Title: Follow me! Jesus calls to you and me!
Text: John 1:43-51
Facebook live: Follow me! Jesus call you and me!
43 The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Follow me.”
In 1973, I graduated high school, I was playing in a band and the drinking age had just been lowered to 18. Bars began to get the teens in droves where bands played and teens drank. Teen clubs closed and I found myself evaluating the situation.
My band played in bars but I didn’t drink while there. Through sober eyes what I saw was sad and concerning. Normal well respecting people became less concerned with how they looked and what they did. It could have been easy to get caught up in the same activity. I was raised in the church, and though not active in reading the scriptures, I knew by my conscience that I needed to hold myself to a different standard. God had other plans for my life and I’m glad I did.
Now, I’m not saying that drinking is the problem but certainly drinking in excess can cause many problems both physically and socially, as well as publicly and privately.
When we are called to follow Christ we are called to a new hope and new life in him. It can be a rough road at times and for the Christian our lives must daily be conformed by God to his word.
44 Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter.45 Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”
Finding the savior is not our work but Gods. He finds us even though we at times don’t know we are lost.
Jesus found Philip and called him to “Follow me.” To this Philip responded in faith and called to Nathanael, “We have found him!” and “Come and see.”
30 years ago at another time God called me in a special way to a greater relationship with him.
Prayer was not an active part of my life and I always felt uncomfortable with public prayer. You may feel that too. I didn’t spend much time in prayer … except at church … and even my attendance had been falling away. So at times of distress I simply sat in my chair in the quiet of my room and brought to the Lord what was burdening me. As I sat, I prayed the Lord’s Prayer – the one prayer that I knew – asking the Lord for comfort and peace in whatever was troubling me.
God did the rest. He gave me comfort and peace in all things … and drew me to himself through his word. At times it can be in conflict with where we are and what we do. I felt that being in the bar was not the best place for me though at times the Lord even used that place as a place for his word to go forth.
God calls us to faith and then to action. He called me to a renewed relationship in Christ and then as he continued to work in me through his word – as I attended services and read the bible - he gave me a desire to serve him. I didn’t know what or how but God’s call – “follow me!” - was clear!
Many times the world and the word are in conflict.
One says yes, the other no.
One says speak up, the other be quiet.
One says you can, the other you can’t.
And notice that each can apply to the word or the world at different times, in different ways.
God doesn’t always call us to what seems clear to us.
He calls us all first to faith, where he opens heaven to us through Baptism, uniting us in Christ, with whom he is well pleased. It is then that he uses us as his people to serve others. For some, it is in service here at Peace and Lord knows we have many places to serve. For others he calls us to be a witness to our friends and neighbors just as my friend Rob was to me, and me to my friend Mark just as Philip was to Nathanael calling him to “come and see!”
I've had the joy of being in both places. Both being called and calling others. Where, when and how has or will the Lord called and use you?
Jesus calls you and me though the word to follow him!
At times it is when you least expect it. Take Samuel in our Old Testament reading for today:
8 And the LORD called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” Then Eli perceived that the LORD was calling the boy. 9 Therefore Eli said to Samuel, “Go, lie down, and if he calls you, you shall say, ‘Speak, LORD, for your servant hears.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place.
I felt the Lord’s calling me to service for the last 30 plus years but it took quite a while for me to discern his call, and to hear just how the Lord wished to use me and where.
These past 8 years we lost some blessed servants here at Peace who heard God’s call “follow me!” and followed and served. But every time we lose someone who dies in Christ, or moves away, we see the Lord work in the hearts of others to serve.
Over the last few years we've had needs of a few Elders. Jim Rich, Bob Poe and Bill Krueger and Matt Rich all answered the call. While others continued to faithfully serve. Bill Krueger and Scott Regentin answered the call to serve as this congregation’s President and Vice President not expecting the year 2020 would become and we thank the Lord for his blessing during this difficult time.
There is always a time to prayerfully consider what the Lord needs and how he might use you in service to others.
When becoming an Elder Jim Rich told me about his deliberation: “Pastor, I didn't want to accept the position unless I was willing to meet the obligations of the position and … God kept pursuing me.”
There are so many names and so many stories like this to tell. Ladies guild, Altar guild, Sunday school, worship committee … trustees and the list goes on and on – though for a time we are all sidelined a bit.
But know that the world and the word will always be in conflict. Even when Jesus calls … we sometimes only hear the sinful call of our own selfish desires or the world’s sinful ways.
Whether it is our own sinfulness, 46 Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” or the work of the devil to put fear in the Lord’s church over Covid, the vaccine, or safety procedures in place or not in place here and in our community and in the world!
We all try to act in love towards one another but so often we stumble.
Service is hard. It requires sacrifice. Jesus knows you and he knows me. Truth be told, we all would take the easy way out … at first.
47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!”
Or it might be interpreted:
“Behold one who is true to the name of Israel,
Or, as God says of the Israelites: they are a stiffed neck people.
In some ways we too might be in Christ but not of Christ, following the way of deceit and missing the opportunity to serve Christ, missing the mark which is sin.
You might ask, “How do you know me?” as Nathanael did.
Jesus answered him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.”
Christ sees you and me. He knows what we've done. He knows all our sins because they became his sins too. He took the sins you and I've committed and he has taken the ones that we have yet to commit to the cross. There he crucified your sins and mine. And no matter our guilt he has taken that away too.
Jesus calls us to follow him, to be in the world but not of the world. How will you respond?
49 Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” 50 Jesus answered him, “Because I said to you, ‘I saw you under the fig tree,’ do you believe? You will see greater things than these.” 51 And he said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”
It is indeed, a privilege to serve God but God can use us all in so many ways. Desire it, enjoys it and thank those who serve here and in the world. It is a privilege and a responsibility. May you always be blessed - as you hear and serve wherever the Lord Our God - has called you to serve.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit!
Amen
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