Our scripture this week is John 1:29-42.
The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! This is the one I meant when I said, ‘A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’ I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel.” Then John gave this testimony: “I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. And I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ I have seen and I testify that this is God’s Chosen One.” The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!” When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, “What do you want?” They said, “Rabbi” (which means “Teacher”), “where are you staying?” “Come,” he replied, “and you will see.” So they went and saw where he was staying, and they spent that day with him. It was about four in the afternoon. Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, “We have found the Messiah” (that is, the Christ). And he brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas” (which, when translated, is Peter ).
John 1:29-42
God chose to create everything there is, including us. He chose to create us intending that we would choose to be in relationship with Him. When humans chose their own way instead, the relationship was strained by sin, not broken but no longer the same. Only through God’s grace and merciful forgiveness can the relationship be restored.
God has been reaching out to us in love from the very beginning, and even our sin doesn’t stop His constant effort to bring us back. In this week’s lesson we hear testimony from John the Baptist that Jesus is the one God chose to come among us to show His love in person. Jesus in turn chooses a group to be His disciples, to teach them how our choice to love God and each other can bring us back into a full relationship with God.
Think about what God has done and continues to do in your life. How can you better accept His love and share it with others? God’s call is not just for each of us to come back but to help others feel His love and return as well.
Gracious God, even when we stumble, You reach out to steady us and show us there is a way back to You. Help us to reach out to others and let them see Your love at work in our world. Amen.