January 18, 2026
John 1:29-42
Introduction
“What are you looking for?” That’s the question Jesus asks in today’s Gospel and that’s what we are going to focus, but before we can get to that we need to understand a few things going on in this text.
John the Baptist has just baptized Jesus, and now he is making a declaration identifying Jesus as the “Lamb of God” who takes away the sins of the world. John is making it known that Jesus is the one who comes to fulfill Old Testament prophecy and that through Jesus God’s promises are all going to be fulfilled.
This declaration then leads to two of John’s disciples (Andrew and another) to become very curious about this Jesus fellow, and so they start following him around, to I guess watch him, and see what he does and what he’s all about. But before long, Jesus turns to them, and asks this question, “What are you looking for?”
And clearly the two of them are a bit surprised by this question because they respond in a really bizarre and lurking way, “Where are you staying?” Imagine today, two strange men walking behind you, watching you, you confront them with a, “Hey. What you looking for?!” And their response is, “Where are you staying?” Not exactly the most sensible answer.
Lucky for these two would-be disciples Jesus knows understands what they are doing and extends an invitation. Come and see. And this isn’t simply an invitation to come and see where he’s staying. Jesus is inviting them to come into relationship with him and have an experience that’s infinitely more than mere observation.
Jesus is saying come and see because I know exactly what you were looking for. And that is Jesus’s question, response, and invitation to these two disciples, and a little later to Simon, who will become. Peter. And that is Jesus’ question, response, and imitation to us today, but what we need to do before we can come and see, we first need to consider the question, “What are you looking for?”
Move 1
A few years ago, we were all looking for the way through Covid and back to a normal way of life. But now we’re in this post to Covid era. So… what are you looking for?
Not to make anyone anxious that I’m going to get controversial, but we are in a tenuous political time where vitriol, incivility, conflict, and violence are rampant. So… what are you looking for?
Fear is rampant in our culture today. The “system” runs on fear. Every one of us is scared in some way or another about their future, or the safety of their family, or we’re scared we’re not good enough. And it doesn’t matter the person, or how good they are, or how good they have it. In fact, the more some people have the more they have to lose. So… what are you looking for?
We often feel pulled in a million directions, leaving us feeling anxious and neglectful because all of us are neglecting something. And everything in our culture is built to remind us of this on a moment-to-moment basis. So… what are you looking for?
We often feel like we’re not good enough because we aren’t good enough, we can never be good enough to be everything our culture says we must be. So… what are you looking for?
So, taking into consideration all that has happened, all that is happening, all that we see and think is about to happen; considering who we are today in light of yesterday and who we want to be in light of the future… in what ways has all of it changed or challenged what you are looking for? When you look at your life, relationships, and world today, what are you looking for? Is what you are looking for today different from what you were looking for a year ago, three years ago, ten, twenty, thirty years ago? If so, how has it changed? And if not, why hasn’t it changed? Is it because you’re still looking for it?
In our text for today, Jesus is asking a question that has the power to reorient our lives and begin changing our world and our worldview— “What are you looking for?” What if you and I asked ourselves that question every day? What if asking ourselves that question became our morning practice? What are we looking for?
Jesus’ question is a diagnostic question. Whatever it is we are looking for sets a particular course and direction for our life. It asks something of us. Is your life on course? Are you headed in a good direction? If not, maybe it’s time to change what you are looking for. How would you answer Jesus’ question today? “What are you looking for?”
Move 2
Sometimes I’m not sure what I’m looking for. The longer I live and the older I get, the fewer answers I have let alone find. And I feel this way because life has a way of calling into question our answers, and so does Jesus. And that’s what Jesus is doing for the two disciples of John the Baptist. Twice they’ve stood with John as he pointed to Jesus and said, “Here is the Lamb of God.” They have their answer and they follow it only to see Jesus turn, look them in the eye, and ask, “What are you looking for?” What do you want?
It’s not enough for them to say, “We’re looking for the Lamb of God, and we think that’s you so will you tell us where you’re staying so we can come and watch?” But declaring Jesus the “lamb of God” his John’s answer that they are just regurgitating because they’ve been following John. But Jesus doesn’t want them to simply regurgitate the belief and words of someone they like and have been following. That’s John’s answer. With his question Jesus is asking them to look within themselves, to face themselves, and to answer for themselves.
Jesus wants these two, and us today, to understand no one else has or can give us our answer. That’s our work to do. It’s part of growing up and taking responsibility for our lives. But that can be a hard and slow process, can’t it. A process that maybe we get to a point and don’t want to do anymore. It’s just easier to regurgitate the answers of those we will like and follow. But if that’s what we do, we will never truly get to what we are looking for.
