Tag Archives: child of God

Everyone Is Called!

Featured by

“Everyone Is Called!!”

Matthew 4:17-23 (4:17) – January 22, 2023

            I have had a calling from God since I was is undergraduate school. For forty years, if not more! I have felt the Holy Spirit nudging me all those years, and for many of those years I followed the Spirit’s nudging. Sometimes, over those forty years, God would directly point me towards something I knew I ought to do or get involved in. Ministry as a layperson in music, art, Sunday school and youth, mission, bible study. Yes, I was a layperson for thirty of those years, and God called me for all that time.  (And, I was not officially ordained until 2015, almost eight years ago, right here in this sanctuary.)

            Let’s take a closer look at this reading from the beginning of Jesus’ ministry. “17 From that time on Jesus began to preach, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.’”

            Our Lord Jesus makes a statement at the very beginning of His public life. A summary statement. A headline, to encapsulate why He was there, why He came into the world. All of history is on a continuum, and the earthly Jesus was a part of that. All earthly events “move in tune with God’s redemptive activity. And, indeed, Jesus proclaims the coming kingdom of God and invites those listening to turn around (repent) to receive this kingdom.” [1]

            Jesus’s words are compelling. For years, even still now, I wanted to hear and understand! I dearly desired to hearken to Jesus’ own call to the crowds, to perceive and become a part of God’s in-breaking kingdom.

Let us see what Jesus did next, the absolute next thing, after He made this proclamation. “18 As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 19 “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” 20 At once they left their nets and followed him. 21 Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, 22 and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.”

Jesus calls each of us! He calls the clergy among believers, and Jesus calls lay people as well. In other words, Jesus calls everyone – each and every one of us – to follow Him. Do you feel called? Has Jesus picked you out from the crowd, given you a purpose, and given you a new name? (like Peter?) Some churchgoers do feel called by Jesus! However, some do not.

One bible commentator I respect, Dr. David Lose, has this to say: “Some years ago, as part of a Lilly Endowment sponsored grant on vocation, the research team I worked with discovered that while most of the graduates of our seminaries identified “vocation” and “calling” as important theological concepts that were at the center of their preaching and teaching, very few of their parishioners actually felt called. Very few of them, that is, believed that what they did with most of their time mattered to God and the church or made a particular difference in the world.” [2]

            I wonder why? God calls everyone! Taps everyone on the shoulder! Each believer!

Dear Lord, why is this? There are people who attend churches all over the country, even all over the world. Where are all of the people who believe in Jesus, and who claim the name of Jesus, and call themselves believers, even Christians?  Yet, I do not see many church folk who consider themselves called of God in this particular way.

            Let us consider Peter, Andrew, James and John. The first four disciples. What did the new Rabbi Jesus do? He called these four people to follow Him, the first ones to take part in the kingdom of God that starts our Scripture reading today!

            What were Peter, Andrew, James and John doing when Jesus called them to follow Him? They were fishing. Actual fishermen. You remember: “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” 20 At once they left their nets and followed him.” These people had nets, boats, and all other equipment used for fishing. They walked away from all that.

We can see how Jesus made His proclamation that “the kingdom of God is near!” And He called helpers, people to come alongside and do the work of fishing for people. Maybe we are coming at this sideways? What if – what if Jesus calling of the disciples was something unexpected? What if – what if the disciples’ calling and our calling is exactly the same?

            What kinds of equipment might we use for “fishing for people?” What kinds of equipment might Jesus have had in mind? The world today is a bit different from the first century, but some equipment people might use today include a Meals On Wheels cooler (to reach people by bringing them food), or extra clothes, coats or shoes (to give out to people in need), or even musical instruments or art supplies (to reach people with the arts). Plus, it’s always appropriate to reach out to others with friendly visits, caring cards, or phone calls or texts. Plus, as our Pastoral Prayer said today, we can also be readers to little children, bandagers of bruised hears, lovers of the forsaken, and pilgrims who show the way to others – with God’s help.

