Mark 1:14-21
January 22,
2012 / Third Sunday After The Epiphany
Storms are
common on the Sea of Galilee.
Furious windstorms can come up quite suddenly causing damaging
waves. All of the gospels tell of storms
on the Sea of Galilee. Apparently
these storms occur because of the differences in temperature between the
seacoast and the mountains beyond. The Sea of Galilee lies 680 feet below sea
level. It is bounded by hills, especially on the east side, that are 2000 feet
high. These heights are a source of cool, dry air. In contrast, directly around
the sea, the climate is semi-tropical with warm, moist air. This large
difference causes large temperature and pressure changes. This results in
strong winds dropping into the sea, funneling through the hills and causing
sudden storms.
On top of this, the Sea of Galilee is relatively
small and somewhat shallow, just 200 feet at its greatest depth. Shallow lakes
are easily whipped up by the wind since there is nowhere for the energy of the
wind to be absorbed. This means the waves can be quite large, quite literally
swamping small boats that are out on the water when a storm comes up.[1]
This morning the first verse of our opening hymn began:
Jesus calls us o’er
the tumult of our life’s wild, restless sea;
Day by day his sweet
voice soundeth, saying “Christian, follow me!”[2]
Both the tune and the words make turning and following Jesus
sound very appealing. We are invited to turn away from the wild, restless sea
of our lives – the one where sudden storms come up that can cause boat-swamping
waves. Turn away from that tumult and follow the sweet voice of Jesus. How can
we respond in any other way except, “Yes! I will follow you!”
Many of us do turn to Jesus during the storms of our lives,
seeking comfort, healing, and hope. It is in our times of greatest turmoil that
we know we need Jesus, and we pray and read scripture and seek his will for our
lives. Upheaval in our lives leads us back to the solid rock that is Jesus
Christ, and we rejoice that he always welcomes us back.
The thing is, today our gospel lesson doesn’t talk about
storms. As Jesus walks along the
shore, it is very likely that this is a beautiful day on the Sea of Galilee – a
day when the water is calm and the sun is shining – a day when mothers might
even bring their children to play at the water’s edge. Simon and Andrew are fishing
– we can imagine them standing waist-deep in the water casting their nets into
the sea. James and John are
mending their nets on the shore as their father Zebedee sits in the boat and
watches. It sounds like a
delightful day for these career fishermen.
When Jesus saw Simon and Andrew he called to them, “Follow
me and I will make you fishers of men!” Likewise, when Jesus saw James and John
he called, “Follow me!” And all four men left their boats and their nets and
followed.
Imagine being Zebedee, the father who is left sitting in the
boat. He’d spent all his life
teaching his sons the family business – how to fish, how to mend nets, how to
keep the boats storm worthy, how to sell the fish at market... He taught his sons the same things his
father taught him – how to make a life on the Sea of Galilee. Day in and day out, for as long as he
could remember, he headed out to sea with his sons, praying for a good catch to
take to market. Day in and day out
he watched his sons grow into the business. Slowly he had given them the
authority to manage the business.
Slowly he was reaching the point where he would retire and leave the
fishing business to his two sons.
And then along comes this fellow saying, “Follow me!” and the sons drop
everything and go! Talk about upheaval! What is Zebedee to do?
Jesus’ call to follow comes on an ordinary day – a day when
the fishermen were doing what they did best, working to earn a living. There are no storms in their
lives. Actually, James and John
are doing well enough that they have hired hands working with them! And yet,
they leave their families, their livelihoods, the only way of life they have
ever known – they leave everything to follow Jesus. Talk about tumult! Their
behavior makes no logical sense.
And yet, if we think about it, this is what God calls us to
do. God called Abraham to leave
his country and his father’s house to go to a land that God would show him –
and Abraham did. Talk about absolute faith in God! And Moses was keeping his
father-in-law’s flock when he came upon a burning bush that changed his life.
He returned to Egypt – a place of great danger – to demand that Pharaoh let the
people of God go. And then he led them through the wilderness for forty years.
Talk about stepping out of his comfort zone! The prophet Jeremiah argued, “I am
only a boy!” when God called him, and God responded, “Do not be afraid, I am
with you!” Jeremiah is often called the weeping prophet because he witnessed so
much death and destruction in Jerusalem as he prophesied to a people who did
not listen. And Jonah traveled to the foreign city of Nineveh – the last place
he wanted to be – to tell the people that the city would be destroyed.
God calls us to leave everything to follow him. God calls us
to step out of our comfort zones and do God’s work. God calls us to preach a
message of repentance to others – even those who will not listen. God calls us to bring the good news of
the gospel to a broken world. And
Simon and Andrew and James and John did just that, leaving everything to follow
Jesus. And Simon who we call Peter became the rock on which the church of Jesus
Christ was built.
No one ever said following Jesus would be easy – notice the
ominous start to our gospel lesson today: “Now after John was arrested...” We
know John was arrested and killed for proclaiming the good news. And tradition tells us that both Peter
and Andrew were crucified. And yet, in Jesus the kingdom of God has come near –
so near that we can see it and touch it and taste it and feel it. In Jesus we have been given the
opportunity to not just proclaim the good news but to embrace it and live it.
Three weeks ago we renewed our covenant with God in a
covenant renewal service. Last week we renounced the spiritual forces of
wickedness and confessed Jesus Christ as our Savior as we remembered our
baptisms. Today, Jesus calls us: “Follow me!” Are you ready to follow Jesus? Are you ready to step out of your
comfort zone and take a big risk for Jesus? Are we ready for new opportunities
as we seek to feed the hungry in this community? Are we ready to welcome
strangers and sinners into our midst and call them brother and sister? Are we ready
to leave behind the ease of the known to step into the great unknown? Are we
willing to trust that God is calling us to be the body of Christ in this
rapidly changing community in ways that scare us, in the confidence that God
will be at our sides?
This is the start of a year of possibilities. By summer we
may have a daycare operating in our building. By the end of summer we may have
a food pantry serving the needs of southern Alamance. By the end of the year we
hope to build strong relationships with neighboring churches and other
non-profit organizations. In other
words, Jesus is calling us to leave the calm and comfort of our lives and to
step out into the storm – a storm that is bound to bring conflict and change –
a storm full of new life and hope.
Are you ready to step out into this storm with me, trusting
that God has great things in store for this community? Are you ready to follow
Jesus to the cross and death in the absolute assurance that resurrection and
new life will follow? What will you do when Jesus calls you, saying “Christian,
follow me?”
Jesus calls us from
our comfort to a life of risk and faith;
Day by day his
challenge calls us, saying “Follow me! Obey!”
In a broken, hurting
world, Jesus calls us to respond;
Feed the hungry, save
the sinners! Bring new life to one and all.
Jesus, guide us as we serve
you, lift our fears and give us strength;
Fill us with your Holy
Spirit, help us follow faithfully.
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