John 1:35-42
The next day John again was standing with two of his disciples, and as he watched Jesus walk by, he exclaimed, ‘Look, here is the Lamb of God!’ The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. 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?’ 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. One of the two who heard John speak and followed him was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. He first found his brother Simon and said to him, ‘We have found the Messiah’ (which is translated Anointed). 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).
This is the great transitional moment in John’s Gospel from the ministry of John the Baptist to the ministry of Jesus. John commends Jesus as the Lamb of God and then encourages his disciples to follow Jesus.
But whatever importance we might attach to this scene in terms of the Evangelist’s stress on the superiority of Jesus, I think it’s even more interesting in terms of the model of discipleship it offers. In particular, notice the role of questions and invitation. Jesus starts by asking the two disciples who are following him what they are looking for. They in turn ask him a question about where he’s staying that evening.
Questions do that. Questions start conversations and invite participation. Sometimes questions invite a response. Sometimes they prompt more questions. Either way, questions invite people to get involved. And that’s what happens here. Jesus doesn’t turn and preach a sermon, or tell them what they need, or give them some rules to live by. He’s asks them a question: what are you looking for?
It’s interesting to think about what it would be like if we as members of the church were willing to ask each other and those around us what they’re looking for. It’s a fundamental question that applies to all of us. But all too often, I think, we assume we know what people are looking for. Or, really, we assume they’re looking for whatever we’re looking for. Jesus doesn’t make that assumption. Instead, he asks, “What are you looking for?”
And then comes the invitation. After the two disciples ask Jesus where he’s staying – perhaps intending to invite him over – Jesus says rather enigmatically, “Come and see.” Again, no sermon. Not even much of an answer. Just an invitation.
Again, I think there’s something for us to learn here. Our job is to invite people to “come and see.” Not to invite them to convert, or to join, or to confess. Our primarily job as disciples of Jesus is to invite them to “come and see.”
I’ll say it again, evangelism, from this point of view, isn’t cramming our faith down someone’s throat or threatening them, it’s simply sharing what we’ve seen, asking folks what they’re looking for, and inviting them to come and see.
Prayer: Dear God, empower and encourage us to ask people what they are looking for and to invite them to come and see what we have found in you. Amen.
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