January 16, 2005

What Do You Want?

By Julianne Stokstad

Today I want to talk about call. Call and response. Call is a big issue in the church, a hot topic in seminary. You've heard the story about the seminarian who when asked, "when did you receive the call", answered, "my phone hasn't rung all week." This could well be about me in more ways than one because, in fact, it has been very quiet around here. I don't want to complain, but the only phone call I've received on my new cell phone was a wrong number.

But I'm not talking about phone calls. In the church when we say call, we mean God's call to us, for some of us into intentional ordained ministry. Here, our worship bulletin proclaims each week the whole congregation are the ministers.

Today's scripture from the gospel of John is a call story. It follows immediately Jesus' own call to ministry, his baptism of which I spoke about last week. In today's gospel, Jesus speaks his first words in John. As a former teacher, the teaching Jesus did stands out for me in this call of the first disciples.

In some ways every experience and each person we encounter can be a teacher for us. But Jesus is one of the greatest teachers leading everyone he touches to grow closer to God. Looking at what he does in today's lesson, a pattern of masterful teaching emerges. This model involves, first of all, careful observation and deep listening to the students and finding out what it is they want. Jesus then invites them into relationship with him and shows them to way to find the answer. It is sad but most teachers of adults usually lecture first and ask, listen and observe later, if at all. Studying the Bible, we see that Jesus through story and parable and example teaches us about God and about who we are in relationship to God.

Our story begins with John the Baptist, the first witness, proclaiming Jesus' true identity. He told his disciples as Jesus walked by---"Look! Here is the Lamb of God." Take a moment and think about how very important this was. His disciples trusted him and listened as he told them what he knew about Jesus. Take a moment and look into your own life to remember who it was who pointed out Jesus to you? Was it a grandparent whose faith you still treasure, a Sunday School teacher whose stories touched your heart, a minister who loved you or a friend whose kindness touched you just when you needed it? For me it was Julia, the wife of a minister, who so embodied unconditional love of Christ Jesus, that through some miracle I was ready to receive when I met her. We all have someone. Most of us are that someone to another. Who was it for you who called your attention to Jesus as way-shower to God?

Then, back in the gospel, Andrew and the other responded and began to follow Jesus. We don't know why they did that. Perhaps it was nothing more than curiosity, or maybe they were seekers. Seekers are those of us who might be adrift, unsettled, with many questions, seeking truth and meaning in our lives. In order to even begin to arrive at a new spiritual insight, we must be open to it and ready to receive it. A seeker is hungry for insight, searching for meaning. Every good teacher knows learning depends upon the readiness of the student. As adults, we get set into our ways, the Bible calls this condition hardening of the heart. We are simply not open or ready to change what we've figured out. Then something happens in our lives, something shakes us to our core: an illness, a death, a terrible loss and we find ourselves vulnerable, with the ground of our lives shaken. We are in a crisis of meaning. Or maybe we just feel an emptiness, an inner urging for something more in our lives though we don't know what that could be. We do know this longing is not satisfied with more things or new experiences,

Whatever their reason, Andrew and his friend followed Jesus, just like, we are here in church, whatever the reason. Then, the gospel tells us Jesus noticed them, turned and saw them following him. It is important that the Greek word used here and translated as saw means to gaze upon or contemplate. He did more than just glance at them; he looked deeply into them and really saw them for who they were. I hope we've all experienced being seen in this way. In an article remembering Martin Luther King Jr, Melba Beals (who works at Dominican University and is one of the Little Rock Nine) describes this. She writes: "During the meeting, as Dr. King continued to look at all of us with his probing gaze, he moved slowly, as though there was no rush. When he took his seat, he continued to look around with purpose, his laser-like eyes landing on each of our faces. During these long minutes, which to me seemed to collect into an hour, he said nothing. I could even hear him breathe softly. By virtue of his presence-so still, so silent-every one of the folks in the room also fell silent. We were compelled to give him our undivided attention."

And as he gazed at them, Jesus asked them, "What do you want?" Different versions of the Bible translate this as "What are you looking for? Or what do you seek?" Even though, he has looked into their very souls, he presumes nothing. He calls them with a question. Their response seems a bit strange; perhaps they were struck dumb by his gaze. They answered, "Teacher, where are you staying?" Jesus replied, not with directions, but with a welcome and an open invitation: "Come and see," he said. They accepted his invitation and stayed the rest of the day with him.

We ought to have "Come and See" engraved above our church door. And so I ask you, what are you looking for here this morning? It is a mystery why people do come to church. Some might not be looking for anything special, it's just a happy habit to come. Others, perhaps, are just curious, checking out the new minister or the community. Some might come to be with the wonderful people in this community. Others might want to recharge their spiritual battery or are looking for healing, for inspiration, for God's holy presence in worship. Perhaps some are looking for something important enough to live for, something big enough to claim your passion. Perhaps you are looking for a taste of God's kingdom here on earth; perhaps you want to be a part of a loving community, to help, to heal, a place to find peace. Whatever your reason, we are happy you are here.

Those first disciples found what they were looking for with Jesus. What is interesting is the same call and response pattern is repeated. Andrew went to his brother, witnessing about Jesus, and then brought Simon Peter to Jesus. First, Jesus looked deeply into him, seeing his soul's yearning and called him to be his disciple.

And so it has gone, on through countless generations to us: witnessing, invitation, meeting Christ through individuals and community, always call and response. The original call is always from God. Responding is our choice. God's call is a call to discipleship. It is an invitation to purposeful living, to live more deeply from our souls, to find ourselves by serving others. It is an invitation to be in on-going dialogue with God.

This call of God to us is the path to real purpose and meaning in our lives and yet it is fraught with great dangers. Many people will try to tell you how it should be, how you should believe. Our parents, our culture, our cohort, political and economic interests and others prey on our longing to find meaning and happiness. Sadly some of the worst atrocities have been done in the name of God. So we must use care when we seek to find our dream.

On this Martin Luther King Jr holiday weekend, many hold him up as an example of one who inspired our nation in our quest for justice and freedom. He taught values Jesus modeled and taught of non-violence, solidarity with the vulnerable, sacrifice and service. Dr. King inspired us to dream for justice for all. His dream is a biblical dream. It is God's dream for us all.

Our choir sang in the anthem, "It all begins with a dream, something inside that we really believe. " We can say that Jesus caught the dream of God, maybe Jesus was God's dream. Jesus knew and taught us that God wants to be in relationship with all people, with all creation.

Each and every one of us are a dream of God. Each person on earth is a beloved child of God. And deep inside each of us is a soul yearning to grow and deepen. In relationship with God, it is guiding us to be more fully into whom we are, more whole, more alive, more fully loving of ourselves and others. If you listen deeply, you'll hear God calling. Amen

Melba Pattillo Beals, "Remembering Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr-A Personal Perspective"

In Christian Science Sentinel, January 19, 2004 p. 16-17