Sermon – What are You Looking For? Rev. Sandy Lacey January 18, 2026
My star word that I received the Sunday we celebrated Epiphany was “vision.” Now I have been having some problems with my eyesight lately, but unlike some of my good friends in this place who struggle daily with poor eyesight, my issues have been mostly resolved with some regular eyedrops. Wow, wouldn’t it be great if all our struggles (such as the Psalmist’s description of being in a “desolate pit” and “miry bog”) were so easily remedied? Having proper vision in our N.T. text is a big thing. My N.T. professor in Seminary tells the story of his early days as a professor at Columbia. Rodger Nishioka said that he had a good friend as a fellow professor who asked him to lunch one day and then proceeded to tell him how wonderful Jesus is and just how many wonderful things Jesus did in his life, and beyond, to bring hope to the world and make it a better place. Rodger says he remembers thinking something along the lines of “well, dah, that is why I am here and working my tail off! That’s why I am feeling exhausted all the time with the things I am doing to help prepare these folks for ministry.” His friend let it sit there for a moment and then he leaned over toward him and said, “you’re not him.”[1] The implication of his friend’s chastisement is you can continue to work yourself to death, thinking it is all up to you, but you are not Jesus. It is your job to point to Jesus and not be under the illusion that you are Jesus. Rodger’s friend and John the Baptist had it right. John the Baptizer was never under the illusion that he was the Messiah. His job was simply, and profoundly, to point the way to Jesus. He had the right vision. Do we? How many times do we fall into the trap of thinking everything is all up to us? How many times do we insist upon working so hard that we do not have energy then for the long haul? How many times do we push ourselves to “fix” things or people to the point that we lose ourselves in the process? In order to function well as a follower of Christ, one must remember the greatest commandment: love God with all that you are and love your neighbor as you love yourself. So, the first rule for having good vision is to love yourself enough to recognize that you are not Jesus and cannot do it all. Instead, you are to use your gifts in service, ask good questions, be engaged with the community of faith, and point others to Jesus. John, in today’s passage, says, “Look – here is the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” The second rule for having good vision is to use your eyes of faith to clearly see the world around us. John reminds us that there is sin in the world. Notice all of the world’s challenges, ask the questions that need to be asked, speak truth to the sin your eyes of faith see. Our Reformed understanding of faith sees sin as something that is both personal and systemic. Yes, we commit personal sins every day, in which we do and say the things we know are not what God wants. We also participate in large systems that propagate idolatry, alienation, and violence on such a large scale that if we’ve the eyes to see, it would truly bring us to our knees from the weight of it. Most of us get a small inkling of it when we watch the news each day. So, we begin with recognizing our gifts and choosing to use them for God’s service, all the while pointing to Jesus. And then, we must not bury our head in the sand, but look with the eyes of faith to see the world around us – chaotic and in a mess, but shot through with possibility. Somedays we struggle to see beyond the obvious desolate pit or miry bog that characterizes what we see around us. But John tells us, “Look – here is the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” He has come, John says, to change the world and make it into what the world, what we, are created to be. And Jesus is not finished yet. John did what he was asked to do. He went around proclaiming the Messiah has come and he pointed people to Jesus. He was not selfish or prideful of the knowledge he had been given. When a couple of John’s disciples left him to follow Jesus, John did not resign or throw a temper tantrum about dwindling numbers or budget shortfalls because he was tasked with the business of pointing people to Jesus. Period. Full stop. And with these new followers, Jesus did a quick check-in with them asking, “what are you looking for?” What kind of vision do you have? What are your expectations here? And their response is something that seems odd to our ears, “we want to know where you abide.” Where is your home? Where does your heart live? We want to make sure we are headed in the right direction. And Jesus turns their question around (as he will do with them and many others during his ministry) by saying, “Come and see.” It is as if he says, “Follow me and you tell me what you see.” “Seeing is believing” is an expression that people use and it is a good one. What one does, how one acts gives the report of what that person believes. Jesus wanted his new followers in this passage to “see” by watching him act. So, for good vision, two things are important – 1. Recognizing you’re not Jesus and 2. Clearly see the problems in the world around us. As I was thinking this, I wondered what else is important for good vision. I have been reading a book by Richard Rohr, entitled, The Tears of Things and one of the things I have gotten out of his description of prophets and their work is the realization that the church is no different from the culture in one way. And that one way is that we, like the culture, are not fond of change. We like things in a certain kind of order and will hold tight to foundational beliefs and practices that are long outdated and no longer useful. It is as if we figuratively or literally plug our ears and close our eyes, refusing to acknowledge that change and new things can be good. With change, the church slips into disorder, a kind of figurative darkness where we struggle to see and it can feel like a “pit.” We have trouble seeing our way out of it. And maybe that is