Who Are You?
August 7, 2025
In John’s Gospel, Jesus is famously enigmatic. He talks past people. He answers questions with more questions. He deliberately misconstrues figures of speech. At first glance, you might think he’s either being extremely obtuse or else is a jerk.
Actually, Jesus is helping us learn. Instead of giving quick, easy answers Jesus invites us to jump in and learn for ourselves. Today’s text is a prime example.
Two would-be disciples ask Jesus where he’s staying. It’s a simple question with a seemingly straightforward answer. But the disciples are no more stupid than we are. When someone tells us where they are staying, it tells us something about them. Basic social class. Who their friends are likely to be. Even hints towards their basic theological and political leanings. These are all good things to know about someone, especially if you are thinking about becoming their disciple.
But Jesus won’t be corralled so easily. Instead of telling them, Jesus invites the prospects to actually come and see for themselves. Learn firsthand. Instead of giving them an easy out if they don’t like the answer, Jesus invites them to commit themselves to actually learning about him before making up their minds.
Learning about Jesus and being his disciple is not a simple matter of reading a few lines or listening to a few answers. Learning about Jesus requires spending time with his stories and learning his message. It requires hanging around people who follow him closely. Being a disciple requires doing the things Jesus did.
Or, to put it a different way,
I had been married a long time when dating apps were invented. Reading about them and talking to users, I learned that their purpose is not to immediately find someone for you to love for the rest of your life, nor to give you an in-depth profile of a person. Rather, they invite you to spend the time and energy to get to know someone well. Like John the Baptist, they point you in the right direction. But then, you have to actually go out and get to know the person. (From what I understand, when used well dating apps serve a useful purpose. Sadly, they are often used badly!)
Being Jesus’ disciple requires more than someone pointing the way. It requires more than a brief introduction. It requires a commitment to going where he goes, seeing what he sees, learning about his life and taking part in his ministry.
How well do you know Jesus?
God’s peace to us all,
Pastor Ken.
