Sermon for the
Second Sunday after Epiphany
January 20, 2008
Isaiah 49:1-7
Psalms 40: 1-11
1 Corinthians 1:1-9
John 1:29-42
Year A
I.N.I. (In the name of Jesus)
Just like that (snap) – life changes.
One minute it’s Dec. 31st, and the next it’s 2008.
One minute life is going along as expected, and the next everything’s different.
One minute my father-in-law’s going into surgery,
and the next gut-wrenching moment, that surgery has been postponed.
Just like that, life can change in other ways, too.
One moment you’re doing what’s safe and normal,
and the next you’re on an exciting adventure.
One moment you’re a John the Baptizer groupie,
and the next you’re checking out someone else who’s even more intriguing.
One moment you’re doing the job that’s become safe and comfortable,
and the next you’re suddenly considering a new position
and your thoughts are all over the place about what to do.
One moment you’re sitting idly in your comfortable pew,
and the next you’re listening to a preacher who’s calling you to sit on the
edge of your seat, as if something vital is about to come at you.
Sometimes these abrupt shifts are the result of careful planning
leading to the final decision to just do it.
Other times the option to change is presented suddenly
and the choice is made just like that (snap).
The Bible readings we’re wading through this Epiphany season
are full of this dynamic of sudden choice and change.
Last Sunday we saw John the repent-and-be-baptized wildman
confronted with the disturbing task of baptizing the Great Messiah,
and just like that (snap) John had to expand his idea
of what Baptism must mean.
Next Sunday we’ll see a bunch of fishermen going about their business
suddenly asked to throw out their nets on land instead!
And today what we see are two followers of John standing loyally by his side
suddenly change course,
a decision which would radically change their lives.
Ok, here’s the picture.
One day these two guys are by John’s side while he’s baptizing away,
screaming at everyone
that the great-and-powerful Messiah is on his way…
and… there he is!
John stops everyone in their tracks: Look! The one we’ve been waiting for!
The one who’ll make everything right!
Maybe these two guys wondered why John was all excited.
What’s so special about this Jesus anyway?
But then comes the baptism, with this spooky dove swooping down
and John saying in no uncertain terms:
I know this is God’s own child!
So what do our two disciples do with all of this?
Nothing, as far as we know.
Did they need some time to think it through? (who knows?!)
It was the next day when everything changed for these two.
Their fearless leader, John, spots Jesus again.
He says the same exact words as yesterday,
but this time the effect is different.
Our two disciples turn to walk after this one John’s flipping out over,
and soon they’re at Jesus’ place, hanging out with him,
figuring out for themselves that John was right: This is the One!
And no sooner do they figure this out… they jump right into drawing others in.
First Simon, then Philip, then Nathaniel…
all of them coming to see what all the fuss is about,
and all of them coming to believe.
And then the really crazy stuff comes next in our story for next Sunday,
when they leave not only their inspirational leader John,
but their occupational livelihoods as well…
all to follow this Jesus.
“What kind of foolishness is this,” I can hear their neighbors saying.
“Why so sudden, boys? Why not give it a bit more thought?”
What kind of foolishness is this?
It’s the same kind of foolishness that makes a cross a sign of victory
and death a sign of life.
It’s not explained in the realm of scientific fact or even of common sense
but for some reason we hold this foolishness in our hearts
as we hold up these guys as heroes of our faith.
These ordinary folks got their names into the best selling book of all time
by making a rash decision, by doing something foolish.
So what is it that got them suddenly turned in another direction?
What is it that captured these disciples
and the many others who would follow their lead?
It’s a question worth asking ourselves as well,
as we go about the task of living out our faith.
What is it that captures me?
What is it that draws me to God and God’s people?
What is it that I have, that I want to somehow share… with my friends and co-workers,
our children and the generations yet to be born?
What is it that has gotten me into this foolishness
of worshiping when I could be sleeping in, of braving the icy winds to get here?
