Mark 1:16-20
[this is a story about being called. We are all called at some point – perhaps multiple times to multiple callings. Some calls are incumbent on us all – feed the hungry, clothe the naked, seek justice, love kindness, protect the powerless – but others are very personal. This is a story of the personal kind -- the calling of some of the first disciples who would walk with Jesus.]
As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” At once they left their nets and followed him. When he had gone a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John in a boat, preparing their nets. Without delay he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.
Last week I wrote about John the Baptist and Jesus’ baptism by John. Immediately after this event, Jesus went up into the wilderness, alone, for 40 days to pray and face his temptations. Coming out of the wilderness, he heard that John had been imprisoned by Herod. At this time Jesus went straight into Galilee and began the preaching and teaching that would be the mission of his remaining days.
Every one of the four gospels has an account of Jesus calling those who would be his disciples. The particulars of these stories vary but the calling of those who would follow him is important enough that it occurs in all four accounts. Jesus issues an invitation, and the disciples respond.
The gospel accounts deal with an “in person” invitation from Jesus. For those of us today who find ourselves on this faith journey, our invitation was probably a little less obvious and direct. I know that, for myself, my calling was less a “come and go with me” than a shutting of doors until there was only one path left open.
My own calling into ministry was, at its beginning, more a stumbling accidently into something that I then found interesting and challenging. I was called to teach within a church setting. I certainly didn’t see it at the time as a “calling.” I never planned in advance to go that direction but once there I thought I would follow that line — and then I got so excited by it all that I built a plan.
It was a really good plan — a plan to do God’s work doing something I loved — teaching the teachers. I loved doing it; it was needed; I was good at it; and it was doing a good work – what could go wrong? Right. Until it all blew up in my face and I was left with nowhere to go. (You know what they say about God laughing when we think we have plans for our lives...)
I had been so enthusiastic for my plan that I had applied for and been accepted to seminary to further the education I needed for my grand plan. I had resigned my job and was packed up and ready to move when the blow-up hit.....and so I found myself at seminary ready to study for something that was no longer a viable path for my future.
I sort of tread water for a while – I enjoyed seminary even though I didn’t know what I was doing there now. I tried creating new plans that would work with my new situation ..... and then for a while it was nothing but a series of doors closing – every time I thought I had a plan, “slam” -- until there was literally nowhere to go but the one direction I had adamantly announced I would never go — local church ministry. And here I am, 23 years later.
Obviously, calls come in all different forms. I have clergy friends who were crystal clear from childhood as to what they were meant to do with their lives and others who came to their religious calling rather late in life. And yes, calls come for many things other than clergy service. There are numberless ways to help build the kingdom of God – to help build a peaceful, caring world for all peoples. There’s teaching, medicine, home-building, hospitality, running food banks, building water systems in areas denied clean water, fighting to protect the environment – just so many things, I could go on and on.
Whenever we read the “calling” scriptures, I sort of envy the first disciples for the simple clarity of their calls – Jesus says, come with me and they jump up and go. But at the same time I do wonder if Peter and Andrew, John and James, were just going along with their lives or if they, too, thought they had actual plans for themselves before Jesus wandered by that day.
Where were you going — what were your plans — before God stopped by one day and called you to be a servant, a church-goer, a believer— a follower of Jesus? And where has that call led you?
Every one of the four gospels has an account of Jesus calling those who would be his disciples. The particulars of these stories vary but the calling of those who would follow him is important enough that it occurs in all four accounts. Jesus issues an invitation, and the disciples respond.
The gospel accounts deal with an “in person” invitation from Jesus. For those of us today who find ourselves on this faith journey, our invitation was probably a little less obvious and direct. I know that, for myself, my calling was less a “come and go with me” than a shutting of doors until there was only one path left open.
My own calling into ministry was, at its beginning, more a stumbling accidently into something that I then found interesting and challenging. I was called to teach within a church setting. I certainly didn’t see it at the time as a “calling.” I never planned in advance to go that direction but once there I thought I would follow that line — and then I got so excited by it all that I built a plan.
It was a really good plan — a plan to do God’s work doing something I loved — teaching the teachers. I loved doing it; it was needed; I was good at it; and it was doing a good work – what could go wrong? Right. Until it all blew up in my face and I was left with nowhere to go. (You know what they say about God laughing when we think we have plans for our lives...)
I had been so enthusiastic for my plan that I had applied for and been accepted to seminary to further the education I needed for my grand plan. I had resigned my job and was packed up and ready to move when the blow-up hit.....and so I found myself at seminary ready to study for something that was no longer a viable path for my future.
I sort of tread water for a while – I enjoyed seminary even though I didn’t know what I was doing there now. I tried creating new plans that would work with my new situation ..... and then for a while it was nothing but a series of doors closing – every time I thought I had a plan, “slam” -- until there was literally nowhere to go but the one direction I had adamantly announced I would never go — local church ministry. And here I am, 23 years later.
Obviously, calls come in all different forms. I have clergy friends who were crystal clear from childhood as to what they were meant to do with their lives and others who came to their religious calling rather late in life. And yes, calls come for many things other than clergy service. There are numberless ways to help build the kingdom of God – to help build a peaceful, caring world for all peoples. There’s teaching, medicine, home-building, hospitality, running food banks, building water systems in areas denied clean water, fighting to protect the environment – just so many things, I could go on and on.
Whenever we read the “calling” scriptures, I sort of envy the first disciples for the simple clarity of their calls – Jesus says, come with me and they jump up and go. But at the same time I do wonder if Peter and Andrew, John and James, were just going along with their lives or if they, too, thought they had actual plans for themselves before Jesus wandered by that day.
Where were you going — what were your plans — before God stopped by one day and called you to be a servant, a church-goer, a believer— a follower of Jesus? And where has that call led you?
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