Read: John 1:35-40
THEME: The first two chapters of John’s Gospel record significant encounters at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry. Meetings that were noteworthy for Jesus were even more important for those He met.
Andrew and a friend were standing with John the Baptist when John saw Jesus walking and pointedly said ‘Look, the Lamb of God’. The day before, when they had glimpsed Jesus, John had added ‘...who takes away the sin of the world’. What is more, these comments came after months of John telling all and sundry ‘He is the One who will baptise you with the Holy Spirit and fire’.
So it should come as no surprise that Andrew and his friend left John to follow Jesus. With so much on offer who could blame them! But after a few paces Jesus turned and asked them what they wanted. Being too polite to reel off their list they simply asked ‘Where are You staying?’, and that led to a day together, that turned out to be the first of many.
Now some think Andrew should have given Jesus that list: sins forgiven, a heart purified, a Holy Spirit empowering, and more. But it is easy for Christianity to become so commodified that our thinking lapses into ‘I’ll follow Jesus so I can get this’ or ‘I’ll try to keep pace with Him so I can receive that’. Of course, we need forgiving, purifying and empowering in order to have a close relationship with Him but it is the relationship that should be our aim.
‘Where are You staying?’ was a good question and ‘Where are You going?’ would have been a useful follow through.
We need to be journeying with Jesus.