Monday, January 29, 2018

The In-Between - St. Mark's Messenger Feb. 2018

Read the full Messenger here.

Exec meeting.  Council meeting. Various committee meetings.  Visit parishioners.  Write sermon.  Finish Installation bulletin.  Start next week’s sermon. Review bulletin.  Return E-mails.  Be installed.  Contact new visitors.  Write Messenger Article.   Check one box then add two more.  The cycle continues.

I do my best to keep a running to-do list.  I maintain a notebook that has notes from various meetings, observations and ideas, and above all my to-do lists.  But as quickly as I complete one task, two more take its place.  As the list grows and evolves so does the need to prioritize and re-assess, weighing what is most important or most urgent.  So I create a new list, reorganizing again and again, prioritizing the various tasks.  I know that I make the list, but somehow the list seems to have power over me.

I think the revolving to-do list is indicative of life, constantly adding and completing tasks.  Work project due.  Kid’s practice.  Bill due.  Doctor’s appointment. Write paper.   One task after the other we become beholden to our endless to-dos, organizing and prioritizing our lists, day after day, week after week.  We all have lists, whether we write them down or not.  And before we know it we’re stuck in a rut or routine, a metaphorical plateau.  We move from task to task, checking items off one at a time. 

In January my family was in town for the installation service.  One afternoon I was talking with my dad, reflecting on the first few months of ministry at St. Mark’s.  I shared with him the many conversations, visitations, projects, and meetings that have taken place already.  As I shared my experiences I began to realize that the most meaningful, spiritual, and faithful ministry moments have not been on my to-do list.  They happen during the in-between moments of my various tasks.  They happen outside of my self-assessed priorities.  No matter how organized I try to be, and despite my efforts to plan and anticipate, the most meaningful moments of ministry happen in the unexpected, unprompted, and unplanned moments of my day.

Certainly it is no surprise to me that God seems most active and most present when I least expect or anticipate it.  After all we have a rich Biblical history of God being present in the most unexpected times and places.  Maybe I need to start adding blank lines to my to-do lists as intentional reminders to be open to God’s unique timing. 

If we’re not careful and attentive then our church calendar and lectionary cycle can lure us into a rut and routine of “checklist” Sundays.  Reformation—Check. All Saints—Check.  Advent—Check.  Christmas Eve—Check.  Ash Wednesday—Check.  Easter—Check.  Too often our tendency is to countdown from one major Christian holiday to the next—from one festival Sunday to the next.  And although there is much to be gained spiritually from these major Sundays, God is at work during the in-between time too.  For instance, each Sunday of Epiphany (between Christmas and Lent) is filled with a new revelation of Jesus in the world.  Each week is an opportunity to reflect on the manifestation of Jesus in our lives in a new way.  During Lent we not only countdown to Easter, but we spend several weeks intentionally wrestling with our sins, our mortality, and our need for a savior. 

This year I invite you to (re)invest in the in-between moments.  I intend to start with Lent.  Between the tasks of Ash Wednesday and Easter Sunday, I invite you to be intentionally present and open to God’s work during the in-between time.  Be alert and receptive to the Spirit’s work in the unexpected, unprompted, and unplanned moments.  I invite you to make the in-between time a priority this Lenten season.


Lent 2018 – Worship Opportunities
Feb. 13—Shrove Tuesday Breakfast
Feb. 14—Ash Wednesday Service (12 and 7pm)
Feb. 21, 28; Mar. 7, 14, 21—Midweek dinner (5:00-6:15pm) and worship (6:30pm)
Mar. 29—Maundy Thursday (7:00pm)
Mar. 30—Good Friday (7:00pm)
Mar. 31—Easter Vigil (7:00pm)
April 1—Easter Sunday (9:30am)


It Blows My Mind - Epiphany 3B Sermon

Listen to the sermon here.

Mark 1:14-20
14Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God, 15and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.” 16As Jesus passed along the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the sea—for they were fishermen. 17And Jesus said to them, “Follow me and I will make you fish for people.” 18And immediately they left their nets and followed him. 19As he went a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John, who were in their boat mending the nets. 20Immediately he called them; and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men, and followed him.
Chances are they probably would’ve lived nice, quiet, and comfortable life.  Spend their days, from sun up to sun down wading the waters and casting their nets.  Each and every day they would rise to do their work, faithfully and diligently.  With pride. And occasionally joy. At the end of the day they would sell or trade their fish for any necessities they might need to care for their families.  And every day this would most likely be their routine.   Paddle, cast, collect, sell, sleep.   Rinse and repeat.  It would’ve probably been a nice, quiet life. Sure, it would’ve been a bit predictable…maybe mundane.  But it was no doubt comfortable.

