This morning’s gospel lesson is from John’s telling of the Good News. It introduces the theme of discipleship. This week and next, we will be hearing the calls of some of the disciples. In hearing these stories, we will look this week at what it means to be called by Christ. Next week we will be looking at the cost of following Christ. Before we get John’s gospel, though, a little background will be a lot helpful. Watch this:
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READ John 1.35-51
I ran across that video clip as I was preparing for this past Wednesday’s lesson. Then as I began preparing for the next couple of Sundays, I was amazed at how well the two matched. Hearing the Scripture in the context of 1st century Judaism makes a world of difference as we try to understand its implication for holy living. Take, for instance, this idea that Jesus calls you to be his disciple.
To us, that sounds nice, but it really is not all that much to be excited about. If we put a little different spin on it, however, it may sound a little better. As Rob Bell pointed out, society in Jesus’ world revolved around religion. Not so much in our world. Our world seems to revolve more around entertainment. Sports, Hollywood, Television, the internet. You get the idea. Now football is especially big here in Toronto. Kids start playing Titans as soon as they can carry a ball and run. Every boy, it seems gets a start in Titans. The better you are, the longer you play. If you were not very good in Titans, you quit and prepare for life with the rest of us commoners.
But, if you were good in Titans you get to play for the Red Knights. Maybe you were a legendary Red Knight, but maybe you were just average. If you were just average then you find a job in the real world with the rest of us commoners. But, if you were good as a Red Knight you get to play some college ball. And on and on it goes. Imagine, one day a limo pulls into town and out steps Big Ben Rothlisburger. He walks over to Clark Hinkle stadium. He walks out on the field and says, “Hey you! That’s right…you #2 (or Fiala, or Miller, or whoever). Get in. I’m taking you to Steelers camp and I’m going to teach you myself how to be a great NFL quarterback.” – Now that’s a call. That would make the front page of “The Toronto Scene.” That would be breaking news on channel 9. That’s how we hear these stories of commoners being called to follow Christ.
In our story, two invitations stand out. One was issued to Andrew. The other to Phillip. The two go hand in hand. In the first episode, Andrew and another unknown man were disciples of John the Baptizer. When Jesus was revealed as the Messiah, verse 37 tells us “they followed Jesus.” It is interesting how John uses “follow.” In this instance, John uses “followed.” It is a past action. It is a completed action. They started, and they finished. It is done. It is once and for all. They had to decided if they should go all in, or if they should fold. They chose to go all in.
In the very next verse, however, John uses “follow” in a much different way. Before they followed. Now Jesus sees them following. This is quite an important distinction. Here, following is a present action. It is a continuing and ongoing activity. It is not something they did once upon a time; it is something they are doing now. It is not something they did and now they’re done; it is something they continue to do.
What’s more, it is also a future action. It is something they must keep doing. “Rabbi, where are you staying?” they asked as you recall the many times your children got tired on the long drive to Grandma’s house. “Are we there yet?” Jesus response is profound. It is truly fascinating. He simply says, “Come and see.” It is an invitation. It is an invitation to keep following. It is an encouragement to not grow weary and give up. It is a clear statement about the ongoing nature of discipleship.
But the scene quickly changes direction and so must we. We are introduced to another would-be disciple. His name is Phillip. Jesus, we are told, goes looking for Phillip. We don’t know how Jesus knows of Phillip. We don’t know why Jesus wants to find Phillip. We simply know that Jesus approaches Phillip with yet another invitation. “Come and follow me.” As we saw in the video, “Come, follow me” was a standard phrase of acceptance that was spoken by a rabbi to a prospective disciple. The implication is clear. Christ called Phillip to be his disciple, and to all that being a disciple entailed.
Here is exactly where understanding Jesus’ world revolutionizes how we understand this passage, and how we understand discipleship. It is one thing to be a student. It is quite another thing to be a disciple. A student seeks to learn what the teacher teaches, to in turn understand the teacher. The disciple seeks to know what the teacher knows and to do what the teacher does so that she can be in every way like the teacher. The student’s goal is knowledge. The disciples goal is identity.
For instance, the United States military employs many students of radical Islam. By studying radical Islam, the military knows what radical Islam teaches and in turn understands radical Islam in such a way that they can better predict terrorist activity and protect from terrorist attack. Being a student of radical Islam is quite different than being a disciple of radical Islam. The disciple of radical Islam seeks to know what radical Islam teaches so that the disciple can do what radical Islam does and be what radical Islam is.
Jesus calls us to follow him. It is a call that is much more than simply being a student of Scripture. It is a call that demands we become disciples of Christ. It is a call that is much more than knowing or understanding Jesus. It is a call that demands we know and understand Jesus in such a way that we are compelled to live as he lived, to do what he did, and to be in every way like him. Any student can answer this question: “What would Jesus do?” But it takes a real disciple to do what Jesus did.
This, by the way, is exactly why when we talk about discipleship we are not just talking about Bible studies. This is exactly why we also talk about community. How does your Sunday School class build community? How does your class provide a place for people to belong? How does your class help people to know one another and be known by one another? How does your class include people in the life of the church? Community!
This is exactly why we also talk about accountability. In what ways are the members of your Sunday School class accountable to one another? In what ways does your class confess sins to one another? In what ways does your class forgive and encourage one another? Accountability!
This is exactly why we also talk about outreach. To whom is your Sunday School class reaching out? To whom is your class opening itself up? With whom is your class actively sharing the Good News of our Lord Jesus Christ? Outreach!
This is exactly why we also talk about service. Who is your Sunday School class serving? What is your Sunday School class doing to serve the church? The community? The world? What acts of service is your class doing together? Service!
This is exactly why we also talk about care. How is your class caring for one another? How do you celebrate your classmates successes? How do you mourn your classmates’ loss? How do you visit them when they are sick? Or provide for them when they are in want? Care!
Discipleship is not just knowing Christ. It is being in every way like Christ. Jesus call to follow is both a call and a promise. It is a call to be his disciple. It is a call to be in every way like him: thinking as he thinks, doing as he does, loving as he loves. It is also a promise, that if you will come and follow him, you will become in every way like him.
You’re not so sure, are you? I can tell by your body language. You think its quite a tall order, expecting that people will be in every way like Christ. It is! You’re not so sure, are you? I can tell by your body language. You think there’s no way a person like you could come close to being in every way like Christ. Well, there is only one way to find out. You’ll have to come and see.
To the glory of God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.
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