And they left their nets…and followed him.
We have so many ideas these days about what it means to be a Christian. Of course, that shouldn’t be surprising…since, as we read this morning in 1st Corinthians, they were already having that problem just 30 years or so after Jesus’ death and resurrection. The folks in Corinth were have serious arguments about whose faith the “real” Christian faith. Some were certain that “Real” Christians followed Apollos’ teachings… others thought Paul…others thought Peter. Each was sure they were the only ones who belonged to Christ. No different than today, is it? Across the board, you see folks who are convinced that only “they” are the “real” Christians – whether they are Pentocostal…or Roman Catholic…or 7th Day Adventist..,or fundamentalist…or Orthodox…or Lutheran. And it’s not just about denominations or their doctrine. There is plenty of other criteria people use to decide who the “real” Christians are. Some insist you must be pro-life…or reject the LGBTQ community. Some think you have to subscribe to a certain political party…while others insist that “real” Christians do not engage in politics. Then there are those for whom “real” Christianity is just a cultural system of values that equates to their nationality. Being a “Christian” is just part of being American…it’s a box they check on the census that doesn’t mean much day to day. While others? They spend days going door to door, persistently sharing their version of faith, because they believe rest of the world is going to hell. Now I’m not sure which of these versions is Paul’s or Appollo’s or Peter’s, but I’m pretty sure we’ve got to have them covered. So…will the “real” Christians stand up?
The thing is…there really is only one definition of a Christian. Like Paul says, Christ is not divided…so a Christian is simply someone who does what the disciples do in our Gospel today. They follow Jesus. That’s it. It’s not someone who believes a specific doctrine or prays a certain prayer or checks a certain box to get their name written in the book of life and secure a place in heaven. No, it’s just someone who gets up from what they used to think mattered…leaves the priorities they used to have… and follows Jesus. A Christian is someone who goes where he goes and sees what he sees and tries to do what he does. And what did Jesus do? He proclaimed the good news of the kingdom and cured every disease and every sickness among the people. He shared the GOOD news, not the bad news…the GOOD news of God’s reign over the whole earth…and cared for those who are sick and diseased.
Now…at first glance, that sounds like the work of pastors and doctors. I mean, we stand up front and preach the “good news”, after all….and Stacy and Aaron and Geoff and Shannon and Jeremy take care of the sick. So…I guess we’re the real Christians, then…and the rest of y’all may as well go home, right? Wrong. Sure, Jesus had some preacher types and some healers in his entourage….but they weren’t the only ones…in fact, they weren’t even the central figures among his followers. No, this morning, we read again that the first people Jesus invited to follow him….the people who became the heart and soul of his ministry – Peter, James and John….were fisherman – ordinary hard working laborers and business-folk. Yes, Jesus invited people in the midst of their ordinary jobs — not people from the synagogue…not scholars…not the recognized “leaders” or “healers” — but folks who fished for a living..to be at the center of his work. Jesus called ordinary people to recognize that their life wasn’t just about their jobs, after all… or about money or about status …but their life was something more. Every day of their life was an opportunity to touch another person’s life…”to fish for people”. Every day of their life, in whatever they did, they were invited to follow Jesus…and to share and live the GOOD news…not the bad news…in everything they said and did…and to realize they had the ability to bring healing to people – to care for those around them that were sick and hurting. Jesus called them…and they followed. There was something so compelling…so hopeful…so right about the way Jesus lived in the world…that they wanted to do it too.
I still think that’s true. There is still something so compelling about Jesus that we want to have what he had…so see what he sees…go where he goes…and do what he does. We want to be like him. To be “Christ-like”. There is still something so compelling about Jesus that we want to follow him…and be Christians, too.
We want a life that is about more than “getting by”…about more than careers or money or status. We want a life that is lived within the vision of “Good news”…of hope…and a life that brings healing, not more suffering, to the people around us. We want to follow Jesus.
And we don’t have to be doctors or therapists or pastors or scholars to do that. Because…when we go where Jesus goes…(you have to remember, Jesus went all sorts of places that supposedly “good” people didn’t go) ..we find that there are people who need good news and care for their hurting hearts at school and at the basketball games….at family gatherings and parties. They are in line at the store, sitting at the bar, and waiting at the DMV. They are our coworkers and employees, our relatives and friends. At every turn, we find people in front of us who need to hear GOOD news…who need hope and healing…who are hurting and discouraged and are longing for someone to care.
Jesus says to all of us…follow me. Go where I go…see who I see…and do what I do. Go into all the world – into the bars and restaurants and DMVs and stores…into the homes of the poor and the privileged…into the shelters and prisons and offices…and share the GOOD news. And what’s the good news? That this is God’s world…God’s kingdom. That God can be trusted. That we have nothing to fear. That what looks hopeless never is. That hope is not foolish, no…but rather, hope is the power of God. It is the power of resurrection in the face of death. Share the good news…not the bad news. There’s plenty of bad news out there…nobody needs you piping up with it. Share the good news…and care for the hurting. Care for those that are sick of body and mind and heart. Forgive and Love. Show compassion and kindness. Follow Jesus.
Yes, that is what a Christian is. Ordinary people…following Jesus. Ordinary people…recognizing that their life isn’t about the nets they mend or the tables they serve or the data they entry…but about how they care for the people around them. Jesus loved. He healed. He befriended. And he invites us all to do the same. And each of us doing that – sharing good news – showing kindness and care—in each of our individual small ways…makes a difference that is bigger than we can imagine. Amen.
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