Proclaiming the Good News
Sermon
Facing the Future with Hope
Cycle B Gospel Text Sermons for Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany
Object:
In Washington Irving's Sketch Book he tells of a whimsical character by the name of Rip Van Winkle. This man will be remembered as long as American literature lives. According to the story he went to sleep for twenty years during the late Colonial period. When he awoke a new nation had been born and George Washington was president.
Rip Van Winkle had slept through a revolution.
Likewise, the four fishermen mentioned in Mark's gospel: Peter, Andrew, James, and John. They heard Jesus' revolutionary words and they were called to enter a new era, a new adventure that they never could have dreamed of before this call came.
As usual Mark is brief and to the point. He sums up Jesus' proclamation of the good news in this manner: "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news" (Mark 1:15). Then Jesus walks along the Sea of Galilee and calls individual fishermen to follow him. Each one "immediately" left what they were doing and followed him. One of Mark's favorite words is "immediately." He uses this word no less than 41 times in his gospel.
We might say at this point that reading the other gospels we get the impression this probably was not the first time that these four men met Jesus. They had had previous contact and now they were being called to definite service in following Jesus.
Mark does not give us much description regarding this scene. We do not know whether these fishermen really enjoyed their work or not. We do know how they related to each other. We do not know what kind of day it was. Was the sun shining or was it a cloudy day?
Mark refers to the Sea of Galilee. We know that this "sea" was actually a "lake" about thirteen miles long and six miles at its widest lying 682 feet below sea level. Luke who knew something about the terrors of the real sea, in his gospel, called this body of water a "lake."
Despite the scarcity of details we cannot underestimate the call of Jesus and the response of these men to become disciples. We have the beginning of a new community of faith. Albert Schweitzer, the missionary doctor, theologian, and Bach specialist, in his book, The Quest of the Historical Jesus, has written these oft-quoted words:
He comes to us as One unknown, without a name, as of old, by the lakeside. He came to those men who knew Him not. He speaks to us the same word: "Follow thou me!" and sets us to the tasks which He has to fulfill for our time. He commands. And to those who obey Him, whether they be wise or simple, He will reveal Himself in the toils, the conflicts, the sufferings that they shall pass through in His fellowship, and as an ineffable mystery, they shall learn in their own experience Who He is.1
Although each of the four disciples mentioned in this passage are important I am going to focus primarily on Andrew because he is customarily relegated to a minor role in contrast to the other three who formed Jesus' inner circle of intimate disciples.
Even though Andrew does not stand out in quite the same way that Peter, James, and John do in our memory of the twelve, Andrew has become the patron saint of no less than three nations. Russia is one of these nations. Tradition says that Andrew in his mission work traveled into the region north of the Black Sea, what is now modern-day Russia.
Tradition also says that Andrew died a martyr's death in Greece. According to historians Andrew was crucified on a cross like Jesus, but he insisted that he was unworthy to die on the same kind of cross and asked to be crucified on a X-shaped cross, to this day known as the Saint Andrew's cross.
Finally, tradition tells us that Andrew is associated with Scotland. A monk by the name of Regulus took some of the relics of Andrew with him as he did mission work on the east coast of Scotland at the place where the town of St. Andrews is today.
Of course, some people think St. Andrews is the most sacred place on earth because it is the birthplace of the game of golf.
I once had a friend who loved to play golf; in fact, he was fanatical about the game. One day he came to me and said, "My wife has given me an ultimatum. She said, 'It is either golf or me.' He confided in me, 'I am sure going to miss my wife.' " He was only kidding, I hope.
Although Andrew is named "St. Andrew" in some quarters today, we must not think of him as a plaster saint. He was a real human being, rather ordinary, a real flesh and blood person like we are. He was more of a utility player than a superstar on Jesus' team. He tended to stay in the background. But think about this: He is only mentioned three times in the gospel of John and each time he is mentioned he is bringing someone to see Jesus.
First of all, Andrew brings Peter to Jesus.
As the gospel of John opens in the very first chapter we learn that Andrew and Philip are disciples of John the Baptist, but one day John startles them by pointing to a stranger who appeared on the scene. John cried out, "Behold, the Lamb of God." From that time on Andrew and Philip left John the Baptist and began to follow Jesus.
Furthermore, Andrew was so excited about this new relationship that he went home to find his brother, Simon (later called Peter) and said to him, "We have found the Messiah (which means Christ). He brought him to Jesus."
Andrew is to be commended for proclaiming the good news about Jesus, and he is doubly commended because in introducing his brother to Jesus he knew that he himself would be over-shadowed. Peter was the "loud mouth" in the family. Every time Andrew wanted to say a word Peter beat him to it. Andrew knew that if he told Jesus about his brother he would have to play "second fiddle" in the disciple's band.
