John 1:41-53

The next day, Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Follow me.” Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter, and he went and found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found the one about whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus, Son of Joseph, of Nazareth. Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.”

Now, when Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him he said, “Here is truly an Israelite in whom there is no deceit.” Nathanael said to him, “Where did you get to know me?” Jesus said to him, “I saw you under the fig tree before Philip called you.” Nathanael said to him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God. You are the King of Israel.” Jesus said to him, “Do you believe because I said I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than these.” And he said to him, “Very truly I tell you, you will see the heavens opened and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.”

I wonder why we don’t ever use the phrase “Doubting Nathanael.” Most of us know about “Doubting Thomas,” right? He’s the one who gets a bad rap for not believing Jesus had been raised from the dead until he could see and touch the wounds from his crucifixion. Even for people who don’t know the story, “Doubting Thomas” is likely something they’ve said or heard before. To be called a “Doubting Thomas,” of course, is all about whatever it means to be cynical or skeptical in the face of some sort of news.

I suspect the reason “Doubting Nathanael” never became a thing was because his doubts came so early-on. Nathanael hadn’t witnessed yet all that Thomas had seen by the time his doubts about Jesus were revealed. I mean, Thomas had seen the water become wine. Thomas had seen some miraculous healings. Thomas knew about Lazarus stepping out of his tomb. He was there at the Last Supper and all the rest. So, I suppose Thomas is more infamous for his doubts because he should have known better.

But Nathanael – Mr. “Can-anything-good-come-out-of-Nazareth” – didn’t have the benefit of all that history and experience, yet. This little ditty at the beginning of John’s Gospel is just the start of Jesus’ life and ministry – we’re still in Chapter 1 here, after all. All the soon-to-be disciples knew at this point is what had been written, “by Moses, in the law and also the prophets,” about this guy they’d yet to meet.

So, as far as Nathanael is concerned, I like to consider that Philip probably knew a thing or two about Nathanael when he decided to tell him about this Jesus he and the others had found. After all, the story says that Philip “found” Nathanael; not that he bumped into him on the street corner; not that he ran into him on his way to somewhere else; not that Nathanael came to him for something. No, it says that Philip went and found Nathanael, which makes me think they had a history together, that they were friends in some way.

And I wonder if Philip knew his buddy Nathanael was going to react in just that way – doubtful; skeptical; cynical. (“Can anything good come out of Nazareth?”) I wonder if Philip knew Nathanael was a hard nut to crack… that maybe he was lonely, or grieving, or stewing about something in particular underneath the fig tree that day… and that that’s exactly why he set out to find his friend to tell him about Jesus.

And I wonder if Philip was tired of debating Scripture; studying the prophets; dissecting the rumors around town. I wonder if he just couldn’t wait to tell Nathanael, those sweet, simple, inviting words. “We’ve found this Jesus. It’s happened. He’s for real. It’s true. Come and see.”

He’s not threatening his friend. He’s not challenging him. He’s not setting up a debate. He doesn’t judge Nathanael for whatever doubts he has, either. He just says, “Come and see.” And Nathanael goes.

And Nathanael finds, it seems, what he didn’t think he would – “The Son of God!” and “The King of Israel!” – much to his apparent suspicion and surprise.

And this story is nothing more or less than a picture of what gracious, faithful evangelism looks like, if you ask me. See, this story actually begins a couple of verses prior to what we just heard, when Andrew and Peter share what they know with Philip. See, before Philip finds Nathanael, Jesus is the one who starts this “come and see” thing. No threats. No judgment. No fear. No double-dog dares. Just a sweet and simple invitation to “come and see.”

And that’s all evangelism and sharing faith require, I believe. “Come and see.” It’s NOT a judgment. It’s NOT fearful. It’s not “if you don’t come, see, and believe what I believe, you’re doomed for all eternity.”

It’s “come and see” because this grace is for you; it will bless you; it will surprise you in amazing, worthwhile ways.” “Come and see, because you wouldn’t believe it if I told you, anyway.” “Come and see, because there aren’t enough words to describe this kind of love; this kind of forgiveness; this kind of goodness.”

But we’re timid about that, aren’t we? Some of us are out of practice. Some of us have never had the chance to warm up. Some of us might just as soon hang out with Nathanael underneath a fig tree somewhere with our questions and our doubts, not sure where to go or what to look for. And I get that. I can get pretty comfortable beneath my own proverbial fig tree every now and then.

