This sermon is a little different. For about the first half we're simply going to walk slowly through the story and notice some things. My hope is this will give us all some practice in reading scripture.
So let's talk about a theme that pops: Looking. Other way to say this: Seeing and finding. Now let's think through the question: "What are you looking for?" When we come to church, pray, read scripture, what are we looking for? Could this be part of what it means to follow Jesus? Looking, searching, learning - a sense of curiosity.
Jesus invites us to "come and see." It's an invitation to leave the comfortable places and risk the belief that maybe we've been limited in our certainties about God, each other, and the world.
But we have to come to grips with the reality that sometimes our seeing is selective. We can witness the same thing and "see" things differently.
Eventually, Andrew leads Simon to see Jesus. And Jesus sees him - not only for who he is, but also for who he will become. "You will be called Cephas - Peter."
This story seems to be telling us that once we've been seen by Jesus, truly loved to the core of who we are, it is then that we're able to see others as people loved by God. May we see the way Jesus sees, and may we always seek after the One who is always seeking after us.
Speaker: Aaron Vis
Scripture: John 1:29-42
