Over the years, I’ve had plenty of nicknames. When I started work at my current employer, there were 3 other Dans starting on the same day, and somehow I became ‘Joe’. Nearly 20 years ago in a story that’s a bit too long for here, I was named ‘the Finky JD’ by one of my friends. If I look down my mobile address book, I notice that I hardly use anyone’s real name. 

Names and how we identify are one of the key points of this reading to me. The author of John’s gospel seems to have a very different style and content than the other gospels; sometimes this means we have to work a bit harder to make sense of it.  

Today’s reading seems to be a list of events rather than an author trying to tell a story with some drama – but these events form the start of something very important for us. 

Jesus hasn’t started his ministry, done none of the astonishing miracles or delivered any of his thought provoking radical sermons. At the moment no one seems to know who he is. No one except John the Baptist. 

John recognised him as Jesus came to be baptised in the Jordan. His response was to be humble – but Jesus insisted. 

One of the reasons why I say this is about identity is that within the reading we Jesus is referred to by no less than 3 titles.

He’s the Lamb of God, he’s the Son of God, and he’s the one who baptises with the Holy Spirit.  

The other gospels seem to spend a lot of time labouring the point that the disciples often didn’t get who Jesus was, here’s John the Baptist giving his identity away. Right from the word go. 

John’s gospel is all about letting us know who he is. So, while John the Baptist at first, according to the other gospels, had a hard time figuring out what Jesus would be like as the Messiah, he now is ready to identify Jesus and declare it out loud for others to hear. “This is the Son of God,” he says. The next day, he repeats his claim to some of his disciples: “Here is the Lamb of God.” That’s all it takes, apparently, for some dramatic results.  

Two disciples hear John say this, and they follow Jesus.

That simple, that quickly.  

They ask where Jesus is staying, calling him Rabbi or Teacher, and he responds, “come and see.” One of these two men is Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. Andrew brought Simon to see Jesus as well. And our passage closes with Jesus declaring that Simon will now be called by the name Peter.  

What is most remarkable to me about this passage is the response of the disciples. Jesus says, “Come and see.” He may be speaking about where he’s living at the moment, but I’m reckon he’s also speaking more deeply – he means for these people to come and see a lot of things with him, for them to pack up and follow him. And they do.  

Now it may just be the author’s rather Spartan writing style – but they don’t seem to hesitate or to have second thoughts. They just get on with it and follow Jesus. Today, knowing who Jesus is, we still have a difficult time following where Christ leads.  

So, what was it that made these disciples go with Jesus? What did they see in him, and what did he see in them? Surely, something powerful must have been at work in them, they must have seen something in Jesus that really moved them, for them to make such dramatic decisions. What’s behind these actions?  

We don’t ever stop trying to figure out who we are.

Our life is an ongoing journey of becoming who God is calling us to be. We change the names and labels we use as our lives change. 

The disciples must have recognised the divine in Jesus -Why else would they follow?  

They recognized Jesus’ identity, even if the true significance of the phrase ‘Lamb of God’ was lost on them at the time. 

But if that were all it took, we would all be devoted in our discipleship, wouldn’t we? We can all be made to feel a bit embarrassed when we compare our willingness to follow Jesus, against the impressive commitment shown by the disciples.  

One of the things that strikes me most about this reading is one of the first things that Jesus does is he names Peter. Now I don’t know about you, but it seems a bit of an odd thing to do, here we are, you’ve just met each other and he say’s I’m going to give you a new name. From what we can tell in the gospel, the response isn’t one of ‘hang on, my mum and dad gave me that name’ (one consolation is that they hadn’t invented the mobile telephone – everyone would have to update their entry for him) 

Most of us are pretty attached to our names, or have a list of names and nicknames that we love or hate. Our passage today closes with Jesus saying to Simon: “You are Simon son of John. You are to be called Cephas” which means Peter. Jesus renames Peter, tells him how he will be called. I can’t imagine many of us letting someone else determine that for us.  

I think that we as a community are uniquely able to look at this passage and see something significant. For some of us, the name that our parents gave us is not a name that truly relates to who we are – there is a better name for our true nature and identity. 

We’re pretty independent people. We want to make our own decisions, determine our own course. After all, God created us with the free will that we so cherish. Yet, even as we choose our own course, God is hoping, longing for us to choose God as our course. To let God be the one who names us and shapes us and identifies us as beloved children. 

As we go through life we acquire many labels and different names; Sometimes one label seems more important than another – normally influenced by what we are doing. 

We’re human beings. We’re children of God. We’re beloved. Those are labels I can live with, identities I’m willing to be given by another. But along with those labels comes others God wants to give us: we’re sinners. We’re disciples. We’re servants.  

The world places many labels on us, we may choose to place a few more on ourselves; the only label that really counts is the label that comes when we approach God and he offers us a chance to see who we really are. That person who God recognises even when the world mistakes us.  

When we come to meet God here in worship we bring all of our labels and names with us – and we know that God welcomes us with them.