Matthew 4:18-21 January 24, 2010
Along the Way with Jesus, Part 3
The Choice to Follow
Rev. Meagan Boozer
I know that many here have heard numerous sermons based on this Scripture about Jesus’ call to brothers Peter and Andrew, and brothers James and John. My very first sermon preached in a preaching class, and later preached in the pulpit at Falling Spring was a sermon interpreting this scripture. The whole idea of Jesus walking along the shore and gathering up four of his 12 disciples with a simple, “Follow me,” leaving behind family and work that pays the bills, is hard for us to comprehend, and yet fascinates us enough that we don’t grow weary of hearing it over and over again. Why is that?
Personally, I think we want to hear this story of Jesus’ call to his disciples because there is something in it that calls to us, too. There’s something in us that wonders what it would be like to just drop everything and leave it all behind like Peter and Andrew, James and John.
I have been reading the Twilight books. I’ve just finished the second in the series, entitled, New Moon. I’m reading them because lots and lots of people are reading them – from teenagers (boys and girls) to adult men and women. The first two books have been made into movies that people are flocking to see. I’m reading them because as a pastor, I want to know what the buzz is about. I want to try to understand the appeal of these stories.
So, to catch everyone up, in case you haven’t read the books or seen the movies: The story is about a young girl from a broken home, named Isabella Swan, who falls in love with a vampire. Now, this is not your typical vampire, in that, Edward and his coven of vampires don’t kill humans to satisfy their thirst for blood – they only kill animals. (They want to be a responsible part of the human world, not enemies of it.) The whole first book entitled Twilight is about Bella and Edward’s fascination with, and eventual love for one another in spite of their obvious differences of being human and vampire. The second book is also about Bella and Edward’s love for one another, but now there is a werewolf named Jacob, who is also vying for Bella’s attention and love.
Now, you may hear that and think, “That’s just dumb. Why would anyone read stories so unreal?” First, let me say that I think the books are pretty well written. The author, Stephanie Meyer does a great job of drawing her readers into the story. My take on the high interest in the stories so far is this: These are romance novels; adventure stories, similar to those that have sold millions of books throughout the centuries . . . Stories about ordinary people who are willing to leave everything behind, for the sake of love.
There is something about that storyline that calls to teenagers and adults alike – leaving everything familiar behind, for the sake of love.
“Come, follow me,” Jesus said. And they left their nets, their boat, and their father behind to follow him.
Last weekend, John and I were not here with you because we were in Tennessee at the wedding of Josh Wenger (our worship leader this past summer) and Christa Lambert. The wedding was in Maryville, Tennessee. The lodge where we stayed and where the reception was, was in Townsend. 20 minutes away.
On Friday evening after the rehearsal, John and I were ready to head back to the lodge. Josh’s brother, Jonathan, and several of the groomsmen and ushers were ready to head back also. Only Jonathan had taken the route before, and so we put him in the co-pilot seat in my car and the other two cars followed. Or rather, they tried to follow.
I’ve been told from time to time that I drive too fast. I really have been working on this. Cruise control is my friend. I don’t want to be rebellious in any area of my life, including the following traffic laws.
So, as I was driving carefully on unknown winding roads, I was watching in the rearview mirror for the other cars, until I started paying more attention to the conversation in the car then the followers behind the car. And we lost one of them – a great guy who was one of Josh’s professors from Belmont University. Good thing we have cell phones. Good thing the followers were willing to give the minister some grace once we all got to our destination.
But here’s the thing: When Jesus calls us to follow him, he doesn’t run ahead. He doesn’t get so involved in someone else’s life that he forgets about your life or my life. When Jesus calls us to follow him, he is making a commitment to us to stay in sight.
Unlike what I did last Friday night in the Smokey mountains of Tennessee.
And so we have Jesus, who calls to each of us, commanding us to follow him. We have Jesus staying in sight along our life’s journey. And we have the choice to follow him, or not.
• Some don’t follow Jesus because they don’t know where he’s going, and that’s just too ‘out there.’
• Some don’t follow because they don’t want to leave where they are and what they’re doing. They like the comfort of sameness even if the ‘sameness’ is smothering or stagnating.
• Some don’t follow because they don’t trust Jesus. Why should I follow someone I don’t really trust?
• Some don’t follow because they don’t believe he really wants someone like ‘me’ on the journey, even though the invitation has been clearly extended to all.
