Sunday Sermon
Recent American History is filled with unexpected people who have achieved big things. Last Night I was watching football seeing the Broncos play the Patriots in the NFL Playoffs. The Patriots Quarterback Tom Brady who was picked to be on an NFL team after 198 other players in 2000, no one knew if he would even make the team. yet he has gone on to be the star of a Patriots team that has won three Super Bowls in four years. The US Presidency in my life time has been occupied by, the son of a shoe-salesman, and a homemaker from the small village of Tampico, Illinois in Ronald Reagan. While another President was born three months after his father died in a car-crash, then his mother would re-marry a man who was an alcoholic and a spousal abuser. The child from these humble begins was Bill Clinton. These are just three stories of many of people from unlikely background achieving big things.
This is not unlike today’s Gospel reading which deals with people from unexpected backgrounds being called by God to achieve big things. Today’s reading deals with Jesus calling of the disciples-Philip, Andrew, and Nathaniel. When looking at the backgrounds of these men. All three of these disciples were from the town of Bethsaida in the region of Galilee in Northern Israel. Bethsaida was a city so small that it wasn’t discovered by Archeologists till 1987. Bethsaida lied in the region of Galilee. Galilee was a region considered by people who lived in the big city of Jerusalem to be remote, to be filled with people who were uneducated, immature and simple, this was the last place the big shots thought anyone who would make a difference in the world would come from. Yet, 11 of the 12 disciples along with Jesus were from the region of Galilee. There was though one disciple who came from outside Galilee, and from around Jerusalem and that disciple was Judas.
Not only though did the disciples come from a remote region with ordinary backgrounds. The disciples also didn’t have some of the personal characteristics that one might expect of someone being called by God. For Scripture describes on several occasions, Jesus as having to explain parables to the Disciples, right after telling them, until they made sense. So it’s fair to say the Disciples didn’t get the point of every sermon, they heard. Jesus also in John 9 had to give the disciples a long lecture because their understanding of the issue of “Why bad things to people” happen was completely wrong, so the Disciples didn’t have the answer to every question. In Mark 14 when the Disciples were supposed to be on watch for people coming to arrest Jesus, the Disciples fell asleep within the first hour, so no one would describe the Disciples as having the greatest work ethic. When Jesus was arrested in Mark 14 and Matthew 26, the Disciples were so scared they ran off into hiding... When Peter was asked if he knew Jesus upon Jesus arrest’, he denied Jesus three times. For the Disciples seemed to lack great courage and conviction in times of turmoil. For it might have seemed everything God would want as leader in his Church, the disciples lacked. Yet, after the Resurrection of Christ Jesus. - The disciples became strong courageous witnesses to Christ’s salvation. In Acts 4 after months before running into hiding from the threat of being associated with Jesus. The Disciples stood before the Jewish Council- under the threat of death, saying “Jesus did rise from the dead, and salvation only comes from having faith in Jesus Christ. The disciples after being bumbling, stumbling, and uneducated cowards had become great speakers, who would travel around the world with great courage facing the threat of death.
So magnificent things were done by the Disciples, Even though the disciples didn’t have the background or characteristics, that one would expect God to use them, , but yet God called them to start the Christian Church.
But in the Scriptures God didn’t just call people from unexpected backgrounds. God also called people whose sins, people would think might totally disqualify them from ever being called by God. For instance, scripture describes Noah as a drunk in Genesis 9, but God used Noah to save his family and many animals from a great flood. Moses murdered an Egyptian in Exodus 2, but God used him to deliver and rescue the Israelites from the Egyptians and lead them to the Promised Land. David committed adultery with Bathsheba in 2 Samuel 12, but God used him to unite all of Israel, and build the city of Jersualem from a fishing village to one of the most important cities in the world. Then there is Paul. Paul held people’s coats, as they stoned Stephen to death for confessing the Christian Faith, Paul is described as seeing to it that Christians were arrested, and Paul describes himself as persecuting Christians more than anybody else, yet Paul became the Christian Church’s greatest missionary, and was inspired by God to write more books of the Bible than anyone else, thereby shaping Christianity forever. For God used a sinner like Paul to let people know that Christ died and rose for the forgiveness of not only Paul’s sins but all people’s sins.
So some of the greatest leaders of the faith. Had done things in their past, that might have got people to say God could never call them. Yet, God called them to do great things in his name. .
This idea of God using flawed, ordinary people to do God’s work is one I can attest in my own life. Standing up here preaching from God’s Word today, has not always been something people would expect of me. For instance, when I was three years old, I had such a bad speech impediment; I took Speech therapy till I was over 21. When one has a speech impediment, the last job one would seem called to is a job that requires public speaking, week in and week out. When I was in Middle School, I was a terribly behaved student; I was a real-smart aleck, without respect for anyone or anything. One day, I was kicked out of 6 of 7 classes for poor behavior. I remember on more than one occasion as punishment having to do mandatory Janitorial duty after school, I also remember sitting in detention on more than one occasion. When I was in college, I was such a non-dedicated student my first couple years, I would show up to about half of my classes, and pull in C average. And still today I need to confess my sins and need for Christ’s forgiveness and salvation as much as anybody else on Sunday Mornings.
