Lately I have been talking a lot--and in the future I will talk even more--about how important it is for us as a congregation to spend time dwelling in the Word together, to spend time studying the scripture together--and to study the scripture not just intellectually, but on the level of its personal meaning for each of us. Today I don't want to just talk about dwelling in the Word, today I want to do it. Because I think today's Gospel lends itself particularly well to talking together about the message of Jesus. After all, that's precisely what happens in the story, isn't it?--disciples talk with Jesus, then talk with each other about Jesus, and that's how they come to faith in Jesus. I think we can do the same here today.

So this is how it works: find one or two other people to talk with. They may be familiar friends, they may be people you've never had this kind of conversation with before. Gather in groups of two or three. I will read a bit of the Gospel to you three times, and each time I will ask you to share with each other your responses to a question about the Gospel. And as you listen to the Gospel, and listen to each other, and listen to your heart as you respond, I think we will all hear the Spirit speaking to us today. Okay? Let's do it:

NRSV: 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."

Where is your attention caught or your imagination triggered in this passage? What do you see God doing here?

The Message: The next day John was back at his post with two disciples, who were watching. He looked up, saw Jesus walking nearby, and said, "Here he is, God's Passover Lamb." The two disciples heard him and went after Jesus. Jesus looked over his shoulder and said to them, "What are you after?" They said, "Rabbi" (which means "Teacher"), "where are you staying?" He replied, "Come along and see for yourself."

What meaning does this passage have for you? What do you hear God saying to you?

NIV: The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, "Look, the Lamb of God!" When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, "What do you want?" They said, "Rabbi" (which means Teacher), "where are you staying?" "Come," he replied, "and you will see."

How do you respond to what God is saying to you in this passage? What is God calling you to do?

After our service today we will hold our Annual Parish Meeting, and in that meeting we will have the opportunity to listen for God's speaking to us, and to respond to God's call to us, as we review the year that has passed and look ahead to the year that is to come. This exercise of dwelling in the Word together can help prepare us for the work of discerning God's word in the business of our parish. The words we've shared here this morning can help us stay focused on our real work as a parish, even in the midst of budgets and financial reports and elections and all the machinery of running a parish enterprise. I hope you will remember what you heard God saying to you here, and bring it with you to the Annual Meeting, and indeed to all the things we do together as St George's.

And of course the last thing we do in dwelling in the Word is pray together, so let us pray: Gracious God, we thank you for speaking to us in Jesus, your living Word, and we thank you for speaking to us in the scripture, the written words about the Word, and we thank you for speaking to us here today as we have been dwelling in the Word. As you have given us wisdom to hear your Word, give us also the grace to do it. We ask this in Jesus' name. Amen.