Move 3
Shortly after I graduated from seminary and was ordained, I was floundering as a minister. I was unsure, anxious, struggling with who I was as well as what I was supposed to be. So I went seeking some answers from a mentor. He said, “Jonathan, you’ve got to get out of your head. Finding your way, discovering who you are today is not about getting the answer. It’s about following the question.” To which I said, “So do you have a book about that?”
A few years ago, just before I left on sabbatical and was talking with a friend who does spiritual direction, seeking out some insights and methods to use on sabbatical to gain clarity and find some answers. And she said, “Jonathan, do not go looking for a wise monk you think has your answers. He doesn’t. The answers are already within you. Trust your own journey.” I bet you can guess who I went looking for.
And often I talk with a good friend and clergy colleague, and I recently asked him a question and he said, “Do you want the pastor answer or the friend answer?” “I said, how about both?” certain one or the other, or both would be insightful. He said, that’s fine because both are the same answer, which is, “I don’t know, Jonathan. What do you think?”
While those anecdotes might be about me, I don’t think they are unique to me because don’t we all sometimes just want the answer? Haven’t you sometimes wished for or thought that there is some magical other out there who has your answers and can fix your life, tell you all the right moves, what to do and what not to do? I think those anecdotes probably apply to all of us. But in light of our text for today, in each of them I hear echoes of Jesus’ question, “What are you looking for?”
And we do this because most of us would rather have someone give us the answer than have to bear the question. Not only is it easier, but it’s safer, right? If someone else tells us what we want, what to say and do, who to agree with and who to disagree with then we know we aren’t alone. There is safety and comfort and most of all certainty in answers.
Yet, throughout the Gospel accounts Jesus rarely gives direct answers. And that’s what happens in today’s Gospel. When the two disciples ask, “Where are you staying?” Jesus doesn’t give them an answer. He doesn’t give them an address or information about where he’s going, what he does, who he is, or how he spends his time. Rather he extends an invitation, “Come and see.”
He’s inviting them, and us, to live and experience his question that leads to what we see unfold throughout the Gospels—discovery, revelation, clarity, a vision and call for the future. It’s a simple question but it’s not easy to answer. Which is why we often avoid or deny. To answer his question means facing our deepest desires and longings, feeling our hurts and losses, looking at what we’ve done and left undone, acknowledging the emptiness within, imagining or dreaming of a different life, inquiring about what is of ultimate importance, naming what shapes and forms our lives. And that can be risky and scary. It means getting real and being honest, vulnerable, and open. It means we might come away changed.
Conclusion
When you consider all that, “What are you looking for?” Are you looking for healing and wholeness? Come and see. Are you looking for forgiveness and reconciliation? Come and see. Are you looking for hope and courage? Come and see. Are you looking for justice and change? Come and see. Are you looking for light and clarity? Come and see. Are you looking for life and life abundant? Come and see.
In whatever ways you might answer Jesus’ question his response is the same, “Come and see.” It’s the promise that there is somewhere to go and there is something to see and experience.
I wonder what Jesus’ invitation for your life is today. What are you looking for today? And what would it take… what would it be like to get up and go look? Amen.
Pastoral Prayer, January 18, 2026
Gracious God, we come before You acknowledging that like those first disciples, we often follow You with uncertain steps and restless hearts. We hear the testimony of John the Baptist, pointing us toward the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, and we find ourselves standing at the edge of a new calling, curious, but apprehensive; excited, but anxious.
And then Lord, You turn to us in the midst of our searching and ask the piercing question: “What do you want?”
Forgive us when our answers are small—when we seek only comfort, safety, or the preservation of the life we have built for ourselves. We confess fear often dictates our path, keeping us tethered to the familiar because we are afraid of what the world will think of us and unsure of what Your will might require of us.
But we know, in our hearts and souls, this is no way a faithful follower of Christ is to live. We know in our hearts and souls we are to follow Jesus, and not the crowd. So today, we ask for the courage to move from fear to faith. When You invite us to “come and see,” give us the strength to take the risk to truly come and see Jesus. Help us to lay down our personal agendas, our rigid plans, our unwillingness to see the other, and our desire for control. Open our eyes to see where You are staying and what You are doing in our world and in our lives.
Transform us, O God, as You transformed Simon into Peter. Grant us the boldness of faith to discover not who we think we should be, but who You have called us to be. May we be a people so captivated by Your presence that we cannot help but invite others into this same journey of discovering what we truly find when we come and see.
We ask that you would hear now the prayers we have in our hearts, needing to be lifted to you, in this time of Holy Silence.
All this we pray in the name of Christ Jesus, our Lord and our Savior Jesus the Christ, who taught us to pray saying, “Our…”