Sermon: “Going for a Walk: Bring Your Tent”
Scripture: John 1:29-42: The next day he saw Jesus coming towards him and declared, “Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks ahead of me because he was before me.’ I myself did not know him; but I came baptizing with water for this reason, that he might be revealed to Israel.” And John testified, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ And I myself have seen and have testified that this is the Son of God.”
The next day John again was standing with two of his disciples, and as he watched Jesus walk by, he exclaimed, “Look, here is the Lamb of God!” The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. When Jesus turned and saw them following, he said to them, “What are you looking for?” They said to him, “Rabbi” (which translated means Teacher), “where are you staying?” He said to them, “Come and see.” They came and saw where he was staying, and they remained with him that day. It was about four o’clock in the afternoon. One of the two who heard John speak and followed him was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. He first found his brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which is translated Anointed). He brought Simon to Jesus, who looked at him and said, “You are Simon son of John. You are to be called Cephas” (which is translated Peter).
Comments: Notice the “action” in the scripture. For example, the author of John intentionally has John the Baptist not just see (the “see” in Greek is more like discernment) Jesus, but sees “Jesus walk by”. Let me say, it is hard to follow someone who is standing still, and I think this is why the Greek is used this way. Jesus is not a Messiah who stands still, if you will. And neither should we be standing still.
Join us for worship on Sunday, January 19th at 10:30 a.m. and for coffee and fellowship after the service.
The Building Committee
will meet after fellowship time on Sunday, January 19th to discuss building issues for 2014. For more information, contact Craig (craze@mit.edu).
The Outreach Committee
will next meet on Monday, January 20th at 7:30 p.m.
The Men’s Bible Study Group
will meet at 6:30 p.m. at Panera Bread at Porter Square on Wednesday, January 22nd. Please contact Kevin, Josh, Solimar or Pierre for more details.
The Annual Meeting is coming!
Mark your calendars now, for Sunday, January 26th (with a snow date of February 2nd.) We will hold our congregational meeting in the basement, immediately following the service. It includes a potluck lunch. This is the time to hear reports from our pastor and from various committees about the work of the church during the past year, as well as having a chance to elect elders, deacons, and officers of the congregation.
Nave Music Series – Bards, Gazelles, Squirrels, and Sonatas:
New Music by Jim Dalton, Karl Henning, Nancy Rexford and Charles Turner. Music for clarinet, guitar, mandolin, flute, piccolo, piano, shakuhachi, bass, violin and voice.February 1st at 8:00 p.m. at Clarendon Hill.