Rev'd Up for Sunday
Listen along as the priests of St. Mark's, New Canaan (Peter Walsh, Elizabeth Garnsey, and John Kennedy) gear up for Sunday. Each week the preacher will lead a discussion of the scriptures of the day. Sometimes irreverent, often witty, always filled with love for our Lord: don’t miss these conversations about the questions, mysteries, and hope these three find in the Bible.
Rev'd Up for Sunday
"What's in a Name?" John 1:29-42 | Episode 240
In this week's Gospel text, Jesus is named "The Lamb of God" and Simon becomes Cephas/Peter. Elizabeth Garnsey and John Kennedy dive into these different names and the symbolism found in their stories. Plus, John offers a hot take on Anselm's theory of atonement and how it might've been misunderstood all along.
Questions for Further Discussion:
Themes and Application
- Names matter deeply in this passage: Jesus is named, Simon is renamed Peter, and John the Baptizer points away from himself. How do names and labels shape identity, vocation, and calling in our own lives?
- Jesus does not explain, persuade, or argue. He invites. How does “come and see” challenge modern expectations that faith should be fully explained or defended upfront?
- Discipleship in John is deeply imitative. We become who we follow. Who or what do you notice shaping your habits, values, and imagination right now?
Personal Reflection
- Which title for Jesus in this passage resonates most with you right now, and why? Lamb of God, Rabbi, Messiah, Son of God, Light, Word?
- What does “abiding” mean in your daily life? Where do you sense yourself truly dwelling, spiritually or emotionally?
- Can you recall a moment when being “seen” or “named” by someone changed how you understood yourself?
Broader Spiritual Considerations
- How does rethinking sacrifice reshape our image of God? What might it mean to say God absorbs violence rather than demands it?
- The discussion frames sin less as rule-breaking and more as separation, division, and “us vs. them.” How does this understanding change repentance or reconciliation?
- If Jesus shows us what true humanity looks like, what habits, assumptions, or behaviors might need to be unlearned to follow him more fully?
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Learn more about St. Mark's at https://www.stmarksnewcanaan.org