There’s a lot going on in today’s Gospel story! A lot going on, but everything seems to be all about disruption and change. At the beginning, we hear along with Jesus that John the Baptist has been arrested. Disruptive, to be sure – for John, and for his followers.
Following this news, we hear that Jesus uproots himself and moves twenty miles away, from Nazareth to Capernaum – from the ridge of a valley to the shore of the Sea of Galilee; from a Jewish city to a primarily Gentile one; from his family’s hometown to a totally new place. Moving any distance is disruptive, let alone all these other changes.
Even the quote from the prophet Isaiah speaks of disruption. “The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death, light has dawned.” If you’ve ever been in a dark room where someone suddenly turns on the light, you’ve experienced this kind of disruption. Your eyes blink and squint as the whole room is bathed in light – it’s inescapable! The shadows are disrupted and your eyes are forced to adjust to the newness.
The disruption continues as Jesus picks up John’s proclamation – “Repent, for the dominion of heaven has come near.” We often hear this call to repentance as an admonishment to stop sinning and turn to God, almost the equivalent of the “mom glare” that makes you sit up straighter and start behaving. But the Greek word used here is better understood as something like, “Be of a new mind!” or “Change your way of thinking!” The call to repent is a call to disrupt not just our way of acting, but our understanding of the very reality in which we find ourselves.
Finally, we come to the disruptive nature of God’s call. As Jesus explores his new hometown and walks by the Sea of Galilee, he sees two brothers, Simon (called Peter) and Andrew, going about their daily work – fishing. Jesus says to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fish for people.” And for some reason, inexplicably, they do! “Immediately they left their nets and followed Jesus.” Further on, Jesus sees two other brothers, James and John, mending their fishing nets alongside their father Zebedee. When Jesus called them, they too left their nets and followed.
We are left wondering about the disruption left in their wake as they dropped everything to follow Jesus. Who was left to pick up the pieces? What was it about Jesus’ call that was so compelling? Was Zebedee upset that his sons dropped everything to follow Jesus? Or did he give his blessing, happy for them to be called to something new, to be part of the unfolding dominion of God on earth?
Yes, today’s Gospel story is all about disruption and change, themes which are constants in our lives. Sometimes the changes are subtle, and sometimes more sudden and apparent. The disruption we experience may leave us upset and confused, excited to move forward into new opportunities, or a little of both. Disruption happens in small ways, like when the road we take to work is suddenly under construction or when the weather affects our vacation plans. At other times disruption is much bigger, such as when a relationship is ended, at the news of a diagnosis, or any time we experience loss and grief.
We are also in a season of disruption and change in our life together as a congregation. For over a year we’ve been talking extensively about our budget and expenses, and the need to make changes to ensure that the ministry taking place here may continue for many years. While many of you who have been members here for a long time still remember the days that the pews and Sunday School classrooms were full, we are no longer a large congregation, though our building may say otherwise.
As a small congregation, we must look critically at the way our life together is organized. How many committees, programs, worship services, office hours serve us at the size we are now, and not the size we used to be, or wish we were? How might we best steward our resources – finances, building, and people – to most faithfully answer the call to follow Jesus?
This past Monday, the Congregation Council decided that, due to our size and financial situation, it would be prudent to eliminate the position of a paid church secretary. [Secretary], who has served faithfully for many years, was informed on Wednesday. It was not an easy decision to make, and not one made lightly. We will talk more about the details at the annual meeting following worship, but needless to say, this change is disruptive. We will need to work together, adjust our expectations, and have grace for one another as we navigate this disruption and live into a new reality.
In this season of change, and at all times, we give thanks for the God who is our light and our salvation. We trust that the God who calls us to new things and away from old things will continue to walk with us as we hear and share the good news of the dominion of heaven. Disruption and change can be scary and disorienting, and also full of opportunity and promise.
We give thanks for a God who disrupts our brokenness and gives us wholeness and life. We give thanks for a God who disrupts the power of death to bring forth resurrection. In the baptismal waters, we were joined to Jesus’ death so that we might also be joined to him in resurrection, and we hold fast to this promise. In the midst of disruption and change, we rely on God’s presence with us and trust God’s faithfulness.
