Lutheran Seminary's God Pause "Moved by the Promise" Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States for Friday, 23 January 2015 - Scripture: Mark 1: Jesus Begins His Work14 After John was arrested, Jesus went to Galilee and told the good news that comes from God.[a] 15 He said, “The time has come! God’s kingdom will soon be here.[b] Turn back to God and believe the good news!”
Jesus Chooses Four Fishermen
16 As Jesus was walking along the shore of Lake Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew. They were fishermen and were casting their nets into the lake. 17 Jesus said to them, “Come with me! I will teach you how to bring in people instead of fish.” 18 Right then the two brothers dropped their nets and went with him.
19 Jesus walked on and soon saw James and John, the sons of Zebedee. They were in a boat, mending their nets. 20 At once Jesus asked them to come with him. They left their father in the boat with the hired workers and went with him.[Footnotes:
1.14 that comes from God: Or “that is about God.”
1.15 will soon be here: Or “is already here.”](Contemporary English Bible)
Jesus was a grassroots organizer. He did not follow conventional business practices like networking among people in powerful positions, such as Jewish religious leaders. Instead, Jesus grew his ministry by calling ordinary people, including four fishermen. He reached out to everyone, including people whom society considered "the least of these"—children, women, people with disabilities and members of diverse cultures. As a laywoman with many shortcomings, I am thrilled! Jesus can use ordinary me in the kingdom's extraordinary work of sharing God's love among all people.
The Jewish religious leaders probably thought "something smelled fishy" (figuratively and literally!) about Jesus' extraordinary ministry that inspired and engaged countless followers. What was Jesus' appeal that his ten-word call to fishermen produced their immediate, forsake-all response of following him into unknown futures? Following Jesus is the only way to understand and then to discover where our vocational calls lead. Let our following begin!
God of all people, how awesome that you entrust ordinary us with sharing your extraordinary love! Forgive us when we fail to join eagerly in your ministry with our Christian sisters and brothers. We are grateful no one is too insignificant for your loving care. Give us the Galilean fishermen's courage to drop whatever we are doing and follow you. Amen.
Mary Simonson Clark
Redeemer's Ministry Team
& Adjunct Instructor, Social Work, Augsburg College
Minneapolis, Minn.
Master of Arts in Theology/Master of Social Work , 2007
Mark 1:14 Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God,
15 and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news."
16 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.
17 And Jesus said to them, "Follow me and I will make you fish for people."
18 And immediately they left their nets and followed him.
19 As he went a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John, who were in their boat mending the nets.
20 Immediately he called them; and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men, and followed him.(New Revised Standard Version)
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