A faith that points

There are moments in life when something catches our attention, perhaps it’s a story, a person, an experience, and we find ourselves thinking that we need to look a bit closer…Sometimes it’s because we’re searching for meaning, sometimes because we’re longing for hope and sometimes because something within us suggests that there is more to life than what we’ve settled for.

And very often God begins his work in us simply by inviting us to look again.

Life, as we know, is full of ups and downs, successes and disappointments, moments of clarity and moments of confusion. We achieve things that go unnoticed, and at other times we seem to do very little and people call it a triumph. Success means different things to different people, but whatever form it takes, we should want to celebrate it. We point to people who make a difference, whether that difference is real or only perceived.

In today’s gospel reading (John 1:29–42), something very similar is happening. John the Baptist has been preaching in the wilderness, preparing people for the Messiah. Crowds have gathered around him and he has been the “success story” of the moment - eccentric, courageous, and utterly committed to God’s call.

But John knows that his role is one of preparation. When Jesus appears, John recognises him immediately. Everything he has preached, everything he has hoped for, everything he has longed for has arrived. And so he directs others away from himself and towards Jesus.

Two of John’s followers go after Jesus, curious, unsure, not quite knowing what they’re looking for. When Jesus turns and asks them what they want, they can barely get a word out. “Rabbi,” they say, meaning, Teacher… They know he is different, but they don’t yet have the words or understanding to explain why.

And maybe we know or understand that feeling. Sometimes when we meet someone remarkable, we’re lost for words. I remember taking my nephew to watch Cardiff play rugby when he was very small - and that is relevant! After the match he went onto the pitch for autographs. I told him to turn around because a player was standing right behind him.

It was Derwyn Jones, all 6ft 10 of him. My nephew turned, saw a pair of kneecaps, and slowly looked up… and up… and up. By the time he reached the face, he’d forgotten what he wanted to say. He was completely speechless.

Those two followers of John were just like that - caught off guard, unsure what to say. And Jesus, with such gentleness, simply says: “Come and see.”

Those three words are at the heart of Christian faith. They are the invitation Jesus still offers today. And they are the words the Church is called to echo to others, ‘Come and see’. 

Much of this passage is about looking - about vision, attention, and pointing others towards what we have seen. Many of us were taught as children that it’s rude to point, but in the life of faith, pointing is essential. We point not at ourselves, but to Jesus.

Andrew certainly did. After spending time with Jesus, he knew he had found someone extraordinary. He didn’t keep it to himself - he went straight to his brother, Simon Peter, and brought him to Jesus. Andrew never became particularly famous, but his simple act of pointing changed the world. Most of us won’t be called to great public roles either, but every one of us is called to point people to Jesus, and to remember that we are loved immeasurably by him.

One of the quiet ways we do that is simply by being here. Our presence in church is a witness - to neighbours, friends, family, and even strangers who see us walk through the door. People look at us, and whether we like it or not, they often form their opinions of Jesus by looking at his followers.

That’s a sobering thought. But it’s also a privilege.

When we look at the Church - locally, nationally, globally - it’s easy to focus on what seems to be missing: fewer young families, fewer people, fewer resources. But if that is all we see, then that is the picture of God we unintentionally offer to the world. But that isn’t the picture! 

Instead, we are invited to see what God sees:  

That is people whose lives have been changed by grace, people who gather because they know they are loved and want to love and bless others, people in whom the Holy Spirit is at work, people in whom the face of Christ can be glimpsed…

We worship God who brings light out of darkness, peace out of conflict, hope out of despair, and love into places where love seems impossible. And we point to God - not a church building, not an institution, but Jesus himself.

And when we look at others, what do we see?  

People who seem sorted and self-sufficient? People who seem hopeless and beyond reach? Or, if we look with the eyes of Jesus, people who bear his image?

Mother Teresa used to look into the eyes of each person she met, searching for the image of Christ in them. Whether they were broken, difficult, suffering, or seemingly unlovable, she looked until she found Christ there. And because she saw him, she could love them.

Today’s gospel invites us to do the same: to look, to see, and to invite others to look as well. May God give us courage, wisdom, and confidence to live as disciples of Christ. May he give us words that witness to his light and love. And may others see in us a glimpse of  God who transforms lives.

And perhaps, when the moment comes to speak about our faith or our church, we might borrow the words of Jesus himself:

“Come and see.” Amen.