If you observe the references to Andrew in the gospel of Mark and the gospel of John, in fact in all four gospels, almost every time Andrew is mentioned he is identified as "Andrew, Simon Peter's brother." It is almost as if the gospel writers are trying to remember who this guy is. "Who was Andrew?" Oh, yes, now I remember, he was "Simon Peter's brother." I better make a note of that connection and then I will remember him.
Knowing all this, to Andrew's credit he was willing to stay in the background because he knew how much Jesus could do for his brother, and he also knew that Peter could make a special contribution among Jesus' disciples. As we know, Peter eventually became the leader and spokesman for the twelve disciples.
Spring training at the major league baseball camps in Florida and in Arizona will soon be here. The pitchers and catchers will be the first to arrive then the rest of the team will follow in a week or two. The star players, of course, will garner the headlines. But I have observed that managers and coaches even at this early date are looking for a few good utility players to play the infield or the outfield. The managers and coaches know that many star players are prone to injuries. It is a long season, and if they do not have players they can insert in the game when injuries occur or when the regular players are tired near the end of the season, they are apt to be a struggling team. The utility player is usually versatile and can play a variety of positions as needed. He may go up to the plate and not swing for the fences but he knows how to lay down a good bunt and occasionally he slashes an extra base hit at the opportune time. On the whole, he is kept ready because he is a good defensive player who often makes a play that saves the game.
How we need "utility players" like Andrew in the church today! They are willing to stay in the background until the time arrives to do something significant. They also are not hesitant to bring others into the fellowship of faith, new disciples who might in the end outshine them.
The next time Andrew is mentioned in the gospel of John he is bringing a young lad to Jesus.
The scene is a familiar one to many of us. Jesus has been speaking to a crowd, estimated to be 5,000 men. But near the close of day when it was time to go home, the crowd remained past the supper hour. Philip became alarmed and began to complain. Philip often sensed the need of people but he never seemed to know what to do about it.
Andrew, on the other hand, not only sensed the seriousness of the situation but he sought a means to alleviate the crisis. Looking around the crowd, Andrew found a lad who had brought a few provisions with him. He took the boy to Jesus.
Andrew said to Jesus, "There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish. But what are they among so many people?" Those last words probably indicate that Andrew was not sure that such meager provisions would meet the needs of the whole crowd. The important thing is that he brought what he could find to Jesus. As we know, but do not understand exactly how, Jesus took these few provisions and in some manner, fed the whole crowd.2
Itzhak Perlman, one of the greatest violinists of all time played at Lincoln Center in New York City in 1995. Perlman, afflicted by polio since he was a child, walked on stage with heavy braces on both legs. He also needed crutches in order to walk. On this occasion as he was playing, suddenly there was a loud noise, one of the strings on his violin broke. Most people thought Perlman would leave the stage and get another violin.
Instead, he sat there for a few moments, closed his eyes, and asked the conductor to begin again. He played the entire piece with great passion on just three strings. You can imagine the applause when Perlman concluded his performance. When the cheering stopped, Perlman explained: "Sometimes it is the artist's task to find out how much music you can still make with what you have left."3
Time and time again we think our resources are too small to accomplish anything significant, but when we bring what we have to Jesus he has a way of multiplying what we bring into something greater than we could ever dream could happen.
The third and last time Andrew is mentioned in the gospel of John he is still bringing people to Jesus. This time it is a group of people, simply described as "some Greeks."
The setting is the Passover feast in Jerusalem shortly before Jesus' death upon the cross. Faithful Jews have come from all over the world to be present at the feast. These men first of all approached Philip and asked him, "Sir, we would see Jesus." Philip once again is not quite sure what he should do; therefore, as before, he goes to Andrew. Perhaps Philip wasn't even sure the foreigners were Jews. Andrew didn't care about their religious affiliation and so he took them to see Jesus.
Jesus did speak to them saying something about a grain falling in the earth, dying, and producing much fruit. Could this have been an allusion to the fact that one day the good news would be proclaimed beyond the tiny boundaries of Palestine and would reach the Gentiles? Could the men standing before Jesus be "the first fruits" of that great harvest?4
I have heard of a contemporary church that calls their outreach committee "Operation Andrew." After reviewing Andrew's life we can see why they might use his name. In some ways, Andrew might be considered the founder of "local missions" because he brought his brother Peter to Jesus. Also, he might be regarded as the founder of "world missions" because he brought the Greeks, representatives of the larger world, to Jesus.
