The Call
A little geography before we begin. The Sea of Galilee is an oval-shaped body of water about eight miles wide and 15 miles long. It sits about 700 feet below sea level. It sits between Syria and Israel. Luke mentioned in his writings that some 240 boats were regularly on the lake (as He called it), fishing. There were a number of ways to fish in those times: hook and line, throw nets close to shore and drag nets out in the deep water. When Jesus called Simon Peter and Andrew – the first disciples, they were employing the second method, throwing a net close to shore.
Jesus had had three meetings with these men that are on record. He met them in Jerusalem, their second meeting was at the Sea of Galilee – but He had seen them before that and did not call them. So Jesus was familiar with these two. In fact John 1:35-42 tells us that these two were with John the Baptist and they were his disciples. John saw Jesus and said, “Look, the lamb of God,” and they followed Jesus in their early meeting with Him. This isn’t the important thing however. What is important is the fact that Jesus called men like this. I have always thought that if He called the disciples to ministry, imperfect, normal, everyday folks – He would be able to use me, and He also will be able to use you.
He may not use you as a “fisher for men,” but He most certainly will use you.
There is a story about a woman who was in the church and she tried and tried to witness to others and tell them about Christ. But whenever she tried to begin; she froze up. She was so upset she went to her pastor and told him that she felt like a failure because of her inability to articulate the Word of God to others. Her pastor replied, “Did it ever occur to you that God intended for you to make pies for His church?” That may sound a little crazy, but it is not.
Is Jesus’ call to you something you heard a long time ago and it’s now faded away as the years have gone by, or is it something that you Hear fresh every day?
Today we’re going to look at this passage from Luke’s gospel where the call to follow Jesus rings out clear as a bell, and we’ll see a number of different responses to that call.
Just before this passage we are told that the time for Jesus to be taken up to Heaven is approaching. Jesus had a clear sense of His purpose on earth. He knew that his time was short and that it wouldn’t be long before His work was complete. And He also knew that that work would come to it’s fulfillment in Jerusalem. So we’re told He set out to go to Jerusalem. The NIV version says He resolutely set out for Jerusalem. There’s a strong intention there that’s expressed quite strongly. He’s going to Jerusalem to fulfill God’s plan for him and for all humanity.
But not everyone accepts Christ’s call – some reject it.
As He starts off, He approaches a Samaritan village and He sends messengers ahead to prepare the way for Him. They probably told the people that Jesus is planning to stay there on his way to Jerusalem. Now, the relationship between the Jews and the Samaritans at this point in history was not friendly, so you’ll see that this was a very gracious thing for Jesus to do. You see, what He was doing was including the Samaritans in His mission. He might well have bypassed them, but no, He sets out to stay with them, to include them in the fulfillment of God’s plan of salvation. But what is their response? They reject him. They don’t want to be part of anyone who is connected in any way to Jerusalem. So here we see the first type of response to Jesus’ call to follow Him, to join Him on the way of the cross. One response of people to the call of Jesus is rejection.
How has your response to Christ’s call turned out? Do you accept the call, daily? Or do you kinda let things slip?
The danger of rejection isn’t just what James and John say in their Gospels. It isn’t that God will strike us down on the spot.
It’s more subtle than that, but nevertheless it’s just as dangerous. The danger of rejection is that Jesus will let us have our way. He never forces us to accept Him. He just goes on to another. In other words, if you choose to ignore the call of Jesus, He’ll let you. That’s a bit scary isn’t it?
It’s a bit like the child who throws a tantrum. Some parents have learned that the best way to deal with a tantrum is to walk out of the room. Why? Because when the child realizes their bluff has been called they stop screaming. The aim of the tantrum is to get the parent to try harder to please the child. But if the child is left to scream without an audience they soon give up. Well, it’s a bit more serious when it comes to Jesus’ call. Those who reject Jesus find themselves, like that child, left alone, but what a terrible thing it must be to find yourself ignored by the living God, left to your own strengths, without God to call on when you find yourself in trouble. But that’s what happens here. We’re told that they went to another village.
There is also a cost associated with answering the call. Jesus moves on; as He’s walking down the road and someone comes up to him and says, “I will follow you wherever you go.” Here’s someone who has recognized that Jesus is a great leader and who wants to follow Him. But the only trouble is; He hasn’t really thought about what following Christ really means. His is almost a superficial commitment. A shallow and external desire to be in on the excitement of Jesus’ mission, without first considering the cost of that commitment. But Jesus doesn’t want superficial commitments. He wants deep commitment based on a clear understanding of what following Him means. He says “Foxes have holes, and birds have nests; but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his Head.” He also tells his followers that to following Him means taking up their cross. That is, being ready to die for Jesus sake. This term ‘die’ means to leave your old self behind – dead so to speak and begin living for Him. The call to follow Jesus isn’t an easy thing. It involves sometimes being at odds with the world, possibly at the cost of a job or so-called friendships. Have you ever been told that people can’t be your friend because of your beliefs – I have! I have had many people drift away because they just couldn’t bear being with someone who refused to take the Lord’s name in vain or conduct them self in a way that shunned Christ. But I worry about them; where are they going to end up after refusing the call for their whole lives. I can live with having fewer friends – they cannot live eternally without Christ.
