Narrative Lectionary Key Verse for Today
“He said to them, ‘Come and see.’”
NL Daily Devotion for Sunday, January 2, 2022
by Dr. Kimberly Leetch, Clergy Stuff
Main Idea: Jesus extends an invitation and a welcome.
The people in the wilderness following John were looking for something. They were living in a land now occupied by Rome, and they were limited in what they could do and say. Their freedom was precarious and their voices were unheard. It’s no surprise they flocked to the wilderness to hear the words of God’s prophets, hoping to hear something that would give them hope for a better life.
It was also a fairly common occurrence that rabbis selected followers that would live with them and learn from them. By immersing themselves in the lives of their teachers, disciples could learn to emulate their teachers, thereby carrying on the teachings throughout generations.
On this day, the prophet John recognized God in Jesus. By pointing him out, John directed the attention of several truth seekers toward Jesus and they followed him intently. When Jesus asked what they were seeking, they requested to follow him for a while with the question, “Where are you staying?” The rabbi, Jesus, extended an invitation that would change their lives forever, “Come and see.”
Throughout this brief passage, the word about Jesus begins to spread like wildfire, and before long Jesus has gathered several disciples ready to follow and learn. He gives some of them new names, a sign that God has redirected their life journey down a different path. It reminds me a little of an endearing relative who gives funny nicknames to the people they love the most.
You know that feeling you get when you climb into the car of a roller coaster and it begins to climb the long, steep hill toward the drop? That’s where we are in Jesus’ ministry. As Jesus gathers disciples, there is an excitement, a nervousness that comes with the anticipation of a wild ride. The journey will be long and difficult, but for now, there is delight and eagerness as Jesus extends the invitation to a journey that cannot be explained, only lived, “Come and see.”