Psalm 40: 4-5, 9-10; John 1: 29-42
by Rev. Carson Overstreet
Van Wyck Presbyterian Church
January 19, 2020
Happy are those who make
the Lord their trust,
who do not turn to the proud,
to those who go astray after false gods.
You have multiplied, O Lord my God,
your wondrous deeds and your thoughts towards us;
none can compare with you.
Were I to proclaim and tell of them,
they would be more than can be counted.
I have told the glad news of deliverance
in the great congregation;
see, I have not restrained my lips,
as you know, O Lord.
I have not hidden your saving help within my heart,
I have spoken of your faithfulness and your salvation;
I have not concealed your steadfast love and your faithfulness
from the great congregation. - Psalm 40: 4-5, 9-10
The next day he saw Jesus coming towards 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). - John 1: 29-42
Whenever a friend calls me to say that she or he will be in my neck of the woods on a specific date, usually the first question out of my mouth is, “Where are you staying?” I want to make sure that I can connect with my friend face to face. And if nothing pressing is on the family calendar, then Doug and I want to open our guest room so we can spend time together and catch up.
You do this too, don’t you? We long for that relational connection, don’t we?
John the Baptist had been preparing the people of God to notice when Jesus the Christ came into their neck of the woods. John was also preparing his disciples. Together they were baptizing with the water of repentance so that all of Israel might recognize the Messiah, God’s Anointed One. Not only would the Messiah bring salvation and deliverance, but God’s only Son would restore and renew the relational connection between God and humanity.
Can you imagine Jesus Christ coming into your neck of the woods and walking right past you? John the Baptist told the two disciples who were standing beside him, “Look, here is the Lamb of God!” (John 1:36). Look! Jesus is in the neighborhood!
John’s disciples were captivated, nonetheless. This rabbi would be teaching about the kingdom of God which shines light into the darkness, brings hope into our despair, and promises to fill our lives with God’s grace (John 1:4, 5, 16). Therefore, John’s disciples followed Jesus. And it intrigues me that the first question the disciples ask Jesus was, “Teacher, where are you staying?” (John 1:38).
A disciple had to know where their rabbi was staying. According to ancient Jewish tradition, a disciple would live in the presence of the rabbi day in and day out. Studying under a rabbi meant that a disciple would become daily acquainted with all the rabbi’s ways of praying, thinking, and living.
And so, to ask where Jesus was staying was a critical question in a disciple’s formation.
You see these new disciples of Jesus had the opportunity to follow him and learn just what Jesus was doing in the neighborhood. And then they went to tell others.
This weekend we are remembering The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. King was quite prophetic in preparing the way for delivering our black sisters and brothers from racial injustice. King’s work to end racism still marches on today. It is King who said from a Birmingham jail cell, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”
If we were to ask King where Jesus is staying, he would say that wherever love struggles beside the oppressed to break down the walls of hostility, bigotry, and racial injustice then that is where Jesus is staying.
King also knew that Jesus is present in our own backyards to confront our complacency with the way things are in the world. King once preached, “Everywhere and at all times, the love ethic of Jesus is a radiant light revealing the ugliness of our stale conformity… Christ gives us an imperative to live differently” [1].
Do you know what is the biggest obstacle to the coming of God’s kingdom? It is not unbelief. It is complacency. It is indifference.
Therefore, Jesus Christ is also on the move to open our eyes to see that faith calls us to step out of our comfort zones. Jesus calls us to follow his example and participate in God’s work of love conquering hate and light overcoming darkness. Jesus wants our faith to be rooted in relational connection.
This past week I have started asking a few individuals where they see God at work in Lancaster County. One person immediately connected God’s work with the grants our county has received to develop a treatment program for those struggling with opioid addiction. Her insight pointed out that Jesus lived among women and men who were marginalized for not having their lives together. And today Jesus is staying close to those with addictions to bring hope and freedom.
A community leader in the non-profit sector connected God’s work among the youth in Lancaster county. As a person of faith, this leader has seen Lancaster residents and volunteers become more compassionate for the youth who are not afforded opportunities for a bright future. Community volunteer work and prayer are shining God’s light into the darkness and turning despair into hope.
The Holy Spirit is nudging us to talk to our neighbors and ask, “Where is Jesus staying in Van Wyck and in Lancaster County?” Where is the light of God’s love shining into the darkness? Where is God's hope empowering people to rise from despair? Where is the good news of Jesus Christ opening the eyes of the spiritually blind? Where is the voice of justice for those who are oppressed? What news article have you read recently where you said, "Only God could make that happen!"
It is important for us to reflect on this because knowing where God is at work will be a part of our year long process of discernment and visioning and also a part of our all-church small group study. It is also important for us to reflect on this because the places where God is at work in our community are the places that Jesus Christ invites us to come and see. What will Jesus want to reveal to us?
You and I have the opportunity to come and see what is breaking God’s heart. You and I have the opportunity to learn more from Jesus’s teachings about light, hope, grace, compassion, and new life. You and I have the opportunity to join Christ’s ministry of transforming the world, creating a beloved community, and then telling others about what God is doing.
I would be remiss if I did not connect the Psalmist’s words from our text today. The Psalmist saw God at work and inspires us: “I have told the glad news of deliverance in the great congregation. I have not restrained my lips. I have not hidden your saving help in my heart. I have spoken of your faithfulness and your salvation” (Psalm 40: 9-10).
If you and I desire to be disciples of Jesus Christ, then we need to know where Jesus is hanging out in the community. It is critical in our formation as disciples of Jesus Christ. We need the insight of our neighbors and community leaders so that we might see God’s work through their eyes and hear their stories. If it takes a village to raise a child, then it also takes a village to see the Kingdom of God revealed. It takes a village to build the kingdom with God.
This week I will be meeting with some of our local clergy to ponder this very question. Therefore, this week I challenge you to ask two others in the community, “Where is Jesus staying? What is God doing in our community and in our backyard?”
You may be surprised to discover where God might be at work.
In the name of God our Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer. Amen.
Sources Referenced:
[1] The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. “A Gift of Love: Sermons from Strength to Love and Other Preachings” (Boston: Beacon Press, 2012), p. 13
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