• Some think they’re following because they said a year ago, or 5, 10, or 50 or 80 years ago that they would follow him – and I come to church most every Sunday, and I pray, and I know where most of the books of the Bible are and all that stuff. So, many of us might think we’re following Jesus, but maybe we’re really just following the crowd.
Remember what happened in Jerusalem with the crowd? They shouted, “Crucify him, crucify!” Sometimes we’re following the crowd, and reading books, and going to movies, and slowly starting to use language we weren’t taught to use, or abusing alcohol or drugs, or abusing people, just because that’s what everyone else seems to be doing.
Jesus calls, “Follow me.”
Follow.
Me.
At all stages of our lives, it is a challenge to follow Jesus. This is not a once and done decision. Putting our faith in Jesus Christ as the crucified and risen Lord, who died to take the punishment for your sins and mine, according to Scripture, that’s a once and done decision. “If you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9) Once. Done. But the decision to actually FOLLOW Jesus, is a decision we have to renew every day.
Do you realize, congregation, that among us (almost every Sunday) are 8 high school seniors?
Robbin McClure, Ben Walters, Nick & Nathan Parsons, Dalton Price, Laura Thatcher, Ashleigh Parsons, and Brooke Parson are all on track to graduate from high school at the end of this school year. For our little congregation, that’s a lot!
What does it mean for them to be followers of Jesus as they try to figure out what’s next? “I want to follow Jesus, but does that mean I go to college, or enlist in the military, or get a full-time job? If Jesus is leading me to go to college, where am I supposed to go? What am I supposed to major in? If Jesus is leading me to serve my country, what branch is right for me? If Jesus is leading me to go straight to work, where should I look for a job? What kind of job is best for me?” That’s a lot of pressure in addition to the emotional pressure of completing a journey with many of the same students over a 12 or 13 year period. What does following Jesus look like for these students?
What does it look like for any of us to follow Jesus at different stages of our lives?
Many think that it means a specific ‘thing.’ We think that God wants me to be a dentist, a pharmacist, a mechanic, a farmer, a teacher, a pastor, a receptionist, a stay-at-home mom, a computer technician – and then we’re afraid that if we miss the signs, we miss that ONE great thing God had for us to do. Oh well. Like Eeyore. “Oh dear.” That’s that – and everything else is second best or less.
But when Jesus was asked, “What is the greatest commandment?” Jesus responded, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.” And then he added what was the second most important commandment, “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
So, is it possible to fulfill this commandment if you are a dentist, a pharmacist, a mechanic, a nurse, a farmer, a teacher, a banker, a notary, salesman, etc.? Of course it is. Peter and Andrew, and James and John were fishermen! Jesus didn’t change what they had chosen to ‘do’ with their lives, he just changed their heart, and their ultimate goal. “Now, I’ll make you fish for people,” Jesus said.
No matter what you do with your time right now, whether you are employed, unemployed, retired, or a student, Jesus wants you to follow him with the same goal in your mind that he has in his: As an act of love for God and others, let’s do everything we can do to bring the people we interact with into a relationship with God through Jesus Christ. Let’s fish for people!
Tomorrow, Dennis Dillman will be joining the ministry staff here as a pastoral intern. There were many objections to taking on this responsibility right now – however, when I presented the possibility to the elders, they realized that it was impossible for them to make a responsible and informed final decision to bring to you for your approval without meeting Dennis. Oh sure, you can look at the numbers on paper, you can read the resume, you can even talk on the phone, send an email, or text quick messages back and forth – but how would we be seeking to follow Jesus, who calls us to love God and love others, if we didn’t even take the time to meet the guy face to face? Jesus said, “I’ll make you fish for people.” Following Jesus is always about the people, not about the place or the position.
The pharmacist is filling prescriptions for people. The farmer is supplying food and milk for people. The mechanic is fixing a car so a person can get to doctor’s appointments, get to the grocery store to get food, visit a friend in the hospital, get to work, drive to school. It’s always about the people.
When Dennis walked in and met with the elders, it became almost immediately clear that to follow Jesus was to leave our fears and our discomfort over never having done anything like this before behind. It became clear as a starlit night that we were being called to love this young man as he prepares to be a pastor, and love his family as they try to figure out what it means to be a pastor’s family.