Most congregations today are actively involved in both home and world missions. Is it possible that we have missed a crucial mission field? I wonder where Andrew, who responded to Jesus' call to "fish for people," would see our greatest opportunity for mission today. Where are the multitudes at this present time?
Let me close by reading a letter sent to a pastor in Hilliard, Ohio, not far from Columbus. A young woman of the congregation wrote this letter to her pastor. I will quote it verbatim.
Dear Max,
Last night I had an interesting experience that I would like to share with you. I sometimes venture among strangers to see how Jesus is working in the world. I was at a place with lots of rooms -- people gathering for all kinds of purposes. One sign said, "Christian Fellowship" so that's where I went.
The room was nearly packed and a lot of conversation going on. I was drawn to a group where one young woman was really struggling. She was raised by, and lives with a family of Satanists (unbelievable) but some how, Christ must have touched her because she was trying to find her way into the light. Since I was a latecomer, I didn't know her background -- but a few people were talking to her and trying to help her. I'm usually too private about my faith (you know, don't wear that button out into the world).
… The love and presence of Jesus in that room was awesome. We held hands, cried, prayed, gave thanks… eventually we were led in prayer and this girl and one other turned their lives over to God….
There are more details to this story, but they aren't important to share at the moment. What I do want to share though is why I am writing to you. I just wanted to let you know that Jesus is alive in cyberspace. Thought that you could appreciate that. Yes, what I am saying is that all this took place by way of my computer.
If you are interested and the Spirit moves you, I am open to further discussion. Do you suppose that one day the church might support mission work out there in cyberspace? There are certainly a lot of lost, searching souls there.
In Jesus' name.
Betsy5
Where are the multitudes today? They are inside their electronic cottages plugged into a variety of media outlets. Is one of our major mission fields today to the take the good news about Jesus to meet people where they are -- staring at their screens in their homes? Amen.
__________
1. Quoted in Lamar Williamson Jr., Interpretation, A Bible Commentary for Teaching and Preaching (Louisville: John Knox Press, 1983), 48.
2. William Barclay, The Gospel of John, Volume 1 (Philadelphia: The Westminster Press, 1955), 73-74, 204.
3. James W. Moore, If God Has a Refrigerator, Your Picture Is On It (Nashville: Dimensions for Living, 2003), 65-66.
4. William Barclay, The Gospel of John, Volume 2 (Louisville: Westminster John Knox, 1974), 139-140.
5. Leonard Sweet, The Jesus Prescription for a Healthy Life (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1996), 80-81.
Rip Van Winkle had slept through a revolution.
Likewise, the four fishermen mentioned in Mark's gospel: Peter, Andrew, James, and John. They heard Jesus' revolutionary words and they were called to enter a new era, a new adventure that they never could have dreamed of before this call came.
As usual Mark is brief and to the point. He sums up Jesus' proclamation of the good news in this manner: "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news" (Mark 1:15). Then Jesus walks along the Sea of Galilee and calls individual fishermen to follow him. Each one "immediately" left what they were doing and followed him. One of Mark's favorite words is "immediately." He uses this word no less than 41 times in his gospel.
We might say at this point that reading the other gospels we get the impression this probably was not the first time that these four men met Jesus. They had had previous contact and now they were being called to definite service in following Jesus.
Mark does not give us much description regarding this scene. We do not know whether these fishermen really enjoyed their work or not. We do know how they related to each other. We do not know what kind of day it was. Was the sun shining or was it a cloudy day?
Mark refers to the Sea of Galilee. We know that this "sea" was actually a "lake" about thirteen miles long and six miles at its widest lying 682 feet below sea level. Luke who knew something about the terrors of the real sea, in his gospel, called this body of water a "lake."
Despite the scarcity of details we cannot underestimate the call of Jesus and the response of these men to become disciples. We have the beginning of a new community of faith. Albert Schweitzer, the missionary doctor, theologian, and Bach specialist, in his book, The Quest of the Historical Jesus, has written these oft-quoted words:
He comes to us as One unknown, without a name, as of old, by the lakeside. He came to those men who knew Him not. He speaks to us the same word: "Follow thou me!" and sets us to the tasks which He has to fulfill for our time. He commands. And to those who obey Him, whether they be wise or simple, He will reveal Himself in the toils, the conflicts, the sufferings that they shall pass through in His fellowship, and as an ineffable mystery, they shall learn in their own experience Who He is.1
Although each of the four disciples mentioned in this passage are important I am going to focus primarily on Andrew because he is customarily relegated to a minor role in contrast to the other three who formed Jesus' inner circle of intimate disciples.
