Our Epiphany lessons continue today with manifestations about the nature of Jesus. This passage from the gospel of john picks up where we left off last week with Matthew’s report of the baptism of Jesus. Do you remember that it wasn’t clear whether anyone besides Jesus had heard God’s words, "this is my son, the beloved, with whom I am well pleased." The answer is quite clear today when John the Baptist says, "I saw the spirit descending from heaven like a dove." For John, the evidence, the descent of the spirit, was enough.

After this identification, we get to meet two new men, fellows who were disciples of John. One is unnamed, the other is Andrew. We can suppose that Andrew, a fisherman, had put his nets away for the season, and wanted to get away for a retreat. He was apparently a conscientious Jew. Who had repented radically under the preaching of John the Baptist, had been baptized by him, and was eagerly looking for the arrival of the messianic age.

That group was apparently standing around, talking about that event of the previous day, when Jesus returned. Wow! What fortune! And John cries out, "here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world." Excitedly John goes on to tell all about Jesus’ baptism, and furthermore, he says Jesus is the one who will be baptizing with the Holy Spirit. He claims again that "this is the son of God."

The two, who had been standing by, looked at each other and immediately, without hesitation, turn to follow Jesus. They didn’t need any further assurance. The testimony of John was enough. Their response was wholehearted. John had pointed his own faithful to the one who is "greater than he."

Andrew, of all the twelve disciples, has served as a model of evangelism for me. He is the person who is always finding others and introducing them to Jesus. No only does he convince his brother Simon to join them in today‘s passage, saying "we have found the Messiah," but later in scripture he introduces the young lad with five loaves and two fish to Jesus. And there is still another incident when he brings some inquiring Greeks to Jesus. Andrew is well thought of in the community. For example there is the occasion when Philip seeks Andrew’s advice before consulting Jesus. Andrew is the inviter. He is alert to the possibility of introducing others to what he knows is true, that Jesus is the Messiah, the Savior.

I always take note of what Andrew does specifically when he finds people that might be interested in hearing about Jesus. He first tells them what he has experienced in a most convincing way. Then he invites them into a group. This is what we know as evangelism. I suspect that many Episcopalians are uncomfortable with that word evangelism. I know I have been. Word like proselytizing send shivers down my back. But the fact is that the command to proclaim the good news of god in Jesus Christ is what we are about. And the invitation to hear that is what we call evangelism.

I have just spent yesterday with the vestry and staff of St. John’s at Camp Mikell. We talked about what we hope for in making St. John’s a magnetic church, making our church known to more people in this community. There is no question that College Park and East Point have been experiencing an amazing growth in very recent times. I watch as I drive down Virginia Avenue to growth of that senior center, condominiums or apartments, on the other side of the cemetery. Have any of you driven back there? It’s huge, much larger than I thought it was. And of course those of you who live in other parts of town have seen the new housing sprouting all over. And I think of what we at St. John’s might do to make ourselves known to these new residents. Certainly there will be some kind of a community facility in the senior center. Might we find a way to greet them there? If we find new homes in our immediate neighborhood, can we visit, inviting people to St. John’s? Does all this sound like something Andrew would do?

Most of the time I think we are cordial to new people who come to visit St. John’s. We give them coffee mugs and brochures telling them about us. We always send a welcoming letter to those who sign the visitor’s book. But when new people come down to coffee hour, do we seek out that newcomer who is standing apart, or do we talk only to our friends? In our conversations this weekend we agreed that we have work to do when it comes to getting people involved in the work of the church, how important it is to bring people into our life as a parish. Our primary focus is worship, but there is work to be done in supporting worship, and in supporting our outreach to others less fortunate than we. It doesn’t just happen.

But let me get back to today’s gospel. I am struck with the thought that as we are called to discipleship, to evangelism, we are also called personally to active engagement with Jesus. Did you notice that most of this gospel is conversation so that we, as hearers, can become participants in this drama? The question Jesus asks, "What are you looking for?" Is a very personal one to us, as well as a question for Andrew and the other man. Jesus asks "What are you seeking?" What he really wants to know is "What is it that you want to gain by all your striving and working and thinking? "What is your life’s goal?" "What is it that you want to achieve or gain or be?" And of course it is inevitable that the answers are different for each of us, but there is hopefully a bottom line for all of us who are Christians. Perhaps it is the same answer that the disciples gave Jesus, "Where are you staying?" We want to know where he lives so that we might live there also, at one with god and with Jesus.

Is that too great a leap? I guess at times we might want less than that. We might be satisfied with bible study that tells about the historic Jesus. Or perhaps we might want a blessing or favor that Jesus might be able to give us, or healing for sickness, or a better job, or relief from indebtedness. And in fact our wants, expressed in prayer, might be answered out of the goodness and grace of god. But that would not be oneness with Jesus. It would not be abiding in his light.

No, I think we are all seeking for something to believe in and hold on to, something important enough to live for, something big enough to claim our passion. Our faith, our loyalty. We are looking for an anchor, a purpose, a meaning, a challenge to be more than we are now, a promise of love forever, a hope. Like those two we are looking for him. And when we find this, we must be like Andrew and reach out to others who are seeking.

Ruth T. Healy - Priest Associate