May the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable to you, O Lord, our rock and our redeemer. Amen
Introductions are how we present ourselves to others. Sometimes we introduce ourselves by what we do or where we live. Sometimes we introduce ourselves by who our parents are or where we were born. This piece from John’s gospel begins with many and different kinds of introductions.
On this day, John begins by introducing Jesus to those around him. When Jesus walks past on this day, the Baptist says, “Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” How’s that for an introduction, you’re walking down the levee and suddenly your cousin, the guy in camel hair, introduces you to everyone within shouting distance, using the words from Exodus. “Here comes the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!”
Using this image, John invokes the purpose of the Paschal lamb, the lamb slaughtered and eaten at the Passover. The lamb whose blood was placed around the doors of the sons and daughters of
Then John tells the assembly “This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks ahead of me because he was before me.’” This seems mysterious as introductions go, but no more so than the introduction to the gospel itself, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God.”[1]
Separately, these introductions are mystifying, together they explain one another. Since Jesus was in the beginning with God, of course he came before John. And born about six months after the Baptist, Jesus has been since before the beginning. Again, in words the assembly would understand, John introduces Jesus the Messiah to the world.
Then John says something we don’t expect after last week’s reading. “I myself did not know him.” If you are thinking that just last week I said John knew exactly who Jesus was from a Messianic perspective; I did. We read that John did not want to baptize Jesus saying Jesus should baptize him, which implies at least to me that the Baptist knew Jesus is the Messiah.
Maybe you’re remembering that according to Matthew’s gospel John leapt in his mother’s womb at the Messiah’s presence while Jesus was still in utero, well you’re right about that too. So this leads to the question, why does John’s gospel report John saying, “I myself did not know him until the Spirit came and descended on him?” and you’re right, that’s a darn good question.
The quickest answer I have is that’s just one of the differences between Matthew’s and John’s gospels. Sorry, it’s not much but it’s the best answer I have in fewer than fifteen words.
But Matthew’s gospel aside; this is odd because John and Jesus are cousins for crying out loud. Of course they knew each other. But there’s knowing; and there’s knowing. It would make sense that John knew who Jesus was, but as it says in John’s gospel it was only when the Baptist saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove and remain on him, only then did he truly know.
By these sayings; Jesus ranking ahead of John, Jesus coming before John, and John not knowing Jesus, we come to know who the Baptist is. John introduces himself to us. We know that he is not the Messiah, but rather the one who comes before him. John is not God; rather he comes as a witness to testify to the presence of the Son of God. He can do this because he knows first who he is. Not only does John see, he testifies. Not only does John discover, he shares. Not only is John called, he responds. This is how John the Baptist introduces himself on this day.
This introduction is heard as a personal invitation by two of John’s own disciples. When they were introduced, they leave their Rabbi and follow Jesus. And follow they did. They physically got up and pursued Jesus as he made his way from the
Next, Jesus turns around seeing two men following him and asks, “What are you looking for?” That’s a loaded question, isn’t it? Does he ask it like he feels uncomfortable with them following? “What are you looking for?” Or maybe he asks them like he all ready knows? “What are you looking for?”
They ask “Teacher, Rabbi, where are you staying?” Then it’s like Jesus looks them in the eye and crooks his finger as he invites them to come and see. No mention is made about what happened that night. What we can imagine is that on this night, this special night when the first two disciples stay with Jesus, they are introduced to a way of life they will share together until their last supper.
But before the three left together, Andrew went to find his brother Simon. Andrew introduces his brother the to revelation that the Messiah has come.
The next day, Andrew brought Simon to Jesus for a proper introduction, but Jesus takes the initiative and makes the introduction instead. “You are Simon son of John. You are to be called Cephas.” Cephas is the Aramaic word for Peter. If you will though, the literal way to translate this name is Rock. In a stunning reversal, Andrew doesn’t introduce Simon to Jesus; Jesus introduces Simon to himself. Jesus knows Peter will be the rock, so the Messiah introduces Simon to Peter, the man he is and the new man in Christ he will become.
John the Baptist introduces himself as the one who testifies about Jesus. John introduces Jesus to the world and to his disciples. John introduces Jesus as the Lamb and who precedes all others. Then Jesus and two of John’s disciples are introduced to each other. The stakes are raised as Jesus introduces them to a taste of what it will be like to be his disciples. But first, Andrew introduces his brother Simon to the fact that the Messiah has come. Finally, marvelously, Jesus introduces himself to Simon and then in an amazing turn Jesus introduces Simon to Peter.
John points the way for everyone to know Jesus. Andrew responds to John’s prompting and tells his brother about the Lamb who will take away the sin of the world. We are fortunate, we have heard these stories. We know the Lamb who is the Christ. We know Simon who became the Rock upon whom the church was built.