So, I often ask new CrossRoads classes “when was the last, best movie you’ve seen?” Or, “have you read any good books lately?” And those questions usually let people loose with conversation. Because when we see a really good movie – whether it’s so funny we laughed our heads off, or so sad we cried our eyes out – we like to tell others about it, don’t we? When we’ve read a really good book we do the same thing … talk it up with a friend, or even pass it along to share with someone we think might appreciate it.

My point is we’re more timid or shy, uncertain or unconvinced when it comes to talking about our faith with the same ease or energy or enthusiasm, aren’t we? Maybe we think we have to have all the answers. Maybe we’re afraid we might offend. Maybe we’re reluctant to reveal too much about ourselves along the way. Maybe we just don’t want to look or sound or be like “one of those kind of Christians.”

But today’s Gospel makes it easy, I think. Philip doesn’t answer questions. He doesn’t say anything that could offend. All he seems to reveal about himself is that he’s on the same sort of journey. He doesn’t pretend to prove anything. And neither does Jesus. “Come and see.”

And so, at least this morning, all we’re called to do is invite: “Come and see.” And we have a lot to show people about this movement of grace we’re up to around here, I’m glad to say.

“Come and see,” a family of faith that’s teaching generosity to our kids by way of offerings of over $7,500 last month alone. That money is going to share the simple gift of life-giving water with some of the most vulnerable children and families in our own country and around the world.

“Come and see” a place and a people who are wrestling with the work of racial justice and LGBTQ equity and inclusion in the midst of a community and a culture that will not do that work, in so many ways.

“Come and see” by sitting in on an Adult Forum, or by coming to a Men’s or Women’s Bible Study, or by bringing your kids to Grace Quest and Sunday school, and learning, together, what we can about God’s Word for our lives.

“Come and see” on any given Sunday, because everyone’s welcome here – through the waters of baptism and at the table of holy communion, too – where we eat bread and drink wine and where we’re filled up with the fullness of God’s forgiveness, mercy, and love, with no strings attached. “Come and see.”

Speaking of movies… the last one I’ve seen was the new musical version of The Color Purple. The name of Alice Walker’s novel, on which the first movie and this recent musical are based – The Color Purple – comes from a simple, profound line in the book where Shug Avery says to Celie, “I think it pisses God off if you walk by the color purple in a field somewhere and don't notice it.”

“I think it pisses God off if you walk by the color purple … and don’t notice it.”

I think our call as followers of Jesus … as believers in God … as recipients of this amazing grace we claim … is simply to notice it, to celebrate it, and to give thanks to the God who so generously shares it with us. And I think we’re called to invite others to come and see it, too; to notice and share it, right along with us, not just because maybe it pisses God off when we don’t, but because we’re blessed and better – our lives and the world change for good – when we realize it’s not ours, this grace, but God’s to give – and God does give it – freely and with abundance, for the sake of the world.

Amen

John 1:6-8, 19-28

There was a man sent from God whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might come to believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light.

This is the testimony given by John when the Jews sent the priests and Levites to ask him, “Who are you?” He confessed and did not deny it, but he confessed, “I am not the Messiah.” They asked him, “What then, are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” Are you a prophet? He answered, “No.” “Who are you? Give us an answer for those who sent us? What do you say about yourself?” He said, “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘make straight the way of the Lord,’ as the prophet Isaiah said.”

Now they were sent from the Pharisees. And they asked him, “Why then do you baptize, if you are neither the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the prophet?” He said, “I baptize with water. Among you stands one whom you do not know; the one coming after me. I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals.” Now, this took place in Bethany, across the Jordan where John was baptizing.

So much of what we think we know of John the Baptist is wrapped up in the very little bit we learn about him in the Gospels…all that stuff about what he wore – camel’s hair coats and leather belts; the things he ate – locusts and wild honey; …and the notion that he was doing all of this baptizing in the wilderness somewhere on the outskirts of Jerusalem, down at the Jordan River. He comes off as kind of an oddball and a kook, really.

So, we get the impression that John the Baptist was a renegade, of sorts. This one voice crying out in the wilderness… this lone wolf preaching and teaching and calling people to change their ways… this rebel down by the river, trying to persuade and prepare the hearts and minds of whoever would listen to him for the coming of this Jesus who was on the way. And that’s all true, I suppose.

I heard someone refer to John the Baptist a carnival barker, once. And I kind of liked that at the time, so I’ve tended to think of him as a hot-head, a loud-mouth, a street-preacher-type like you might find outside the stadium on game day with a microphone and a cheap amplifier – or a bull horn, maybe – with pamphlets about how to find your way to a straighter, more faithful and righteous path, you brood of vipers!

