Tomorrow Beckons

John 1:29-42  

Rev. Dr. Mary Alice Mulligan

Apparently when John the Baptizer invited people into the water, crowds pitched their tents to watch. Jesus must have been among them for some days; John remembered what happened, probably at his baptism. He points out Jesus to his disciples on two separate occasions. John explains, he didn’t know Jesus, but he saw the Holy Spirit descend on him like a dove and it stayed on him. One commentator points out the Gospel is telling us, “Jesus is the permanent bearer of the Spirit.”[1] Then when John’s disciples leave him to follow Jesus, they ask Jesus where he is staying. The word they use is the same word “abide” or “stay,” showing us the Holy Spirit abides in Jesus; disciples abide in Jesus. From the 1st chapter of the Gospel of John, listen for the word of God.

Now they had been sent from the Pharisees. They asked him, “Why then are you baptizing if you are neither the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the prophet?” John answered them, “I baptize with water. Among you stands one whom you do not know, the one who is coming after me; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandal.” This took place in Bethany across the Jordan where John was baptizing.

The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him and declared, “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.’ I myself did not know him; but I came baptizing with water for this reason, that he might be revealed to Israel.” And John testified, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ And I myself have seen and have testified that this is the Son of God.” The next day John again was standing with two of his disciples, and as he watched Jesus walk by, he exclaimed, “Look, here is the Lamb of God!”

The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. When Jesus turned and saw them following, he said to them, “What are you looking for?” They said to him, “Rabbi” (which translated means Teacher), “where are you staying?” He said to them, “Come and see.” They came and saw where he was staying, and they remained with him that day. It was about four o’clock in the afternoon. One of the two who heard John speak and followed him was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. He first found his brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which is translated Anointed). He brought Simon to Jesus, who looked at him and said, “You are Simon son of John. You are to be called Cephas” (which is translated Peter).

Climbing a mountain requires planning. You gather equipment: food, fuel, water, first aid supplies, ropes and spikes, warm clothes, sleeping bag, tent, emergency kit, the sturdiest boots, and even oxygen tanks. But if you are heading up the southern slopes of the Himalayas, before any of those supplies, an absolute necessity is a sherpa – a Tibetan guide, who actually lives in the mountains. A sherpa does not merely guide climbers up the best way safely. Sherpas are teachers, meteorologists, physicians, and often life-savers. They do not stay at the bottom and cheer you on; or go to the top and call you up. They accompany you, going just ahead to guide and support your progress to the summit. They might bring to mind how Jesus accompanies the church’s ascent into the future. He ties the rope around the church and starts climbing, giving a little tug and calling, “You can do it. Follow me. Come and see what’s next.” And the faithful church climbs.

You know where you’ve been. St. Andrew UCC will celebrate 60 years of faithful service in July. You formed in 1965, just 8 years after the United Church of Christ, meeting in a Gulf Gate storefront until this property was purchased in 1968. Most people probably don’t remember the first pastor, James Sewart, but brunch every Sunday happens in Stewart Hall. The whole world felt chaotic during St Andrew’s early decades with Viet Nam and the anti-war movement, new technology erupting, various liberation movements going on.

In Christianity, new methods of biblical interpretation meant you not only read scripture differently; you learned to understand commitment to Jesus differently. Churches like St. Andrew responded to social justice calls, which separated you from some other Christian groups. And each new minister helped shape you into the amazing, powerful, loving, transformative congregation you are.

You’ve had great ministers. Don’t you love hearing Diane’s story of when she cold called here looking for someone to officiate at her husband’s funeral? Rev. Phil White was willing to delay his vacation to serve. After the funeral, Diane told him she had found her church home. He told her the next Sunday was his last. She was disappointed, yet discovered St. Andrew is a church home, regardless of pastoral changes. And here she still is.

And don’t you love hearing Dan talk about Rev. Paul Binder’s leading the community CROP Hunger Walk with congregations from all over participating? Faithful members continued through years of social change, biblical reinterpretation, ministerial comings and goings, becoming Open and Affirming, and a Just Peace Church. Before many churches, you called a woman fresh from seminary as interim; and earlier than many, many churches, you called a gay man to be your minister. This amazing history began by listening for the guidance of Jesus Christ, eager to follow him, to be the church he expected. You know where you have been.

But we are still learning. No one is arguing we have arrived. We have more to learn. Christians all over the world still believe that together we can hear the voice of Jesus anew and follow. Every UCC congregation is happy to claim “God is still speaking,” which means we have not yet heard all God wants to say. Through the years we kept stretching ourselves. The 1969 national General Synod voted that a minimum of 20% of all future Synod delegates would be under 30. The listening and learning went on until the Synod mandated half of all delegates had to be women. Meanwhile racial issues were raised as UCC church folks went to stand in solidarity with United Farm Workers in California. They also raised $17 million to support financial crises in denominational Black colleges. In the mid-70s the Synod claimed human rights should not be denied persons because of sexual orientation while it also supported public access and opportunity for persons with disabilities.

We are proud of our progress but see the need to continue to do more in each of these areas, to be more inclusive of all those we have traditionally excluded on the basis of race, age, orientation, gender, ability. And how can we figure out ways to combat the sinful and appalling problems of poverty and starvation? We believe God is still speaking even though we admit we are not always sure how to translate the commitments into practice. As a congregation, we listen for God, we listen to our denominational leaders, and we listen to the leaders voted into office at last Sunday’s Annual Congregational Meeting, because we do not want to become complacent in our faith, only doing what we have been doing, only hearing God say what we have heard God say in the past. There are solutions to tough issues to figure out. Which means, each of us has praying, thinking, and working to do, and together as a congregation there is more to learn.

So, Jesus beckons you into tomorrow. You can almost see him with the door propped open. “Come and see what’s next.” Like those early followers of John the Baptizer; they mistakenly thought they had found a permanent haven with him, until John points to Jesus and tells them – “There is the Lamb of God.” So, they leave John to see who Jesus is. They immediately shift their attention to Jesus, calling him “Rabbi” teacher. I love that they seem to stutter out the question: “Where are you staying.” There’s that word again. Abide/stay. The Holy Spirit descends and stays on Jesus (abides in him). So, the disciples want to know where they can abide with Jesus. And he invites them, “Come and see.”

Jesus is always calling his followers onward. He doesn’t bring disciples to a finish line and invite you to settle down permanently. Of course, he allows you to rest. Even in this story, the disciples stay (again it’s that abide word) with Jesus. But when followers abide in him, you find he always keeps you looking ahead, even while you are resting. He calls believers higher and better. And when you follow, you are assured he accompanies you every step of the way. You just need to listen while he guides you into the next right thing.

Jesus supplies your needs on this amazing journey into the future. Among you already are the teachers. And planners. The prayer warriors. And support workers. Among you. Look around! And starting tomorrow, a new bridge minister. Meanwhile the search committee does its work of finding the interim. All these gifted people, right among you – all the gifts you need. You can climb any mountain. You, St. Andrew, are named for the one who heard Jesus speaking and then went to share the news with his brother. And so, St. Andrew Church Christians, you abide in Christ, you share the good news, and trust Jesus calls you onward and upward. Even now, Jesus stands at the doorway of tomorrow. The door is thrown open. “Come and see.”

[1]Fred Craddock, John, Knox Preaching Guides (John Knox Press, 1982), 17.