In many ways, this classic story of Jesus calling the first disciples seems too good to be true, or, at the very least, unrelatable. Here are people going about their daily work who literally drop everything to follow a man they just met into an uncertain future. They didn’t check in with their families, or turn in their two weeks’ notice, or even pack away their fishing gear. Instead, upon hearing the call, both Simon and Andrew and James and John immediately left the familiarity of their nets and followed Jesus.
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| Photo by Javier Allegue Barros on Unsplash |
Upon hearing this story, our minds drift, perhaps, to our own commitments, to the things that would be too hard to leave behind. We may wonder if it’s even possible for us to respond to Jesus’ call with the trust and immediacy of the disciples. After all, Lutherans in particular are notorious, to the point of satire, of avoiding change. We sit in the same pews, cling tightly to our old hymnals, and hold as sacred “the way we’ve always done things.” In general, we are not known for our ability to take risks, try something new, or accept change. We do want to follow Jesus, but mostly if he calls us to follow him along the paths worn smooth by many years of shuffling feet.
But here’s the thing – Jesus has called us, and we have responded. Over the past year, in particular, it’s been brought into sharp relief. A year ago we were already making some pretty weighty decisions as a congregation. We engaged in very intentional reflection about the ways in which the Trinity Lutheran of 2020 looked very different from the Trinity Lutheran of, say, 1950. We made difficult changes to the budget and staffing, and tried to imagine what it would look like to be the church together going forward.
And then, in the midst of that precariousness and uncertainty, everything around us changed, too. Out of love for our neighbors and concern for the well-being of the most vulnerable in our midst, we dropped everything that was so familiar and dear to us – being together in our building for worship, singing together, gathering elbow-to-elbow along the rail for communion. Jesus called us to follow him, and we did - into the uncertainty and unfamiliarity of online church.
With patience, grace, and a lot of trial and error, we began to worship online and over the phone. We discovered new ways of connecting with one another, and embraced the opportunity to try new things, because what was the alternative?
I wonder, sometimes, what the process of adding worship online would have looked like apart from the catalyst of a global pandemic. I imagine lots of meetings, many hesitations shared, anxiety about attendance and competition and technology and cost. I picture a timeline of at least six months, and maybe even a year, to do something that, in reality, happened in roughly a week. I can’t help but wonder what we’ve missed out on over the years because of hand-wringing, cautiousness, or fear.
As I envision life together post-pandemic, I am curious and excited about what will be possible now that we know we can do change, and can follow Jesus when he calls us into life and ministry that is so very different from anything we imagined for ourselves. We’ve found that dropping everything to follow gives us the opportunity to assess our priorities, and only pick back up what we really need for the present moment and the journey that lies ahead.
Today’s Gospel text begins with an announcement: “The time is fulfilled and the dominion of God has come near; repent and believe in the good news.” The story that follows illustrates exactly that. The dominion of God has come near to Simon and Andrew and James and John – Jesus has come near. He calls them to repent – to turn around into a new way of being and doing, no longer fishing for fish, but fishing for people. He invites them to believe, to trust in him, and to follow.
It’s true for us, too. In Jesus, God has come near, calling us into the present moment. It’s time. Repent, turn around, change course; believe, trust, follow. God has called you – called us! – into a new way of being. It’s true that following Jesus is rarely comfortable – but he never promises it will be. As we follow down these unfamiliar roads, we are reminded that Jesus goes with us, and that his very presence strengthens and empowers us to answer the call.
God has called us, God is with us, and God will lead us in this new way. Though the path may be unfamiliar and strange, the one we follow is the same, and we are never alone.
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