Following this news, we hear that Jesus uproots himself and moves twenty miles away, from Nazareth to Capernaum – from the ridge of a valley to the shore of the Sea of Galilee; from a Jewish city to a primarily Gentile one; from his family’s hometown to a totally new place. Moving any distance is disruptive, let alone all these other changes.
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| Photo by Fabien Bazanegue on Unsplash |
Even the quote from the prophet Isaiah speaks of disruption. “The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death, light has dawned.” If you’ve ever been in a dark room where someone suddenly turns on the light, you’ve experienced this kind of disruption. Your eyes blink and squint as the whole room is bathed in light – it’s inescapable! The shadows are disrupted and your eyes are forced to adjust to the newness.
The disruption continues as Jesus picks up John’s proclamation – “Repent, for the dominion of heaven has come near.” We often hear this call to repentance as an admonishment to stop sinning and turn to God, almost the equivalent of the “mom glare” that makes you sit up straighter and start behaving. But the Greek word used here is better understood as something like, “Be of a new mind!” or “Change your way of thinking!” The call to repent is a call to disrupt not just our way of acting, but our understanding of the very reality in which we find ourselves.
Finally, we come to the disruptive nature of God’s call. As Jesus explores his new hometown and walks by the Sea of Galilee, he sees two brothers, Simon (called Peter) and Andrew, going about their daily work – fishing. Jesus says to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fish for people.” And for some reason, inexplicably, they do! “Immediately they left their nets and followed Jesus.” Further on, Jesus sees two other brothers, James and John, mending their fishing nets alongside their father Zebedee. When Jesus called them, they too left their nets and followed.
We are left wondering about the disruption left in their wake as they dropped everything to follow Jesus. Who was left to pick up the pieces? What was it about Jesus’ call that was so compelling? Was Zebedee upset that his sons dropped everything to follow Jesus? Or did he give his blessing, happy for them to be called to something new, to be part of the unfolding dominion of God on earth?
Yes, today’s Gospel story is all about disruption and change, themes which are constants in our lives. Sometimes the changes are subtle, and sometimes more sudden and apparent. The disruption we experience may leave us upset and confused, excited to move forward into new opportunities, or a little of both. Disruption happens in small ways, like when the road we take to work is suddenly under construction or when the weather affects our vacation plans. At other times disruption is much bigger, such as when a relationship is ended, at the news of a diagnosis, or any time we experience loss and grief.
We are also in a season of disruption and change in our life together as a congregation. For over a year we’ve been talking extensively about our budget and expenses, and the need to make changes to ensure that the ministry taking place here may continue for many years. While many of you who have been members here for a long time still remember the days that the pews and Sunday School classrooms were full, we are no longer a large congregation, though our building may say otherwise.
As a small congregation, we must look critically at the way our life together is organized. How many committees, programs, worship services, office hours serve us at the size we are now, and not the size we used to be, or wish we were? How might we best steward our resources – finances, building, and people – to most faithfully answer the call to follow Jesus?
This past Monday, the Congregation Council decided that, due to our size and financial situation, it would be prudent to eliminate the position of a paid church secretary. [Secretary], who has served faithfully for many years, was informed on Wednesday. It was not an easy decision to make, and not one made lightly. We will talk more about the details at the annual meeting following worship, but needless to say, this change is disruptive. We will need to work together, adjust our expectations, and have grace for one another as we navigate this disruption and live into a new reality.
In this season of change, and at all times, we give thanks for the God who is our light and our salvation. We trust that the God who calls us to new things and away from old things will continue to walk with us as we hear and share the good news of the dominion of heaven. Disruption and change can be scary and disorienting, and also full of opportunity and promise.
We give thanks for a God who disrupts our brokenness and gives us wholeness and life. We give thanks for a God who disrupts the power of death to bring forth resurrection. In the baptismal waters, we were joined to Jesus’ death so that we might also be joined to him in resurrection, and we hold fast to this promise. In the midst of disruption and change, we rely on God’s presence with us and trust God’s faithfulness.
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