What Are You Looking For?

What are you looking for? Jesus’ words from this morning’s Gospel are right here jumping out at us from our bulletin covers. Although the words are superimposed on a rather odd picture.  Is that supposed to be a spelunker? "What are you looking for?" Jesus asks the two disciples. I imagine his tone was kind and pastoral, his voice loving. On the other hand, I can imagine a somewhat different scenario. After all, I expect they were staring at Jesus with their mouths open, trailing after him as though he were some famous rock star or politician, whispering to one another, pointing. Jesus might have said, "What are you staring at? Mind your own business!" I expect that’s what most of us would have said. I, for one, don’t like people talking about me behind my back, measuring, wondering, staring. But Jesus was Jesus, of course, and so he kindly, pastorally, lovingly asked the disciples the most important question of their lives, "What are you looking for?"

It is the most important question of our lives, too. So, "What are you looking for?" In your life. What are you looking for? If that’s just too overwhelming a question, maybe it would help to narrow the focus a bit. What are you looking for here? In church?

I’ve tried to look honesty within my own heart over the years to see what I have been seeking in the church. And over the last week I’ve thought about dozens and dozens of other people I have known. And I've come up with a list of what people might be looking for at church.   Amid this list of possibilities, some goals are benign, some arrogant and selfish, some humble, some noble. Perhaps you will recognize yourself and your own needs and desires somewhere in this list.

"What are you looking for?"

In coming to church are you just looking for peace from the vague, but nagging feeling of guilt you feel when you don’t come?

Are you looking for comfort in times of pain or sorrow?

Is the church mostly for you a place where someone else will hopefully teach your children some values? Or more generally, are you looking for a place that will teach, cherish and nurture your children?

Some seek in the church a place to nurse their self-pity. A place their image of themselves as downtrodden will gain them care and attention.

Are you looking for a place where all of your nagging questions about the meaning of life will be answered? A place where you will find some sort of deep, true meaning for your own life?

Are you looking for a place where you will always feel a sense of belonging? A sense of connection, rootedness? That one was big for me when I came back to the church after years of absence.

And I also seek in the church a place where my particular skills and expertise make me a valuable, noteworthy person. Are you looking for a place where you will be valued? Noted? Where you can stand out above the crowd? For whatever reason.

Are you just trying to do the right thing? Trying to fulfill that innate desire to be a good person?

Are you looking for a place that will enable you to make a difference for good in the world? Are you looking for a place that will provide the means and mission and focus for you to work to improve your community? A place and opportunity where you can give of yourself?

As you have perhaps attended different churches in the past, were you looking for a place where the liturgy fit the style you like best? A place where the music was professional quality? A place where the sermons were intellectually stimulating?  A place where the issues of social concern were the same issues that you were committed to?

Are you just looking for a place of stability in a changing and uncertain world? Something to hang onto when everything else seems to be falling apart?

Many come to church looking to meet people. Good people, friendly people.  Some are looking for datable people, others are looking for the "right" people who might be professionally useful…

Are you looking for a place that will make you a better person? Maybe help balance out feelings of failure or wrongdoing in other aspects of your life? Maybe help motivate you to do better in other aspects of your life?

Are you looking for guidance, courage, hope?

It was Robert Frost who wrote: "Home is the place where, when you have to go there, they have to let you in." Are you looking for home? I know I am.

So. What are you looking for? We would undoubtedly label some of these goals as "better" than others. But I have always maintained that there are no "bad" reasons to come to church. It is always better to come through these doors than to stay outside. But, if you are looking for any of the things I’ve listed this morning, ultimately you will be disappointed. All of these goals are inadequate. It is possible that the church, a church, can fulfill some of these things some of the time for some of the people.  But unless we are looking for the living presence of our Lord Jesus Christ, we will never really find what we are looking for. A personal encounter, a dynamic relationship with the living Christ. That is all that really matters. Are you looking for Jesus? Your savior?

Church is a good place to look. Jesus is here. Epiphany, you’ll remember, is all about the manifestation, the making known of Jesus' presence, our recognition of Jesus’ presence in our lives. Jesus is here. And the wonderful thing is he is looking for us. Even if we’re not looking for Jesus, even if we’re too consumed with our own selfish or ambitious needs… Even if we’re looking for Jesus but don’t really know we’re looking for Jesus… he can find us. Church is not only a good place to find what you are looking for, it is a very good place to be found.

And once we are found by the living Christ, everything is changed. All those "bad" goals and expectations we had don’t seem so important any more. When we know and feel the unbelievable love of Christ in our own hearts, things like the need for status or recognition fade away. Our demands that others fulfill our personal needs are lost in the overwhelming fulfillment offered by a relationship with Jesus Christ.

And all of those so-called "good" goals or motivations that may have brought us to church? They are transformed, too. The writer of Isaiah says, "God has become my strength." Our yearnings to be good people, to make a difference in the lives of others, to be a part of a fellowship of faith, to live lives of meaning and purpose… these all become infused with the very strength of God. God will work with us, guide us, strengthen us. We need not rely on our own strength and resources or even those of "the church." God has become our strength. Anything is possible.

I doubt Andrew or Simon Peter knew what they were looking for. But when Jesus turned and spoke to them, when the living God spoke to them, they said, "We have found the Messiah."

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