Who Are You Looking For?

"Who are you looking for?" Have you ever considered that question? The answer, of course, depends on what you're looking for. Jesus asked his followers that question; and I believe that he asks us, too. It's a question that each one of us must answer for ourselves. This sermon might help you to begin to discern the answer.

The story is told of a Jewish student who approached his rabbi. “Why do you ask so many questions?” he asked. The rabbi replied, “And why shouldn’t I ask questions?”

Asking questions is an old Jewish tradition. Now, the Greek philosopher Socrates has gotten all the credit for it. Using questions to teach is called “the Socratic Method.” But the Jews used it long before Socrates was even a gleam in his daddy’s eye! And it can be a very effective approach! Asking questions opens possibilities and encourages thinking. One of my friends recently posted a Facebook message criticizing our president for not supporting the military. Instead of just offering my own opinion, I decided to ask him “Why do you feel that way?” His thoughtful answer was that the president appears aloof in the presence of military personnel – but maybe, come to think of it, that’s just his style. He ended up thanking me for inviting him to think about his opinion and to consider why he felt that way.

I tell this story not to draw attention to our president and the military (that’s a conversation for another place and time), but to illustrate the power of questions. Jesus asked a lot of them! A recent book by UCC pastor Martin Copenhaver (Jesus Is the Question) claims that Jesus asked over 300 questions in the four gospels.  And how many did he answer? Fewer than 10. Jesus was over 30 times more likely to ask a question than he was to give an answer! It sounds to me like Jesus wanted his followers to do some thinking! If Jesus expected that of his followers then, I imagine that he expects the same thing of us today. So, during this Lenten season, we will be wrestling with a few of the questions that Jesus asked. You’ll forgive me if I don’t have any answers. Like Jacob wrestling with an adversary at the ford of the Jabbok River (Genesis 32:22-30), we receive a blessing not because we win, but because we are willing to participate in the struggle.

In the gospel of John, the very first question that Jesus asked is this one: “Who are you looking for?” You just heard that question in this morning’s scripture reading (John 1:35-39). John the Baptist has pointed Jesus out to some of his own disciples, and named him as “the Lamb of God.” When those disciples began to follow Jesus, he asked them, “Who are you looking for?” Did you notice that they didn’t give him an answer? Instead, they asked, “Rabbi, where are you staying?” “Come and see,” Jesus responded, inviting them to experience what he has to offer – and to decide for themselves whether he is the one they are looking for.

Now, my guess is that those disciples really didn’t know who they were looking for at all. They were searching because they had a big, empty hole right in the middle of their lives, and they needed somebody to fill it. But fill it with what? It’s tough to find what you need if you don’t know what it is. If we have an empty closet, we go to a store and look for a sales clerk; but if we have empty lives… Well, we really don’t know who to search out to fill those, do we? We’re like the guy who gets the munchies during the 11:00 news. He pads into the kitchen, opens the door to the refrigerator, and surveys his options. Cold pizza? No, that doesn’t sound good. Leftover salad? That’s not it. A cheese stick? A cup of yogurt? Maybe… Finally, he shuts the refrigerator door. Nothing is really appetizing; but he’s still hungry. “Come and see,” Jesus invited his disciples; and he invites us, too, to come and see whether he is the one we are looking for.

The answer to what we are looking for will be different for each one of you. And that answer will be different at different times during your life. After all, people search for many things. Some search for security. They want to know that they’re safe from the “slings and arrows of outrageous fortune” that threaten their safety. Now, if you’re looking for the security that comes from a big house, a fat bank account, and lots of stuff, Jesus isn’t the one you want. He isn’t a cosmic insurance salesman no matter what some people say. But… if you want the security of someone who will stick by you through thick and thin, in good times and in bad – well, then, Jesus is your man.

Other people are looking for love. They want reassurance that they’re acceptable to someone. They aren’t even sure that they’re worthy of acceptance. And if acceptance means having a trophy wife or a handsome young husband, you’ll have to look elsewhere. After all, Jesus isn’t here in the flesh anymore; so he’s not likely to send you a box of candy and a lace-trimmed valentine later today! But… if you’re looking for someone who accepts you for who you are, and loves you because if it (or maybe in spite of it); someone who will help you to learn to love yourself no matter what you may have done, then you’ll want to get to know Jesus a whole lot better!

And some people are searching for fulfillment. They want to know that their lives matter, and that they have made a difference in the world. Now, if that means a career that’s so successful that everybody knows your name, you might as well move along. Jesus refuses to be a reference on anybody’s resume. But… if you want to be fulfilled deep down in your soul by the knowledge that the world is a better place because you were in it, then you’ve come to the right place – and to the right person.

“Who are you looking for?” It’s the most basic question in the world. Who are we looking for, anyway? And it might well take the rest of our lives to discern the answer. So, come – let’s begin together. Let’s take Jesus’ question seriously; and let’s respond to his invitation to “Come and see.” Hopefully, by Easter Sunday, we will have discovered an answer.