Our Poll - Following?

Epiphany 3b, January 25, 2015 Mark 1:14-20 with Jonah 3:1-10 in b.g

 

Polls are popular these days. Political pundits, advertising executives, indeed a whole variety of organizations do polling to attempt to discern what direction they should be moving.

Today if we were to take a poll of shoppers at Richmond Center, Metro Town or Robson Street about whether or not they thought or felt or more importantly acted as if God and God's influence, God's rule or reign or kindom was near, what would the results be?

Regardless what they thought of our poll's wording, "reign of God, rule of God, kindom of God" meant – from the return of Christ with anger and judgment, to the victory of justice and or mercy;  I suspect there would be a fair bit of disdain, or maybe even of derision towards us for daring to ask them such a question.

But what if we were to do that same poll here, among ourselves? What would our honest answers be to the question of whether or not the reign of God comes near to us here and now, however we may understand the reign of God – as a power to change, to transform us and others to act and live more closely to God's will?

It's a difficult question.

We are just completing a week where we have been called to pray for Christian unity. Yet, the body of Christ, the Church, is anything but united. Congregations and denominations are splitting apart. Different denominational bodies refuse to commune or be in conversation with each other. Regarding a wide range of ethical responses we are often anything but united whether the questions pertain to ethical financial investment; understandings of marriage and fidelity; medical research; or the calls to action in terms of climate change. Even our understandings of salvation seem to be on different planets.

So, let me ask you. In our lives in the province of BC or in our nation of Canada, do we see God's will being played out? Sometimes, maybe even often, our answer is, NO. Frequent acts of violence, hatred, ageism, sexism and racism, seem to have their way. Such acts and the resultant pain and loss have the power to blind us. Being blinded we are at times incapable of beholding the beauty, the wonder of each person, their experience, their culture, their God created uniqueness. Too often it feels to us that chaos, greed and injustice are winning the day, marking and claiming the future. There are hit and run accidents, gang violence, domestic battery. The Canadian dollar plummets. The few very rich are becoming obscenely wealthy while the middle class is shrinking. The very poorest people, billions of them, are starving to death, dying from preventable diseases with little or no access to safe water, adequate food, health care or education.

At times we may feel like throwing our hands up in the air. Maybe we should just try to take care of "our own"- whatever that means.

It's a gloomy picture – when that is all we see.

But there is so much more to see. Not that we shouldn't see, shouldn't hear, shouldn't feel the pain, the chaos, the power of death and evil. But there is more- more to life and reality than merely a poll of our thoughts, our feelings, our fear, our "outlook".

There is also God – God in the flesh, Jesus. He comes to us – where we are, as we are. He comes to some fishermen on the Sea of Galilee while they are fishing and preparing to fish. He calls them, "Follow me – and I will make you to be fishers of people". Amazingly, they do follow him. They leave what they have been doing, who they had been, to undertake something new, to see and follow Jesus, whatever that may mean for them. To be sure they follow him imperfectly. But in following him, they are changed and changing. Somehow Jesus equips them for all of life and death with a living hope, new possibilities. In the midst of disappointment, loss and death, they and many others begin to experience new and incredible life. Something about Jesus compels them to follow him. When he calls they are moved.

Do we see? Do we hear? Jesus draws near to us. He is calling us to follow him, to trust him in all the stuff of our lives and life. He calls us to realize, to believe that there is so much more than what we can see, taste, touch, hear, smell or even feel. There is even more than what we can imagine!

Jesus wills to lead us even as he led Simon and Andrew, James and John. He wills to show us just as He showed them that he does heal and can help people. He showed them and wills to show us that he does challenge and will ultimately transform unjust and merciless systems. He will replace them with something new, something not death ushering but life-bringing. As real and powerful as evil in all its forms is, He overcomes evil not through violence or hatred but through love, self-sacrifice and prayer, even now. He promises that someday all the power of evil will be done, finished. 

Others have heard and obeyed as he has come near to them, proclaiming this good news of God, commanding them, to turn to him and follow. Some of those people we know. There are famous ones: – M L King Junior, Mother Teresa... Others may be not be so well known to the masses, be we know them. The impact of their following Jesus is immeasurable in our lives!

What really matters now is whether or not we are listening to Him drawing near to us, calling us by name, inviting us to reorient ourselves towards him – to believe in this good news for all people. Part of us may say, no way – there is so much contrary evidence and following him is dangerous. God knows, there are voices around us that may laugh at us, should we dare to so live.

But remember, know that there is also Jesus. He is the one who moves to the cross for all, who asks God to forgive even those who are killing him, who on the third day is raised from the dead. His life, death and resurrection are miraculous. His very presence moves others including Andrew, Peter, James and John, they who abandoned him at the cross – to be the very people who go out and selflessly share His good news with others – in word and deed. Their sharing fuels a movement that numbers millions and billions to care for others because God in Christ calls them to.

In this very moment Jesus calls us. He loves us before anything we can do. But He also loves others who need His love to be fleshed through us. The time is now. By God's grace may we turn to God, believe the good news, follow Jesus. This is the poll that matters. Our poll.

Oh, Lord we believe, forgive our unbelief. Amen.