What do you want?

This sermon has not been preached.

Reading Isaiah 49:1-7; John 1:29-42

Prayer

Father God, open our hearts as we gather. Teach us to seek Christ with honesty and courage, and to follow where he leads, just as those first disciples did. Amen.

Prologue

Since Christmas, we have been looking in different ways at the start of Jesus’ ministry. John starts by telling his readers who Jesus is, then we watch as that becomes clear to the people around him, or they avoid the truth. The other gospels tell about Jesus’ beginnings as stories of his birth and childhood, and how he was recognised.

Introduction

All the Gospels mention John the Baptist to a greater or lesser extent. This morning we see John doing the job he was sent to do. That was to point out the Messiah to the people. John has disciples of his own, they have come to him to repent and be baptised. The act of baptising is what is going to reveal to him who the messiah is. He has seen the spirit of God come down and remain on Jesus, so now he knows. John’s job now is to send people to Jesus. He is not to hang on to his disciples, but to pass them on.

Calling Disciples

We are used to Jesus calling the disciples, perhaps by walking past them and saying ‘follow me’. That isn’t how it always happens. Here we see the new disciples being told to follow Jesus.

Lamb of God / light for the Gentiles

They are told he is the Lamb of God. John has already explained that the Lamb of God takes away the sin of the world.

The title “Lamb of God” is found only in John.

I wonder if John’s disciples were aware of just how far that title went.

As we heard in the Isaiah reading:

“It is too small a thing for you to be my servant
to restore the tribes of Jacob
and bring back those of Israel I have kept.
I will also make you a light for the Gentiles,
that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.”

These were young men, with little eduction, so I doubt they would understand the enormity of what was happening. But like good disciples, they do as they are told and follow Jesus.

Follow

It’s quite difficult, I think, to get a proper picture of just what’s happening here.

They are at Bethany, on the other side of the Jordan. There are two Bethanys, so this is how this one is distinguished. John is there baptizing, so there are a lot of strangers about. People have come from far and wide to see him and be baptised, there are also a number of highly sceptical religious leaders. Jesus has also been baptised – that’s how John knows who He is.

These two are following Jesus, but it isn’t like someone following you down the High Street. The tone when you turn around and ask “What do you want?” is completely different. Their following is not creepy or threatening in any way.

What do you want?

Nevertheless, Jesus still has to turn around and ask them the question. “What do you want?”.

It seems a rather vague question. If I ask you, “What do you want?” I wonder how you’d respond.

“I want this sermon to end”

or perhaps it would be more philosophical

"I want peace of mind." or

“I want wars to stop”

Context

Without context, it’s difficult to know what I’m really asking. We all have so many different wants.

So let’s set some context to the question Jesus is asking. Firstly, remember that the two would be disciples have come to him at the direction of John the Baptist, so it is reasonable to assume that the context is within discipleship somehow.

Secondly, our translation does not help. The Greek word translated ‘want’, is more usually translated ‘seek’, which is true in most of the other places it is used in the NT, and also true of a lot of other translations of the Bible.

So, perhaps we can better understand the question as “What are you seeking?”, or “What are you looking for?”

If I was to ask you, “What are you seeking?”, I’m pretty sure that I’d get a very different answer. So, what are you seeking? – Think about that, while we hear what the two disciples said.

The Answer

If you thought the question was a bit vague, the answer will seem very odd indeed. They answer Jesus’ question with another question.

“Where are you staying?”

This is apparently a middle eastern way of saying that they want to get to know you better. So we might have said something like, “Can we be friends?”.

Although I don’t think I’ve said that to anyone since I was six.

What were they seeking?

It all begs the question, “What were they really seeking?” They had been followers of John, and therefore presumably baptised by him. So they understood that they needed to get right with God, and that was definitely something they were seeking.

The Messiah

Expecting the messiah and looking out for Him had become something of a national obsession with the Israelites at that time. They were desperate to get their country back from the Romans, as the oppression they perceived was getting worse and worse. For devout young men, this is also a priority.

Jesus invites them to where ever he is staying, and they spent some time with him. It’s 4pm, and the day, which starts and ends with sunset, is really nearly over. Sunset is around 5:30pm. I suppose talking with Jesus for an hour or an hour and a half is a pretty amazing experience.

Invite

Andrew was clearly impressed, so the next day he takes his brother Simon to meet the messiah. There is no evidence that Simon was one of John’s disciples, but judging by Andrew’s reaction, they were both looking for the messiah.