Answering the call is not a ‘today thing.’ If you answer the call to be a believer and follower of Christ it must be a certain decision.
At one time or another I am sure you have seen commercials for these whitening strips that people stick on their teeth to whiten the appearance of their stained teeth. The advertisers tell you that you put this strip on and like magic you will have teeth so white that all your friends will have to wear sunglasses. But the truth of it is – you have to use those strips consistently if you are going to win your battle against coffee, tea and other stain producing foods you eat. You will have to use those strips every day.
The same holds true with answering Christ’s call. We read in the Bible of the man who understands what Jesus is asking but asks that He first be allowed to go and bury his father. That is, He’s asking if He can leave the decision to later, when he no longer has that family responsibility. But Jesus says, ‘No, this is a call that takes first priority’. The priority to Jesus overrides even the priority of caring for your father. How many people are there who use their responsibility to their family as an excuse for not serving God with all their heart and soul and strength? How many people are there who use family responsibilities as an excuse for not worshipping regularly with God’s people? As an excuse for remaining fringe members of a congregation rather than active core members. Jesus says, “Let the dead bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” The priority of being committed to the call of Jesus comes about not just because Jesus is Lord of all, though that’s a good start. It also comes about because people are dying. When He talks of the dead burying the dead, He’s saying ‘those who haven’t heard the gospel are as good as dead. They need the gospel to bring them back to life.’ What’s the point of caring for you father if in the end He suffers eternal death? A much better way to care for him is to proclaim the kingdom of God to him, to tell him of Jesus’ offer of forgiveness and eternal life. The same applies to our next door neighbours, our brothers and sisters, our cousins and nephews and nieces. Telling them the good news of Jesus is by far the best way to care for them.
The answering of Christ’s call is a lifestyle not a passing phase. Another person comes up to Jesus and says, “I will follow you, Lord; but let me first say farewell to those at my home.” It sounds like a reasonable request doesn’t it? I’m ready to sign up, but first let me say my goodbyes. To this person, Jesus gives what seems to be his harshest response yet. He says, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.” He seems to be saying this call is so urgent that you don’t even have time to explain to your closest friends were you’re going. But it’s even more serious than that, I think. I think what He’s saying is that this call is a call to lifelong commitment. It’s a call that can’t be put off and it’s a call that once taken up must never be put down. It’s no use deciding to follow Jesus and then reverting every now and then to your old lifestyle.
You know, I look around the church today most of you are retired. Retired from paid employment that is. But you haven’t retired from life I hope. In fact most people I know who are retired are busier now than they were when they were being paid at their jobs. But the question is, are you busy doing God’s work? Are you still committed to following Jesus along the way of the cross? As far as I can see, and I have looked, there’s no biblical precedent for retiring from Christian ministry. We can all continue to minister for Jesus until our dying day.
At home, when I was a kid, we had a room in the house called the ‘living room.’ It has occurred to me that we never used it much. That room was not named properly. It was more of a visit room than the living room. Now, the living room was in the house, but it really wasn’t the life of the house. It was not where we lived. Most folks live in their den or the kitchen. Rarely did anyone live in that specially decorated place in our home reserved for guests.
For many of us, God is in the house, but He’s been relegated to the room in our house reserved for special occasions. He is only allowed in the living room. He’s not allowed in the center – the den or the kitchen. He is not allowed into the places where we live our lives. He’s not allowed in the center of our lives. He only allowed in designated areas. Many people say that Christ is the center of their lives and He is really not!
The call to be single minded as a servant of God never ceases. Jesus words maintain their relevance throughout our lives: “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”
So, I will ask you again - how are you responding to Jesus’ call at this point in your life? Maybe you are one who is rejecting His call to commitment. Maybe you are one who is just going through the motions of church membership. If that’s the case, then understand the warning of this passage: if you reject Jesus, He might just let you have your way. If you have heard the call and responded to that commitment – Is it a life commitment, every day? Are you prepared to continue as his servant until your dying day?
The rewards for service to Jesus are great, but the demands of that service are sometimes tough. So consider if you are to be one who is totally and permanently committed to serving Jesus Christ and proclaiming the kingdom of God to those around you.
Amen