Yet God led me, an imperfect sinner who has done many things that he’s not proud of, through these things, so I can stand here today.
Though these stories don’t paint a the full picture of what constitutes being a disciple. For one of the great misconceptions though about whom God calls and who is a disciple is that people are disciples only if they do seemingly great earth-shattering things. But the reality is God calls all believers to serve as his disciple’s everday.For everyday God uses ordinary people with ordinary backgrounds and jobs, people with flaws and imperfections to serve as his disciples. Some people are probably sitting out here today. Saying what does this sermon have to do with me, I’m not going to preaching sermons anytime soon, or sharing the Christian faith under threat of death, like the disciples. This might be true. But God still calls us to be his disciples ,no matter how old or young, no matter what skin color or nationality, no matter how physically able, no matter how tall or short, thin or fat, no matter how educated, or uneducated, whether you’re married, widowed or single, male or female.
For God calls people to serve as his disciples in a variety of ways.
For example God might have called you by placing before you the opportunity to raise or work with children. And some have filled these roles by teaching the Christian faith to children whether as a parent or Sunday School Teacher more effectively than any Pastor ever could. God has called people to help their neighbors in times of need. Whether it be as a listening ear, or offering encouragement for someone going through a tough time, helping someone out with some money when they can’t pay their bills, helping the motorist stranded in the parking lot or on the side of the road. God puts before us everyday opportunities like this to serve as his disciples. God has called people to serve him by the jobs they have. Whether they be a Doctor, Banker, Mechanic, Factory Worker, or whatever job they have. God has given them opportunities in this job to help customers, and co-workers by their honesty, kindness, and effort. But most of all it is not perfect people with no problems, but flawed, ordinary people like the Disciples that are the backbone of this Church. It is people who like me and all people are in need of God’s grace and salvation. It is these people God has called to teach Sunday school, and Confirmation, lend their time and talents to various committees, serve at funerals, and build a New Church. And to serve here in a variety of other ways. As the Christian Church was started by the 12 disciples, this Church wouldn’t stay open if it wasn’t for all the Disciples of today.
The Disciples called by Jesus in today’s Gospel reading were men that didn’t come from the most impressive of backgrounds nor did they have standout abilities. They didn’t get the point of every sermon, nor have the answer to every question. They didn’t have the greatest work ethic, or great courage with nerves of steel. Yet God called them to be persons, he used to start the Christian Church. But the Disciples were not unlike the flawed, ordinary forgiven sinners that Christ calls to serve him everyday. We might not be called by God to serve in some of the same ways as the Disciples. But it is in our daily lives whether by sharing the faith, helping our neighbors, or through our jobs, and through service in this Church that we serve as Christ’s disciples. Amen
This is not unlike today’s Gospel reading which deals with people from unexpected backgrounds being called by God to achieve big things. Today’s reading deals with Jesus calling of the disciples-Philip, Andrew, and Nathaniel. When looking at the backgrounds of these men. All three of these disciples were from the town of Bethsaida in the region of Galilee in Northern Israel. Bethsaida was a city so small that it wasn’t discovered by Archeologists till 1987. Bethsaida lied in the region of Galilee. Galilee was a region considered by people who lived in the big city of Jerusalem to be remote, to be filled with people who were uneducated, immature and simple, this was the last place the big shots thought anyone who would make a difference in the world would come from. Yet, 11 of the 12 disciples along with Jesus were from the region of Galilee. There was though one disciple who came from outside Galilee, and from around Jerusalem and that disciple was Judas.
Not only though did the disciples come from a remote region with ordinary backgrounds. The disciples also didn’t have some of the personal characteristics that one might expect of someone being called by God. For Scripture describes on several occasions, Jesus as having to explain parables to the Disciples, right after telling them, until they made sense. So it’s fair to say the Disciples didn’t get the point of every sermon, they heard. Jesus also in John 9 had to give the disciples a long lecture because their understanding of the issue of “Why bad things to people” happen was completely wrong, so the Disciples didn’t have the answer to every question. In Mark 14 when the Disciples were supposed to be on watch for people coming to arrest Jesus, the Disciples fell asleep within the first hour, so no one would describe the Disciples as having the greatest work ethic. When Jesus was arrested in Mark 14 and Matthew 26, the Disciples were so scared they ran off into hiding... When Peter was asked if he knew Jesus upon Jesus arrest’, he denied Jesus three times. For the Disciples seemed to lack great courage and conviction in times of turmoil. For it might have seemed everything God would want as leader in his Church, the disciples lacked. Yet, after the Resurrection of Christ Jesus. - The disciples became strong courageous witnesses to Christ’s salvation. In Acts 4 after months before running into hiding from the threat of being associated with Jesus. The Disciples stood before the Jewish Council- under the threat of death, saying “Jesus did rise from the dead, and salvation only comes from having faith in Jesus Christ. The disciples after being bumbling, stumbling, and uneducated cowards had become great speakers, who would travel around the world with great courage facing the threat of death.
