said, “my daddy says you’re a self-made man.”  Now the boss was smiling. “That’s right,” he said.  “I am a totally self-made man.”  “Well,” the little boy said, “I don’t understand. If you’re a self-made man then why did you make yourself like this?”

Are you a person with a lot of confidence?  Or are you a person who tends to second guess yourself from time to time?  Do you ever wonder if you’re on the right path in life?  Have you ever said to yourself, “Who am I, really?  Why am I here?  Where am I going?”

If any of that sounds familiar then you and Andrew have something in common.  You see that’s why Andrew went out to the Jordan River to be with John the Baptist.  Andrew wasn’t sure about himself or life in general.  He thought he might find the answers that he was looking for in John the Baptist. All of that change though when Jesus came along.  All John the Baptist had to do was say, “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world,” and that was enough for Andrew.  He left John the Baptist and started to follow Jesus. 

Notice though that Andrew didn’t go right up to Jesus and introduce himself.  No.  Instead of doing that, Andrew followed Jesus from a distance.  Andrew was curious but he was also a little tentative and timid. 

 Then Jesus surprised Andrew.  He turned around and asked him a question.  You get the feeling that Jesus knew that Andrew was following him all along.  So, Jesus turned around and said to him, “What are you looking for?”

It was a simple question but it was a question that Andrew couldn’t answer.  Andrew couldn’t answer the question because he wasn’t sure what he was looking for.  He could have said, “I’m looking for a sense of peace.”  He could have said, “I’m looking for fame and fortune.”  He could have said, “I’m looking for adventure.”  He could have said, “I’m looking for wisdom.”

Andrew wasn’t sure what he was looking for.  So, instead of answering the question, he responded by asking a question of his own.  “Rabbi,” he said, “where are you staying?”  Andrew wanted to be with Jesus.  That’s because deep down inside though something told him that he was going to find the answers to all his questions in that unassuming carpenter from Nazareth.

Notice that when Andrew asked Jesus where he was staying, Jesus didn’t respond by saying, “Follow me.”  He said, “Come and see.”  Jesus didn’t give Andrew an order.  He gave him an invitation. “Come and see.”

I wonder how many people need to hear that invitation today?  What do you think?  Do you think a lot of people or just a few people need to hear that invitation today?  I think a lot of people need to hear that invitation today.  That’s because I’m convinced that a lot of people are aren’t really sure of themselves and their place in this world.  Who am I?  Why am I here? Where am I going?

Now, you won’t find the answer to those questions in a horoscope.

You won’t find the answer to those questions in a therapist’s office.

You won’t find the answer to those questions in the pages of a self-help book.

There’s also no guarantee that you’ll find the answer to those questions if you sit down and have a heart-to-heart talk with a minister.

That’s why I like the story about the three men who went hiking up in the woods of northern Maine.  The first one was a psychologist.  The second one was an engineer and the third one was a theologian. While the three of them were hiking they came upon an old hunting cabin.  Since they’d been hiking for quite a while they were getting a little cold.  So, they knocked on the door to see if they could go inside to warm up a little. When no one came to the door they figured it wouldn’t be a problem if they went inside for just a few minutes.  As soon as they walked into the cabin they were surprised by what they saw. Much to their surprise they saw a large potbellied stove hanging from the ceiling in the middle of the room.   The psychologist nodded his head.  “Fascinating,” he said.  “It’s obvious that this lonely trapper, isolated from the rest of the word has elevated his stove so he can curl up under it and vicariously experience a return to the womb.  “Nonsense!” the engineer said. “The trapper is simply practicing the laws of thermodynamics.  By elevating his stove, he’s discovered a better way to distribute the heat throughout the cabin.”  “No, no, no!” the theologian shouted.  “Fire that is lifted up to the heavens has been a religious symbol since the dawn of time. It’s obvious that the trapper is a man of great faith.”  Just then the trapper walked into the cabin.  So, they asked him.  “Why is your stove hanging from the ceiling?”  The question surprised the trapper who simply shrugged his shoulders and said,  “Had lots of wire and not a lot of pipe.”

Who am I?  Why am I here?  Where am I going?  You’ll find the answer to all of those questions by doing what Andrew did.  You’ll find the answer to all of those questions by following the unassuming carpenter who said, “Come and see.”  He’s the one who will help you find yourself.  He’s the one who will help you find a sense of peace and purpose in this crazy mixed up world. 

If you’re not sure about that just look what happened the next day.  Look at what happened when Andrew brought his brother Simon to Jesus. Jesus took one look at Simion and gave him a new name.  Jesus said, “You are Simon, son of John, but from now on you shall be called Cephas.”  Now Cephas is the Aramaic word for rock.  When you translate rock from Aramaic into Greek you get the word petra and the more familiar name Peter. 

Jesus gave Simon the name Peter because he saw him as a man of great strength.  Jesus knew that he could be solid as a rock and it was on this rock that Jesus later said he was going to build his church.  Now that must have blown Peter away.  After all he was just a simple fisherman and not a very successful fisherman at that. He wasn’t a mover or a shaker.

Jesus didn’t see Peter as he was though. He saw Peter as he could be.  The same thing is true for you and for me.  The same thing is true for everyone out there who is struggling with those questions.  Who am I, really?  Why am I here?  Where am I going?  Jesus sees you not as you are but as you can be.

That’s good news.  That’s why John the Baptist encouraged his disciples to follow Jesus.

That’s why the first thing Andrew did was go and get his brother Peter. That’s why you and I need to encourage those who are asking those questions to come and see. 

Many years ago the Mercedes Benz company came up with an unusual television commercial.  The commercial showed one of their cars crashing into a cement wall.   Because of the company’s energy absorbing technology the car ends up with less damage than you might expect.  At that point a company spokesman walks into the picture and a voice asks him a question. Other auto companies are stealing their energy absorbing technology.  So, why doesn’t Mercedes Benz enforce it’s patent?  The spokesman replies in a matter of fact voice, “Because some things in life are too important not to share.”

The same thing is true when it comes to the unassuming carpenter from Galilee.  Amen..

Rev. Dr. Richard A. Hughes

January 20, 2008