The lectionary offered several unique opportunities this week. We had a baptism, which fit well with the Corinthians passage. It particularly fit because the former minister was back to baptize his granddaughter. It also fit well in this context because the church as a long history of former ministers participating in the life of the congregation after their retirement.
The Matthew passage was John's version of the calling of the disciples, which I find a little odd since that means parallel gospel stories are read one after the other when we follow the lectionary. For me, it connected with the Corinthians passage and baptism being performed since it was a similar story, but told and heard differently. If I had not been focusing on baptism, I might have pursued the geographic places in the Matthew passage (commentators seem to focus on that); or the idea that John's death prompted Jesus to initiate his ministry (it might be fun to think about what makes us take on ministry); or reflect more on how Jesus seeks us out (Matthew's story) vs. disciples seeking out the Messiah (John).
One move in the sermon deals with the differences internal to a group; the other move focuses on the differences in time s we live out our calling in our context. It sort of worked, but I might not tie those two together if I did it again.
“Same Story, Another Version” SAPC, January 22, 2017; I Corinthians 1: 10-18; Matthew 4: 12-23
Now when Jesus[a] heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew to Galilee. 13 He left Nazareth and made his home in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, 14 so that what had been spoken through the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled:
“Land of Zebulun, land of Naphtali,
on the road by the sea, across the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles—
the people who sat in darkness
have seen a great light,
and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death
light has dawned.”
From that time Jesus began to proclaim, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”
As he walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea—for they were fishermen. And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fish for people.” Immediately they left their nets and followed him. As he went from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John, in the boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets, and he called them. Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed him.
Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the good news[d] of the kingdom and curing every disease and every sickness among the people.
Introduction: January 22, 1984 First Presbyterian Church, rusk TX. Alison Plunkett was baptized by her maternal grandfather, Rev. Thomas Currie, Jr.
Today in St. Andrew Presbyterian Church in Denton, TX, Margaret Rose McStravick, Alison McStravick daughter (Kevin’s daughter, too) will be baptized by her maternal grandfather, Rev. Steve Plunkett.
Same baptism, different version.
Same baptism, because it is the same Lord and Savior with whom Maggie is united in baptism, with whom Alison was united in baptism, with whom each of us was united in baptism
Different version, because it takes place in a different time frame, a different context.
but the different versions are all part of the same story of the God who claims us in the waters of baptism and sends us into the world to proclaim the good news.
move 1: One of the challenges we face as the body of Christ is not letting the different versions separate us.
a. the Corinthians to whom Paul writes have a problem brewing in their church.
1. They are focusing on the different versions.
2. They are linking themselves up with the person who baptized them.
2. same baptism, different baptizer; and it is becoming a point of division.
3. Imagine what that might look like here at St. Andrew.
3. last week Lisa baptized Connor; this week Steve is baptizing Maggie; one of these Sundays, I’ll do the baptism.
4. what if as each child grows up, they see themselves as different based on who baptized him or her?
5. We could extend that beyond the last couple of weeks. If Fred Cassel baptized you, go sit with him; John Marvin baptized you, go over there; Lloyd Hindman baptized you, go over here; if John McCoy baptized you sit in front pews (since I’m in that category, we get that good seats) section; Dick Nygren; Steve Plunkett; and so on.
6. We can divide over baptism, or lots of other issues connected to the different ways we live out our calling. You can always find a reason to divide.
b. But Paul is clear, the one baptizing does not matter; the one in whose name we are baptized does.
1. Recasting the story of Jesus Christ in our context does not mean creating divisions; rather, it is an invitation for us to connect our calling in our particular context.
2. Each of us lives out our calling a bit differently, but it is the same calling — the call to teach and proclaim the good news and bring God’s healing power to people in need.
Move 2: For those of you who were here last week, we read the story of the calling of Pater and Andrew from the Gospel of John.
a. This week we read Matthew’s story of the calling of the disciples.
1. Same story, really, but another version.
2. In some ways, a very different version.
3. As John tells it, Andrew is out looking for the Messiah and finds Jesus. Then, he goes and gets his brother, Peter, who has also been looking for the Messiah.
4. In Matthew, Peter and Andrew are at work, the boat where they go fishing every day. and here comes Jesus, walking along apparently looking for some people to join with him, so he calls them to leave their boats.
5. In one version, the disciples are looking for the Messiah and find him. In the other version, Jesus seeks out the disciples.
6. In both stories, disciples join with Jesus to tech, proclaim the good news, and heal people.
Same story, different versions.
b. Henry Sloan Coffin, minister of the Madison Avenue Presbyterian Church, NYC, in Some Christian Convictions, pp. 21-22 “The life of men with Christ in God preserves its continuity through the ages; it has to interpret itself to every generation in new forms of thought.
1. Coffin then offered the example of how old monarchies reminted coins when a new king or queen came to power.
2. The silver and gold remain, but the impress on them is different.
3. Coffin suggested that “The reminting of our Christian convictions is a somewhat similar process:” the precious ore (the call to follow Christ) of the religious experience continues, but it bears the stamp of the current” context [instead of context, Coffin says “ruling ideas in men’s view of the world.” Quoted by Bradley Longfield, The Presbyterian Controversy, (New York:Oxford, 1991), p. 88
b. Theologian Robert Jenson points out that our modern world looks and feels vastly different from the world that existed even a century or two ago, let alone a thousand years ago.
2. Our easy use of miracles like the telephone and computer, our understanding of planet Earth’s place in the larger scheme of outer space, our familiarity with cars and jets–all of this makes us very different from most of the people who ever lived. Imagine the difference in communicating in Corinth and our world of tweeting, cell phones, and FB.
3. Jenson goes on to note that “If third-century Christians could see a modern church sanctuary, they would likely be stunned. But no matter how agog such folks would be to see electric lights or to hear a pipe organ, even still, if they could somehow across the centuries listen in on our worship, then we could only pray that the message that they would hear from us in the year 2017 would be the same gospel they heard back in the year 217.
4. No matter how bizarre the setting of the modern world would be to Christians from the distant past, the message that gets proclaimed should still be so true to the Bible, that any Christian from any time or place would be able to hear what we say and respond, “Yup! that’s my calling too! [Jenson’s actual quote it “Yup, That’s my hope, too! That’s still the same gospel message of God’s love that changed my whole life so long ago!”]
5. Jesus still calls us, but it looks different in our particular context.
Conclusion: Same story. Another version. Go and tell it.
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