St. Mark 1:14-20
Dearly beloved,
It is with great delight that the church gathers to
hear the account of Christ calling the first disciples. In St. Mark's
gospel we hear of the beginning of the consummation of God's plan for
sinful mankind. Christ's actions in the account are abrupt and
forthright. We are first told that John the Baptist was put in prison
and it was only then that Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel
of the kingdom of God. John was put in prison before Jesus calls His
first disciples because a distinction must be made between John the
Baptist and Jesus.
John was like the prophets from old, waiting for the
consummation of the kingdom of God. Jesus was the kingdom of God come
to redeem mankind. Jesus, while being God Himself and the very
fulfillment of prophecy, preaches the same message that John preached:
"The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent,
and believe in the gospel."
"Repent and believe." The same preaching is done, but
the belief is in the gospel, which is Jesus Christ, Himself. He is
the good news, and we see this when Jesus walks by the sea of Galilee
and catches some fishermen—Simon Peter and Andrew. Jesus says "follow
me." Holy living is in the following. These two are to be "fishers
of men." Jesus is as Jesus does.
Immediately, the two men leave their very source of
income for someone Who has words that catch and hold. This seems to
go against worldly sensibilities, but there is something about this
Jesus that causes rugged fishermen to "immediately" leave everything
to follow. The same thing happens a little ways down the road with
two more brothers: James and John, sons of Zebedee. Again, fishermen
are the targets.
There is much to be learned from this, both, from a
pastoral standpoint but also from a churchly vantage point. The
obvious thing is that Jesus does the most with those who aren't all
that important from a worldly point of view. More than that, these
four fishermen left everything they had, and they did it
"immediately." In these responses we see God's governing power over
men—we see God's hand in what takes place. These men shall hold
critical positions and will have very important tasks that will affect
countless generations.
We must conclude that they see more than meets the eye
when they behold the Lord. But, then again, the prophet Isaiah speaks
of conversion: "Lord, you will establish peace for us, for you have
also done all our works in us. O Lord, our God, masters besides you
have had dominion over us; but by you only we make mention of your
name" (Isaiah 26:12-13). These fishermen leave all that they have
only because of the power of God. In actuality, these disciples along
with a few others will make up the twelve disciples, a band of men who
will be given the critical task of being heralds.
We tend to look at this gospel account and envy the
abilities of the fishermen to leave everything behind in order to
start on a new road. We hear this and are convicted by the
realization that we are unable to leave everything behind. We look at
this reading and we are shown our own sin. We think of our worldly
pleasures and the things we enjoy and we wonder how Simon, Andrew,
James and John were able to do that.
Well, certainly a case can be made against us all. We
don't often do a good job of putting away the things of this world,
focusing, instead, upon Jesus and things spiritual. We, then, hear
Paul's words to the Romans, further convicting the hearers that
because of sin people tend to exchange the truth of God for the lie,
worshiping and serving the creature rather than the Creator.
The call of these first disciples isn't meant to make
us feel badly, however. The calling of these men and their immediate
response to follow Jesus shows the drastic impact of those times.
This gospel highlights the incarnation. The eternal enters the
temporal, heaven and earth converge and miraculous and unusual things
happen. Men against their own reason do things that they would not
consider reasonable from a worldly standpoint.
The incarnation, as you may recall, is the creedal
teaching that God takes on flesh and dwells among us. The
incarnational aspect of this gospel is that God and man look each
other right in the eye and peace and fulfillment is conveyed.
Contrary to man's own rational worldly thought, He is drawn to God and
trusts through proclamation. This is Jesus. Jesus is as Jesus does,
and what Jesus does is comes to bring man to Him.
This bears meaning for your life. You and I are
gently reminded that leaving worldly things behind to follow Jesus and
to walk in the Spirit is not easy and we are often met by our own
failure to do so. But, this is why Jesus was incarnate and made man.
He came to look us in the eye and bestow peace upon us while He
suffers. Jesus has the words of eternal life that change hearts and
draw men to Himself, but He must become despised and be rejected by
men. Jesus does this for the sins of the world.
But, the greatest rejection which Jesus had to suffer
on our behalf was the heavenly Father's rejection of Jesus on the
cross in order that we may be reconciled to the heavenly Father.
Christ's suffering and death has won for you an eternal rest and
peace. By it, your sins are forgiven. Jesus does more. Jesus is as
Jesus does. He comes to you and gives you the Holy Spirit, which
leads you to do things contrary to the world's selfish sensibilities.
Today Jesus looks you right in the eye and bestows
peace in a different way. Through baptismal water, through the
Gospel, through the pastor's absolution, and in the eating and
drinking of the Lord's Supper, you behold the face of Jesus, the love
and gentleness which He has for you. These things are incarnational.
It is in these divine gifts that Jesus is saying to you, "follow me."
Jesus calls you again and again to be with Him, and the same things
are being used that fishermen used a long time ago to catch men and
keep them.
--
Rev. Chad Kendall
www.frchadius.blogspot.com
Trinity Lutheran Church
Lowell, Indiana
www.trinitylowell.org
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