So magnificent things were done by the Disciples, Even though the disciples didn’t have the background or characteristics, that one would expect God to use them, , but yet God called them to start the Christian Church.
But in the Scriptures God didn’t just call people from unexpected backgrounds. God also called people whose sins, people would think might totally disqualify them from ever being called by God. For instance, scripture describes Noah as a drunk in Genesis 9, but God used Noah to save his family and many animals from a great flood. Moses murdered an Egyptian in Exodus 2, but God used him to deliver and rescue the Israelites from the Egyptians and lead them to the Promised Land. David committed adultery with Bathsheba in 2 Samuel 12, but God used him to unite all of Israel, and build the city of Jersualem from a fishing village to one of the most important cities in the world. Then there is Paul. Paul held people’s coats, as they stoned Stephen to death for confessing the Christian Faith, Paul is described as seeing to it that Christians were arrested, and Paul describes himself as persecuting Christians more than anybody else, yet Paul became the Christian Church’s greatest missionary, and was inspired by God to write more books of the Bible than anyone else, thereby shaping Christianity forever. For God used a sinner like Paul to let people know that Christ died and rose for the forgiveness of not only Paul’s sins but all people’s sins.
So some of the greatest leaders of the faith. Had done things in their past, that might have got people to say God could never call them. Yet, God called them to do great things in his name. .
This idea of God using flawed, ordinary people to do God’s work is one I can attest in my own life. Standing up here preaching from God’s Word today, has not always been something people would expect of me. For instance, when I was three years old, I had such a bad speech impediment; I took Speech therapy till I was over 21. When one has a speech impediment, the last job one would seem called to is a job that requires public speaking, week in and week out. When I was in Middle School, I was a terribly behaved student; I was a real-smart aleck, without respect for anyone or anything. One day, I was kicked out of 6 of 7 classes for poor behavior. I remember on more than one occasion as punishment having to do mandatory Janitorial duty after school, I also remember sitting in detention on more than one occasion. When I was in college, I was such a non-dedicated student my first couple years, I would show up to about half of my classes, and pull in C average. And still today I need to confess my sins and need for Christ’s forgiveness and salvation as much as anybody else on Sunday Mornings.
Yet God led me, an imperfect sinner who has done many things that he’s not proud of, through these things, so I can stand here today.
Though these stories don’t paint a the full picture of what constitutes being a disciple. For one of the great misconceptions though about whom God calls and who is a disciple is that people are disciples only if they do seemingly great earth-shattering things. But the reality is God calls all believers to serve as his disciple’s everday.For everyday God uses ordinary people with ordinary backgrounds and jobs, people with flaws and imperfections to serve as his disciples. Some people are probably sitting out here today. Saying what does this sermon have to do with me, I’m not going to preaching sermons anytime soon, or sharing the Christian faith under threat of death, like the disciples. This might be true. But God still calls us to be his disciples ,no matter how old or young, no matter what skin color or nationality, no matter how physically able, no matter how tall or short, thin or fat, no matter how educated, or uneducated, whether you’re married, widowed or single, male or female.
For God calls people to serve as his disciples in a variety of ways.
For example God might have called you by placing before you the opportunity to raise or work with children. And some have filled these roles by teaching the Christian faith to children whether as a parent or Sunday School Teacher more effectively than any Pastor ever could. God has called people to help their neighbors in times of need. Whether it be as a listening ear, or offering encouragement for someone going through a tough time, helping someone out with some money when they can’t pay their bills, helping the motorist stranded in the parking lot or on the side of the road. God puts before us everyday opportunities like this to serve as his disciples. God has called people to serve him by the jobs they have. Whether they be a Doctor, Banker, Mechanic, Factory Worker, or whatever job they have. God has given them opportunities in this job to help customers, and co-workers by their honesty, kindness, and effort. But most of all it is not perfect people with no problems, but flawed, ordinary people like the Disciples that are the backbone of this Church. It is people who like me and all people are in need of God’s grace and salvation. It is these people God has called to teach Sunday school, and Confirmation, lend their time and talents to various committees, serve at funerals, and build a New Church. And to serve here in a variety of other ways. As the Christian Church was started by the 12 disciples, this Church wouldn’t stay open if it wasn’t for all the Disciples of today.
The Disciples called by Jesus in today’s Gospel reading were men that didn’t come from the most impressive of backgrounds nor did they have standout abilities. They didn’t get the point of every sermon, nor have the answer to every question. They didn’t have the greatest work ethic, or great courage with nerves of steel. Yet God called them to be persons, he used to start the Christian Church. But the Disciples were not unlike the flawed, ordinary forgiven sinners that Christ calls to serve him everyday. We might not be called by God to serve in some of the same ways as the Disciples. But it is in our daily lives whether by sharing the faith, helping our neighbors, or through our jobs, and through service in this Church that we serve as Christ’s disciples. Amen
posted by Stew at 12:25 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home