Discipleship Epiphany 3A Jan. 2008

PUMC Jan 27 2008 Matthew 4: 12ff Being disciples
I can see so many topics coming from the Gospel lesson this morning..

But I want to use the wide angle lens and think about discipleship because that seems to be the big theme.
Jesus is calling disciples
He is gathering his Followers ...students of the movement
Co workers in his Spirit..learners of his way to live...

Discipleship...
but what’s does that mean ?
that could still be a whole series..

But lets touch on three things..

And Lets start with verse 17
Jesus says
repent

that the opening of his ministry..according to Matthew.
The very first words of jesus in minsitry
Repent
don’t you love that word

do you ever use it?
don’t try using it on your family
with your spouse or your children

it doesn’t thave a lot of household useage



that’s a word
with a lot of baggage
guilt ,,shame..judgement..repent..

and I don’t use it much
in my sermons..

But we still need to hear waht its trying to say..

So how about
if we translated it
as change

not just any kind of change

but changing direction
and turning to God


because that what it really means
changing direction
to the good


John Maxwell,
writes about leadership

he said that one of the greatest discoveries you can make in your life

is that you can change,

you can grow,

you can learn something new,
you don’t have to always be the same person that you are today


Change,
growth,
discovering that new idea,
that new thing,

in so many ways..it is the very essence of the spiritual life.
Growth..transformation
,,being born again..
Spiritual renewal

it all depends on change.

.think about that..
growing is a form of changing

but you know
we still resist it,

We resist what is new;
we still resist change. We have this inertia in us

And yes..
it’s a problem for the church.

People say “Everything in the world is changing
everything else is different

so when I come to church I want stability
I want familiarity
give me that old time religion
I want the same old songs
I want the same place in the pew
I want to do
what I did, when I was growing up in church....

I want it to be like the good old days

.(and I understand the tension and the nostalgia)

and then somebody quotes Hebrews 13: 8

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow”

that may be true

but it doesn’t mean
that the church
and the ministries and the styles
have to stay exactly the same

in fact... they cant..

John wesley and the early Methodists figured that out

they were innovators for ministry
and that’s how the church grew.

But then
we settle back in
. We aren’t that good at changing sometimes

You now the old joke (I hope it’s a joke)
about changing light bulbs

have you seen the church versions?


how many Charismatics
does it take
to change a light bulb?

Just one
their hands are already in the air.

Pentecostal :
you need 10 –
One to change the bulb,
and 9 to pray against the spirit of darkness

Or how many Presbyterians does it take?
None,
because the lights will go on and off ...at predestined times.




.

Unitarians : We choose not to make a statement
either in favor of
or against
the need for a light bulb.
However, if in your own journey you have found that light bulbs work for you,
you are invited to write a poem
or compose a modern dance about your light bulb for the next Sunday service,
in which we will explore a number of light bulb traditions, including incandescent, fluorescent, 3-way, long-life and tinted, all of which are equally valid paths to luminescence



And finally,
how many Methodists does it take to change a light bulb?

And the answer is:

well actually I have two different punch lines for this one

Methodists :
We don’t know –but General Conference is going to study it for the next f years...
In the meantime Whether your light is bright,
dull, or completely out,
you are loved.
You can be a light bulb,
turnip bulb, or a tulip bulb.
Bring a bulb of your choice to the Sunday lighting service
and a hotdish to share

....
But actually I like this version even more

You’re going to change that light bulb? I’ll have you know my grandfather installed that light bulb.

Well.. Want to Thank you for being open to changes here at park church..

It goes with who we are ..as disciples of Jesus Chrsit...

Again.. go back to the very first words that Jesus uses to begin his minsitry
repent

or as Eugene Peterson says it in his translation

Change your life.


repent ..the word is about
abut a life.. long process..
Its living the faith
You don’t just do it once

change your whole life
follow
stay moving
adapting...
creative
learning... growing.

That how you follow Jeus..living the repentant life

question is
what repenting..changing
are you and I doing

Now point number two.
Jeus says follow me..and these disciples immediately.
.follwed him
I believe the disciples in the gospel lesson are just amazed ,
I believe,,totally amazed
that
Jesus would want them


that Jeus would or could ...call somebody like them
and use them

maybe that’s why they seemed to jump at the opportunity
they are hearing something

that they really needed to hear..
and its life changing


I think we need to hear that
in a very personal way as well

God is choosing you
This Gospel story is talking to you..
And that love
the gospel
is at the core
that you are chosen
and that call. Is to you..by name

I know you ve heard this before

But do you still hear it in a powerful way

again and again..
down deep//
I think we have to connect with that truth

spiritually ..vitally
as much as we can


Another book thatIi have not read.
. Is by Calvin Trillin
and its about his late wife ,Alice,

one of the most quoted and highlighted pieces in the book

is about an experience that Alice had
when she was volunteering at a camp for seriously ill children.


one summer
she got especially close to a girl who
had two genetic diseases,
one of those diseases
kept her from growing

and another one
kept her from digesting any food.

