The next day he [John the Baptist] 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.”
John 1:29-42 (NRSV)
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).
In the time that has passed since the last blog post was published, we have celebrated Christmas and entered into a new year. It’s hard to believe that we are now in 2023. It is a new year, and with that comes the traditional hope of new opportunities.
For us, one of those should be the opportunity to announce, “Here he is!” John the Baptist, on two different days, announced to people, “Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world,” and, “Look, here is the Lamb of God!” The result was that people followed Jesus. As they followed Jesus, he turned and spoke to them. They responded, and Jesus invited them to “come and see.”
So many people have been through a lot in the last year. We are emerging into a new time. The sense that a new year brings new opportunities is an old belief. We make New Year’s resolutions. We keep some of them and we break others. That seems to be the way of things. May I suggest a resolution that we can all strive to keep this year: Introducing people to the Lamb of God. Saying, “Look, here he is!” through how we relate to others and each other. Let’s resolve to invite people to “come and see” who Jesus is and where he is staying, that we might abide with him and he with us, the one who takes away our sin and gives us new names.
Here is a prayer to start the new year with. It is the Covenant Prayer in the Wesleyan Tradition. I invite you to join me in a resolution to pray this prayer at the beginning of every day for 2023.
I am no longer my own, but thine.
Put me to what thou wilt, rank me with whom thou wilt.
Put me to doing, put me to suffering.
Let me be employed by thee or laid aside for thee,
exalted for thee or brought low for thee.
Let me be full, let me be empty.
Let me have all things, let me have nothing.
I freely and heartily yield all things
to thy pleasure and disposal.
And now, O glorious and blessed God,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
thou art mine, and I am thine. So be it.
And the covenant which I have made on earth,
let it be ratified in heaven. Amen.
First United Methodist Church 