Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of the mind, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect. ~ Romans 12:2 (NRSVUE)
The First Disciples of Jesus 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. ~ John 1:35-39 (NRSVUE)
Okay, so we started out this morning hearing an Epistle reading. And if you remember, the word “epistle” is a fancy word for a letter, actually a long formal letter. And just in case you’re wondering, there are twenty-one Epistles–or long fancy letters–in the New Testament. Now, most of those letters were written to churches or groups of Jesus’ followers to encourage them, especially in tough times. And often the letters remind them of how they should live and what they should be doing.
So, from the book of Romans this morning, we heard, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect.” Now I wonder, does that seem strange to any of you? I mean, if the letter was being sent to a church or to a community to remind them how to live and what to do, wouldn’t you think the epistle would spell that out a little more clearly? Maybe giving a “what to do” and “what not to do” list? You know, kind of like the Ten Commandments that God gave to Moses to give to the people way back in the book of Exodus? Well, to be honest, that’s just a different way of teaching.
When God gave Moses the Ten Commandments to share with the Israelites, the purpose of those rules was to keep order among the masses. So, there were black-and-white rules that were either followed or broken. There was no middle ground. But, then, when God came to earth as Jesus–remember as Emmanuel, God with us–and Jesus walked and talked and taught his followers how to live, Jesus didn’t need to give lists of rules to follow because Jesus wasn’t as worried about fixing behaviors as much as Jesus simply wanted to invite people into the story.
Folks, as we read through the gospels, we hear Jesus asking lots and lots of questions like: “Who by worrying can add a single hour to his life? Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith? Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’?” You see, Jesus didn’t tell people what to do or how to do it. Jesus simply opened their hearts and minds and helped them to be curious. And Jesus didn’t tell them what to say or what to believe; Jesus just met them where they were, taught them by his own example, and let them figure it out themselves.
Now, sure, he spoke to the crowds and shared information, but more importantly, Jesus showed people how to use their imaginations and how to think outside the box by telling them parables and stories. Jesus would say the kingdom of God is like a mustard seed, or a measure of yeast, or a hidden treasure, or a great pearl! And he would encourage them to wonder about God and about the world around them.
But I think the most exciting part about Jesus’ teaching was that he not only taught by example, showing people how to live or asked questions or told stories and parables encouraging people to open their hearts and minds and use their imaginations, but Jesus actually invited them to be curious, to explore new things, and to learn by doing.
In today’s gospel reading, we hear the disciples ask, “Rabbi, where are you staying?” Now, Jesus could have easily answered, “I’m staying at the Holiday Inn down the street.” But instead of shutting down the conversation with a simple answer, he gave them an invitation to explore and learn more. So when they asked, “Rabbi, where are you staying?” Jesus answered, “Come and see.” And through those words, “Come and see,” he not only opened the conversation, but he opened the door for a relationship to start.
Can’t you imagine as they walked down the road together to see where Jesus was staying, they shared a little small talk. Perhaps they got to know each other a little better. Maybe they even got curious about some of life’s big questions. But if Jesus had simply answered their question, this chance for exploration, building a relationship, and all of the other new possibilities never would have happened.
Folks, I remember, as a kid, going to Sunday School right here in Oldtown. Now, when I was really young, my class was over in the schoolhouse across the street, but as I got older, my Sunday school classes were downstairs in the vestry where the Pot Roast Supper was last night. In Sunday School, we learned about Jesus in books. We sang songs about being a Christian. We colored pictures and did worksheets. We always sat up straight with our feet on the floor, and we never spoke out of turn because that was the teaching style at the time. In Sunday School, there were lots and lots of rules. When questions were asked, our teachers were not looking for curiosity or imagination. They were looking for the right answers. And if you didn’t know the right answer, when the teacher wasn’t looking, you could flip your worksheet over, and they were printed in tiny letters on the bottom of the page. When we colored pictures, the grass was expected to be green, the sky was blue, and you always did your best to stay in the lines.
Each week, we were given scripture to memorize and were expected to recite it in front of the class the next Sunday. And I have to admit, I still have a lot of scripture memorized because of those days. But somewhere deep inside, I also carry with me a fear: a fear of not having the right answer, or a fear forgetting that God not only leads me beside still waters, but God restores my soul. And because of that, though I loved Jesus and my church with all my heart, for a long time, my faith was driven by fear: fear of not being good enough, fear of not having the right answers, and fear of doing something wrong and disappointing God. It wasn’t until I got much older that I learned that faith isn’t about fear; it’s about unconditional love. Sure, there is a sense of respect and reverence that sometimes causes us to act a certain way, and there are lots of things to learn about our faith. But we learn far more by being curious, by asking questions, and by exploring the world around us than we do by being told how to act and what to believe. Because faith, my friends, is something that should feed us and fill us with hope and joy, not control us, make us feel guilty and fill us with fear.
When Jesus says, “Follow me” or “Come and see,” those who choose to follow him will not only hear amazing stories, but they will taste and see that the world is good. They’ll feel the presence of God in their lives. They’ll be healed and held in arms of grace. And when that happens, their hearts will be so full they won’t be afraid. On the contrary, they’ll long, explore, and dig even deeper, which will fill them even further with a curiosity, a kindness, and a joy that has no end. And can you imagine what that will do not only in their lives but in the world around them?
Friends, I know that we are just starting this new season of curiosity, and I know that for some of you, it might be a little stretch. But I encourage you to give it a try, for as we heard from the book of Romans today, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds.”
This week, we have a new challenge for you. We are inviting all of you to become Oldtown Explorers! After worship today, we’ll be handing out Oldtown Passports. And we invite each family unit to take one. First, take some time to look through the pages for things around our church to explore, and then give them a try!
You’ve got all fall to work on filling your passport out. If you really want to make it official, feel free to put a picture of you or your family on the inside front cover of your passport, and as you complete each challenge, you can make a note about it in the space below if you would like to, or we’ll have stamps out back in Maxcy Hall if you want to stamp that section as complete.
Friends, our Oldtown Passports are an invitation to explore, to be curious, and to learn more about our church. There is no pressure, and we won’t be collecting them at the end. Oh, and the prize for completing each section is the gift of learning more about your church and your faith! So, we hope you’ll give it a try.
So, brothers and sisters in Christ, as you prepare to step out into another busy week, what do you think? Are you ready to follow Jesus? Are you ready to Come and See? Are you ready to hear amazing stories and taste and see things that are good? Are you ready to feel the presence of God in your life and to be healed and held in the arms of grace? Folks, the choice is always yours! You can be conformed to this world, or you can choose to follow Jesus. You can choose to Come and See. You can choose to be curious and to explore, and you can choose to be transformed by your faith. And the good news is that when you choose transformation, you’ll be filled to overflowing with a curiosity, a kindness, and a joy that has no end.
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