More Than Pushing the Follow Button (Epiphany 3A)

One need not be on social media to have an understanding how it works. On various platforms – whether FB, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, Snapchat, etc- a person gathers followers; and follows groups and people of interest to them.  The sites have some sort of a follow button; once you click on it you are a follower.  Of course, there is a certain je ne sais quoi, to having loads of followers.

In a world were follower buttons are everywhere, how do we hear Jesus’ words, “Follow me?”  Yes, Jesus would have had millions of followers, some because they knew Jesus and liked him- watching his tweets for words of wisdom and challenge; others would follow him on Twitter to know where he was going to be so they could join him to either learn, debate, or be healed; still others would be following for the rush of seeing the crazy things the man was going to do and the trouble he was going to get into -using Jesus as their personal entertainment.  Those of us not on social media would watch the evening news, or continual CNN or CTV news feed, to engage with Jesus by gathering information to share with others, or to be used as points of conversation over coffee.

To be a follower today, takes the push of a button, from one’s phone or tablet. That’s it. There is no requirement to actually read the posts and content created by the person you are following.  And as a person you don’t need to add content either. You don’t even need to scroll through your page. You are a follower until you click the follow button again – to unfollow.  There is no commitment required. The relationship is a simple little piece of code that connects a miniscule number of dots out of trillions in cyber space – invisible to most of us.

Jesus calls to Andrew and Peter, “Follow me,” and immediately they leave their boats and nets.

Jesus calls to James and John, “Follow me,” and immediately they leave their boats, nets, and father.

Andrew, Peter, James, and John did more than simply push a button and let life carry on as it was.

Everything in that moment changed because of the decision they made.

One of my favourite professors in university was my Hebrew professor.  He was a gentleman in his early 70s who wore thickly knit Scandinavian type sweaters and an ascot cap.  Dr. Fischer was a pretty quiet teacher who was methodical in method and more or less succeeded in getting all his students to pass.  Why he was my favourite teacher, was that if we followed along closely, we would be given clues to Dr. Fischer’s passions. After noting these, and making them into a question, Dr. Fischer would regale us with a story or point of astute academia, or a tidbit about something connected to the text we were studying. 

One day, on an aside, he had us all turn in our Bible Society Hebrew scriptures to Psalm 23.  He went on about how weak English translations are – so much so that they really miss the point.  Dr. Fischer would get all worked up, excited, talking with his hands – the whole deal; he was most passionate with verse 6, Surely your goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life.

The “follow” in the passage isn’t a word to make one necessarily feel all warm and fuzzy.  The root word translated into “follow” is really better translated “pursue” – as in pursue, often with ill intent. God’s goodness and mercy (better defined as God’s covenant loyalty) will stalk you.  You can’t get away no matter how much you may not want God’s grace and mercy.  It will continually harass you.

What happens, then, if we were to think of Jesus inviting the fishermen to pursue him? To chase after him? That is far more dramatic, a much bigger commitment, far more energy, than simply to follow. To pursue and give chase brings to mind a multitude of blockbuster movies where chase scenes are full scale drama and aggression; life and death.  They involve risk and the possibility of dying, or ending up in prison. They are not for the weak of heart, or stomach, as the case may be.

Thesaurus.com suggests the following as alternatives for follow:

Go after, seek, pursue; accompany, attend; badger, bate, bug; hound, hunt; persevere, persist, plague; shadow, stalk.

After reading the suggestions, I was reminded of the pursue from Psalm 23 which I shared with you a moment ago.  I was curious to find out what the original word “Follow” was in Matthew’s text. The Greek word literally translates, to be in the same way with – as if two people were walking together along the same road, or travelling a similar journey.  A good English translation is: to accompany.

Jesus calls to Andrew and Peter, “Accompany me,” and immediately they leave their boats and nets.

Jesus calls to James and John, “Accompany me,” and immediately they leave their boats, nets, and father.

Andrew, Peter, James, and John did more than simply push a button and let life carry on as it was.

Everything in that moment changed because of the decision they made.

Jesus calls to you, “Accompany me,” and immediately…

I don’t know: did you immediately tick a “yes” box and decide that following is coming here on Sunday mornings?  Perhaps dropping what you were doing at the time of Jesus calling you, was an immediate recognition that you would be the best person you can be – good, and caring, and as loving as possible. For some I bet there was not an immediate action, following has grown on you over time.

Unfortunately, we have read a weak translation of what Jesus was asking, and calling the disciples to. We now have to shift our understanding from “follow me” to something far more difficult, “accompany me.”

