Rev. Steve Ellis
The Episcopal Church of Saint John the Baptist welcomes all to worship God and to share Christ’s love in the world. We are a parish family committed to provide liturgy, Bible study, music, counseling, and Christian education for children, youth, and adults, and to equip all our members for life and for service to others.
Give us grace, O Lord, to answer readily the call of our Savior Jesus Christ and proclaim to all people the Good News of his salvation, that we and the whole world may perceive the glory of his marvelous works; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
First Reading: Jonah 3:1-5, 10 – The word of the LORD came to Jonah a second time, saying, “Get up, go to Nineveh, that great city, and proclaim to it the message that I tell you.” So Jonah set out and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the LORD. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly large city, a three days’ walk across. Jonah began to go into the city, going a day’s walk. And he cried out, “Forty days more, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!” And the people of Nineveh believed God; they proclaimed a fast, and everyone, great and small, put on sackcloth.
When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil ways, God changed his mind about the calamity that he had said he would bring upon them; and he did not do it.
Psalm: 62:6-14 Page 669, BCP
Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 7:29-31 – I mean, brothers and sisters, the appointed time has grown short; from now on, let even those who have wives be as though they had none, and those who mourn as though they were not mourning, and those who rejoice as though they were not rejoicing, and those who buy as though they had no possessions, and those who deal with the world as though they had no dealings with it. For the present form of this world is passing away.
Gospel: Mark 1:14-20 – Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.”
As Jesus passed along the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the sea– for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them, “Follow me and I will make you fish for people.” And immediately they left their nets and followed him. As he went a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John, who were in their boat mending the nets. Immediately he called them; and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men, and followed him.
Sermon: Is it hard to share the good news? Is it hard to fish for people? It isn’t hard, once we renounce the lordship of self, and turn to the gospel life.
We want to be in control – so that bad things won’t happen. We want control to master our fears. From this tendency to “play God” come most mayhem, but also most of the tiny miseries that follow us through our days.
Because the reality is, we are not in control of very much.
I have so many opportunities lately to experience this. Someone has surgery and recovers and another doesn’t recover. We lose jobs, or homes. I heard the most awful story of foreclosure this week, and I’m struggling to identify resources. Someone has cancer, and someone has kidney failure and someone has another surgery and I take last rites to yet another.
We don’t like it that we aren’t in control. I don’t like it. I want to pray and see everything come right – and I’m tempted to disappointment if I don’t get my way. I’m in good company, right?
I think God shares that experience. God has made a universe that is allowed to participate in its own creation, and that is messy. Not everything can go our way, and God doesn’t always get what God wants, at least in the short term – especially from us. Yet God does not abandon us in disappointment, or leave us alone in hard situations. That is what steadfast love means. That is what forgiveness means. God is with us, even when that means suffering with us, putting up with our stubbornness, grieving with us, walking with us through difficulties, failures, teaching us as patiently as is necessary to walk with Jesus.
Is that good news?
Does Jesus’ redemption mean we will get our way? No. Does it mean bad things won’t happen? No. Are we forgiven and loved just as we are, now and forever? Absolutely. Do we still need to change our ways? Only if we want to experience the joys and colors of life.
Turns out, the need for control blocks out the joy in life. It is living in the presence of God – putting ourselves and those we love into the hands of God continually, putting situations that need justice or mercy there, too – that is the way to experience life, love, forgiveness, pain, joy, all the colors and all the depth.
It sounds hard. It turns out to be rather wonderful. Nothing is perfect, as we might define perfect. But the gospel life turns out to be much more wonderful than perfect could ever be.
When we dare to live that life, in God’s hands moment by moment, it is contagious. If you want to fish for people, there are a lot of things you can do, habits, attitudes, making opportunities. Yet, first of all, one thing. Live life in God’s hands, because that brings you vibrantly alive, and makes God visible – and that is contagious.
