When I was a child, I would wait with great expectation at the end of the sidewalk in the front of my house. I was waiting for my dad to come home from work. We had a daily ritual: I would put my feet on top of his, and we would walk together to the front steps. As hard as I tried I could only go a couple of steps, and then I would fall off. One day, after several attempts, my dad made a suggestion. He told me to hold his hands, lean back, and look into his eyes. We walked together, with no falls, to the steps. I know now my dad wanted me to look up instead of down at my feet. When I looked down I lost my balance. The secret was in seeing each other.

Our passage from the Gospel of John shows scenes from a journey. John the Baptist has been testifying and baptizing in the area of Bethany. When he is questioned by the authorities about his message, he tells them he is not the one God is sending. The next day John sees Jesus and says to his followers, “Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” John continues to describe Jesus. He tells of his baptism of Jesus. I can only imagine them leaning in and listening to John describe the event: I saw a dove descend and remain. Jesus is not only baptized with water; he receives the Holy Spirit.

The next day after the baptism the writer tells us that John is walking with his disciples. John sees Jesus and says to his disciples: “Look, here is the Lamb of God.” After hearing this, two of John’s disciples start following Jesus.