I must admit, I’m feeling sort of nervous about what the next 11 months are going to look like and feel like. The dynamics of pretty much everything I do are going to change. I guess perhaps God thought I was getting a little too comfy. I’m wondering how it is I will teach Dennis how to be a great pastor, because quite frankly some days I can’t keep track of what I’ve done from one minute to the next.
Is being a good pastor about helping Nicole and Betsy create the best coffee house possible for youth this past Friday night? Cheering them on? Giving them support, but not taking over? Is it scrubbing the new sinks because I want them to be clean and shiny for as long as possible? Is it praying over the phone with someone in need? Praying at the bedside? Praying in my car for needs that keep coming? Is it pouring over the financial statements, asking for clarity and wisdom? Is it writing a thank you note to anyone for anything?
Somehow, way back when, I thought being a good pastor primarily had to do with preaching a good sermon that kept everyone awake and engaged and growing in their faith; I thought that primarily my call was to administer the sacraments of baptism and communion for the body of believers. And it is. But if I’m not loving you in a way that you know I love you, then I’m not following Jesus. When I whittle everything I do down to that, and leave everything else behind, the task of teaching Dennis how to be a good pastor becomes a bit more do-able for me, for you, and for all of us together.
Dennis will be around us for 11 months. Josh was only around us for 6 weeks, and on his wedding bulletin, this is what was written: So many people have made this day possible, thanks first and foremost to our families. To Carol and Amy for their love and support. To Jeff, to Connie and Maloriee, to Sam and Dennis, to Paul, Keturah, and Jason, to Mark, to Judy to Donna, to Herb, to Jamie and Katie, to Jeremiah, to the Grubbs and to Upper Path Valley Presbyterian Church. When I saw that, I got tears in my eyes. At age 22, he was only with us for 6 Sundays. But somehow, someway, because we were following Jesus and loving him as best as we could, something wonderful happened that really mattered to his soul way beyond the last Sunday we were together.
How might God use us in Dennis’ life and the lives of his wife and children in these next eleven months? How might God use them in our lives? Remember, following Jesus is always about loving God and loving people. Always.
Let’s make the choice to follow Jesus. Wherever we are. And who knows what else we may choose to leave behind, for the sake of love.
Thanks be to God for the possibilities that lie ahead. Amen.
Along the Way with Jesus, Part 3
The Choice to Follow
Rev. Meagan Boozer
I know that many here have heard numerous sermons based on this Scripture about Jesus’ call to brothers Peter and Andrew, and brothers James and John. My very first sermon preached in a preaching class, and later preached in the pulpit at Falling Spring was a sermon interpreting this scripture. The whole idea of Jesus walking along the shore and gathering up four of his 12 disciples with a simple, “Follow me,” leaving behind family and work that pays the bills, is hard for us to comprehend, and yet fascinates us enough that we don’t grow weary of hearing it over and over again. Why is that?
Personally, I think we want to hear this story of Jesus’ call to his disciples because there is something in it that calls to us, too. There’s something in us that wonders what it would be like to just drop everything and leave it all behind like Peter and Andrew, James and John.
I have been reading the Twilight books. I’ve just finished the second in the series, entitled, New Moon. I’m reading them because lots and lots of people are reading them – from teenagers (boys and girls) to adult men and women. The first two books have been made into movies that people are flocking to see. I’m reading them because as a pastor, I want to know what the buzz is about. I want to try to understand the appeal of these stories.
So, to catch everyone up, in case you haven’t read the books or seen the movies: The story is about a young girl from a broken home, named Isabella Swan, who falls in love with a vampire. Now, this is not your typical vampire, in that, Edward and his coven of vampires don’t kill humans to satisfy their thirst for blood – they only kill animals. (They want to be a responsible part of the human world, not enemies of it.) The whole first book entitled Twilight is about Bella and Edward’s fascination with, and eventual love for one another in spite of their obvious differences of being human and vampire. The second book is also about Bella and Edward’s love for one another, but now there is a werewolf named Jacob, who is also vying for Bella’s attention and love.
Now, you may hear that and think, “That’s just dumb. Why would anyone read stories so unreal?” First, let me say that I think the books are pretty well written. The author, Stephanie Meyer does a great job of drawing her readers into the story. My take on the high interest in the stories so far is this: These are romance novels; adventure stories, similar to those that have sold millions of books throughout the centuries . . . Stories about ordinary people who are willing to leave everything behind, for the sake of love.
