The first chapter of John\u2019s gospel begins with the great\nvision of the coming of the eternal Word into the world \u2013 and the dawning of\nthe true light for all people. Then we hear about the baptism of Jesus and John\ndeclares him to be the Son of God. And then the focus becomes more intimate \u2013\nnot a great proclamation or an impressive demonstration, but a simple meeting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
John points two of his own followers towards Jesus as he\nwalks past. They go after him and he turns and asks them \u2018What are you looking\nfor?\u2019 which is a pretty powerful question. They deflect the question with one\nof their own \u2013 \u2018Where do you live?\u2019 they ask. \u2018Come and see\u2019 says Jesus \u2013 and off\nthey go and stay with him for the rest of the day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Like many rabbis in his day, Jesus\u2019 way of teaching is not\njust to offer lessons or preach sermons but to share his whole life. He wants\npeople not only to come and hear, but to come and see \u2013 to make the connection\nbetween his words and his actions. He doesn\u2019t just talk about the inclusive\nlove of God, he demonstrates it in the company he keeps. He doesn\u2019t only talk\nabout prayer \u2013 he shows its priority in his life. And it\u2019s not just for an\nafternoon \u2013 Jesus will go on to share his life in this way for the next three\nyears.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When you live with people, there is nowhere to hide. We\u2019ve\ngot someone coming to stay this weekend and there\u2019s a lot of cleaning going on\n\u2013 but if they were living with us permanently they might see a different\nreality. And not just our standards of cleanliness \u2013 someone with us all the\ntime sees what we are like when we are tired, grumpy, judgmental, selfish\u2026 We\ndon\u2019t always want people to see us as we are when we\u2019re off duty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But Jesus invites people to live with him. And there is\nsomething about the way his life and his words tie up that speaks to them \u2013 so\nmuch so that after only a few hours, we\u2019re told that Andrew fetches his brother\nto meet Jesus. I\u2019m sure that living with Jesus in this way must have had a\nformative effect on the disciples, and the way they went on to live out their\nfaith in the time after Jesus was no longer with them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So what about us? I read a couple of things this morning\nwhich both connected with this truth. One said this: \u2018Whatever we claim to\nbelieve, the way we live and behave will communicate far more effectively than\nour words.\u2019 The author talked about a\nChristian conference he went to, which was supposedly about the grace and love\nof God, but he felt that what came across most forcefully was a kind of\nindignant anger, a harshness which jarred with the message. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The other quote was this, \u2018Those we admire most are usually\nthose who live with the integrity where belief and behaviour coincide.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That may make us feel uncomfortable. But thankfully we are\nnot asked to be Jesus. Our integrity comes with a knowledge of our flaws and\nfailings. We can work to bring together our belief and our behaviour, but we\ncan also admit our need for grace and forgiveness. Did you see the clip of Pope\nFrancis hitting someone\u2019s hand when they grabbed onto him? Afterwards he\napologised and said he shouldn\u2019t have done it. I thought that showed him as\nhuman \u2013 reacting with understandable annoyance, but then admitting that he\nisn\u2019t perfect and he too needs grace and forgiveness. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Our lives can speak very powerfully \u2013 and we can dare to open\nthem up to others even when that makes us feel vulnerable. But the most\npowerful message is when people see God\u2019s grace at work in those who are\nimperfect and still growing \u2013 and that offers hope for themselves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Lord, help us to see ourselves honestly.. to recognise our\nneed for forgiveness and healing, and to be thankful for your work of grace in\nour lives\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Lord, as we spend time in your company \u2013 in quietness, in\nprayer, allowing the stories of your life to soak into us – may our lives be\nformed more and more in the pattern of your life \u2013 may we be known by love\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We pray, Lord, that through our grace filled lives and our\ncareful words, those around us \u2013 those we think of now, may be drawn to you\u2026<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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