That’s the life of the soon-to-be called disciples we meet in today’s text.  Simon, Andrew, James, and John.  All fishermen by trade or inheritance.  All hard at work within the comfort of their predictable and safe lives.  Then along comes Jesus on the recruiting trail.

Today’s text is one that never fails to blow my mind.  No matter how many times I read it, it still has a significant shock factor with me.  Don’t get me wrong, there are a lot of stories and miracles and acts in scripture that have huge shock value and just blow my mind, but today’s Gospel reading for some reason…it always puzzles me.

Today Jesus enters into Galilee.  And he’s recruiting, assembling, calling, inviting this curious bunch of essentially strangers to become disciples.  First up we meet two sets of brothers, Andrew and Simon, James and John. All four are fisherman.  

And on this random day, a day that only God could predict. a day when they likely woke up like any other day...Took care of the house as they needed to, cared for any animals they might have, mended their boats and their nets for the days work, and then set off into the sea of Galilee for fishing…which was most likely their families’ business.   A day like any other..

And on this random day, a day only God could predict, a man, a rabbi, a stranger comes walking by the shore.  A man named Jesus (whom they probably didn’t know), and Jesus looks at them and says “You.  Come and Follow Me.”  “come and follow me and I will make you to become fishers of men.”

Now in my mind I always create this image of two brothers looking puzzled at each other and thinking, why would anyone ever fish for people.   I envision them casting nets over the congregation, pulling it tight to the boat and saying “we caught some.”   

Or I can remember some cartoon where the character brings his rod back in order to cast and ends up catching another character behind him.   Or goofy who manages to hook and catch him self.  But the part that has always blow my mind is that Jesus says “You.  Come and Follow Me and I will make you to become fishers of men.”

And they do...Immediately.  Without hesitation or inquiry.  No doubt, no rebuttal, no proof of whom this Jesus guy might be, they drop everything…. their families, their careers, their lives they drop it and they go.  It’s almost a little unbelievable.  And every time I read it, or a story like it in another gospel account, it blows my mind.

Perhaps they were speechless or confused or genuinely enticed and intrigued?  Maybe the author chose to leave the extensive dialogue...with all the questions and doubts as well as Jesus’ sales pitch out of the text. Maybe they’ve heard about someone else in history who doubted and disobeyed God’s call and was subsequently eaten by a whale?

Regardless, today’s story of Jesus calling disciples is almost unbelievable. Jesus bids, “come follow” and without hesitation or doubt or rebuttal….Without any knowledge of what they’re getting into, how long they’ll be gone, where their going, what they’ll witness…. they go…And It always blows my mind…

Honestly I think it blows my mind because it is a level of discipleship that I’m not very comfortable with.  If this is the model of discipleship that Jesus is calling...If this is the model of discipleship that the Scripture will continue to unfold for us...If this is the model of discipleship that you and I are in fact called to...It’s honestly a bit terrifying to me...

Simon Andrew James and John, you don’t know me, but come and follow!   Ok

Last week I shared my own fear and hesitation to consent instantly to a life changing decision.  It took me two years to pick a major in college.  It took me two more after college to realize I was called to structural engineering.  It took 7 years to even consider that seminary might be my calling.  You’re familiar with these kinds of life changing decisions I’m sure; What career path should I choose?  Is it time for a new career?  Is the right time to buy or sell a house?  Move closer to family?  Move further away from family?  Should we call a new, young-ish, fresh out of seminary pastor?  Is it the right time to have a child?  What gifts do I have, and what do I use them for?  How should I spend my time each day…my energy…or money?  Am I really doing what I love to do?   Am I happy?  Is it the right time to retire?   Is it time to consider moving to a retirement home or nursing facility?  

None of these milestone, life-changing decisions come quickly or easily...and if you think about the amount of time we spend in our lives making decisions about this various things...it’s crazy!

So when I hear the Gospel text for today, about these teenagers who drop everything they’ve ever known to follow a stranger into the unknown with a weird invitation to fish for people...they don’t second guess or hesitate...they go.

I’m terrified that I have never and will never be able to live up to that level of discipleship.

Here’s the truly mind blowing part...the scary part…
            This discipleship that Jesus calls people into
            This model of discipleship that the scriptures will unfold for us…
            This model of leave everything-and-go discipleship
Is exactly what you and I are called to.
            We are called...by Jesus to “come, follow, and to go.”    