She had to be fed through a tube at night

and this little girl also had a hard time walking

so Alice
would sometimes drive her around
in a golf cart

and they both liked doing that..
well
One day,
when they were playing duck-duck-goose,

the little girl was sitting behind Alice
and she wanted Alice to hold her mail

while she went running aorund the circle

as part of the game
but
this was going to take a while


And Alice noticed that the there was letter in that mail
from the little girls mother

and Alice was embarrassed to admit that she did this


But she decided to read the note.
She simply had to know
what this child’s parents could have possible done
to make her so spectacular,

to make her the most optimistic,

most enthusiastic,
most hopeful human being that Alice had ever known.

she said

I snuck a quick look at the note,
and my eyes fell on this sentence:

“If God had given us all the children in the world to choose from,...

we would only have chosen you.”

then
Before the little girl. got back to her place in the circle,

Alice showed the note to another volunteer],
who was sitting next to her

she said to this other perosn
“Quick, read this,”

. “It’s the secret of life.”



and its true

the secret of life is to know that you are so incredibley wanted
and chosen and loved

we need to hear that from the source of life

from God
from Jesus Chrsit
somehow
some where
that is what launches us
and empowers us
as disciples
to know
that its you ..
.being called
its you... being
desired
valued.... just as you are..
Trusted...
It’s the secret of discipleship you are chosen..


I hope you hear that every Sunday
I hope you hear it your Bible study
and in your prayers

I hope we say it to each other
..it’s a way of preaching the gospel
I love you
I call you
I want you.
There is no discipleship without it.

Finally
third point
discipleship begins where you are.


John Ortbergs latest book
has a chapter called Finding your mission

and he says
Your Mission starts where you are,
not where you think you should be.

I think you can substitute the world “discipleship” for mission in that sentence
or spiritual life ..or faithfulness

your discipleship
also begins where you are and not where you think you should be

he says that very often
we think that our current position
or job we’re in
the situation ...is a barrier ..
that just gets in the way


but he says that’s really where you start

then he passes on a little story that his wife likes to tell


One day a husband came home from work..and the house was just a disaster

the baby was crying

dirty dishes were allover the counter

there was dirty laundry hanging from the door knobs
the tv was blaring
the beds werent made
the carpet wasn’t vacuumed
the furniture hadn’t been dusted

dinner wasn’t getting ready

and he wanted to know what happened

and his wife told him

You know how you always want to know
what I’ve been doing all day..

Well
today I didn’t do it.


Ortbergs point
and my point
this morning is not about who does the housework....
But it is that you are probably already doing something very important in your life

and we cant just take it for granted

because if you didn’t do it..

Then something important would be left out

you might be the only one
who is checking on that neighbor

or helping that other perosn
get through a tough time right now

you might be the one who steers a conversation
or a meeting
to higher ground
and a better vision

Jesus calls you to be a disciple in your life
in your neighborhood
the people
at home
in school
at work
in church
in your life

discipleship

for you
is going to also happen at Walmart
or working at Target
or the night shift ...at Cub foods
or at the hospital

Discipleship
is how you meet and greet people every day

its about how you do your business
honesty
ethics
gentleness ..compassion

maybe your call is going to be doing
the same thing
that you do everyday.
.and you might think is just routine

but now doing it
with a different spirit

There’s an old Buddhist story:

A young man goes into a monastery looking for enlightenment.

He wants to know
“Master, what shall I do while I seek enlightenment?”

The Master says “You must chop wood and fetch water.”

Years go by
the young man studies and meditates.
And he chops wood and fetches water...
Eventually,

he realises that he is close to enlightenment
and so he goes back with his question

“Master,
what shall I do
once I have attained enlightenment?”

The Master says “You must chop wood and fetch water with joy.”



you get the point.
Sometimes its the way.... and the why
we do what we do.

Discipleship can give you a way and a why...to do what you do.

Discipleship is
a life of change in Jesus Christ
a life of being loved and chosen
in Jesus Christ

a life that begins even and especially
In your place..here and now..following Jesus Christ

Amen