Advent Lutheran Church

"Can You Imagine? (3rd Sunday after Epiphany)"

Do you ever have to spend time with people that you don’t know?  Well, then you know that what we call “small talk” is one way we have of trying to make a connection with strangers.  That is what Jesus was doing as he walked along the seashore in his new hometown of Capernaum by the sea.  He saw the disciples fishing and could have started out with, “How’re they biting today?  What kind of bait are you using?”

This kind of small talk is NOT because you want to know, necessarily, but because you are casting your nets in hopes of connecting.  In a way, we’re fishing as well…for that place where you and a stranger share similar experience.  That’s one of the reasons I like this story from Matthew, because I have shared experience with the first four disciples:  you see, we were all “second career!”  All of us had struck out on our own  paths until something changed our life directions.

 Why do people leave work that they love to follow Jesus?  Why did Pastor Roger, Advent members Dave, Ted, Brenda, Janice and our interns do the same?  Well, none of us were sitting around hating our jobs, just ripe for someone to come along with something new!  In fact, when I announced in my former position that I would be leaving the company and going to seminary, folks asked, “Why would you stop traveling to be a pastor?”  (Now I don’t know if that’s a comment on the church, on the clergy, or on their opinion about me becoming a pastor,) but I believe it had something to do with a romantic picture of traveling – like those who travel for work are taking vacations all year long!   Sort of like an idealized picture of fishing:  off the coast of Cabo, a deep sea chase for marlin, or snoozing by a crystal clear stream in the mountains, waiting for that gorgeous trout…

            But, the Question remains, “Why Did the Disciples Follow?”  These were COMMERCIAL fishermen.

they were in it for the money, not the thrill, nor for relaxation.  And, I don’t believe that Peter, Andrew, James and John were seeking vocational change, nor having a mid-life crisis.  They were not looking to sacrifice their idea of success for a life of service to an unknown rabbi.  But I do know why my colleagues and I followed:  because we heard God’s call.  And it was probably about the same for those disciples.  They followed, simply because Jesus asked them to.

You know, we talk often about “the Call of God” around here.  But, what IS it?  Most folks would probably think it has something to do with giving up your plans – or NOT doing what you want with your life! But last Sunday, Pastor Roger recounted Jesus’ conversation with Simon Peter (according to John) and reminded us of God’s promise and claim on us from the moment of our Baptism:  “I know who you are.  I know who you are to be. I have work for you to do.”

            The “Call of God” is the work God has for YOU to do.  For most people, discerning that call is NOT as clear as having the Son of God walk up to you saying, “Follow me!” and you responding, “OK!”  Often, it takes years of God’s “noodging,” tapping, whispering…and most people resist what God wants them to do, having already found some life’s work, and some family relationships which require dutiful attention.

Perhaps it would be helpful to make a distinction here between a career (vocation) and a job:  a career is something you do for a lifetime, something that you are.  A job is what you are doing for right now.  Sort of like a man who is a “born salesman.”  He can sell cars or cats, but selling is simply part of who he is.

I just recently started reading a book called Crossing the Bar, by a former ELCA pastor who was removed from the official clergy roster after having an affair and undergoing a particularly difficult divorce.  He then moved to Red Lodge, Montana, where he bought a bar and began his work as a bartender and owner.  However, what he realized was that what he was doing most of his days was pastoral care.  He spent hours listening, talking about faith issues and how people had not found a community in their previous churches.  The man is a pastor, whether he is serving a traditional congregation or not. Call is your career, your vocation:  who you are, not what you do.

            Let’s play a little “Make Believe” this morning.  I’d like you to imagine your future discipleship.  If you

are unemployed, imagine how you will go about doing God’s work in the midst of looking for work.  If you are a student, a Confirmand or a young person, imagine how you will experience God’s call of “Follow Me” in your life.  If you are a young or frazzled parent, imagine doing God’s work amidst all the work you already do.

And if you are an empty nester, or retired, imagine how you will share in God’s work-plan-yet-to-be-done-by- you.

If that mere imagining frustrates you, because you don’t KNOW what God has in mind for your work, or frightens you, because you DO know, consider this: the ones Jesus called were completely ordinary.  They had no education, no wealth, and no social status to boast of.  In fact, they probably could not even read.  But they were strong, and patient, and they knew how to fish…and the first thing they found was that their following brought them into day to day living in the presence of the Son of God.

            And if them, why not us as well?  Why would Jesus NOT call us, the beloved of God, “to lives of faith, meaning, and purpose here and now in all of the venues of our life – yes, in the church, but also in our relationships, jobs, places of volunteering, - wherever we hear and respond to God's call.”  (David Lose.)

How smart is God – to know our human self-centeredness so well that Jesus’ Call begins - not with what he knows, but with what we know; not with what he does best, but with what we do best.  Jesus comes to us and meets us on our turf, in the earthly elements of water in Baptism and bread and wine in Holy Communion.  And after coming to us and meeting us, Jesus calls us to do God’s work.  Before we hear a word about what’s involved in following, Jesus reassures us that we can do it, because it’s what God made us to do.  We just have to adapt who we are and what we know, because Jesus always, always, always - starts where we already are. Now just imagine how you’ll follow.  Amen.