Accepting God’s Invitations – Mark 1:16-20

Lectionary Readings for Jan. 24, 2021         Third Sunday After The Epiphany, Year B
Jonah 3:1-5, 10 Jonah Goes to Nineveh
Psalm 62:5-12         v8 O my people, trust in him at all times. Pour out your heart to him, for God is our refuge.
1 Corinthians 7:29-31    v31 Those who use the things of the world should not become attached to them.
Mark 1:14-20    v17 Jesus called out to them, “Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!”
But this week, we’re focusing on Mark 1:16-20.

Peace Quotes

“The charm of fishing is that it is the pursuit of what is elusive but attainable, a perpetual series of occasions for hope.”  ~ John Buchan

“There are always new places to go fishing. For any fisherman, there’s always a new place, always a new horizon.”  ~ Jack Nicklaus

As we work to create places and times of peace, the phrase pursuing peace may be most appropriate because success can seem elusive. Nevertheless, our faith calls us to draw hope from Jesus’ proclamation, “Peace, My peace – My shalom – be with you” (John 14:27). There are indeed always new places, new opportunities, and new WAYS to pursue peace which is why we must never cease in this divine quest.

Any time I preach or lead a group, regardless of age, I start the same way. I’m going to say three short sentences. Please repeat each sentence, with enthusiasm.
God made me.           God loves me.            God has plans for me.

Preface to Today’s Scripture Reading

Last week, Jesus declared, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news” (Mark 1:14-15).

Today, we hear Mark’s story of Jesus calling the first four disciples – two sets of brothers: Simon and Andrew as well as James and John, the latter pair would become known as the “Sons of Thunder” for their feisty personalities. The term “calling” is a traditional church word that means an invitation to grow and serve. I firmly believe we are all called / invited.

Just because the story is 2,000 years old and they were fishermen does NOT mean they were ignorant nor dimwitted. This was simply their chosen or inherited profession. These guys might not have fancy degrees, clothing, or titles, but their small, owner-operator businesses kept their families and part of their community fed, and there’s a lot to be said for that.

As one person in our Tuesday night Bible Study pointed out, this is a VERY male-oriented story. As such, it is a reflection of the society of the time. Nevertheless, we should all hear today’s story as message for ALL of us – regardless of age, gender, or anything else.

Like any good storyteller, the author Mark has a flair for the dramatic to convey a point; in Mark’s case characters respond immediately. The point of today’s story is NOT to abandon your family or your job at the drop of a hat. Nor is the point that God only calls us to ultra-dramatic opportunities requiring equally dramatic decisions. The point is to listen for God’s call and to be ready to respond with obedience, willingness, and as much enthusiasm as you can muster when you believe you are being called.

As we listen to today’s story, put yourself into the wet, fishy-smelling boat with one of our characters. How might you have responded to Jesus’ invitation? What might you be excited or worried about in the moment?

Let’s open our ears, minds, and hearts as we hear the story of four men called to follow Jesus and help share the Good News of a new Kingdom.

Read Mark 1:16-20.

Roughly 20 years ago, Anne and I were volunteer youth group leaders at a Presbyterian church in suburbia Atlanta. The youth ministry was typical of Southern churches at the time – about a dozen or so regulars in the senior high group and 15-20 regulars in the junior high group. We still stay in touch with several of the kids... who now have kids of their own.

I remember one of the junior high girls walking up to me and saying, “Chuck, you HAVE to talk with my brother. See if you can figure out what’s going on with him.” This was easy since I was already friends with her older brother who regularly asked me meaning-of-life and deep faith questions. “Hey Dave, your sister said I should ask you something about running around the house. Does that make sense?”

Dave laughed saying, “Yeah man, I’ve been telling God a lot lately that I’m available and want to be used. God’s been telling me that I need to listen for Him and to be ready and be obedient to wherever He leads me. So the other day, me and God were talking about that and God said, ‘Chase me.’ So I said where? God said, ‘Here, now, chase me.’ Well OK, so I just started running around the house, doing laps up and down the stairs.”