Even though Andrew does not stand out in quite the same way that Peter, James, and John do in our memory of the twelve, Andrew has become the patron saint of no less than three nations. Russia is one of these nations. Tradition says that Andrew in his mission work traveled into the region north of the Black Sea, what is now modern-day Russia.
Tradition also says that Andrew died a martyr's death in Greece. According to historians Andrew was crucified on a cross like Jesus, but he insisted that he was unworthy to die on the same kind of cross and asked to be crucified on a X-shaped cross, to this day known as the Saint Andrew's cross.
Finally, tradition tells us that Andrew is associated with Scotland. A monk by the name of Regulus took some of the relics of Andrew with him as he did mission work on the east coast of Scotland at the place where the town of St. Andrews is today.
Of course, some people think St. Andrews is the most sacred place on earth because it is the birthplace of the game of golf.
I once had a friend who loved to play golf; in fact, he was fanatical about the game. One day he came to me and said, "My wife has given me an ultimatum. She said, 'It is either golf or me.' He confided in me, 'I am sure going to miss my wife.' " He was only kidding, I hope.
Although Andrew is named "St. Andrew" in some quarters today, we must not think of him as a plaster saint. He was a real human being, rather ordinary, a real flesh and blood person like we are. He was more of a utility player than a superstar on Jesus' team. He tended to stay in the background. But think about this: He is only mentioned three times in the gospel of John and each time he is mentioned he is bringing someone to see Jesus.
First of all, Andrew brings Peter to Jesus.
As the gospel of John opens in the very first chapter we learn that Andrew and Philip are disciples of John the Baptist, but one day John startles them by pointing to a stranger who appeared on the scene. John cried out, "Behold, the Lamb of God." From that time on Andrew and Philip left John the Baptist and began to follow Jesus.
Furthermore, Andrew was so excited about this new relationship that he went home to find his brother, Simon (later called Peter) and said to him, "We have found the Messiah (which means Christ). He brought him to Jesus."
Andrew is to be commended for proclaiming the good news about Jesus, and he is doubly commended because in introducing his brother to Jesus he knew that he himself would be over-shadowed. Peter was the "loud mouth" in the family. Every time Andrew wanted to say a word Peter beat him to it. Andrew knew that if he told Jesus about his brother he would have to play "second fiddle" in the disciple's band.
If you observe the references to Andrew in the gospel of Mark and the gospel of John, in fact in all four gospels, almost every time Andrew is mentioned he is identified as "Andrew, Simon Peter's brother." It is almost as if the gospel writers are trying to remember who this guy is. "Who was Andrew?" Oh, yes, now I remember, he was "Simon Peter's brother." I better make a note of that connection and then I will remember him.
Knowing all this, to Andrew's credit he was willing to stay in the background because he knew how much Jesus could do for his brother, and he also knew that Peter could make a special contribution among Jesus' disciples. As we know, Peter eventually became the leader and spokesman for the twelve disciples.
Spring training at the major league baseball camps in Florida and in Arizona will soon be here. The pitchers and catchers will be the first to arrive then the rest of the team will follow in a week or two. The star players, of course, will garner the headlines. But I have observed that managers and coaches even at this early date are looking for a few good utility players to play the infield or the outfield. The managers and coaches know that many star players are prone to injuries. It is a long season, and if they do not have players they can insert in the game when injuries occur or when the regular players are tired near the end of the season, they are apt to be a struggling team. The utility player is usually versatile and can play a variety of positions as needed. He may go up to the plate and not swing for the fences but he knows how to lay down a good bunt and occasionally he slashes an extra base hit at the opportune time. On the whole, he is kept ready because he is a good defensive player who often makes a play that saves the game.
How we need "utility players" like Andrew in the church today! They are willing to stay in the background until the time arrives to do something significant. They also are not hesitant to bring others into the fellowship of faith, new disciples who might in the end outshine them.
The next time Andrew is mentioned in the gospel of John he is bringing a young lad to Jesus.
The scene is a familiar one to many of us. Jesus has been speaking to a crowd, estimated to be 5,000 men. But near the close of day when it was time to go home, the crowd remained past the supper hour. Philip became alarmed and began to complain. Philip often sensed the need of people but he never seemed to know what to do about it.
Andrew, on the other hand, not only sensed the seriousness of the situation but he sought a means to alleviate the crisis. Looking around the crowd, Andrew found a lad who had brought a few provisions with him. He took the boy to Jesus.
