15 January 2023
Introduction to the Bible Readings
There are many call stories in scripture – to older couples, to teenagers, to people involved in their work, to those opposed to God’s hopes for them. Yet, we rarely hear stories from those with whom we worship about the calls they have heard.
I’m not going to embarrass anyone by asking for a testimony today but consider as you listen to these scripture readings who you would like to approach. Perhaps over a cuppa after the service or in the next days and weeks you could ask them to tell their stories, to share their journeys, to talk about their struggles with this thing we term a “call from God.”
Reading 1 Isaiah 49:1-7
Reading 2 1 Corinthians 1:1-9
Response (you are invited to look your neighbour in the eye and like Paul say – “I give thanks for you”)
Sermon “To be called by God”
You may have noticed the picture on the front of your bulletin today. It’s a banner from Trinity Church in Darfield. The phrase “Follow Me’ and the fish pictured here remind us of the story of Jesus calling the disciples from their boats to become ‘fishers of people’. When we talk about being called by God, this is one of the stories we read. But as the two readings you have just heard show, there are very many ways of being called.
You heard Paul tell the Corinthians he was called to be an apostle, a messenger of the good news. His story of being called is famous as it is exciting and dramatic, and Paul becomes a hero of the church. The problem is when this becomes the only story told. When I was a teenager, I only seemed to hear these sorts of extreme conversion stories. And as a church-going, well-behaved girl from a nice family I started wondering if I could really follow Jesus if I couldn’t be saved from a life of sex, drugs and rock and roll or other such sinful living. I suspect I am not the only one with this experience.
And yet, as both the readings today show, there are a multitude of other ways of being called – and lots of other tasks we are called to. Paul congratulates the Corinthians for answering the call to be part of a fellowship with Jesus. He talks about how they have grown in the strength and knowledge of their faith, about the many spiritual gifts they have. But most important is seems to be this idea of gathering together as a community. This becomes even clearer in subsequent verses as he urges them to resolve the disunity that is currently plaguing the group based on who they followed; Paul, Apollo or Jesus.
(Boy, is this an uncomfortable reminder that nothing much changes. Yes, we may be clear that we don’t follow Apollo or Jesus in this century, but we are still quick to divide ourselves off into factions based on how we worship and what we believe.)
And yet Paul’s words to the congregation at Corinth proves we don’t have to be perfect or have it altogether to still be able to claim we are called by God. It is also not just an individual thing, which we Westerners are fixated on. Note Paul commends the group for their faithfulness. Therefore it is reasonable to assume that a call can be corporate. So even though as individuals we may struggle to discern a specific call on our lives, being part of a community of faith is as valid.
Many of us may have experienced congregations whose collective mission has been a call. from God. Some of their messages have even gone around the world. Yes, often the leaders have become famous but in fact it is the combined power of the fellowship that makes them influential.
Take, for example, Grace Cathedral and St Gregory’s Episcopal Church, both in San Francisco. The central city cathedral is known for its labyrinths and supporting the LBGT+ community. St Gregory’s is a small suburban church known for its murals of contemporary saints, food ministry and their innovative way of doing Communion. Both communities have influenced people throughout the world with their ideas. Similarly, the Iona community, both on the Scottish island and throughout the world has brought monastic tradition and contemporary justice issues to the fore.
Closer to home is Cityside Baptist, a small inner city church in Auckland which I attended for a few years. I was constantly amazed at the global impact this rag tag group of only 80 or so people had. None of it was perfect, I can tell you, but their vision to constantly question and experiment, to integrate contemporary art, ecology and such into the life of the church was inspiring to many.
The Isaiah reading also demonstrates a different type of call. The writer claims he was called in his mother’s womb. So right from birth he has been God’s man. This is a huge relief for those of us who were brought up in Christian families and accepted that we were followers of Jesus in our childhood. This proves that an early ‘knowing we are a disciple is as valid as the ‘fall-off-your-horse-and-be-blinded’ call like Paul’s. (And yes, I still have a bee in my bonnet from my teenage years)
The Isaiah reading is also interesting as it clearly talks about a servant being called but it is unclear who that servant is. Many sermons have been preached about Jesus as that servant, and that is totally valid. However it can also be read as being the writer and/or the entire nation of Israel. Considering the bible has so many layers it probably covers all of them. But is also worth remembering that ‘servant’ imagery also includes us today.
We are God’s servants both individually and collectively. We have all been formed by God to serve as only we can be. (Not as mindless robots, but guided by the way our passions and experiences lead us). One article I read in preparation for this sermon suggested that our call can be guided by our curiosity. In other words, what captures out attention is a clue to where God wants us. (You may want to make that a challenge for the next few weeks – to notice what you notice, both individually and corporately, and to spend time asking God what that means for your future work and mission.
Despite this call being from God though, according to Isaiah this will still involve risk; of failure, of vulnerability, of self-doubt, etc. In a time when we in the Western church are declining in numbers, influence and power, taking risks is actually extremely hard. We feel like we don’t have the resources to lose anything. So we stick to the tried and true, because that’s safe, because it worked in the past. And we miss the amazing journey God is inviting us to join.
(Because God is always polite – we are invited not forced, and so always have the ability to refuse).
Yes, we are in a world that seems to be getting more and more confusing and chaotic. But surely, we, of all people, should have the strength to preservere? After all we have hope. We know God is good and wants good things to happen.As the psalm for today, Psalm 40, says “Happy are those who trust in the Lord”. Perhaps we have forgotten that having faith in God doesn’t mean everything is perfect, that noting bad happens. Look at the first century Christians – they had faith despite having to change their entire beliefs systems, despite ridicule and persecution, and in some cases having to flee their homes.
Theologian, Frederick Buechner wrote this about vocation, (which is another name for a call) “Life itself becomes hurried after the start of the calendar year. We have our new plans, goals set and hopes renewed. Do we know how to pay attention?”
Though vocation might seem like an overwhelming question, it becomes more manageable if we break it down to being aware of where God is pointing us. That holy curiosity, if you will. And that gives us the permission to try things even if they don’t work how we plan because God is faithful and will continue to strengthen and empower people to live in service to God’s call.
As the music plays reflect on what God is saying using that tradition phrase “Hear what the Spirit is saying to the church.”
musical interlude
Rev Stephanie Wells