Are you ready, willing, able, excited to drop everything and follow Christ?  Because that’s exactly what we’re called into.

And with Andrew and Simon and James and John and others to come as our model, maybe then it is that today’s text offers us a little more about this calling.  Maybe there is something more here that can give us guidance and help to calm our, well at least my anxieties.  So what does the text tell us?

First, Jesus Christ first claims us.  Andrew and Simon and James and John they haven’t seen any spectacular miracles or acts of Jesus.  They haven’t heard and parables or teachings.  They haven’t seen anything to validate who Jesus is or whether they should even follow him.  In fact, the only details Jesus gives them is that they will be made to become fishermen of people, and yet they go to be his disciples.

They are elected to discipleship simply through the fact that Jesus first claims them.  It’s not so much that Jesus gave them the option to be a disciple, but rather Jesus chose them to be disciples.

Their discipleship isn’t dependent upon their occupation, gifts, or interests.  Their discipleship isn’t dependent upon who they will become.  Their discipleship isn’t a status or rank that they will one day hope to achieve.  Rather, they are made disciples because Jesus Christ has first claimed them.  Sound familiar?

In the water’s of baptism, God first claims us. We are bid in the water to “come and follow,”  “to die and rise.”   We die to our old selves and we are made new.   We are called out of our old life and born into new life in Jesus Christ.  We are marked with cross, sealed by the spirit,  and we are made disciples because we are claimed.  It’s not something we will earn or achieve, but rather a mark of our inheritance in God’s gift of grace, God’s invitation of eternal life to come and follow.

The kind of discipleship that Jesus is calling is not for us to consider or work towards…it is our new identity in baptism.  It is who we are.  Disciples of Christ.  Simon Andrew James and John are elected to discipleship simply through the fact that Jesus claims them and so are we.

This means we don’t’ have to worry about our qualifications or worthiness…our gifts or abilities.  Because we have already been claimed by Jesus.  We have been made disciples.

When Jesus invites the disciples to come and follow, our translation says “Follow me and I will make you fish for people.”  This translation can make it sound as though fishing for people were a task to be completed.

And I don’t think our translation does Jesus’ words true justice.  The original Greek is better off translated as “Follow me, and I will make you to become fishers for people.”   In this translation fishing for people is no longer a task, but rather becoming fishers of people is a new identity.

Jesus is promising, giving, inviting them into a whole new life.  A new identity.   And thus, the model of discipleship that the scriptures will unfold is one that is directly tied to Christ.  Identity in and through Christ.  And therefore any future work or act done by them is not in effort to achieve discipleship but rather because they are a disciple claimed and called by Christ.

The same is then true with us. Our identity as disciples is tied to Jesus.  Jesus acting through us.  Every action we take, gift we use, choice we make, relationship formed, committee served, outreach supported is not about us making disciple-like decisions, steps towards becoming disciples.

We ARE disciples.  And thus every aspect of our lives should reflect Jesus. Does reflect Jesus.  Must reflect Jesus.  Jesus working through us. Bidding others to Come, Follow.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s still terrifying.  And, If we still have doubts, remember that the disciples weren’t perfect.  They were indeed claimed by Christ. But can I tell you a secret?  They still made mistakes they still messed up.  And as the Gospel narrative will unfold, despite all they’ll see and hear about – all the miracles and parables – they still mess up.

Later in Mark, Jesus clearly explains that he is going to die and the world will change, and they don’t understand him.  In fact, some doubt and hide…some betray, or deny….Despite their proximity to the words and actions of Jesus, the disciples make mistakes

This is the beginning of Mark’s gospel story.  We’re just now meeting the disciples, and learning what it means to be a disciple.  I think it is good for us to remember though, that in the end of Mark’s Gospel account, after Jesus has died and been raised, In a way that only God could predict

Jesus goes to the disciples. In Galilee, the very place he first called them to come and follow.  Jesus meets them where they are in their time of doubt and fear and betrayal and denial.  In the very place Jesus first called them,  “come, follow me” Jesus instructs them “Go….Go and make disciples.”  Claiming others in my name…Go! And they do.

Despite their doubts, betrayals, denials, and fears, Jesus reminds them of who they really are Jesus’ disciples and their identity is tied into, consumed in Jesus and therefore their work will never be done apart from God because of who and whose they are.  This is the kind of discipleship that you and I are called to.