Rachel Svenson, who works with young adults in Global Mission projects of the ELCA. Begins her “Living Lutheran” blog on Accompaniment with a, “quote from Linda Crockett’s, “The Deepest Wound”: Accompaniment goes beyond solidarity in that anyone who enters into it risks suffering the pain of those we would accompany … . Accompaniment may include all of these actions [protest marches, pressing for changes in law, civil disobedience] but it does not necessarily share the assumption that we can fix, save, or change a situation or person by what we do. It calls for us to walk with those we accompany, forming relationships and sharing risks, joys, and lives. We enter into the world of the one who suffers with no assurance that we can change or fix anything … . Accompaniment is based on hope despite evidence that there is little reason for optimism.

Picture the news you have followed in the past few days.  In your mind translate the events of inauguration and peoples’ responses from around the world – through the call Jesus made to the disciples and what happened  in 1^st century Galilee.

Jesus called Andrew, Peter, James, and John into a life of accompaniment.  The passage we read this morning has John the Baptist in prison for his speaking truth to the powers of the day.  Jesus and his followers, the people accompanying him – were often protesting laws (Jesus healing on the Sabbath, Jesus touching untouchables); the group as a whole gathered in large numbers/sit ins to listen to Jesus (an illegal action); Jesus and those accompanying him bated the religious leaders with near heretical blasphemies, and insighted angst by taunting the authority of the Roman Emperor.  Every moment was a risk, as Jesus entered into relationship, with the powers of the day.  Every moment was a risk for those who would accompany him – which included some disciples who were known rebel zealots, and another working for the state as a tax collector.  Every moment was a risk as Jesus gave hope to the poor, the oppressed, the lame, the leperous, the demon possessed, others who were sick; women, children. 

What did people expect? Jesus very call, “Accompany me,” was loaded.  He didn’t invite people for a walk in the park; rather, Jesus call was to risk your lives in the world through relationship with God--- whose grace and mercy pursue you--- with the action of walking with, of accompanying those whom we meet along the way. Reflecting on Jesus and the disciples as accompaniers, what does that mean in the climate of our world today?  It means that Jesus’ call, “accompany me,” is life changing. 

God, this morning we say “yes.” We immediately drop our excuses and our fears, and accompany you. We realize that:

Accompaniment goes beyond solidarity in that anyone who enters into it risks suffering the pain of those we would accompany … . Accompaniment may include all of these actions [protest marches, pressing for changes in law, civil disobedience] but it does not necessarily share the assumption that we can fix, save, or change a situation or person by what we do. It calls for us to walk with those we accompany, forming relationships and sharing risks, joys, and lives. We enter into the world of the one who suffers with no assurance that we can change or fix anything … . Accompaniment is based on hope despite evidence that there is little reason for optimism.

God through our lives may this be so.  Amen.

Human Beings Not For Sale: a sermon for 2nd Sunday after Epiphany

This past Wednesday, Jan. 11^th, marked the US’s National Human Trafficking Awareness Day. Did you mark the day?  Did you even hear about the day? We watch a lot of American news and talk shows on television, we see pop-ups on FB, in our Twitter feeds, celebrity posts from across the US ---- I didn’t see one post or comment about Human trafficking.  Citizens for Global Solutions wrote of the Awareness Day, that it started in 2007, “making [2017] the 10^th year the world virtually ignored it.”

2017 marks the 500^th Commemoration of the Reformation.  This is a big deal in Lutheran world.  The Lutheran World Federation created a theme for the three years coming up to the event; and as a vision and direction for continued reformation in Lutheran communities and across reformed traditions.  The theme is: liberated by God’s grace – with a threefold focus- salvation is not for sale, creation-not for sale, and human beings -not for sale.

The words of scripture we heard earlier is the Good News slapping us in the face.

In a world, where 21 million people are trafficked for labour (according to the International Labour Organization); where there are growing numbers of refugees and displaced people; where economic refugees face poverty, homelessness, and  addiction; where the sex trade is a multi-billion dollar industry; where gangs and large networks of crime, drugs, arms, money laundering, prey on the disadvantaged; where teens run away, and 1 in 3 Canadians report abuse before the age of 15; where Aboriginal women are missing and murdered in astounding numbers…the Gospel’s voice is often overpowered by circumstance. The Good News from scripture today should jolt us to wake up; we are hearing something different from what we hear in our every day lives.

This morning we are slapped in the face with the Gospel.  If I had a magnetophonon, it would be the tool I would use to amplify the voice of the Good News. Each reading directly proclaims the invaluable worth of human beings. Do you feel invaluable? Do you believe yourself to be priceless? The Good News shakes us, waking us up to say an emphatic “YES.” Yes, I am invaluable.  Yes, I am priceless.  Yes, I have worth.