There is something about that storyline that calls to teenagers and adults alike – leaving everything familiar behind, for the sake of love.
“Come, follow me,” Jesus said. And they left their nets, their boat, and their father behind to follow him.
Last weekend, John and I were not here with you because we were in Tennessee at the wedding of Josh Wenger (our worship leader this past summer) and Christa Lambert. The wedding was in Maryville, Tennessee. The lodge where we stayed and where the reception was, was in Townsend. 20 minutes away.
On Friday evening after the rehearsal, John and I were ready to head back to the lodge. Josh’s brother, Jonathan, and several of the groomsmen and ushers were ready to head back also. Only Jonathan had taken the route before, and so we put him in the co-pilot seat in my car and the other two cars followed. Or rather, they tried to follow.
I’ve been told from time to time that I drive too fast. I really have been working on this. Cruise control is my friend. I don’t want to be rebellious in any area of my life, including the following traffic laws.
So, as I was driving carefully on unknown winding roads, I was watching in the rearview mirror for the other cars, until I started paying more attention to the conversation in the car then the followers behind the car. And we lost one of them – a great guy who was one of Josh’s professors from Belmont University. Good thing we have cell phones. Good thing the followers were willing to give the minister some grace once we all got to our destination.
But here’s the thing: When Jesus calls us to follow him, he doesn’t run ahead. He doesn’t get so involved in someone else’s life that he forgets about your life or my life. When Jesus calls us to follow him, he is making a commitment to us to stay in sight.
Unlike what I did last Friday night in the Smokey mountains of Tennessee.
And so we have Jesus, who calls to each of us, commanding us to follow him. We have Jesus staying in sight along our life’s journey. And we have the choice to follow him, or not.
• Some don’t follow Jesus because they don’t know where he’s going, and that’s just too ‘out there.’
• Some don’t follow because they don’t want to leave where they are and what they’re doing. They like the comfort of sameness even if the ‘sameness’ is smothering or stagnating.
• Some don’t follow because they don’t trust Jesus. Why should I follow someone I don’t really trust?
• Some don’t follow because they don’t believe he really wants someone like ‘me’ on the journey, even though the invitation has been clearly extended to all.
• Some think they’re following because they said a year ago, or 5, 10, or 50 or 80 years ago that they would follow him – and I come to church most every Sunday, and I pray, and I know where most of the books of the Bible are and all that stuff. So, many of us might think we’re following Jesus, but maybe we’re really just following the crowd.
Remember what happened in Jerusalem with the crowd? They shouted, “Crucify him, crucify!” Sometimes we’re following the crowd, and reading books, and going to movies, and slowly starting to use language we weren’t taught to use, or abusing alcohol or drugs, or abusing people, just because that’s what everyone else seems to be doing.
Jesus calls, “Follow me.”
Follow.
Me.
At all stages of our lives, it is a challenge to follow Jesus. This is not a once and done decision. Putting our faith in Jesus Christ as the crucified and risen Lord, who died to take the punishment for your sins and mine, according to Scripture, that’s a once and done decision. “If you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9) Once. Done. But the decision to actually FOLLOW Jesus, is a decision we have to renew every day.
Do you realize, congregation, that among us (almost every Sunday) are 8 high school seniors?
Robbin McClure, Ben Walters, Nick & Nathan Parsons, Dalton Price, Laura Thatcher, Ashleigh Parsons, and Brooke Parson are all on track to graduate from high school at the end of this school year. For our little congregation, that’s a lot!
What does it mean for them to be followers of Jesus as they try to figure out what’s next? “I want to follow Jesus, but does that mean I go to college, or enlist in the military, or get a full-time job? If Jesus is leading me to go to college, where am I supposed to go? What am I supposed to major in? If Jesus is leading me to serve my country, what branch is right for me? If Jesus is leading me to go straight to work, where should I look for a job? What kind of job is best for me?” That’s a lot of pressure in addition to the emotional pressure of completing a journey with many of the same students over a 12 or 13 year period. What does following Jesus look like for these students?
What does it look like for any of us to follow Jesus at different stages of our lives?
Many think that it means a specific ‘thing.’ We think that God wants me to be a dentist, a pharmacist, a mechanic, a farmer, a teacher, a pastor, a receptionist, a stay-at-home mom, a computer technician – and then we’re afraid that if we miss the signs, we miss that ONE great thing God had for us to do. Oh well. Like Eeyore. “Oh dear.” That’s that – and everything else is second best or less.