the point. “Our way” is likely not the right way. The truth is that all change does involve disorder because it upsets the status quo, but can it be possible that disorder can be good for us? I have been reminded over and over again in life by good theologians like Walter Brueggemann and Richard Rohr that in order for something new to break forth, we need to be disoriented a bit, taken out of our comfort zone, so that we might be ready for the new. I don’t like it, but I am convinced that it is the nature of things as a human being that God created. You see, we get a little stuck in our ways. Just look at Scripture. It is chock full of examples of God’s people having to go through one period of disorder after another to bring about the kind of change God is calling them to. And they are not passive recipients of the disorder. They are actively engaged in it, ranting and raving as they go. It is part of what it means to be human and alive in this world that is ever changing. In order to keep good vision in the midst of a world full of change and disorder, Rohr talks about the importance of trust. So, trust is our third thing we need for good vision. But trust who or what? If we believe in a God who is bigger than all the desolate pits and miry bogs, a God who is always steadfast and faithful, a God who can see us through anything; then our vision, our day-to-day activities must display trust beyond ourselves and other people. Do we trust that God has not abandoned us? Do we trust that God wants love and purpose and well-being for each of us? Do we trust that God is active and engaged in our world, accomplishing good even when our vision is short or near-sighted and we fail to see it? John reminds us with his words, “Look, here is the Messiah who takes away the sin of the world.” So, what is the change that we are most afraid of? What is the disorder that leaves us speechless and fearing we have stepped into a desolate pit? Trust me when I say that God is bigger than that. God’s big plan is for the whole of creation to live in peace, harmony, well-being, and love. And as the Apostle Paul reminds us in Romans, there is absolutely nothing in this life or in the life to come that can separate us from God’s love and God’s big plan. So, friends, what are you looking for? Is it something rather mundane like a bigger paycheck or a new car or lower grocery prices or are you looking for Jesus, the one who gives your life hope, purpose, and meaning that can withstand any desolate pit? Sometimes it helps us to think big picture. And let us not forget, along the way, to be more like John the Baptist who selflessly points beyond himself to the One. He’s been there the whole time. Open your eyes – can you not see it?
[1] Rodger Y. Nishioka, “Pastoral Perspective” in Feasting on the Word: Preaching the Revised Common Lectionary, Year A, Vol 1. (Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2010.) p. 264. (slightly embellished)
My star word that I received the Sunday we celebrated Epiphany was “vision.” Now I have been having some problems with my eyesight lately, but unlike some of my good friends in this place who struggle daily with poor eyesight, my issues have been mostly resolved with some regular eyedrops. Wow, wouldn’t it be great if all our struggles (such as the Psalmist’s description of being in a “desolate pit” and “miry bog”) were so easily remedied? Having proper vision in our N.T. text is a big thing. My N.T. professor in Seminary tells the story of his early days as a professor at Columbia. Rodger Nishioka said that he had a good friend as a fellow professor who asked him to lunch one day and then proceeded to tell him how wonderful Jesus is and just how many wonderful things Jesus did in his life, and beyond, to bring hope to the world and make it a better place. Rodger says he remembers thinking something along the lines of “well, dah, that is why I am here and working my tail off! That’s why I am feeling exhausted all the time with the things I am doing to help prepare these folks for ministry.” His friend let it sit there for a moment and then he leaned over toward him and said, “you’re not him.”[1] The implication of his friend’s chastisement is you can continue to work yourself to death, thinking it is all up to you, but you are not Jesus. It is your job to point to Jesus and not be under the illusion that you are Jesus. Rodger’s friend and John the Baptist had it right. John the Baptizer was never under the illusion that he was the Messiah. His job was simply, and profoundly, to point the way to Jesus. He had the right vision. Do we? How many times do we fall into the trap of thinking everything is all up to us? How many times do we insist upon working so hard that we do not have energy then for the long haul? How many times do we push ourselves to “fix” things or people to the point that we lose ourselves in the process? In order to function well as a follower of Christ, one must remember the greatest commandment: love God with all that you are and love your neighbor as you love yourself. So, the first rule for having good vision is to love yourself enough to recognize that you are not Jesus and cannot do it all. Instead, you are to use your gifts in service, ask good questions, be engaged with the community of faith, and point others to Jesus. John, in today’s passage, says, “Look – here is the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” The second rule for having good vision is to use your eyes of faith to clearly see the world around us. John reminds us that there is sin in the world. Notice all of the world’s challenges, ask the questions that need to be asked, speak truth to the sin your eyes of faith see. Our Reformed understanding of faith sees sin as something that is both personal and systemic. Yes, we commit personal sins every day, in which we do and say the things we know are not what God wants. We also participate in large systems that propagate idolatry, alienation, and violence on such a large scale that if we’ve the eyes to see, it would truly bring us to our knees from the weight of it. Most