Isaiah the prophet speaks on many levels: he speaks of himself as prophet, he speaks of Israel as a people, he speaks of the Messiah to come, and he speaks of us. Put yourself into the words of the reading.  When the prophet refers to “me,” hear the words as applying to “you.”

The Lord called me before I was born, while I was in my mother’s womb God named me.

God made my mouth like a sharp sword, in the shadow of his hand he hid me;
God made me a polished arrow, in his quiver he hid me away.

And God said to me, “You are my servant, … in whom I will be glorified.”

It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to restore the survivors of Israel;
I will give you as a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.”

I will give you as a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.”

Is this not what we saw with our own eyes in Jace’s baptism?  A candle was given to Jace, and we proclaimed the Good News, the invaluable worth of Jace as a human being, as a child of God: “Let your light so shine before others, that they may see your good works and glorify your father in heaven.” --- that God’s salvation may reach to the end of the earth; yes, that’s right, through this little baby.

Before we proclaimed to Jace to let his light shine, we didn’t question whether or not Jace has light to shine, we proclaimed that he does. There was no argument or debate to be had; Jace receives God’s grace, therefore there is light to be shared.

Jace’s baptism reminds all of us that we too are washed in the waters of life, dying with Christ, we rise with Christ with a calling to be light to the world for the glory of God, that God’s salvation may reach to the end of the earth. Every time there is a baptism and we re-live the story of Christ’s death and resurrection, and the Spirit whelming our humanity, our value is proclaimed.  The Good News shakes us, waking us up to say an emphatic “YES.” Yes, I am invaluable.  Yes, I am priceless.  Yes, I have worth.

The Psalmist chimes in this morning with words valuing human beings. Once again hear the “me,” as referring to yourself.

God drew me up from the desolate pit, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure.

God put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the Lord.

Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the Lord

Once again scripture speaks to an impressive calling - putting much worth on human life – here the person’s experience of God, the grace received, is lived out such that others see the person’s actions, faith, and life.  And the way the person lives their life has those around them putting trust in God. That is amazing!  That is Good News.

Not to be outdone, the Apostle Paul explains, in a new way, the truth found in Isaiah and the psalmist, to his generation.  Paul is thankful for: the grace of God that has been given you in Christ Jesus, for in every way you have been enriched in him, in speech and knowledge of every kind— just as the testimony of Christ has been strengthened among you— so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift

You are right, you have heard this already this morning, through the waters of baptism this community is not lacking in any spiritual gift.  We prayed for Jace, and remember it was prayed for us, for a life of meaning and purpose and worth, through a “the spirit of wisdom and understanding/ counsel and might/a spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord, the spirit of joy in God’s presence.”

At baptism, the congregation welcomes the newly baptized with the words:

We welcome you into the body of Christ and into the mission we share: join us in giving thanks and praise to God and bearing God’s creative and redeeming word to all the world.

It is not unlike the proclamation of John the Baptist to his disciples, “Look here is the Lamb of God;” we are that voice to those around us, take note, look, the Lamb of God is working through us. Our call to be light in the world is as easy as the example Jesus sets after his baptism.  Jesus turns to John’s disciples who are following him and he gives them an invitation, “come and see.”  Proclaiming the Good News is as easy as inviting others to “come and see.” The invitation itself is telling the person they have worth and value.  Come and see says: I see you, I want to share with you my place, my church, my God; you are not alone, I think about you, you are a part of something bigger than yourself.

As Christians who are Lutheran, we have a specific responsibility in this year of commemorating the 500^th anniversary of the Reformation, ---to amplify, magnify, proclaim--- that human beings have been liberated by God’s grace. We are to proclaim the Good News that human beings have worth, so much so that God became human to live among us, to be incarnate and to die – so that conquering death every atom of creation is redeemed; invaluable and priceless.       Since human beings have worth, human beings are not for sale.

We may have missed the US National Human Trafficking Awareness Day, but, it is not too late to live out the promises made in baptism: to proclaim Christ through word and deed, care for those and the world God made, and work for justice and peace; all this can be fulfilled by marking the Canadian National Human Trafficking Awareness Day, coming up on Feb. 22^nd. 

Go to events, fill your social media pages with blips about human trafficking, sign petitions that will help set people free, send notes and emails telling people they have worth, remind your God-children that they are a beloved child of God, ease the burden of someone living on the margins, invite people to “come and see.”

As baptized beloved children of God- invaluable- and continuing in the reformation tradition of which we are a part, may our lives be lived such that we can proclaim as the Psalmist did:

I have told the glad news of deliverance in the great congregation;

see, I have not restrained my lips, as you know, O Lord.
I have not hidden your saving help within my heart, I have spoken of your faithfulness and your salvation;
I have not concealed your steadfast love and your faithfulness from the great congregation. -Within and beyond the walls of the church.