Second Sunday after the Epiphany

May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be always
acceptable in your sight Oh Lord our strength and our redeemer. Amen.

There’s a lot going on in today’s Gospel reading.
It’s like there’s a number of different stories:
A number of major themes in only a dozen verses.

First, John the baptist sees Jesus coming toward him and proclaims:
“here is the Lamb of God.”

Second, John the Baptist reminds us that he baptized Jesus:
And the Spirit descended on Jesus like a dove.

Third: John proclaims that Jesus is the very Son of God.

Fourth: Two of John’s disciples call Jesus rabbi: or “teacher.”
And Jesus invites them deeper into the mystery with the simple phrase:
“Come and See”

Finally, Andrew and Peter decide to follow Jesus, and proclaim:
“We have found the Messiah.”

There are a lot of important theological points in this short reading.
“Here is the Lamb of God.”
“This is the Son of God.”

And “We have found the Messiah.”
Each one could be the subject of its own sermon.

There’s so much going on,
That we might want to ask more questions than the one question that the
disciples asked in today’s reading: “Where are you staying?”

We might also want to ask, What does all of this mean?
These big theological points?
We might ask Jesus: “What exactly are you up to?”
“What’s your purpose?”
And maybe even, “What do you want of us?”

To all of these questions,
And to many others,
Jesus gives us the same answer that he gave those two disciples:
“Come and See.”

Within the answer to this question, is an invitation.
An invitation to a new life:
An invitation to new relationship: With Him.
With Jesus: The Lamb of God, the rabbi and teacher, the Son of God, the Messiah.

What exactly is this Lamb of God? Come and see.
Who is the true Messiah? Come and see.

Why should we follow you, Jesus? Come and see.
What do you want us to do? Come and See.

It sounds simple enough.
But is it really?

How often, in today’s world,
Are we willing to accept an invitation to just, “Come and see?”

People today like to have all the details.
To know the schedule.
To know the risks.
And know the rewards.

We rarely accept an invitation to just “come and see.”

We carefully explore all our options:
We search for information and compile lists of pros and cons.

And of course:
It IS important to make informed decisions.
Informed decisions help us to avoid repeating some of life’s biggest mistakes.

But sometimes, we’re invited to just “come and see.”

With no explanation:
No schedule.

And when it comes to Jesus:
This is a risk worth taking.
But do we accept the invitation?

Are we ready for what we might see?
Because if we’re honest:
When we come and see:
We’re moved to do more.
To see again:
To do more work.

When we accept the invitation to come and see:
We become aware that there’s more for us to give:
More for opportunities for us to surrender.
More risks to take.

If we choose to become disciples of Jesus, and to give our time, talent, and
treasure, what do we get for our trouble?
It doesn’t end there.

Because we receive the same invitation:
Come and see.

Jesus invites us to experience a reality that’s different from the world that
cherishes wealth, power, and control.
It’s an invitation to love the poor and serve the needy, without condition.
It’s an invitation to surrender our lust for power,
And give up our need for control:
Or our need to be right.
And what are the consequences of that?

The same invitation:
Come and see.

The invitation is offered again and again,
In a constant cycle.
Come and see.
Come and see.

It never ends.
It leads to more and more.

And we really do need to come and see in order to understand--
Or even begin to understand what Jesus is up to.
Come and see:
Again and again.

Take a risk,
And try again:
To see more and more.

So come and see the Lamb of God.
Come and see the one on whom the Spirit descended like a dove.
Come and see the son of God.
Come and see Jesus the rabbi, who teaches the way of salvation.
Come and see Andrew and Simon Peter, who drop their nets and leave behind
everything to follow Jesus.

Come and see what Jesus is up to.
Come and see his purpose.
Come and see what he wants for us.
And come and see what we gain when we accept the invitation.

Even if you think you know what Jesus is up to:
Come and see again.
Even if you think you know his purpose:
Come and see again.
Even if you think you know what he wants us to do:
Come and see again:
With an open heart each time.

That invitation was offered to those disciples thousands of years ago.

And it’s offered to us today, tomorrow, and every day.
Take the risk:
Knowing that the cycle of invitation will continue again and again.

Come and see:
And be enriched in Christ:
In speech and knowledge of every kind.

Come and see:
And learn again that God is faithful:
That you are called into the fellowship of Jesus Christ our Lord.

Come and see:
So that you too can declare with confidence:
As the first two disciples did:
“We have found the Messiah.”

Amen.