What Are You Looking For?

It’s a powerful question. Powerful now and powerful in the Gospel of John when Jesus asks it of two of John the Baptist’s disciples. The disciples answer, “Rabbi, where are you staying?” And so it begins, the teaching relationship that unfolded over three years and countless miles and the witnessing of miracles and the authorities always hovering in the background, ready to shut things down. A relationship that begins here and will end at the cross…

Each of the Gospels has a different take on how Jesus encountered his first disciples. I’m partial to the version where the fishermen drop their nets on the shore and just walk off to follow Jesus, but I like this one too, with its sense of expansive invitation. “Come and see.” That’s Jesus’ response to the disciples’ question, and you could pretty much form a whole religion on that. It would be a religion of curiosity, welcome and delight.

And speaking of such things, what a blessing it has been the last two weeks to encounter the music of Megan Franken at Tobermory United. Megan is a classically trained pianist who is trying out church music. Lucky for us!

To prepare for Sunday, read John 1:29-42 and ponder the following:

1.      Jesus asks the disciples, “What are you looking for?” As a disciple of Jesus, what are you looking for?

2.      Do you think the disciples had any idea of what they were getting into?

Image: Snowflake, Igor Kamelev