I’ve been asked—What’s the best thing about being your pastor? The answer: getting to visit with you. Whether it’s in your home, at your place of work, here at the church, at a local business, or even at the hospital, I enjoy visiting with you. While sipping a cup of coffee, sorting through items at the Thrift Shop—let me restate that—watching you sort through items at the Thrift Shop— checking out a book, taking a break, or watching our children at play or practice, I enjoy visiting with you. You see, I love listening to your stories—how you met your spouse, what brought you to Paola, why you chose your vocation. I appreciate your sharing memories of special people in your lives, funny anecdotes of your family, and how this community has changed over the years. I love listening to your stories.
I have always been fascinated by stories, and it’s the stories in the Bible that grab my attention—more than the theological reflections, more than the poetry, and more than the prophetic proclamations. It’s the stories in the Bible that I enjoy the most.
In planning for worship between now and the beginning of Lent—as I was reading the lectionary scriptures, I noticed that each Sunday included a text related to a “call” story—a narrative (sometimes brief, sometimes comprehensive)—of how someone in the Bible heard God’s call for his or her life. There are many “call” stories in the Bible—from God speaking to Moses through a burning bush to the angel Gabriel telling Mary she will bear God’s son to the blinding light striking Paul down on the road to Damascus. The Bible is full of “call” stories. So, I invite you—during these next few Sundays to join me in reflecting on “When God calls . . .”
Today’s text contains Jesus’ call story. This is how the evangelist Mark perceived God’s calling Jesus into his life’s ministry. Along with many folks from the Judean countryside, Jesus responds to John the Baptist’s life-changing invitation.
In my mind’s eye, I see Jesus standing in the Jordan River, hands clasped at his heart. John is standing beside him—facing him, one hand holding Jesus’ clasped hands and the other at the top of Jesus’ back—supporting his neck. In my mind’s ear, I hear John saying “I baptize you with water—symbolizing the refreshing cleanliness of a new life—a life turned towards God. The one whose way I prepare, the one who comes after me, the one is more powerful than I, he will baptize, not with water, but with the Holy Spirit.” Then I see Jesus leaning back into John’s strong arm. As John lowers him into the Jordan River,
Jesus is completely covered by the water. Then John begins to raise him back up. As he comes up out of the river, water drenching him—running into his eyes—Jesus sees the sky split open and the Holy Spirit coming down—like a bird in flight—from that fissure. Even as the water is dripping from his ears, he hears God’s voice, “You are my Son, whom I dearly love. I am very pleased with you.” Now standing, wiping the water from his face and his ears, Jesus looks up and around. No one else seems to have seen the Spirit or heard the voice. He makes his way out of the river as John waits for the next person to come down and be baptized.
At the riverbank, Jesus pauses, he reflects—rewinding and replaying in his mind the tape of what just happened: God speaking to him . . . the Holy Spirit landing on him. This is Jesus’ call story. At his baptism, God calls him beloved Son and fills him with God’s presence and power. Here, in Jesus’ call story, we experience the Trinity—God the Parent—speaking, God the Holy Spirit—empowering, and God the Son—receiving and responding. We experience the Trinity—poised on the brink of the ministry to which Jesus is called.
When God calls, the Holy Spirit is right there—following up—surrounding you with God’s presence, offering you signs of encouragement, and giving you the gifts—the talents, the skills, the character traits—you need to do that which God calls you to do.
You? Yes you—for each one of us is called by God. In the waters of our baptism, God claims us as God’s very own, saying, “You are my dearly loved child.” Welcomed into God’s family, we are called into discipleship. We become heirs with Christ of all that is God’s, so God calls us into the “family business”—the family business of sharing the good news. When God calls us into God’s family, the Holy Spirit follows up—encircling us with God’s presence; encouraging us in our daily lives to follow Christ’s example of love and service; and endowing us with the gifts we need to do so—giving us faith and hope and love.
In the family of faith—that is, the church—and in this particular congregation, God calls some to leadership—leadership in a ministry of compassion (deacon) or leadership in nurturing the faith of this congregation (elder). Today, we ordain and install those people whom God has called to leadership here in the next three years—deacons and elders. Because God has called them, we know that the Holy Spirit is right here, following up—assuring them of God’s presence, encouraging them through our response to their leadership, and equipping them to guide this congregation in the ministry God has planned for us now and in the future.
The ministry God has planned for us—yes, us—God calls us—collectively as well as individually—into ministry—the ministry of this church. We do not ordain and install deacons and elders to do the work of this church. We ordain and install deacons and elders with whom we will do the work of this church. We ordain and install elders and deacons who will prayerfully lead us and with whom we will work—we will minister—together. Together.
Over the next few Sundays, as we read and reflect on various biblical call stories, may we open ourselves to the certainty that God calls each one of us. May we open our ears to hear God’s message to us individually as well as to us as a group. May we hear God saying to us, “You are my beloved son. You are my beloved daughter. You are my beloved children. I am well-pleased with you. Join me.” May we open our eyes to see the Holy Spirit poised to guide us along the path God is laying out for us. May we flex our hands and our feet and stretch our arms and our legs to ready our bodies to respond—to physically respond—to God’s call. May we feel the touch of the Holy Spirit—assuring us of God’s presence, inviting us to share God’s love, encouraging us and equipping us to answer this, God’s call on our lives. Amen.
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