But when Jesus was asked, “What is the greatest commandment?” Jesus responded, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.” And then he added what was the second most important commandment, “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
So, is it possible to fulfill this commandment if you are a dentist, a pharmacist, a mechanic, a nurse, a farmer, a teacher, a banker, a notary, salesman, etc.? Of course it is. Peter and Andrew, and James and John were fishermen! Jesus didn’t change what they had chosen to ‘do’ with their lives, he just changed their heart, and their ultimate goal. “Now, I’ll make you fish for people,” Jesus said.
No matter what you do with your time right now, whether you are employed, unemployed, retired, or a student, Jesus wants you to follow him with the same goal in your mind that he has in his: As an act of love for God and others, let’s do everything we can do to bring the people we interact with into a relationship with God through Jesus Christ. Let’s fish for people!
Tomorrow, Dennis Dillman will be joining the ministry staff here as a pastoral intern. There were many objections to taking on this responsibility right now – however, when I presented the possibility to the elders, they realized that it was impossible for them to make a responsible and informed final decision to bring to you for your approval without meeting Dennis. Oh sure, you can look at the numbers on paper, you can read the resume, you can even talk on the phone, send an email, or text quick messages back and forth – but how would we be seeking to follow Jesus, who calls us to love God and love others, if we didn’t even take the time to meet the guy face to face? Jesus said, “I’ll make you fish for people.” Following Jesus is always about the people, not about the place or the position.
The pharmacist is filling prescriptions for people. The farmer is supplying food and milk for people. The mechanic is fixing a car so a person can get to doctor’s appointments, get to the grocery store to get food, visit a friend in the hospital, get to work, drive to school. It’s always about the people.
When Dennis walked in and met with the elders, it became almost immediately clear that to follow Jesus was to leave our fears and our discomfort over never having done anything like this before behind. It became clear as a starlit night that we were being called to love this young man as he prepares to be a pastor, and love his family as they try to figure out what it means to be a pastor’s family.
I must admit, I’m feeling sort of nervous about what the next 11 months are going to look like and feel like. The dynamics of pretty much everything I do are going to change. I guess perhaps God thought I was getting a little too comfy. I’m wondering how it is I will teach Dennis how to be a great pastor, because quite frankly some days I can’t keep track of what I’ve done from one minute to the next.
Is being a good pastor about helping Nicole and Betsy create the best coffee house possible for youth this past Friday night? Cheering them on? Giving them support, but not taking over? Is it scrubbing the new sinks because I want them to be clean and shiny for as long as possible? Is it praying over the phone with someone in need? Praying at the bedside? Praying in my car for needs that keep coming? Is it pouring over the financial statements, asking for clarity and wisdom? Is it writing a thank you note to anyone for anything?
Somehow, way back when, I thought being a good pastor primarily had to do with preaching a good sermon that kept everyone awake and engaged and growing in their faith; I thought that primarily my call was to administer the sacraments of baptism and communion for the body of believers. And it is. But if I’m not loving you in a way that you know I love you, then I’m not following Jesus. When I whittle everything I do down to that, and leave everything else behind, the task of teaching Dennis how to be a good pastor becomes a bit more do-able for me, for you, and for all of us together.
Dennis will be around us for 11 months. Josh was only around us for 6 weeks, and on his wedding bulletin, this is what was written: So many people have made this day possible, thanks first and foremost to our families. To Carol and Amy for their love and support. To Jeff, to Connie and Maloriee, to Sam and Dennis, to Paul, Keturah, and Jason, to Mark, to Judy to Donna, to Herb, to Jamie and Katie, to Jeremiah, to the Grubbs and to Upper Path Valley Presbyterian Church. When I saw that, I got tears in my eyes. At age 22, he was only with us for 6 Sundays. But somehow, someway, because we were following Jesus and loving him as best as we could, something wonderful happened that really mattered to his soul way beyond the last Sunday we were together.
How might God use us in Dennis’ life and the lives of his wife and children in these next eleven months? How might God use them in our lives? Remember, following Jesus is always about loving God and loving people. Always.
Let’s make the choice to follow Jesus. Wherever we are. And who knows what else we may choose to leave behind, for the sake of love.
Thanks be to God for the possibilities that lie ahead. Amen.