Simon → Peter

Jesus sees something in Simon, that he did not see in Andrew, and gives him the Aramaic name Cephas, which means Peter.

Our Seeking

Andrew, his friend and his brother were all wanting to find the messiah, but for those of us who have found Jesus already, there are also other things we can seek. If you haven’t found Jesus already, you may be seeking other things, that will ultimately lead you to Jesus.

Hidden, but not very well hidden around the church are six things that we might be seeking. If you could find them and bring them to me that would be very helpful.

Wisdom	James 1:5 — If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, … and it will be given to you.
Peace	Philippians 4:7 — “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Strength	Isaiah 40:31 — “But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength…”
Love	1 John 4:7 — “Let us love one another, for love comes from God.”
Guidance	Psalm 32:8 — “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go
Protection	Psalm 91:2 — I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”

Closing Prayer

“Lord Jesus, you asked your would-be disciples ‘What do you want?’. Today, as your disciples, we want you to draw us ever closer to you. Grant us wisdom to discern your way, peace to steady our hearts, strength to follow faithfully, love that reflects your own, guidance for each step, and protection in all we face. Send us out as seekers who have been found by you. Amen.”

A Fountain for the New Year

Preached at Anisha Grange on 11 January 2026 at 15:00 (not recorded).

Reading: John 7:37-44

Prayer

Heavenly Father, we thank you for the gift of this new year and for your presence that is always with us. Open our hearts today to hear your voice and refresh our souls with the living water of your Holy Spirit. Amen.

Introduction: The Promise of Something New

I know we’re almost 2 weeks into the new year now, but I think it’s still early enough to wish you all a “Happy New Year”. The new year is often a time when we reflect on the past year and decide that we would like to make some changes. This might result in a New Year's resolution. Maybe you still do that, or maybe you used to. The last one I made was years ago and is the only one I’ve ever kept. “No more new year’s resolutions”. That doesn’t mean that I don’t make changes in my life, it’s just that they don’t follow a calendar schedule.

Feast of Tabernacles

In our reading today, Jesus has been to the Feast of Tabernacles. It’s one of three Pilgrimage Festivals, where the Israelites were expected to visit Jerusalem. It is a seven-day harvest festival. One of the rituals is the water-drawing ritual. Fresh water was drawn from the Siloam Spring, located outside Jerusalem. Moving water, such as from a spring, was known as living water. As the flasks of water were brought into the Temple through the Water Gate, trumpets sounded fanfare. A priest would pour a flask of this freshly drawn water onto the corner of the altar, along with the regular morning offering.

The Invitation: "If Anyone is Thirsty"

At the end of the festival, picking up on the theme of living water, Jesus stands up and cries out: "Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink." The symbolism would have been obvious to them.

For us, perhaps think about a hot summer day after a long walk. There is nothing quite like a glass of cold, clear water. It revives you. It makes you feel human again.

Jesus isn't talking about a dry throat here; He is talking about a dry spirit. Sometimes, life can feel a bit "dry." We might feel lonely, or tired, or wonder what the purpose of this next year is. Jesus looks at every person here and says, "If you are thirsty for peace, if you are thirsty for hope, come to me."

You don’t have to be strong to come to Jesus. You only have to be thirsty.

The Promise: Streams of Living Water

He goes on to say something incredible in verse 38. "Out of the believer’s heart shall flow rivers of living water." The word translated as ‘heart’ literally means ‘belly’, but if we used that, it would give completely the wrong idea. In our culture, the heart represents the centre of our being.

Notice He doesn’t say a "trickle" or a "drop." He says rivers.

In Ezekiel 47 there is a vision of a trickle of water leaving the temple. It becomes a stream then eventually a river of pure water that empties enough water into the Dead Sea, one of the saltiest places known. There is so much of God’s water flowing that the Dead Sea is purified.

Even if you feel like you don't have much to give right now, God’s Holy Spirit is like a spring that never runs dry. This means that in this coming year, we have a source of joy that doesn't depend on the news, or our health, or even how we feel when we wake up.

This "Living Water" is the Holy Spirit, that John says is promised in v39. It is God’s own presence living inside us, refreshing our hearts even when the world outside feels weary.

The Response: Who is This Man?

In the final verses (40-44), we see the crowd arguing. Some say, "He is the Prophet." Others say, "He is the Messiah." Others are sceptical because of where He came from.

They were so busy arguing about the details that many of them forgot to actually drink.

As we start this year, we don't need to have all the answers. We don't need to understand every mystery of the Bible or know exactly what the future holds. The question for us isn't "Can I explain Jesus?" but rather "Will I trust Him?"