            What if – what if God’s calling is actually plain and simple? “Think about it for a moment: God’s call isn’t simply to do something, but rather to be something, a child of God…. if we can first focus on being – just being – God’s beloved children, and let that grace-filled identify seep into the deepest parts of ourselves.” [3]

            Yes, our call is to follow Jesus!  Our call is to offer God’s words of mercy, grace, hope and love, because we are God’s beloved children. I know I often say “Go and do that. Follow God” at the end of my sermons. I’ll add today, “Go and be that. Be that beloved child of God.” Alleluia, amen.

@chaplaineliza

(Suggestion: visit me at my other blogs: matterofprayer: A Year of Everyday Prayers. #PursuePEACE – and  A Year of Being Kind . Thanks!

[1]  https://www.davidlose.net/2017/01/epiphany-3-a-being-before-doing/

[2]  https://www.davidlose.net/2017/01/epiphany-3-a-being-before-doing/

[3]  https://www.davidlose.net/2017/01/epiphany-3-a-being-before-doing/   

Good News about Jesus!

by

“Good News about Jesus!”

Ethiopian painting, unknown artist Philip and the Ethiopian royal official

Ethiopian painting, unknown artist
Philip and the Ethiopian royal official

Acts 8:34-35 – May 3, 2015

Who enjoys hearing good news? Just about everyone! And what about those who share good news? A relative getting married, perhaps? A new baby in the family? What about a big graduation—from college, trade school, or nursing school? The purchase of a new condo or a new car? These are all things that cause a great deal of rejoicing!

We’re going to talk more about sharing good news, but first, we need to set the scene. Tell you a little about our Scripture text for today. We are going to take a closer look at Acts chapter 8.

The risen Lord Jesus has been with His disciples and followers for a number of weeks after Easter, after the Resurrection. He ascended into heaven in the first chapter of Acts, and the great events of Acts chapter 2—Pentecost, the birth of the church at the Temple in Jerusalem—have occurred. The number of believers in the risen Jesus has simply exploded!

Four thousand came to believe on Pentecost, in one day, alone. Thousands of Jewish people heard about the Messiah coming, dying on a cross, and being raised from the dead. And they believed!

As we view the new gathering of believers at this point, in the early chapters of Acts, it’s a Jewish gathering. It’s pretty monochromatic. All of the believers have similar skin tones. All of the believers come from the same religious background. Jewish. All of the believers heard the Good News in the city of Jerusalem. All of the Jewish believers originate from an oppressed people-group in an occupied territory in Asia Minor (Israel), even if they currently reside outside the territorial bounds as their current place of residence. They still made the pilgrimage to worship at the Temple in Jerusalem.

The disciples do not have a difficult time communicating the Good News of the risen Lord Jesus to their fellow Jews! No cross-cultural differences to be dealt with, here!

Not yet . . . anyway.

The disciples were greatly heartened by such a huge response to their spreading the Good News! They fanned out into the area around Jerusalem (just as Jesus told them to do), and continued preaching. Sharing their stories. Until—the beginning of Acts 8.

Here, we have Philip. Directed by the Holy Spirit, Philip travels in Samaria, sharing the Good News with the people he met there. People who were not fully Jewish! As if this wasn’t enough, we have the encounter just read to us. Where Philip meets a royal official from Ethiopia.

Let’s step away from the events of the reading to talk about the author of this book of Scripture.

Dr. Luke, who wrote the Acts of the Apostles along with the Gospel of Luke, had a special concern for certain parts of the general population. He highlights women, children, sick people, and—Gentiles. Non-Jews. Dr. Luke himself was a Gentile, a Greek doctor. He therefore lifts up these powerless, unprotected individuals.

He shows God’s concern and care for the least of God’s creation. Those who are often forgotten or overlooked by the preferred ones.

This royal official of the queen of Ethiopia was a powerful man, it’s true. He wielded considerable power in the palace, in his own arena. But outside of his country? He was an outsider, for sure. And for more reason than just the color of his skin. The royal official was a eunuch. That means probably when he was a young boy—probably as he started serving in the house of the queen—he was forcibly castrated in order to serve the queen. He didn’t allow that to deter him, though. He rose in the queen’s household, became well educated and literate, and eventually became an important official, in charge of her treasury.

