John takes charge of our readings today
(John 1: 29-34) and loudly announces Jesus’ arrival: “Here is the Lamb of God
who takes away the sin of the world! This is he of whom I said, after me comes
a man who ranks ahead of me because he was before me.” He then proceeds to
validate his preaching as he distinguishes Jesus’ preeminent role: "I saw
the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him…this is
the Son of God." John is going out of his way to shift the focus from
himself to Jesus as if to say this isn’t about me. It’s about this guy.
Yeah. There he goes. He’s the one. Him. Lamb of God. John’s work for the time being is was done; now, it’s up to
Jesus… and us.
And so Jesus' ministry begins not
with a command to silence a demon, as in Mark; nor with a sermon to the crowds
who have gathered on a mountain, as in Matthew, and not with a quotation from
Isaiah to proclaim his anointing for the year of God's favor, as in Luke. No,
it begins with a question: "What are you looking for?" Needless to
say this is a question with which we have and continue to wrestle--as
individuals, as congregations, as communities. Our answers will have a great
deal to do with what we find as well as with the journey we take to get there.
What are we seeking? What motivates us? What is it that we really need, not
just on the surface, but down deep into the core of our being? As we close out
the Christmas season with this blessed feast, this question is an important one for us to
ponder. In a way, we have an advantage over the disciples; we know what’s
coming and we know how it all will end. Yet, we continue to ask, what am I
looking for?
As if this mind-bending,
soul-searching question was not enough, immediately following their
“introductions,” the disciples ask another question: "where are you
staying?" We know that John is not one to mince words. From our brief
encounter with his readings so far, we’ve learned that he, selects his words for what they mean and not necessarily
what they say on the surface. So, asking Jesus where he was “staying” has
little to do with making inquiry about his local lodging or accommodations. Instead
it requires that we probe for what the phrase might say to us. What word might you select as a synonym for “stay?” Continue,
dwell, lodge, sojourn, rest, settle, last, endure, persevere, be steadfast,
abide, be in close and settled union and indwell? The list is endless and any of the preceding words might work at any
given time.
Marcus
Borg writes in the Heart of Christianity, “that the Christian life is
not about believing or a set of beliefs, but it’s about a deepening relationship
with the one in whom we live and move and have our being. Paying attention to
this relationship transforms us.” So, if we choose to interpret John’s question
to mean our asking about an intimate, enduring relationship with God, the word “abide”
has particular meaning that fits. We surrender our ego to God as the Word
becomes flesh and abides in us, and sows the seed of transformation, and
we are born into a new life.
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