The Third Sunday after the Epiphany, Year A
January 27, 2002
Christ Church, Covington

“As he walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea—for they were fishermen.  And he said to them, ‘Follow me, and I will make you fish for people.’  Immediately they left their nets and followed him” (Matt. 4:18-20).

Our Gospel gives us a story of call; actually two stories of call, of two sets of brothers, Andrew and Peter, James and John.  It is the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, and his first significant action is to call followers who will join him in his work.  First, he wrestles with the devil in the wilderness; now, he begins to wrestle with colleagues, as they take their first steps with him on a road that leads to Jerusalem.  Their call gives Jesus the opportunity to tell a little theological joke, a pun of sorts.  The brothers are fishermen; now, Jesus says, they will fish for people.

These stories of call give us the opportunity to remember some central facts of Christian discipleship.  First, it is a calling, a “vocation” if you like.  It is a work that God calls us to.  He chooses us, we don’t choose him.  It’s one of Paul the Apostles’ great themes, perhaps rooted in his own improbable experience of call, that God chose us “before the foundation of the world” (Eph. 1:4); unlikely characters that no one else would have chosen, those who are “low and despised in the world” so that no one might boast(1 Cor. 1:28-29).  Jesus takes fishermen and turns them into missionaries, and even makes a joke about it.  God himself chooses us for the holy vocation of baptized people.

It’s easy to mistake part of the significance of the story.  We think of the early disciples, especially the Twelve, as people of special significance; the leaders of the apostolic band.  So it’s easy, as well, to let ourselves off the hook.  “It’s the leaders”, we say, “who are called to their work.  The rest of us are just members, along for the ride.  God doesn’t call us, he just signs us up”.

But that is not how this story, and the others like it in the New Testament, are meant to be taken.  They are stories of a call to journey with Jesus, to be his disciples; to learn from the Master a way of life.  They are stories that apply to us all, for we are all called.  We are all called to share the life, to be with the Master.

We are disciples, as well, and not consumers.  The temptation is to remain a passive participant in the religious life, watching the professionals go about their work.  The temptation is to remain on the sidelines.  But Jesus calls disciples, not consumers.  Consumers choose their product, their preference; and some of us are skilled consumers of religious products.  We even move from place to place, looking for bargains, or even the choice of style we want.   By contrast, Jesus’ disciples are themselves chosen, and our God, rather than being a consumer choice, is himself a consuming fire (Heb. 12:29).

Jesus’ disciples, in answering the call, first learn from the Master a way of life.  Disciple is a word which means apprentice, those who are learning the discipline of a particular way of life.  This learning only comes about from personal relationship; it is an apprentice system, rather than a correspondence course.  In becoming disciples ourselves, and in answering the call, we will need to cultivate our relationship with Jesus, and learn from him, through Scripture, Sacrament, and prayer, which nurtures our living relationship with him.

Jesus’ disciples are called, however, for mission; to share with Jesus the work that the father sent him into the world to accomplish.  “Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and curing every disease and every sickness among the people” (Matt. 4:23).  This is the work of reconciliation, and healing between peoples, which is the work that Jesus calls us to.  We are called to proclaim Jesus’ death and resurrection, and the new life that comes from it.  The world doesn’t want much to hear about forgiveness, or the possibility of new life.  It’s much too intent on evening the score, and keeping things the same; but Jesus’ disciples are called to make present Jesus’ work of forgiveness and renewal of life.  This is tough work, but it’s what we’re called to.  There’s no standing by in the life of discipleship; we are disciples, not consumers, called to be with Jesus and to share his mission.

The Rev’d John Bauerschmidt is Rector of Christ Church, Covington.

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