Our reading this morning invites us back to a time before we knew, a time when we were like John and Andrew and Simon, not knowing who Jesus really is or what that means for our lives, but aching to know more.
The Reverend Rodger Nishioka tells this story about a member of his church’s youth group and her time of coming to know who Jesus is and who she is too:
Several years ago, when the “What Would Jesus Do?” campaign was at its peak of popularity among young people, I had a conversation with a young high schooler. She had been given a WWJD bracelet; while she was wearing it, she was also troubled by it. After youth group one night, she shared that she was struggling with the concept of the bracelet. I tried to explain that the bracelet is supposed to be a tangible reminder that we are followers of Jesus and that we are to be guided by his actions in every facet of our lives. She assured me that she understood all that. Her problem was that she did not see how it was possible for us even to know what Jesus would actually do in any situation, let alone to do it faithfully. When I tried to explain that we have the Bible and the wider community of believers to help us, she explained in an exasperated tone, “Yeah, but don’t you see? I am not Jesus! I am fully human,[2] but I am not fully divine. I just don’t think it’s fair to even assume that I could imagine what Jesus would do because I am not God.” She had a point.[3]
Reverend Nishioka contends the point is that we are not called to take upon ourselves some kind of Messianic identity for the world. As much as we are to act as Christ’s body in the world, we are not Christ. That job’s taken.
What we are called to be is like the others in this reading. We need to be like the others and marvel in the wonder and mystery of the new thing the Messiah does.
We need to be like John, know the prophecy and see Jesus when he appears. We need to be like the Baptist, and know who Jesus is when we see the Spirit light upon him and stay. We need to be like John and proclaim the name of Jesus to a weary yet hungry world.
We need to be like Andrew; once he is shown the Son of God he follows like a lamb follows its mother. The ewe leads her lamb and provides what it needs to live. We need to be like Andrew, and hear the voice of the one follow and eat the good food of the Lamb of God.
We need to be like Andrew and the unnamed disciple and follow Jesus into a new life of discipleship, even when we have no idea what that may be like. Even in times like in this passage when scripture doesn’t even tell us what their first discipleship experience was like.
We need to be like Andrew, and introduce the Lord to our brothers and sisters. We need to remember that evangelism begins at home. In the light of danger and insecurity, we need to speak the name of the Lord and announce he is the Messiah, the Anointed, the Lamb who takes away the sin of the world, the Son of God.
We need to be like Simon, and become Peter. We need to know who we are and when the Anointed makes us something new, we are to leave the old behind and embrace the new creation in God. And yes, we are bound to be like Peter who never made it easy on himself or his Lord. Yet through his rocky discipleship, he becomes the rock.
We need not only to be available; we need to make ourselves available to those in this world who need to hear the name of the Lord. We need to cry his name from the river and from the rocks. We need to cry the name of the Lamb who takes away the sin of the world to the modern-day Sadducees and Pharisees, the scribes and the experts in the Law. We need to cry his name in our homes with our families. We need to tell the world that may never have heard the name of the Lord who he is and that he makes all things new. Jesus has introduced himself; we need to continue to make the introduction to the world.
The important first step to making the introduction is to listen first as the Lord introduces himself to us in scripture. Then when like Simon Peter, as the Son of God introduces us to ourselves, we are to respond to the new life in Jesus Christ.
Just last week this part of the Body of Christ responded to new life in Christ by ordaining and installing new Elders to the Session. In the Presbyterian Church it is usual that in baptism, confirmation, ordination, and installation; the children of God are referred to by their first names alone. The reason for this is wonderful and glorious. The reason for this introduction is that in the church we share the same last name. We are the children of God and by this miracle of grace the family names we carry are an earthly convention. The Lord does not need them to know whose children we are. We are the Lord’s children, the children of God.
So today, on this day, let us be introduced to Jesus again, sharing the newness and the wonder of the Lord. And on this day and the next, let us listen. Let us follow. And let us share. And in the grace and forgiveness of our Lord Jesus Christ, let us share signs of God’s peace and wondrous love with one another.
[1] John 1:1-2, NRSV
[2] Actually, it is my contention that being without sin, Jesus is more human than we are. So as Christ is fully human, because of sin we are not. As important as I believe this point is, today it’s a footnote. For the purposes of this sermon, the point of discipleship this girl makes is more important that the point of theology I am making.
[3] Nishioka, Rodger Y. “Feasting on the Word, Preaching the Revised Common Lectionary.” David L. Bartlett and Barbara Brown Taylor, Editors. Year A, Volume 1.
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