The Rev'd Kenneth H. Saunders III
Christ Episcopal Church Cleveland, NC
RCL Year B (Epiphany 3) - January 25, 2009
Jonah 3:1-5, 10
Psalm 62: 6-14
1 Corinthians 7: 29-31
Mark 1:14-20
This morning there are four more… Four more that join the ranks of that unlikely teacher from Nazareth. Four more, who, heard the man preach and decided that there was something to it. Four more, who will help lay the groundwork for the next 2000 years of history that followed.
Last week, we learned about two, Philip and Nathanael, who when told to come and see, decided to follow after originally doubting the integrity of anything that came out of Nazareth. And afterward declaring Jesus to be the Christ, the son of the Living God…
And today we have four more, Simon (who Jesus later called Petros or Rock) and Andrew his brother, who were simple fishermen… He saw them from a distance casting their nets, and were told to repent, and believe… He said to them, “follow me, and I will teach you to catch people”… repent, believe, and follow…
Then later that morning, a little further down the shore, he stumbles upon James and John, brothers, and sons of Zebedee, also fishermen, tired and mending their nets after a long evening of fishing… and he called them… repent, believe, and follow…
Four more, who after simply being asked, knew they were lacking something in their life that this man was offering… Four more, who left everything they had known and gave up the security and comfort of their family business to follow Jesus into a way of life that will eventually lead to ridicule, persecution and even their their death…
John the baptizer had just been arrested, and it was time for Jesus to step forward and proclaim the Good News… the Good News that God was up to something!… The good news that the kingdom of the living God was here to retake control of the world that God had created. This was indeed Good News… it was God’s news…
But the Evangelist, Mark, isn’t big on the details… the message is short, simple, and very direct. Repent, Believe, and Follow… Jesus calls them out of their everyday ordinary lives, the fishermen believe, then they put down their nets and followed... They followed without question, without regard for their own life, or questions about the difficult journey ahead of them.
I wonder what that would look like today? I wonder how many of us would really give up everything we trusted, our security, everything we relied on in our ordinary lives, just to follow a teacher just because a great teacher told us to?
I don’t believe that any of us would! We wouldn’t, would we? We have trouble getting out past our own front gates, carrying with us the teaching that takes place within these walls!!! We are scared, uncomfortable, and worried about what “others” will think!
We are more like Jonah of our Old Testament lesson, who didn’t want to go to Nineveh… He was so worried what the Ninevites would think of him, when he brought them God’s warning of their demise. He knew God, and how much God loves! And he also knew that regardless of how angry God was, God would forgive the Ninevites if they repented. Jonah knew that if God forgave them then he (Jonah) would be considered a “false prophet” and being a "false prophet" made him subject to being cast out of society completely or worse yet, stoned to death…
He whined and cried about it to God… "I don’t want to go to Nineveh… Please Lord, don’t send me to Nineveh… I don’t want to go!"
So, what did God do? He sent a great fish to come swallow Jonah up and take him across the sea to Nineveh and spit him out on the beach… And there Jonah is called again to deliver God’s message. This is where we pick up the story this morning… Jonah warns the Ninevites that God will destroy them… The Ninevites repent and turn to God… and God forgives them just as Jonah suspected…
Scott, Jim and I just got back from our annual diocesan convention. When we were there, we engaged the business of this wonderful diocese that we are all a part of in all of its rich diversity. A place where Bishop Curry has proclaimed that ALL are welcome. A place were disciples are made - who are sent out to make disciples and make a difference in this broken world.
Each and every one of us, as Christians, are called to be followers of Jesus, and part of that following includes bringing others into the glorious presence of the Jesus whom we know and love… and who loves us without limits… who forgives us, and wants us to love and forgive each other.
Jesus meets us… each and every one of us right were we are in our common and ordinary lives. He meets ALL of us… white, black, red, or yellow, American, Mexican, African, Iraqi, Arab, Chinese…. ALL of us… and asks us to repent, believe, and follow.
Jesus teaches us a deep lesson in the simple, direct story of his call to Andrew, Simon, James, and John. Jesus called, and they went, without question! We should do likewise… Jesus is calling each and every one of us right here… Right where we are. Right here in Cleveland, NC. Jesus calls us to go out into the community here and live the good news of Jesus Christ in our lives…
He calls us to be so filled with the spirit that we are excited about what we have got going on in this wonderful place. He calls us to give so much of ourselves, our everything, our all, that all that we have and all that we are lives for him.