A Prayer for the Year Ahead

As we head into this New Year, remember that we carry a fountain within us.

• When we feel worried: Drink from His peace.
• When we feel lonely: Remember His presence.
• When we feel like the "old me" is tired: Let His "Living Water" make us new.

God isn't finished with our story. Every morning is a new beginning, and His ‘living water’ is flowing today.

A Short Closing Prayer

Lord, we thank you for these dear friends. As we begin this New Year, refresh our spirits. When we feel thirsty for hope, remind us of your promise. Let your Living Water flow through our hearts.

Amen.

 

References 

 

John for everyone, part 1.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sukkot

The sermon was developed from a 'Gemini AI' script 

 

 

Reset

Preached at Christ church, Billericay on 4 January 2026 at 10:00

Link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OW4Tstb0kFo, from 28:55 to 42:34

Prayer

Gracious Father, we come seeking your presence and your wisdom. Speak to us today, and help us to walk in the grace you so freely give.

New Year

Well, although it’s not our new year, the church year starts at Advent, it is still the civic New Year, so I should wish you all “Happy New Year”. The start of the new year can be a bit of a reset. As we reflect on 2025, and decide that we’re not going to do that again, or we need to do things better, or at least differently. This is where new year’s resolutions come from. It’s common to think of improving our diet, reducing alcohol, taking more exercise – which seems to be the cure for most of our ills, these days. Suddenly, people join the gym.

Perhaps you are going to try a spiritual reset. To try to read your bible more, or pray more.

Quit Day

The problem is these things rarely last. The second Friday of January is being called “quit day” (there’s already a TV advert showing a crowd of people leaving a gym). That’s next Friday, only 9 days into the year. Mostly, it’s better to change your habits when there’s something more impactful than a calendar date.

If you’re going to try a spiritual reset, the first ‘in-church’ prayer evening is next Wednesday at 7:45pm, two days before ‘quit day’.

Jeremiah

In the Jeremiah reading, the Israelites are in a bad way. Jerusalem has been defeated. They are tired and possibly injured by the war. They have been forced across the desert by their enemies. It has been a long and difficult journey. They feel abandoned by their God:

Psalm 137:4 How can we sing the songs of the LORD while in a foreign land?

Here, we see God is promising a return from exile. Not only that, but the return will be easy, as we see from 31:9.

They will come with weeping;
    they will pray as I bring them back.
I will lead them beside streams of water
    on a level path where they will not stumble,
because I am Israel’s father,
    and Ephraim is my firstborn son.

The promise should reset their thinking, allowing them to focus more on the future than the past. They will still have a lot of thinking and praying to do as they try to understand the disaster that has befallen them. Their thinking has to turn from “why did God abandon us?” to “why did we ignore God and His love for us?”.

What it teaches us

The experience of the Israelites, is no different from the experience of so many people in our world today. Millions have been displaced by war, or famine. They will all feel abandoned, and will not understand the culture of the countries they end up in. They just want to go home and resume their normal life.

Gaza refugees

I was struck by the scenes of the refugees in Gaza when the fighting stopped. Endless streams of people, carrying what little they had left. Making their way along the wide dusty road, with piles of rubble, destroyed homes and businesses, on either side, heading back to their homes – if they even existed now.

Like the Israelites, they will face the painful work of rebuilding and re‑thinking their future.

John 1

John, on the other hand, doesn’t want there to be too much of a reset in people's thinking as they read his Gospel. Today we are looking at his prologue. John is setting the scene, and providing the context for the story of Jesus’s life, death and resurrection.

Unlike the other gospels, where the question “Who is this man?” is slowly uncovered, John dives straight in.

¹ In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ² He was with God in the beginning. ³ Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.

So, Jesus is the Word, who was with God, and who was God. We see the beginnings of Trinitarian understanding here, though John’s main emphasis is on Jesus as Creator. Verse 3 links Him back to creation. All the “God said” verses in Genesis chapter 1 are Jesus, the Word creating everything.

That alone, is not enough, John also tells us that the Word has life, the implication being that all life comes from Him, and Him alone. His life is what gives us our ‘light’. The light Christ gives us is what awakens and shapes our moral conscience. It’s that quality within us that enables us, encourages us to do good.

As James 1 say

¹⁷ Everything good comes from God. Every perfect gift is from him. These good gifts come down from the Father who made all the lights in the sky. But God never changes like the shadows from those lights. He is always the same. ¹⁸ God decided to give us life through the true message he sent to us. He wanted us to be the most important of all that he created.