But those guys – those street-preacher-types – are loud and pretentious and more sure of themselves than they should be and more sure of themselves than I found John the Baptist to be this time around. And there’s enough yelling in the world these days… and noise... and anger... and certainty about this or that. And I confess to thinking the most un-Christ-like things when I get scolded by those carnival barking street preachers.

So I wondered, for a change, this time around, if John the Baptist might be different than all of that. And when you listen to what we heard this morning, that seems entirely possible. And maybe just as faithful, too, I’ve decided.

What I mean is, John doesn’t pretend to be any more than he is or any greater than what he’s up to – testifying to the light of grace and good news he’d apparently found in Jesus. When the powers-that-be from the synagogue in the big city come asking him to fess up … to explain himself … to give an account for his actions down there by the river … he doesn’t seem to shout or scream. He confesses, humbly, it seems to me; he doesn’t pretend to be anything other than just some guy. He says, “I am not the Messiah. I’m not Elijah. I’m not even a prophet. I’m just one voice, out there in the wilderness, trying to convince people that there’s a better way.”

“I’m just sharing what I’ve learned from scripture … from the prophet, Isaiah. I’m just baptizing with water, because that’s all I have and all I know to do. I’m just trying to give people some hope in something greater than what this world has to offer.”

And this new way of wondering about a humble, compassionate, quieter John the Baptist feels like good news to me. Because I think John the Baptist isn’t just someone we should merely listen to, in this day and age. I believe John the Baptist is someone we should emulate; someone we’re called to imitate; someone we would be blessed to learn from and follow and be more like, in a lot of ways.

And this seems more likely – more possible – when I consider him differently, because I’ve never been as cool or as loud or as certain as the John the Baptist I’ve always pictured and preached about before. And I become less and less cool the older I get – just ask my children. I threw out my camel’s hair coat years ago. I’m good with wild honey, I suppose, but you can keep the locusts, thank you very much. And besides all of that, the “wilderness” of New Palestine, Indiana, just isn’t all that “wild” by the world’s standards, if we’re honest. So when I think about what it would mean to emulate or imitate John the Baptist, I’ve never felt equal to the challenge.

How… here… am I – how are we – supposed to go about “preparing the way of the Lord?” How… here… are we called to go about “making God’s paths straight” for the world around us? How do people like you and me “testify to the light so that others might come to believe” and how do we do it, now, where we are, in the world as we know it, in the days leading up to Christmas? And into what wilderness are we being called to do any of this?

Well, there are relationships in jeopardy that would surprise you. There are kids in the school cafeteria – or in the dorm next door – who are lost and lonely in ways they can’t put into words. There are some illnesses waiting to be diagnosed and others that seem like they’ll have the last word, sooner than we’d like. There are jobs on the line and paychecks that just don’t cut it. There are people in this room holding it together really well on the outside, but falling apart behind the closed doors of their heart of hearts, believe me. (Those social media feeds are a big fat lie a lot of the time.) And there are skeptics and cynics and sinners around every corner – and in our own mirror more often than we’d like to admit it.

And I don’t believe the best way to address all of that wilderness is loudly … or with words at all, even. It can’t be explained away with even the most perfectly chosen verses of Scripture. And it can’t be preached away from the pulpit, or barked into oblivion from the street corner, either.

It might soften, though, with some quiet companionship. The wilderness might feel less desperate with some persistent, patient friendship. It might dissipate with some humble confession about our shared experience and common ground. The wilderness might not feel so scary if we – and others – didn’t have to walk through it alone. And I wonder if all those people were drawn to John the Baptist, because he wasn’t afraid to be himself. He wasn’t pretending to be anything more than who he was. And because who he was – with all of his awkward, strange, oddball ways – was just right for the grace he came to proclaim.

So, maybe we can bring the good news – you and I – like John did. We can be the love of God, crying out in the wilderness, not just with loud words of judgment, but maybe with quiet tears, for a change, of understanding and empathy, too. Like John, we can be a voice for the Word of God that shows up in Jesus, that speaks of comfort for the lonely; forgiveness for the sinner; new life for the dying; hope for the brokenhearted – because we need, hope and long for all of those things, too; just like John did, I’m sure.

I think that’s our call these days … to be one voice … each of us … among many … walking the crooked road of life as we know it in and alongside this crowded, broken world, until the One comes, finally – the One who makes all things new, all paths smooth, all sins forgiven, all life redeemed, all joy forever, all fear relieved, all peace eternal, and all grace for all people in the name of the Father, +Son and Holy Spirit.

Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.

Come and See The Color Purple

A Voice Among Many