John the Baptist pointed his followers to Jesus, saying, “Look, here is the Lamb of God (John 1:36). Jesus asked them what they were seeking. John’s disciples replied by asking Jesus where he was staying, and Jesus invited them to “come and see” (1:39). More than exchanging information about lodging, this is an invitation to discipleship. Andrew responded to this invitation, sharing it with his brother Simon (Peter), telling him, “We have found the Messiah” (1:41).
The author of John’s Gospel stresses that John the Baptist’s role was to prepare for and bear witness to the Messiah; John did not consider himself to be the Messiah or religious teacher that people should follow instead of Jesus (see John 3:22-30). John the Baptist serves as a model for us in understanding our role: bearing witness to Jesus, having clarity about who we are – and who we are not – and pointing others toward Christ by sharing our story about what we have seen and heard and experienced.
This message is excerpted from the Bible study “Meetings with Jesus” by Julie A. Kanarr in the January/February 2019 Gather magazine. Today is the Second Sunday after Epiphany. Today we commemorate Martin Luther King, Jr., renewer of society, martyr, 1968.
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