At this point, we were both laughing as he’s telling me this story. “OK Dave, I have to ask: did you find God?” Dave replied, “Not exactly, and I got frustrated about that. I was expecting something miraculous, like a burning bush in the living room. But I found nothing and I lost my breath. But then God said, ‘Dave, I never said you’d find me; I only asked you to chase me. And you did. Well done. I’ll have more for you.’”

This became an ongoing conversation between Dave and me. He later explained that in the following weeks, he perceived God calling him to a wide variety of what most people would describe as “small stuff” that sometimes seemed completely irrelevant. But through talking with God, God shared deeper spiritual lessons with Dave.

Dave gave me this example. Once day at his high school, Dave was walking around during the lunch break and God said, “Pick up trash.” What trash? Where? How much? “Just pick up trash.” So Dave did... and grumbled about such a meaningless activity. While he was walking around picking up gum wrappers, plastic sandwich bags, and soda cans, God explained, “The world is filled with people who feel used up and thrown away. They need to be lifted up. The world may not see their value, but they’re still my children and I love them. Dave, go lift up people who feel discarded.”

Then there were stories of God telling Dave to talk to someone, or share his lunch with someone, or offer someone a ride home, or invite someone to join him at a school event. Once Dave made himself open to God’s leading and said yes to whatever God called him to, his life changed. Dave thought deeper, he loved wider, and he lived bigger than ever before. For me, it was a beautiful blessing to be a small part of that season in his life.

Long story short, it was through Dave’s obedience that Anne and I moved to Reno which led me to Susanville. But that’s a story for another day.

Here’s a more recent example of the same concept in action. Our HOPE Food Pantry has partnered with a local organization named Adult & Teen Challenge. Each Friday, they send us two strong, young men to help us with our weekly food distribution. The guys are always willing to help us no matter what we ask them to do.

This past Friday evening, after we had closed, one of the Adult & Teen Challenge volunteers shared this story from earlier in the day. As he was carrying food to one of our client’s cars, he was making light conversation with them. The client shared something that was weighing on their heart and said, “Would you pray for me.” Our volunteer explained to us that praying for a “stranger” was not in his normal comfort zone, BUT he had been asking God to help him share his faith with others and realized this was an opportunity to do just that. So he shared a quick prayer with them.

Was he trained for that moment? No, not specifically.
Did I tell him to be prepared for that moment? No, it didn’t cross my mind.
Did I know that moment even happened? No, not until he told us.
But he trusted God and he said yes when he perceived God’s call, despite his surprise, reluctance, and insecurities. And I thank God that he did!

Does this volunteer have a degree in religious studies? Nope. Would I take him on a mission trip with me? In a heartbeat, because his attitude of trust and obedience presses me to listen more closely, share my faith more freely, and trust God more deeply.

Is this guy perfect? Not at all. Neither am I, and neither was Dave, nor those first disciples. God calls the willing, not the perfect. God never sets us up for failure; that’s not what a loving parent does. Folks, neither your age, education, life experiences, finances, nor physical abilities prevent you from conversing with God, opening yourself to God’s invitations, and answering those calls with obedience – enthusiasm is a bonus.

You don’t need special training, just talk with God like you would talk with a beloved friend, parent, sibling, or spouse – whichever dynamic sets you at the greatest ease. And when God’s invitations seem strange, trivial, or uncomfortable, talk with God about that too. Maybe there’s a deeper lesson to be learned. And maybe God needs you to do or say something that is minor for you but is an incredible blessing for someone else. Don’t prejudge the value of God’s leading.

When God calls us, it’s an invitation to become a more active participant with God as we, together, strive to live into Jesus’ command for us to love God, love ourselves, and love each other (Matthew 22:34-40). Every time we answer yes to God, we grow the Kingdom of God in our hearts and in our communities. In the coming days and weeks, I encourage each of you (and our Church Council!) to pray, “Lord, I am available and willing. What do you have in mind for me?” With that as our prayer and God as our partner, our future is filled with incredible possibilities.

Amen? Amen!