Andrew said to Jesus, "There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish. But what are they among so many people?" Those last words probably indicate that Andrew was not sure that such meager provisions would meet the needs of the whole crowd. The important thing is that he brought what he could find to Jesus. As we know, but do not understand exactly how, Jesus took these few provisions and in some manner, fed the whole crowd.2
Itzhak Perlman, one of the greatest violinists of all time played at Lincoln Center in New York City in 1995. Perlman, afflicted by polio since he was a child, walked on stage with heavy braces on both legs. He also needed crutches in order to walk. On this occasion as he was playing, suddenly there was a loud noise, one of the strings on his violin broke. Most people thought Perlman would leave the stage and get another violin.
Instead, he sat there for a few moments, closed his eyes, and asked the conductor to begin again. He played the entire piece with great passion on just three strings. You can imagine the applause when Perlman concluded his performance. When the cheering stopped, Perlman explained: "Sometimes it is the artist's task to find out how much music you can still make with what you have left."3
Time and time again we think our resources are too small to accomplish anything significant, but when we bring what we have to Jesus he has a way of multiplying what we bring into something greater than we could ever dream could happen.
The third and last time Andrew is mentioned in the gospel of John he is still bringing people to Jesus. This time it is a group of people, simply described as "some Greeks."
The setting is the Passover feast in Jerusalem shortly before Jesus' death upon the cross. Faithful Jews have come from all over the world to be present at the feast. These men first of all approached Philip and asked him, "Sir, we would see Jesus." Philip once again is not quite sure what he should do; therefore, as before, he goes to Andrew. Perhaps Philip wasn't even sure the foreigners were Jews. Andrew didn't care about their religious affiliation and so he took them to see Jesus.
Jesus did speak to them saying something about a grain falling in the earth, dying, and producing much fruit. Could this have been an allusion to the fact that one day the good news would be proclaimed beyond the tiny boundaries of Palestine and would reach the Gentiles? Could the men standing before Jesus be "the first fruits" of that great harvest?4
I have heard of a contemporary church that calls their outreach committee "Operation Andrew." After reviewing Andrew's life we can see why they might use his name. In some ways, Andrew might be considered the founder of "local missions" because he brought his brother Peter to Jesus. Also, he might be regarded as the founder of "world missions" because he brought the Greeks, representatives of the larger world, to Jesus.
Most congregations today are actively involved in both home and world missions. Is it possible that we have missed a crucial mission field? I wonder where Andrew, who responded to Jesus' call to "fish for people," would see our greatest opportunity for mission today. Where are the multitudes at this present time?
Let me close by reading a letter sent to a pastor in Hilliard, Ohio, not far from Columbus. A young woman of the congregation wrote this letter to her pastor. I will quote it verbatim.
Dear Max,
Last night I had an interesting experience that I would like to share with you. I sometimes venture among strangers to see how Jesus is working in the world. I was at a place with lots of rooms -- people gathering for all kinds of purposes. One sign said, "Christian Fellowship" so that's where I went.
The room was nearly packed and a lot of conversation going on. I was drawn to a group where one young woman was really struggling. She was raised by, and lives with a family of Satanists (unbelievable) but some how, Christ must have touched her because she was trying to find her way into the light. Since I was a latecomer, I didn't know her background -- but a few people were talking to her and trying to help her. I'm usually too private about my faith (you know, don't wear that button out into the world).
… The love and presence of Jesus in that room was awesome. We held hands, cried, prayed, gave thanks… eventually we were led in prayer and this girl and one other turned their lives over to God….
There are more details to this story, but they aren't important to share at the moment. What I do want to share though is why I am writing to you. I just wanted to let you know that Jesus is alive in cyberspace. Thought that you could appreciate that. Yes, what I am saying is that all this took place by way of my computer.
If you are interested and the Spirit moves you, I am open to further discussion. Do you suppose that one day the church might support mission work out there in cyberspace? There are certainly a lot of lost, searching souls there.
In Jesus' name.
Betsy5
Where are the multitudes today? They are inside their electronic cottages plugged into a variety of media outlets. Is one of our major mission fields today to the take the good news about Jesus to meet people where they are -- staring at their screens in their homes? Amen.
__________
1. Quoted in Lamar Williamson Jr., Interpretation, A Bible Commentary for Teaching and Preaching (Louisville: John Knox Press, 1983), 48.
2. William Barclay, The Gospel of John, Volume 1 (Philadelphia: The Westminster Press, 1955), 73-74, 204.
3. James W. Moore, If God Has a Refrigerator, Your Picture Is On It (Nashville: Dimensions for Living, 2003), 65-66.
4. William Barclay, The Gospel of John, Volume 2 (Louisville: Westminster John Knox, 1974), 139-140.
5. Leonard Sweet, The Jesus Prescription for a Healthy Life (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1996), 80-81.