Darkness

There is also a darkness inside each one of us, which again goes back to Genesis and the story of how sin entered the world. The darkness though has not overcome the light.

I remember being on a small, narrow gauge train. We were on the first carriage, sat sideways, back to back with the people on the other side. Maybe 8 to a carriage. The little diesel engine groaned as it took us into the mountain - up hill. The driver was telling us about the mining operation, and reminding us to keep our heads down. The miners had followed the seam, it was a bit twisty in the little tunnels. Then we stopped, and the driver told us that he was going to switch the lights off so that we could see the conditions the miners worked in.

It was completely dark. You couldn't see a centimetre in front of you. On the dashboard there was the tiniest dim red light. I hadn’t noticed it before, but now I couldn’t take my eyes off it. The darkness had not overcome it.

John the Baptist

Next John introduces John the Baptist, so I’m guessing the people he was writing for will have heard of John the Baptist, and perhaps some of them were even following his teaching. John the Baptist was only a witness to the light, and that light, Jesus, was coming into the world.

He came to that which was His own – the Israelites, the descendants of those who had returned to Jerusalem and later been conquered again. They were now so far from really understanding God, that they did not recognise Him when He arrived. He was rejected by their religious leaders, well, most of them. To those who did recognise Him and welcome Him, He gave the right to become children of God.

Children of God?

If we choose to accept that right, it forms the basis of our relationship with God:

We can speak directly to God in prayer (Heb 4:16).

We are not condemned for our sins, but forgiven. (Ro 8:1)

We will inherit eternal life (Ro 8:17)

but the offer also comes with responsibilities:

Love your neighbour (Matthew 22:39)

Do justice and love mercy (Micah 6:8)

Forgive others (Matthew 6:14–15)

Care for the poor and oppressed (Isaiah 1:17)

Accepting that right, is a major reset in anyone’s life.

The birth

In verse 14 we are told that the Word, became flesh, this is as near as John gets to a birth narrative. Rather than concentrate on the baby, because that’s not really relevant to a prologue, we are told that the one and only Son, is full of grace and truth.

Grace

God has already been gracious in His dealings with the Israelites, He has given them the Law and the Prophets to guide them, but they have chosen to ignore both. Even when they suffered the consequences of their action, He rescued them and returned them to their land. Now there is more grace from God, as He sent His son to guide all people everywhere. This is not a reset in God’s thinking, this is part of His long term plan.

Reset

If we are going to take this opportunity to reset our thinking, to review our spirituality, to determine to go in a better direction, let’s remember the grace that we have been given, and determine to have that same grace with others that God has with us.

In 2025 the world seems to have become a darker place, with more wars and hatred. So, let us shine Jesus’s spiritual light on the world. We can either be a reflection of Jesus’s light, [Show a mirror] or we can be a refraction of Jesus’s light [Show 'Dark side of the Moon cover'], and just pass on some of what we receive. This light cannot be overcome, it will continue to shine however deep the darkness gets, until perhaps it is the only thing we can see.

Or, it could become so bright that it's the only thing we can see 

Amen.

References 

• https://www.psephizo.com/biblical-studies/jesus-the-word-become-flesh-in-john-1/
• https://mypastoralponderings.com/2025/01/03/living-in-the-real-world-with-god-my-sermon-on-john-11-18-and-ephesians-13-14/
• https://www.mfbc.org/hp_wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Hand-Out-for-John-1.1-18-Sermon.pdf
• https://shortpowerfulsermons.com/john-11-18-in-the-beginning-was-the-word/ 
• https://biblehub.com/q/archeological_proof_of_israel's_regathering.htm
• https://biblehub.com/q/Archaeological_proof_for_Jeremiah_31_events.htm
• https://www.bibliaplus.org/en/commentaries/138/peter-petts-commentary-on-the-bible/jeremiah/31/7-14
• https://desperatepreacher.com/sermonbuilder/a_2c.htm
• https://desperatepreacher.com/sermonbuilder/newsermons/close_to_the_fathers_heart.htm
• https://youtu.be/5VJMgzvrTZA?si=d_Z5BxkJpkKBHV2m. The prologue 
• https://www.workingpreacher.org/commentaries/revised-common-lectionary/second-sunday-of-christmas-3/commentary-on-jeremiah-317-14-10
• https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2025/12/31/3211800/0/en/Why-Most-New-Year-s-Resolutions-Fail-by-January-And-How-to-Make-Them-Stick-in-2026.html