Looking Forward to February 7, 2021

 All are reminded that we are continuing with online only worship until at least the end of February (Council will re-evaluate at our February meeting) Sunday Worship can be found on our You Tube Channel.

This being the first Sunday of February the service will include Communion. You are invited and encouraged to have elements available as you join in the worship service at home so we can all eat and drink together.

The Scripture Reading this week is John 1:35-51

The Sermon title is Come and See

Early Thoughts: It is a story about invitations. It is a story about seeking people out, finding them. It is a story about curiosity, and also one about skepticism. It is a story about recognition.

That is a lot for 17 verses....

[Scene 1] We start with John the Baptist recognizing who Jesus is and pointing him out to the people with John. This starts some curiosity, which leads people to go and talk to Jesus. Jesus then invites them to come and learn more. This starts some excitement and leads Andrew to go find his brother Simon. Andrew shares what he has recognized in Jesus and invites Simon to come and learn more, upon which Jesus recognizes Simon as someone special and renames him Peter. [EndScene]

[Scene 2] Jesus finds and invites Philip to follow him. Philip goes to find Nathanael to tell him what Philip has recognized in Jesus. Nathanael is skeptical that anything out of Nazareth is worth a fuss so Philip says, in essence, "come and see for your self". Then we have this odd discussion about the fig tree and signs and symbols. [EndScene]

What makes us recognize that something special is happening around us? What makes us recognize the God has entered the building? What makes us curious enough to look closer and see what is happening?

Once we come to that realization what do we do? Do we go out and find others we have to let in on the secret? Do we invite others to come and join in? If we are invited in what might make us skeptical? What might counteract that skepticism?

We are called to be curious. We are called to search for people. We are called to invite others to come and see for themselves what we have found.
--Gord