Known and Loved -- A Message for January 14, 2024

 

          Last week, we listened to Mark’s description of Jesus’ baptism. Today, we are skipping ahead a little bit…after he was baptized, Jesus went into the wilderness. There, his faith was tested. After his 40 days in the wilderness, Jesus was ready for the work at hand – to fulfill his destiny to live as the Messiah. After Jesus left the wilderness, Jesus gathered a group of Disciples who would join him in his ministry. Today, we reflect on the calling of a few of those disciples. Listen to their call story as we read from John, chapter one, verses 43 through 51:

Scripture: John 1:43-51

43 The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, “Follow me.”

44 Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida. 

45 Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”

46 “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” Nathanael asked.

“Come and see,” said Philip.

47 When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, “Here truly is an Israelite in whom there is no deceit.”

48 “How do you know me?” Nathanael asked.

Jesus answered, “I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you.”

49 Then Nathanael declared, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the king of Israel.”

50 Jesus said, “You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You will see greater things than that.” 

51 He then added, “Very truly I tell you, you will see ‘heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on’ the Son of Man.”

Here ends this reading of the word of God for the people of God. Thanks be to God. Amen.

 

Message                       Known and Loved

          Many years ago, when I worked at a bookstore, I learned that “leadership” books are extremely popular sellers. If you scan the New York Times bestseller list, John C. Maxwell, Gary Chapman, and Brene Brown appear again and again with their books coaching us on how to become better leaders.  A whole industry has risen up to teach leadership principals… In addition to books promoting leadership, we can attend conferences and listen to endless podcasts teaching us to become better leaders in our professional lives, in our families, and in our churches.  We want to become leaders and do our best in our leadership roles. But, this begs the question, who are we leading…and who do we follow? Are we choosing to follow the right leaders?  Are we good followers?

          In our scripture this morning, the question of who to follow arose. John the Baptist had been calling the Jewish people to repent for their sins and become baptized as a sign of that repentance. He amassed a following. In Israel in the first century, spiritual leaders had disciples who lived alongside their leader and helped them in their work. John had several of his own disciples. But, then Jesus appeared.

          After John baptized Jesus, he began telling his followers about Jesus. They had to decide – should they stay with John? Or should they leave John and follow Jesus? They were curious about the man John identified as the Messiah – John said Jesus was the one they were waiting for.

          After his baptism, and his time in the wilderness, Jesus approached Philip, who was one of John’s disciples. Jesus told Philip to come and follow Jesus and Philip was ready to go. But, before he departed with Jesus, Philip found Nathaniel and told him about Jesus. Nathaniel was skeptical,…he doubted anything good could come from small-town Nazareth. Nathaniel went to check out Jesus and meet him.  He wanted to see him before he could decide to follow him. Was Jesus the kind of leader Nathaniel could dedicate his life to?

          When Nathaniel met Jesus, Jesus told Nathaniel that he knew him to be a man without deceit, and that Jesus had seen him sitting under the fig tree before Philip called him to come and follow Jesus. Somehow, Jesus words immediately convinced Nathaniel that he was the one to follow, Jesus was the messiah.

          In our lives, there are lots of people and positions vying for our attention. We seem to be in a constant election cycle, with politicians constantly running for office and seeking our votes and our financial pledges.  Every time we open up a social media account, we witness posts by “influencers” who want to tell us what products to use or recipes to cook or music to listen to. Celebrities are widely followed in the media – we can buy the exact same outfit Taylor Swift wore to the last football game or the handbag Kate Middleton used on her latest public outing. Between celebrities, and politicians, and influencers, and royalty, or athletes, we have a lot of voices vying for our attention. Who do we choose to follow?

          When Jesus invited Philip to leave John and follow him, Philip was immediately ready to go. He was so enthusiastic that he went and invited Nathaniel to come as well. But, Nathaniel was a tad more hesitant. He needed to meet Jesus for himself.

Consider when we first thought about following Jesus. We may have been little children who were brought to church and wondered what this was all about. Or we may have been busy adults who were searching for something more meaningful in our lives. Most of us were probably not immediately ready to follow Jesus when the opportunity presented itself. --  I remember telling my mother that I did not want to go to Confirmation classes and become confirmed. The pastor of our church had to bribe me with hot chocolate to get me to consider joining the class. Some of us took years before we decided to walk through the doors of a church or pick up a Bible.  Some of us took years before we decided to start praying. Most of us are not like Philip, ready to go immediately.  We are more skeptical, more like Nathaniel, and wait and see, and hesitate, before we are willing to follow Jesus.

Once we get there, once we are followers of Jesus, it is our work to be like Philip. When we are committed to following Jesus, we are called to spread the word.  This is the kind of leadership God is asking us to take on….to lead others to God. We are called to tell others about Jesus, to encourage others in their seeking God, and to live in a way that best represents the Christian faith to others. We wouldn’t be here if we came to check out Trinity and people were unwelcoming. We wouldn’t be here if the people we met who claimed to be Christians acted in ways that were un-Christ-like. So, our work as leaders is to be invitational. We follow a leader that everyone needs. We follow God, the way, the truth and the life. Let us help lead others to God. Amen.