This official also desired to know more about the God of the Jews.

We don’t know where he heard of that particular God, a foreign God, but he had an earnest desire to learn more about the God who made heaven and earth, the God of the Jewish people.

There was a problem. A big problem. Sure, the royal official could learn about the Jewish God. He could become a proselyte, even come to Jerusalem and visit the area outside of the Temple. But—he could not enter the Temple. There were strict rules regarding that, in the Mosaic Law Code. The official was a eunuch. He was castrated. He was not fully “a man,” like every other natural male.

According to Jewish law, that made this Ethiopian’s spiritual standing with God less than that of others. He was automatically excluded from a close relationship with the Jewish understanding of God, due to factors completely beyond his control.

Did that make any difference to Philip? Let Dr. Luke tell us more.

Let’s get back to the story. After going to Jerusalem and diligently, faithfully worshiping outside of the Temple, this Ethiopian official started back to Africa in his chariot. Philip, nudged by the Holy Spirit, came alongside the chariot. The Ethiopian was reading from the book of Isaiah—aloud. Very common practice of the time. Reading aloud. Coming alongside the chariot, Philip asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?”

Excellent question! I can just see the scene—the Ethiopian, poring over the open book in his hands, perhaps in Greek translation (the trade language of the time). Young, strong Philip, jogging alongside, engages the official. The Ethiopian, intrigued, invites Philip to sit beside him in the chariot and explain the passage further.

One thing leads to another, and next thing you know, Philip is telling the official his story. Telling the Good News of the risen Jesus. Sharing the Gospel from the book of Isaiah, as well as his own personal testimony. The official must have known a great deal about the Jewish Bible and have been able to connect the dots of the Good News in short order! Because, what do we see next?

They come to some water. I bet the Ethiopian was so excited when he asked Philip, “What is to prevent me from being baptized?”

Do you understand what happened here? Philip explained the Gospel—the Good News about Jesus—to this worthy man. And in very short order, he was ready—so ready to believe in the Resurrection, to accept the Gospel!

Now at the impromptu baptism, when the Ethiopian made a public declaration of his belief in the risen Lord Jesus, did Philip stop and ask whether this man was Jewish, or not? Did he notice whether this man was an eunuch, or not? Did he care about the color of this man’s skin, or not? The conversation in the passage is not specific, but Philip’s actions certainly are!

“Both Philip and the Ethiopian went down into the water, and Philip baptized him.” That’s what Dr. Luke tells us.

The early church records let us know that this royal official not only goes back to Ethiopia—rejoicing in his absolute acceptance by our Lord as a fully beloved child of God!—but he also carries the message of that Good News to others in his home country! He tells others his story, that God fully and lovingly accepted him. A non-Jew, a person of color, even a man who was castrated.

This official became a believer, part of those who spread the Good News, that God loves each individual, no matter what.

Can we be sure that God accepts us? What about the questionable things in our past? What about those things? God still loves us. What if we don’t have very high standing in the community? God still loves us. What about the bad feelings we have in our hearts? God still loves us. What if we come from the “wrong side of the tracks?” God still loves us.

Are you a child of God? If you are member of the human race, YES. Does God love you? If you are a member of the human race, YES. Can we celebrate in God’s love? YES. Can we share that Good News? YES.

God loves you so much that God sent Jesus to this earth to die on a cross and rise from the dead on the third day. Do you believe this Good News? This fantastic, phenomenal News?

Praise God, just as much as Philip, just as much as the Ethiopian official, just as much as any other disciple, we can rejoice in the Good News of the risen Christ and share our story.

I encourage you today.  Tell someone how much God loves you!

Philip did. The Ethiopian did. And we are encouraged to do so, too. Praise God! Alleluia! Amen.

@chaplaineliza

(Suggestion: visit me at my daily blog for 2015: matterofprayer: A Year of Everyday Prayers. and my other blog,  A Year of Being Kind .  Thanks!)