Despite our anxieties or doubts or fears, we are made disciples.  And rather than being called to work towards discipleship, or engage in disciple like actions.  Everything we do is tide to our identity in Christ.

Everything we do inside and outside of theses walls, this community, ever task we complete, relationship we form, act we take, career we choose, choice we make is a witness to the love, forgiveness, grace, mercy, peace, and call of God.

A God will continue to always…ALWAYS…meet us where we are…Make us new, and invite us to come, follow, and go...and it always blows my mind.

© Pastor Daniel Locke on January 21, 2018 @ St. Mark's Lutheran Jacksonville, FL

Thursday, January 18, 2018

Come and See! - Epiphany 2B Sermon

Listen here.

John 1:43-51
The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Follow me.” 44Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. 45Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found him about whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus son of Joseph from Nazareth.” 46Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” 47When Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him, he said of him, “Here is truly an Israelite in whom there is no deceit!” 48Nathanael asked him, “Where did you get to know me?” Jesus answered, “I saw you under the fig tree before Philip called you.” 49Nathanael replied, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” 50Jesus answered, “Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than these.” 51And he said to him, “Very truly, I tell you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.”
"Oh my gosh you have to come and see if for yourself! It was so incredible!  I mean By far one of the best weekends of my life!   You have to come and see!  You have to register and experience it for yourself!"

That was the sales pitch from one of my high school youth friends, following what was apparently the best weekend of her life.  And it was all the detail she gave me until I stopped her and said, “what are you talking about…”

"TEC!   You have to come and do TEC!"    

"Do TEC," I said?  What is TEC and how do I do it?"  

"TEC! It’s Hand-in-hand Teens Encounter Christ."

Now she paused at that moment...as though the name alone would register some major epiphany within me. I suppose my continued blank stare cued her to explain a bit more.  

As it turns out, TEC stands for Teens Encounter Christ, and it is a weekend retreat for high school youth and intentionally led in part by mostly high school youth. It is a highly structured, well-thought-out weekend retreat that intentional focuses on renewing faith.  Some of you may have heard of Via-De-Cristo, which is an adult weekend retreat with a similar focus. Both have their roots in the Roman Catholic Church.

Now in truth, these weekend retreats are powerful, informative, challenging, affirming, and emotional.  The weekend is filled with talks given by peers, fellowship activities, interactive team building, skits, songs, etc... and many, many surprises. So many surprises in fact that it becomes very difficult to talk about your experience of these weekends without giving away all of the surprises.  This was the problem for my high school youth group friend.  She was so excited and overwhelmed with joy from her weekend retreat that she just couldn’t put it all into words.  And so she was only able to invite me to come and see.

And I suspect the majority of us have at one time or another been frustrated or annoyed by someone who desperately wants you to experience the same thing they did.  Oh you have to come see this show or movie.  Oh you have to hear this song…you have to watch this YouTube video or see this cat meme.  Whatever it may be, you just have to see it for yourself.  I can’t explain it, you have to experience it on your own. It’s the old LaVar Burton on Reading Rainbow…“but don’t take my word for it.”  Come and see for yourself.

And I suspect the majority of us have also been that person at one time or another...desperately eager to share our experience with someone, and we just can’t quite put it into words or do it justice by your own reinterpretation, and so we hope that if they would just come and see for themselves then they might experience at least a fraction of our joy.

That was my high school youth friend coming off her mountain top experience...full of joy and excitement...desperate for others to come and see.  She jumped up and down, she did the best she could to describe her experience without spoiling too much, but ultimately words failed, and I just have to come see for myself.  

Today’s gospel text marks the beginning of Jesus’ ministry in the gospel of John.   A ministry of come and see.  Jesus has been baptized and declared the lamb of God by John the Baptist.  Jesus has encountered Andrew and Peter, previous followers of John the Baptist and he’s bid them to come and see.  Today Jesus continues on to Galilee and encounters more disciples-to-be along the way.  I like to envision Jesus as though he’s on the recruiting trail.  Moving town to town, shore to shore, meeting unsuspecting people along the way who in the end become major  characters in the genesis story of Christianity.  

Jesus calling from the shores come and follow.  Jesus encountering folks in their various walks of life, nestled in the comfort of their daily routines...bidding them to come and be a disciple.  Bidding them to come and see.

Today Jesus first meets Philip from Bethsaida.  Now I find Philip’s calling into discipleship just remarkable.  Jesus says, “Follow me.”  That is the extent of Philip’s interaction with Jesus.  