of us get a small inkling of it when we watch the news each day. So, we begin with recognizing our gifts and choosing to use them for God’s service, all the while pointing to Jesus. And then, we must not bury our head in the sand, but look with the eyes of faith to see the world around us – chaotic and in a mess, but shot through with possibility. Somedays we struggle to see beyond the obvious desolate pit or miry bog that characterizes what we see around us. But John tells us, “Look – here is the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” He has come, John says, to change the world and make it into what the world, what we, are created to be. And Jesus is not finished yet. John did what he was asked to do. He went around proclaiming the Messiah has come and he pointed people to Jesus. He was not selfish or prideful of the knowledge he had been given. When a couple of John’s disciples left him to follow Jesus, John did not resign or throw a temper tantrum about dwindling numbers or budget shortfalls because he was tasked with the business of pointing people to Jesus. Period. Full stop. And with these new followers, Jesus did a quick check-in with them asking, “what are you looking for?” What kind of vision do you have? What are your expectations here? And their response is something that seems odd to our ears, “we want to know where you abide.” Where is your home? Where does your heart live? We want to make sure we are headed in the right direction. And Jesus turns their question around (as he will do with them and many others during his ministry) by saying, “Come and see.” It is as if he says, “Follow me and you tell me what you see.” “Seeing is believing” is an expression that people use and it is a good one. What one does, how one acts gives the report of what that person believes. Jesus wanted his new followers in this passage to “see” by watching him act. So, for good vision, two things are important – 1. Recognizing you’re not Jesus and 2. Clearly see the problems in the world around us. As I was thinking this, I wondered what else is important for good vision. I have been reading a book by Richard Rohr, entitled, The Tears of Things and one of the things I have gotten out of his description of prophets and their work is the realization that the church is no different from the culture in one way. And that one way is that we, like the culture, are not fond of change. We like things in a certain kind of order and will hold tight to foundational beliefs and practices that are long outdated and no longer useful. It is as if we figuratively or literally plug our ears and close our eyes, refusing to acknowledge that change and new things can be good. With change, the church slips into disorder, a kind of figurative darkness where we struggle to see and it can feel like a “pit.” We have trouble seeing our way out of it. And maybe that is the point. “Our way” is likely not the right way. The truth is that all change does involve disorder because it upsets the status quo, but can it be possible that disorder can be good for us? I have been reminded over and over again in life by good theologians like Walter Brueggemann and Richard Rohr that in order for something new to break forth, we need to be disoriented a bit, taken out of our comfort zone, so that we might be ready for the new. I don’t like it, but I am convinced that it is the nature of things as a human being that God created. You see, we get a little stuck in our ways. Just look at Scripture. It is chock full of examples of God’s people having to go through one period of disorder after another to bring about the kind of change God is calling them to. And they are not passive recipients of the disorder. They are actively engaged in it, ranting and raving as they go. It is part of what it means to be human and alive in this world that is ever changing. In order to keep good vision in the midst of a world full of change and disorder, Rohr talks about the importance of trust. So, trust is our third thing we need for good vision. But trust who or what? If we believe in a God who is bigger than all the desolate pits and miry bogs, a God who is always steadfast and faithful, a God who can see us through anything; then our vision, our day-to-day activities must display trust beyond ourselves and other people. Do we trust that God has not abandoned us? Do we trust that God wants love and purpose and well-being for each of us? Do we trust that God is active and engaged in our world, accomplishing good even when our vision is short or near-sighted and we fail to see it? John reminds us with his words, “Look, here is the Messiah who takes away the sin of the world.” So, what is the change that we are most afraid of? What is the disorder that leaves us speechless and fearing we have stepped into a desolate pit? Trust me when I say that God is bigger than that. God’s big plan is for the whole of creation to live in peace, harmony, well-being, and love. And as the Apostle Paul reminds us in Romans, there is absolutely nothing in this life or in the life to come that can separate us from God’s love and God’s big plan. So, friends, what are you looking for? Is it something rather mundane like a bigger paycheck or a new car or lower grocery prices or are you looking for Jesus, the one who gives your life hope, purpose, and meaning that can withstand any desolate pit? Sometimes it helps us to think big picture. And let us not forget, along the way, to be more like John the Baptist who selflessly points beyond himself to the One. He’s been there the whole time. Open your eyes – can you not see it?
[1] Rodger Y. Nishioka, “Pastoral Perspective” in Feasting on the Word: Preaching the Revised Common Lectionary, Year A, Vol 1. (Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2010.) p. 264. (slightly embellished)
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[1] Rodger Y. Nishioka, “Pastoral Perspective” in Feasting on the Word: Preaching the Revised Common Lectionary, Year A, Vol 1. (Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2010.) p. 264. (slightly embellished)