Mark 1:14-20
Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God, and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news."
As Jesus passed along the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the sea — for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them, "Follow me and I will make you fish for people." And immediately they left their nets and followed him. As he went a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John, who were in their boat mending the nets. Immediately he called them; and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men, and followed him.
Last Sunday we talked about “call” – particularly Jesus’ calling of his first disciples, but also the broader concept as it appears all across the Bible – that call – from somewhere, someone -- to move beyond were we are into a deeper relationship with divinity.
Today’s readings are still on that topic – but this week the call contains a sense of urgency.
The Old Testament reading for today comes from Jonah:
Today’s readings are still on that topic – but this week the call contains a sense of urgency.
The Old Testament reading for today comes from Jonah:
The word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time, saying, "Get up, go to Nineveh, that great city, and proclaim to it the message that I tell you." So Jonah set out and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the Lord. (Jonah 3:1-2)
Jonah, as you should recall, was a most reluctant prophet to the Ninevites. He hated then and saw no reason to help them. When God first called him, he flat out refused. This is the 2nd time God calls – and this time something of the urgency of God’s call gets through to him. Jonah went to Nineveh and spoke as he was told: "Forty days more, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!" This wasn’t a vague “someday” prophecy. It was timely and urgent.
Jonah answered that call – grumbling all the way – but he did it, and the Ninevites listened, and Nineveh was saved.
The New Testament reading, again from Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians, is equally urgent:
Jonah answered that call – grumbling all the way – but he did it, and the Ninevites listened, and Nineveh was saved.
The New Testament reading, again from Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians, is equally urgent:
I mean, brothers and sisters, the appointed time has grown short; from now on, let even those who have wives be as though they had none, and those who mourn as though they were not mourning, and those who rejoice as though they were not rejoicing, and those who buy as though they had no possessions, and those who deal with the world as though they had no dealings with it. For the present form of this world is passing away. (1 Corinthians 7:29-31)
Don’t lollygag around about this, Paul says. You’ve got to do it now!
And while our Gospel reading from Mark sounds overall like a standard calling-of-the-disciples reading, did you notice, as we just read it, that call is prefaced by "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news." This was the message given by John the Baptist – and it is what Jesus had gone into the desert to find.
This became Jesus’ message from the very first days of his ministry. If we read the words of the gospels we find this urgency throughout everything Jesus preached. The kingdom of God has already come near and the time is now.
In this relatively short reading, the word immediately shows up two times. When Jesus calls Simon and Andrew, they immediately left their nets and followed him. Later, when he sees James and John, Jesus immediately calls them to follow and they drop everything and follow.
Of all the gospels, this urgency comes through the strongest in Mark’s version. Because this is the shortest of the gospels, there is no room for a lot of scene-setting nor details as to where and how. Mark simply says what happened and moves on to the next scene. This sense of “hurry!” comes as much from this writing style as from the actual events. But, again, this urgency lies at the very heart of Jesus’ good news.
It comes from the fact that what he came to teach us it is already happening. We are not called to follow to prepare for something out there in the future. The future is already here. The kingdom of God is already here. We aren’t called to get ready as much as we are called to come on in and join the already on-going party.
As Franciscan friar and spiritual teacher Richard Rohr puts it: "True religion is always a deep intuition that we are already participating in something very good, in spite of our best efforts to deny it or avoid it. In fact, the best of modern theology is revealing a strong 'turn toward participation,' as opposed to religion as mere observation, affirmation, moralism, or group belonging. There is nothing to join, only something to recognize, suffer, and enjoy as a participant. You are already in the eternal flow that Christians would call the divine life of the Trinity."
We live, we exist in the “new thing” Jesus invites us to join. The only question is, will we live there in denial – content with observation or contemplation instead of an actual choice -- or will we open our eyes and hearts to see and acknowledge that this is where we already are – right where we should be.
One more quote – Christian writer Shane Claiborne describes the life of the disciples who answered Jesus’ call: "One by one, these disciples would infect the nations with grace. It wasn't a call to take the sword or the throne and force the world to bow. Rather, they were to live the contagious love of God, to woo the nations into a new future."
This is our call, too, to live the contagious love of God and change the world. Do we answer, or just file it away for “later” ?
And while our Gospel reading from Mark sounds overall like a standard calling-of-the-disciples reading, did you notice, as we just read it, that call is prefaced by "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news." This was the message given by John the Baptist – and it is what Jesus had gone into the desert to find.
This became Jesus’ message from the very first days of his ministry. If we read the words of the gospels we find this urgency throughout everything Jesus preached. The kingdom of God has already come near and the time is now.
In this relatively short reading, the word immediately shows up two times. When Jesus calls Simon and Andrew, they immediately left their nets and followed him. Later, when he sees James and John, Jesus immediately calls them to follow and they drop everything and follow.
Of all the gospels, this urgency comes through the strongest in Mark’s version. Because this is the shortest of the gospels, there is no room for a lot of scene-setting nor details as to where and how. Mark simply says what happened and moves on to the next scene. This sense of “hurry!” comes as much from this writing style as from the actual events. But, again, this urgency lies at the very heart of Jesus’ good news.
It comes from the fact that what he came to teach us it is already happening. We are not called to follow to prepare for something out there in the future. The future is already here. The kingdom of God is already here. We aren’t called to get ready as much as we are called to come on in and join the already on-going party.
As Franciscan friar and spiritual teacher Richard Rohr puts it: "True religion is always a deep intuition that we are already participating in something very good, in spite of our best efforts to deny it or avoid it. In fact, the best of modern theology is revealing a strong 'turn toward participation,' as opposed to religion as mere observation, affirmation, moralism, or group belonging. There is nothing to join, only something to recognize, suffer, and enjoy as a participant. You are already in the eternal flow that Christians would call the divine life of the Trinity."
We live, we exist in the “new thing” Jesus invites us to join. The only question is, will we live there in denial – content with observation or contemplation instead of an actual choice -- or will we open our eyes and hearts to see and acknowledge that this is where we already are – right where we should be.
One more quote – Christian writer Shane Claiborne describes the life of the disciples who answered Jesus’ call: "One by one, these disciples would infect the nations with grace. It wasn't a call to take the sword or the throne and force the world to bow. Rather, they were to live the contagious love of God, to woo the nations into a new future."
This is our call, too, to live the contagious love of God and change the world. Do we answer, or just file it away for “later” ?
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