That’s his call story.  It’s as though Philip’s consent and entrance to discipleship is so guaranteed after meeting Jesus that the gospel writer needs not spend any more time on Philip.  No follow-up statement that says, and Philip followed Jesus.  Just “follow me.”  


Perhaps I’m so aghast by Philip’s entrance into discipleship because it is so counter to most of our lives.   I can’t imagine myself every consenting so fast to such a life changing decision.  I’m an over thinker, an analytic, a processor...weighing the options, assessing the risk.  If writer of the gospel wrote, And Jesus found Daniel and said “follow me….” the writer would exhaust all ink explaining away the process by which I eventually would respond with … “ok, sure.”    

When was the last time someone bid you to come and see something and you just did.  No hesitation or debate, you just consented whole-heartedly because you believed in the invitation?   

My friend went on for weeks, raving about her experience ….until finally three other youth group friends and I consented and hesitantly agreed to come and see for ourselves.   Her invitation to come and see was so vague and I was so skeptical.   She offered very little description of the weekend and even less in way of expectations.   It seemed that rule number one of TEC was that you don’t talk about TEC.  I was hesitant because I didn’t know what was going to happen.  I was nervous that I would have to be  vulnerable and share in small groups.  I was scared that I would hate it and be miserable.  Or even more scared that I would love it and that I would just like her after my  weekend, unable to articulate my experience, but certain that others should come and see.  Can anything good really come out of this weekend retreat.  I was skeptical at best.  But if nothing else, we hoped that she would leave us alone if we decided to go see for ourselves.  So we went.

In our gospel text, Philip, the immediate follower of Christ finds Nathanael.  He says, “We have found him about whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus son of Joseph from Nazareth.”  46Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.”

Ah, I find Nathanael to be a refreshing character in today’s story.  He seems so much more relatable. It’s not that he’s opposed to the invitation of come and see, but he has his doubts.  He has managed expectations.  He’s open to hear and see more, if for no other reason then to oblige his friend Philip.

TEC: Teens Encounter Christ.  As it turns out, TEC was a remarkable experience.  It was a challenging and affirming retreat, in which faith was renewed and cultivated.  And yes, I left TEC just like my friend...jumping up and down, unable to articulate my experience, but I desperately wanted people to share in my experience.  You just have to come and see for yourself.

Whether you relate best with Philip and his humble and immediate entrance discipleship or with Nathanael and his skeptic, yet open response to the opportunity to “come and see” the emphasis within today’s text is not so much the response, but rather the invitation itself.

Jesus invites the disciples and us to come and see.  Jesus calling from the shores come and follow. Jesus meeting us in our various walks of life, nestled in the comfort of our daily routines...bidding us to come and be a disciple.  To come and see.

In the waters of baptism, God claims us through the death and resurrection of Jesus and invites into the fellowship of the body of Christ to come and see, for God is making all things new

In the bread and wine, God welcomes us to the table with the whole company of saints to partake in the body and blood of Christ, a foretaste of the feast to come, to come and see; come and taste.

And the good news this day is the God never resends God’s invitation to fellowship, and God never stops inviting.  God, jumping up and down, desperately wanting to share in God’s joy, desperately wanting us to experience God’s love and then share it.  God empowering us to find others and say,

“We have found him about whom Moses and law and also the prophets wrote!"
We have found him who forgives sins and loves unconditionally…
We have found him in whom our salvation is promised and fulfilled…
We have found him...Jesus Christ.

Invitation to fellowship.  Now the statistics can be staggering so I want present them, but when was the last time you bid someone to come and see?  Your neighbor or co-worker, someone at the gym, a classmate or friend, a stranger in the street? Come and taste.  Invited someone to the fellowship in Jesus Christ?

After all, if the forgiveness of sins IS really a good thing; if the abiding and never failing love of God is a good thing; if community within the body of Christ, sharing in the joy and sorrows daily life with brothers and sisters in Christ really is a good thing;

Then we should be bouncing out of worship, like Tigger into the streets, desperate to share our experience, desperate to articulate the good news to the best of our ability ...desperate for others to come and see for themselves.  And maybe our challenge this week is to be bold in our invitation, take a risk, seek out a sibling in Christ and invite them to fellowship, invite them to come and see.  

Because friends God is for all people, in all times, and in all places, and until all the world has come to know God’s love, we can’t help but share in the ministry of invitation.  

God never resends God’s invitation to fellowship.  
God never stops inviting.
And neither should we.


© Pastor Daniel Locke, Preached at St. Mark's Lutheran, Jacksonville, FL on 01.14.2018