Yesterday's sermon was based on the gospel John 1:29-42. As my norm lately, the written version was expanded upon during my actual preaching. I wrote the sermon before I started to memorize the gospel and in the memorizing process I realized just what a stupid question Andrew and the other follower had for Jesus "Rabbi, where are you staying?" Not "Rabbi, is it true what John says about you?" Not "Rabbi, are you really the lamb of God?" But yet for any of the questions they could have asked there, Jesus' answer of "Come and See" was still appropriate.
This was also one of those great gospels that so lend itself to biblical storytelling, pauses for effect and turning different directions to indicate various characters or the narrator, using volume and tone as John testified about Jesus or as the disciples asked such a dumb question. I really enjoyed playing with the text as I practiced telling the story.
And here is my sermon based on Jesus' simple invitation to come and see.
It is a little scary isn’t it? Inviting a friend to church. What if they decline? What if they think I’m one of those crazy Christians? What if they think I’m judgmental?
In the media, Christians are often portrayed as wackos. They are the crazy people picketing at the funerals of soldiers and the victims of the recent shooting in Tucson. In the news, Christians are the anti-gay, pro-military people who disagree with science on everything from evolution and creation to global warming. They are the patriotic flag wavers with mottos like “God, Guns and Guts made America great.” In movies Christians are constantly trying to convert others and if they aren’t converting them they are judging others for being adulterous, lusting, greedy sinners.
This idea of a Christian is part of our fear. It is part of the reason why we don’t tell others about our faith. It is part of the reason why we often do not invite people to worship with us, or tell others that we are praying for them, even if we really are. But it is not the only reason we are afraid to talk to others about our faith.
It is scary just to talk about our faith in public. If I mention anything religious will it start a debate? If I tell a non-believing friend that I’m praying for her mom who has cancer, will she just roll her eyes at me? Will I insult my Jewish friend if I mention something about Jesus? What if the person response by asking me a question that I do not know the answer to?
Faith is a controversial topic. It is right up there tied with politics as the two topics of conversation you avoid when having polite conversation with friends. But even politics is an easier topic to talk about as long as you know your audience.
And this fear is not only for you all sitting in the pews. Last week after worship I went to a friend’s baby shower, and as I entered the door I realized I had yet to take out my clerical tab. Later when my friend’s mother-in-law turned to me and asked where I serve as pastor, I was a little hesitant to answer. In fact I’m always hesitant to answer this question to people that I don’t know. I worry that it will start a debate in one of two ways: that either the person is an atheist and believes that I’m wasting my time, or the person is one of those Christian crazies I was talking about earlier and think that I’m violating the bible by being a female pastor.
What are your fears when if comes to talking to someone else about your faith?
It doesn’t come easy, it doesn’t come naturally to talk about our faith. There are fears of being judged, there are fears of beginning an argument, there are fears about not being able to say the right words, there are fears of offending others.
But yet it is also so easy to invite others here to this place, to this house of worship. Jesus invites Andrew and another of John’s followers to “come and see.”
Three simple words that changed the world: Come and See.
Andrew went and saw Jesus and then Andrew so changed by God’s grace, went and told his brother Simon Peter. Simon Peter went and saw Jesus and was so changed by God’s grace that he became the rock on which Christ’s church was built.
At some point someone invited you to come and see Jesus. They invited you to the font for baptism, to the table for communion, to pray for all the people of this world and to listen to the scriptures. That person, whether a friend or family member, was acting as Jesus in this world.
For Jesus invites us with those simple three words “come and see.” Jesus invites us to the font to be baptized that we “come and see” God’s grace poured out on us. Jesus invites us to the table, that we “come and see” the goodness of the Lord. Jesus invites us to pray for the whole world and “come and see” what God will do in this world. Jesus invites us to hear the scripture and “come and see” how the Word of God changes you.
Three simple words that changed our world: Come and See
And we are commanded by Jesus to continue to ask people to come and see. Come and join me for worship and see what my congregation is about. Come and see how this little congregation is part of my community, my family. Come and see why I go here week after week.
Is that a little less frightening that actually talking about our faith?
Not everyone will respond to the invitation. Not everyone will jump at the chance to come and see. But keep inviting, did you come the first time someone invited you to dinner? Did you always say yes the first time someone ask you on a date? Do you always say yes the first time someone asks you to join them for an exercise class, coffee, to watch the game?
You handled your discomfort very well, as I was the person that was sitting next to you, when you were asked that questions.
ReplyDeleteI tend to hope that if one's religious beliefs differ from your own that one would be polite enough not to start an argument in polite company. Or at the very least, be respectful if there is an appropriate place to debate the issue.