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
No comments:
Post a Comment