What would Cleveland look like if we did that? What would Christ Church be like if we did that? What would this Church be if we made some noise in this community about the mission we have to reconcile the world to God through Christ? Our mission statement say that we are followers of Jesus Christ…
If we live out our mission as his followers, that means that we are actively engaged as his disciples, out in the world, making disciples that make a difference. If we live out our mission, we are so distressed when we know that someone out there doesn’t know the wonderful forming, informing, and transforming message that God loves us, it there for us, protects us, comforts us, and offers us everlasting life.
If we live out our mission, we live Monday through Saturday the words we proclaim on Sunday… and if we live out our mission, Jesus provides the tools that we need to do the work he has given us to do. He equips us, and restores us continuously to do this great work.
We are called to repent, believe, and follow.
But following Jesus is tough work. I heard someone once say, “ministry is misery, but it is the most rewarding misery I have ever experienced”… How true it is.
You see, being a disciple, a true follower of our Lord and Savoir Jesus Christ doesn’t mean that we are just “regular” Church goers… some say yep… that’s me, every Sunday like clock work, in the door by 10:30 out by 11:30 (or 11:45 if Ken preaches too long) then b-line straight out to the car to start another week… never darkening the door of a Christian Education classroom, parish house or engaging the community that should be feeding their soul.
Being a disciple means that we live for Christ. It means that every fiber of our being seeks to learn more about how to make the most of this life that God has go graciously given us. It means that we seek God’s guidance and grace as we use our resources to serve others.
It means we empty ourselves, step out of our comfort zones, and face the world head on… So why do we sit back and whine about how we don’t want to do that, or I don’t have any time, or we’re not that kind of people, or I did that when I was younger – so I don’t have to do it now? Instead of meeting the challenge of the call to seek to serve Christ, and really be a disciple?
Repent, believe, follow – it sounds simple but it’s pretty challenging work.
The nice part is, that we are not left to do it alone. Jesus is with us, just as he said it would be. Jesus goes with us out from this place out into the world.
The light of Christ shines so we can find our way out of the darkness of our ordinary everyday lives. If we follow him, Jesus is with us… in the sacrament of his body and blood that we share in communion, One body broken for us in this broken world. One cup that is poured out for us… We who are many are one… because we follow one…
Repent, believe, follow… just actions, no conditions, no excuses – just Repent, believe, follow… and let Jesus, the Christ lead. Amen!
Christ Episcopal Church Cleveland, NC
RCL Year B (Epiphany 3) - January 25, 2009
Jonah 3:1-5, 10
Psalm 62: 6-14
1 Corinthians 7: 29-31
Mark 1:14-20
This morning there are four more… Four more that join the ranks of that unlikely teacher from Nazareth. Four more, who, heard the man preach and decided that there was something to it. Four more, who will help lay the groundwork for the next 2000 years of history that followed.
Last week, we learned about two, Philip and Nathanael, who when told to come and see, decided to follow after originally doubting the integrity of anything that came out of Nazareth. And afterward declaring Jesus to be the Christ, the son of the Living God…
And today we have four more, Simon (who Jesus later called Petros or Rock) and Andrew his brother, who were simple fishermen… He saw them from a distance casting their nets, and were told to repent, and believe… He said to them, “follow me, and I will teach you to catch people”… repent, believe, and follow…
Then later that morning, a little further down the shore, he stumbles upon James and John, brothers, and sons of Zebedee, also fishermen, tired and mending their nets after a long evening of fishing… and he called them… repent, believe, and follow…
Four more, who after simply being asked, knew they were lacking something in their life that this man was offering… Four more, who left everything they had known and gave up the security and comfort of their family business to follow Jesus into a way of life that will eventually lead to ridicule, persecution and even their their death…
John the baptizer had just been arrested, and it was time for Jesus to step forward and proclaim the Good News… the Good News that God was up to something!… The good news that the kingdom of the living God was here to retake control of the world that God had created. This was indeed Good News… it was God’s news…
But the Evangelist, Mark, isn’t big on the details… the message is short, simple, and very direct. Repent, Believe, and Follow… Jesus calls them out of their everyday ordinary lives, the fishermen believe, then they put down their nets and followed... They followed without question, without regard for their own life, or questions about the difficult journey ahead of them.
I wonder what that would look like today? I wonder how many of us would really give up everything we trusted, our security, everything we relied on in our ordinary lives, just to follow a teacher just because a great teacher told us to?
I don’t believe that any of us would! We wouldn’t, would we? We have trouble getting out past our own front gates, carrying with us the teaching that takes place within these walls!!! We are scared, uncomfortable, and worried about what “others” will think!