What is this foolishness of giving a weekly offering
when I could be stashing it away or upgrading my lifestyle?
this foolishness of caring for people I have no familial responsibility for?
this foolishness of trusting in a God I cannot see,
but somehow love so dearly?
If we know what has captured us into this life of God
and keeps re-capturing us in different ways throughout our lives…
then we may begin to know how we can be drawing in others
hungering for meaningful contact or new understanding.
For John’s disciples and the ones they drew in,
it started off with someone else pointing to Jesus…
but then they had to come and see for themselves.
And it was in coming to know Jesus that they knew there was no turning back.
As we come to know better who Jesus is to us,
as we allow ourselves to be caught up in the power
that living in Jesus’ love infuses us with,
then we, too, will be people God works through and speaks through
to reach out to others who need to be caught by God’s love.
And it probably starts with those who are closest to us, such as…
Such as a child who asks her mother, “Mom, why do I have to go to church?”
What will the answer be?
“Because I said so!” (honest, but not very helpful)
“Because it’s the right thing to do!” (yeah, right, mom)
“Because it’s important that we do things together as a family!”
(again, true, but not terribly compelling)
Well, how about this one? “Honey, I take you to church with me
because Jesus is my best friend – we’ve been through a lot together –
and I want Jesus to be your friend, too.”
Or let’s say…
A new neighbor has just moved in,
and you go over to his driveway when he’s our shoveling to welcome him.
He asks you different things about the area,
where are the good places to shop for this or that,
where you can get the best cup of coffee,
what you like living about living in the area…
And you decide to take a risk by telling him
that one place where you spend a good amount of time is Christ the King.
“And why do you go there?” asks your neighbor.
Here’s your big chance!
“Well, I’m a lifelong Lutheran and just go be habit.” (No!)
“It’s just the place I’m used to going to and the people are so nice.” (?)
How about this one: “Because I know God’s presence is alive in the people there”
or “I find my faith and my life strengthened there”
or “Because the people there are my family
and God’s love reaches out to me through them”.
Now I don’t mean to put words in your mouths here,
and I imagine you have stories… of words that have come to you
when you needed them…
My suggestions are to get us thinking about how God-talk
can become a part of our language.
We’re so used to thinking about religion as a private affair,
almost a taboo subject sometimes,
that it is genuinely hard to find the words to talk about our faith
unless we review in our own hearts
what our relationship to God means to us.
And I think we’ve all had someone try to foist their brand of faith on us,
and we don’t want to do that to someone else…
but what if it is possible to speak of our faith, to be real and revealing,
without making the other feel strange?
Maybe we can practice on each other, hmm?
One favorite hymn of many is I Love to Tell the Story
which says that the story of Jesus and his love
satisfies our longings as nothing else can do.
Well, we may love the story , but it can be hard to tell the story,
and there’s nothing wrong with admitting that.
The sooner we admit it, the sooner we can start turning to God to say,
“I can’t do that, God. You better do it through me.”
So when someone going through a traumatic time in her life asks you,
“How did you make it through your divorce” or
“through that break-up with your boyfriend” or
“through that awful time of grief”…
…You take a deep breath and pray:
“Here’s your chance, Lord. I don’t know the words to say,
but maybe you will.”
How did I make it through that terrible time? Only God knows.
Because God’s the one that got me through it.
And I learned, during that horrible time, how much my faith means to me.
And God’s going to get you through this.
I’ll do anything I can to help you through it, too.
That’s a powerful witness… the kind that can reach out and change lives.
And just like that, life changes…
when we let God speak and work through us…
Would you please join me in prayer,
as I say again the words of our Prayer of the Day…
Holy God, our strength and our redeemer
by your spirit hold us forever,
that through your grace we may worship you and faithfully serve you,
follow you and joyfully find you,
through Jesus Christ our Savior and Lord.
I.N.I.
The Rev. Kari Henkelmann Keyl
Christ the King Lutheran Church
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