Jesus sees two disciples following him.
He turns and asks, “What are you looking for?” You would think their answer
would be, “You,” or even, “The Messiah.” Instead, the disciples answer Jesus’
question with another question. Their question is, “Teacher, where are you
staying?” To us, that probably makes little sense. You ask someone what they’re
looking for and they want to know where you’re staying?
Remember too, these men were disciples
of John the Baptist. John identified Jesus as the “Lamb of God,” and the one
who holds the power to “baptize with the Holy Spirit.” So these two disciples,
hearing John say these things figure they’d better go check it out. After all,
“Lamb of God” could mean a lot of things. Maybe they should get some
clarification. And besides, anyone who can baptize with the Holy Spirit has to
be more powerful than the guy they’re currently following. And there’s always
the hope that Jesus is a better dresser than John and that he’s more polite. John
called people “a brood of vipers,” which isn’t the best way to endear yourself
to people. And he wore camel hair, which might work in a blazer for an ad exec,
but probably not as a caveman style drape the way John probably wore it.
But the two disciples of John follow Jesus anyway. I imagine them
walking behind him and whispering about what or who he might be, kind of like a
couple of adolescents following a cute guy or gal. And Jesus calls their bluff.
So is the the disciples’ response just
an attack of nerves? What does “Teacher, where are you staying?” have to do
with what they’re looking for?
If you thnk about, their question has deep meaning. You can tell a lot
about a person – especially Jesus – when you know about the people with whom he
stays, and with whom he eats and drinks. Our gospel scene today occurs early in
the gospel of John. And these two guys are currently disciples of John the
Baptist, so they don’t really know Jesus eats, drinks hangs with and stays with,
tax collectors, bar owners, women of questionable virtue, and just about any
other sinner you can name. They don’t know Jesus touches lepers and lets little
children come to him.
From their
perspective it’s a logical question. “Rabbi, where are you staying?” It’s one
of those coded questions with multiple meanings. This is what they’re really
asking. “Who do you hang with? What kind of people put you up? Are you staying
with people like us or with the rich folks? Are you staying somewhere you can
bring people home?” Those are all things that must have run through the
disciples’ minds when they asked their question.
After all, I suspect we can tell a good bit about people when we visit their
church. We can tell what is important to them. We can tell what they think and
believe about God. We can tell how they try to conduct their lives. We can tell
who they eat with, drink with, hang with and stay with.
How many of us, though, when faced with
the question, “Where are you staying?” would say, “Come and see?” Wouldn’t we
want to know something about the people we’re about to invite? Invite a
stranger? How would we know they wouldn’t rob us? How would we know they would
be polite? How would we know they wouldn’t dribble soda on the sofa? Would they
appreciate our church the way we do?
Jesus responds, “Come and see.” In those three words Jesus immediately
reveals himself to two people he has probably never met. He opens himself to
their critique, or ridicule, or even approval, by saying “Come and see.” Jesus
begins his relationship with these two disciples by offering them radical
hospitality, an open invitation to intimacy that you and I are invited into as
well. And those three words are an invitation we are called to offer others.
The words of Jesus, “Come and see,” are an invitation to enter a relationship
with Jesus, to learn who he eats with, hangs with, stays with.
The first word we hear from Jesus is
“come.” The word "come" is an invitation to enter.
The second word we hear from Jesus is
“and.” This word promises us that there is something more.
The third word we hear from Jesus is
“see.” The word "see" promises us growth, to become more as we continue to look.
“Come and see.” This is what Jesus
invites the disciples to do. “Come and see.” So often we think we must first
believe. We struggle and strain to think right thoughts, to swallow the gospels
whole, or to figure out just what it means to receive Communion or a Blessing
on Sunday. Instead, Jesus says, “Come.” Come first.
If you want to see who Jesus is, “Come and see.” These words are more
than an invitation. These words are a promise. They are a promise to us, and a
promise to share with all those who enter here.
Come and you will see. Come and you will see Jesus revealed here. Come
and you will see Jesus revealed in the word around you. Come and you will see
who Jesus was, and is, and always will be. For me, for you; whether we walk
this journey together as we have been, or after today, as we go our separate
ways. Come and see. AMEN.
The Rev Nicolette Papanek
©2017
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