We are more like Jonah of our Old Testament lesson, who didn’t want to go to Nineveh… He was so worried what the Ninevites would think of him, when he brought them God’s warning of their demise. He knew God, and how much God loves! And he also knew that regardless of how angry God was, God would forgive the Ninevites if they repented. Jonah knew that if God forgave them then he (Jonah) would be considered a “false prophet” and being a "false prophet" made him subject to being cast out of society completely or worse yet, stoned to death…
He whined and cried about it to God… "I don’t want to go to Nineveh… Please Lord, don’t send me to Nineveh… I don’t want to go!"
So, what did God do? He sent a great fish to come swallow Jonah up and take him across the sea to Nineveh and spit him out on the beach… And there Jonah is called again to deliver God’s message. This is where we pick up the story this morning… Jonah warns the Ninevites that God will destroy them… The Ninevites repent and turn to God… and God forgives them just as Jonah suspected…
Scott, Jim and I just got back from our annual diocesan convention. When we were there, we engaged the business of this wonderful diocese that we are all a part of in all of its rich diversity. A place where Bishop Curry has proclaimed that ALL are welcome. A place were disciples are made - who are sent out to make disciples and make a difference in this broken world.
Each and every one of us, as Christians, are called to be followers of Jesus, and part of that following includes bringing others into the glorious presence of the Jesus whom we know and love… and who loves us without limits… who forgives us, and wants us to love and forgive each other.
Jesus meets us… each and every one of us right were we are in our common and ordinary lives. He meets ALL of us… white, black, red, or yellow, American, Mexican, African, Iraqi, Arab, Chinese…. ALL of us… and asks us to repent, believe, and follow.
Jesus teaches us a deep lesson in the simple, direct story of his call to Andrew, Simon, James, and John. Jesus called, and they went, without question! We should do likewise… Jesus is calling each and every one of us right here… Right where we are. Right here in Cleveland, NC. Jesus calls us to go out into the community here and live the good news of Jesus Christ in our lives…
He calls us to be so filled with the spirit that we are excited about what we have got going on in this wonderful place. He calls us to give so much of ourselves, our everything, our all, that all that we have and all that we are lives for him.
What would Cleveland look like if we did that? What would Christ Church be like if we did that? What would this Church be if we made some noise in this community about the mission we have to reconcile the world to God through Christ? Our mission statement say that we are followers of Jesus Christ…
If we live out our mission as his followers, that means that we are actively engaged as his disciples, out in the world, making disciples that make a difference. If we live out our mission, we are so distressed when we know that someone out there doesn’t know the wonderful forming, informing, and transforming message that God loves us, it there for us, protects us, comforts us, and offers us everlasting life.
If we live out our mission, we live Monday through Saturday the words we proclaim on Sunday… and if we live out our mission, Jesus provides the tools that we need to do the work he has given us to do. He equips us, and restores us continuously to do this great work.
We are called to repent, believe, and follow.
But following Jesus is tough work. I heard someone once say, “ministry is misery, but it is the most rewarding misery I have ever experienced”… How true it is.
You see, being a disciple, a true follower of our Lord and Savoir Jesus Christ doesn’t mean that we are just “regular” Church goers… some say yep… that’s me, every Sunday like clock work, in the door by 10:30 out by 11:30 (or 11:45 if Ken preaches too long) then b-line straight out to the car to start another week… never darkening the door of a Christian Education classroom, parish house or engaging the community that should be feeding their soul.
Being a disciple means that we live for Christ. It means that every fiber of our being seeks to learn more about how to make the most of this life that God has go graciously given us. It means that we seek God’s guidance and grace as we use our resources to serve others.
It means we empty ourselves, step out of our comfort zones, and face the world head on… So why do we sit back and whine about how we don’t want to do that, or I don’t have any time, or we’re not that kind of people, or I did that when I was younger – so I don’t have to do it now? Instead of meeting the challenge of the call to seek to serve Christ, and really be a disciple?
Repent, believe, follow – it sounds simple but it’s pretty challenging work.
The nice part is, that we are not left to do it alone. Jesus is with us, just as he said it would be. Jesus goes with us out from this place out into the world.
The light of Christ shines so we can find our way out of the darkness of our ordinary everyday lives. If we follow him, Jesus is with us… in the sacrament of his body and blood that we share in communion, One body broken for us in this broken world. One cup that is poured out for us… We who are many are one… because we follow one…
Repent, believe, follow… just actions, no conditions, no excuses – just Repent, believe, follow… and let Jesus, the Christ lead. Amen!
