Christ Comes Calling: Mark 1:14-20 - Third Sunday after Epiphany

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.

Abandoned fishing boat by Jim Makos.  Creative commons image on flickr.

Which of the following did God NOT command: (Answer at the end)

1. The prophet Isaiah to walk around naked for three years
2. The prophet Hosea to marry a wife of ill repute
3. Ezekiel to bake bread for himself over flaming cow patties
4. King David to build the temple in Jerusalem
5. John of Patmos (the author of Revelation) to eat a scroll

Did you get this morning’s Bible trivia?

God has a way of appearing at the most inopportune times and calling them to do difficult and even bizarre tasks.

Jesus kept that up in his ministry, right out of the gate: he walks along the shoreline and sees Simon Peter and Andrew, two fishermen, casting their nets into the sea.  Jesus says, “follow me and I will make you fish for people.” Immediately, they leave their nets and follow him.  He goes a little farther and sees James and John in their fishing boat, mending the nets.  He calls them, and they also leave their nets and their father, and follow him.

Now I can’t imagine these four individuals knew what Jesus was getting them into.  And yet, in an instant, they leave behind their jobs, their income, their father, and the life they’d always known.  How could they do such a thing?  Do you think they knew how they would fish for people?

I don’t know about you, but I don’t think I could do such a thing—to drop everything in a split second and follow Jesus to who-knows-where.  It’s tempting to think, these are “exceptional men” whom Jesus called because they had exceptional faith.  But as the Gospel narrative progresses, they will not prove worthy of such adulation.  Ultimately, the discipleship vocation ends in spectacular failure.  But they don’t get fired.  Instead, after Jesus is raised from the dead, he gives them an even bigger task: build my church.

Make no mistake: Jesus doesn’t call these folks because they’re the worthiest or the most qualified.  It’s not because they’ll have the most faith (because they won’t).  And they don’t follow Jesus because they have nothing to lose. 

They leave their nets and their father because Jesus calls them.  They will fish for people because Jesus sends them.  And they will build the church because Jesus is with them. 

When Jesus shows up, he gets people involved in the ministry of God’s kingdom. 

The message of today’s Gospel is that Jesus is going to show up in your life—unexpectedly, by surprise, and call you too.  And if that doesn’t make you uncomfortable, it should…

Following Jesus is the riskiest and most uncomfortable thing you will ever do.  You’re giving up control over your life.  You are staking your security on a promise.  You are purposely getting in over your head.

When Jesus called the four disciples, they were busy working.  Many of you have jobs, too—as well as commitments and obligations that occupy you from early in the morning until late at night (or even 24/7).  There’s laundry, cleaning, bills to pay; doctor’s appointments; school activities and sports.  When you’re busy, exhaustion is never far behind.

If all that wasn’t enough, we live in a culture values winning and success above all else—and wealth to buy the nicest possessions.  Very few get to live the good life you see on TV.

And there’s so much fear and stress: of nuclear war; recession; pollution; chaos in Washington and Harrisburg; drugs on the streets; bullies in the schools; and the always-present chance that everything you’ve built your life upon will all go up in flames in an instant.

There’s even church-related stress: Are we still going to be here in ten years?  Why aren’t people coming?  What’s going to happen of “so-and-so” can’t do “this or that” for us anymore?

But Jesus’ presence is nothing to speculate. 

God’s kingdom is arising just beyond behind the worldly realities that consume your time and attention.  And Jesus is definitely going to call you to be a part of it, I guarantee you.  When Jesus shows up, he gets people involved.  He’s going to surprise you at work or at school; at home or on the go; whenever and wherever you least expect him.  When he says, “follow me,” you will have a million good reasons to say “no.”

Yet here’s why you should say “yes”: spiritual transformation happens when you take risks, give up control, accept vulnerability, embrace discomfort and let God be in control. It happens when you walk in the way of his death and resurrection.

You must know that Jesus’ call marks the beginning of the saving grace that God wants you experience to the utmost in your life as a disciple.  Jesus doesn’t call you to do stuff “for him.”  Jesus calls you to minister “with him.”  God’s call begins with the gift of relationship.  And it’s not a private relationship.  Jesus builds a Body upon himself which we know as the Church.  In that body you welcome the stranger as we would Jesus himself.  In that body we bring out each other’s God-given best.  We bring out each other’s faith.

As part of that Body, Jesus sends you to where God is tearing open everything that binds people into poverty, alienation, and fear.  Together, you go out to see his love for you reflected in the faces of people for whom God’s love is an unknown and a mystery.  You are the voice to say to others what God has spoken to you: that you are beloved.

So if you don’t know what God’s purpose is for your life; if you’re fed up with the ways of this world; if you’re nervous of what tomorrow holds; don’t be afraid.  Be prepared: Jesus will be calling you to be the fulfillment of God’s will on earth as in heaven.  Sometimes his call is to immediate and drastic transformation.  Most of the time, Jesus will call you amid the ordinariness of daily life; to transform everything you do from completing tasks to praising God and sharing in his love for the good of those around you.  God’s kingdom is arising just beyond behind the worldly realities that consume your time and attention.  Heed Jesus’ call not as a duty but as a promise and invitation into the life of God’s kingdom.  The present order of things is passing away.  A new reality is dawning.

Which of the following did God NOT command:

1. The prophet Isaiah to walk around naked for three years (Isaiah 20:1-6)
2. The prophet Hosea to marry a wife of ill repute (Hosea 1:2-4)
3. Ezekiel to bake bread for himself over flaming cow patties (Ezekiel 4:9-15)
4. King David to build the temple in Jerusalem (No!  Solomon built the Temple 2 Samuel 7:4-17)
5. John of Patmos (the author of Revelation) to eat a scroll (Revelation 10:8-10)