Sunday sermons are now available to read online. Here follows John Evans’ first sermon at the Church of All Nations:
Epiphany 3 (27 Jan. 2008)
by Rev. Dr John Evans
Matthew 17:1-9
Our gospel reading from Matthew is about a new beginning: Jesus’ start of his public ministry in Galilee. This is just like our own situation.
Last Sunday we had the account from John’s Gospel concerning the calling of his first two disciples – Andrew and Simon – who Jesus called Peter. Today’s passage is perhaps the more familiar – down by the Sea of Galilee - walking along the shore observing these four fishermen: Andrew and Peter, James and John at work. Jesus has just come from that time of preparation for his ministry – a period of 40 days in the wilderness, although the Gospel of Luke has Jesus first calling in at his home town of Nazareth - where after his first effort at preaching in the local synagogue the good folk there almost threw him off the town hill. Luke also, before Jesus says the disciples will become fishers of people, has an exchange between Jesus and his disciples about how to fish. The men had toiled all night unsuccessfully and then this carpenter suggests where to cast their net. Needless to say they catch a great number of fish. . . . just like in our banner. . . and Peter falls on his knees and worships Jesus.
It is wonderful how often our lectionary throws up passages that may fit particular circumstances. I recall that having been ordained, the first occasion I preached in my new congregation, the lectionary in this season of Epiphany and when many ministers commence, set that passage from Luke’s about Jesus first sermon in the synagogue in Nazareth. Today as you and I begin our journey together in our ministry here at Carlton – Jesus also is beginning his ministry.
What is it that we can learn from the commencement of Jesus’ ministry by the shore of the Sea of Galilee and apply and challenge us here? I want to suggest two insights we might gain. The first is how we are to undertake our ministry together, and the second, is why would commence this journey in the first place.
I think normally when we examine the many “call” stories in the Bible – whether they are of the great people of the faith like Abraham, or Samuel, or of the prophets like Isaiah or Jeremiah or, dramatic accounts of conversion and call like that of Paul, and his road to Damascus experience, we focus on an individual, and their call by God. And the same, I guess, applies to these four fishermen.
The sermon then goes something like this: have you heard the Call of Christ; are you even prepared to leave all – a business, a livelihood and follow Jesus. What will it take – a miracle like the catch of a mighty lot of fish? Or is it sufficient just for that personal address from Christ – or from someone with the spirit of Christ within them, to challenge you with some amazing proposition like, why don’t you just give up what you currently are doing – a life that focuses your whole time and energy just about you, your needs – your business, or perhaps even the needs of your parents, like old Zebedee – and follow this path which will be about others; other people and transforming their lives.
The call of the disciples is a challenge to us as individuals. Are we prepared to drop everything and follow unreservedly the way of Christ. This challenge is important - I hope you hear again a call upon your lives at this time.
However, at the start of his ministry, there is a crucial additional aspect to all of this – Jesus, as we soon discover, is always challenging people to leave their current life and follow him – like, sell all that they have and give to poor. However, right at the start – he is also saying God’s mission, his ministry, requires a team to undertake it. Jesus begins his ministry by first finding colleagues to change the world.
Then, certainly now, this is a profoundly counter-cultural move. The model we have – right from the start of Jesus’ ministry is that of a community of people who will proclaim and bring about the good news of the kingdom. The disciples were not there to service the cult of a celebrity – they too would be “fishers of people”. With hindsight we certainly could say they would have a role when Jesus was no longer around – after his death on the cross they would have a critical role; but right from the start there is a community around Jesus. They were not perfect – they often got it wrong terribly – however, there was a community around Jesus. Jesus was seeking not just a personal commitment of an individual to follow him. He was wanting a team to begin to inaugurate the coming kingdom.
There is also something else that Jesus does right at the start of his ministry. He clearly articulates where this new movement is heading. Remember last week, St John’s gospel expressed this vision for the future in the phrase “Behold the lamb of God” – a very compact, dense phrase which Rufus unpacked; here in Matthew’s gospel the quotation from Isaiah sets the scene that “the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light” – and Jesus is saying “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near; repent, the kingdom of heaven has come near”. Jesus is about the coming kingdom of God. Here is the goal of his ministry – this is the vision he has right from the start; it is to what Jesus calls these fisherman to be a part.
Eugene Peterson, the author of the contemporary paraphrase of the bible, The Message – is the author of many books on ministry, mission and the Christian life. He begins his book on Spiritual theology Christ Plays in Ten Thousand Places – a title taken from Gerard Manly Hopkins’ great poem The Kingfisher – with this disarming sentence: “The end is where we start from.” He goes on: “Endings take precedence over beginnings. We begin a journey by first deciding on a destination.”
It is obvious really. If you don’t know where you are headed – any route will do. Any whim or fancy you take will get you there – because you actually don’t know where you are going. You will go around in circles – you will be aimless; undirected and unsure of the future – unsure if you have actually arrived, or have been on the right path all along. This applies to people’s lives – it also applies to organizations. It can also apply to congregations.
Jesus’ ministry is about the kingdom of God - a phrase which to republican ears on this Australia day weekend, we might find strange. It is however, about having life, the fullness of life, life and then more life. It is about having that right relationship with God – being at peace – knowing the peace of God which passes all understanding; it is about life in which people are respected for who they are – that there is justice; it is about how the six and half billion of us living on this small planet in harmony with ourselves and nature. It is about understanding and enjoying God’s will for us. We can express this kingdom in many ways – as Jesus himself went on to proclaim and show in his life, death and resurrection. Here, at the start, was his end. . . the kingdom of God. Paul, as later, as we heard in the reading from Corinthians, sees it not in terms of Jesus’s ministry – but of Christ crucified. Anyhow, at the time, it was this vision to which these fishermen were committing themselves.
It needs to be said I am really enjoying living in Carlton. During the week Katie brought home her recent acquisitions from Readings – I have enjoyed reading them! One was the latest Quarterly Essay – which featured an analysis by Judith Brett on the defeat of John Howard at the recent election. The grid, framework, for her analysis of 2007 were three models or styles of leadership. Models or styles of leadership which may be appropriate in certain times and places – but in this instance, she argues, was the undoing of John Howard. Her argument was interesting, but the models of leadership she employed were more interesting as we reflect on the commencement of Jesus’ ministry and the start of our ministry together here.
To begin with there was the strong – almost military style leadership in which the leader rallies the troops against the foe who is external to the person or group. This was the model Brett ascribed to John Howard. National Security was thus important, Unions the enemy, and so on. As an aside we can often see this style of leadership in the church – where the language of warfare against those who do not think like us – and a self righteousness can be a feature of church life.
Another style is where there is a mutually expressed need – not so much expressed with an outward foe; but with a more inward looking need. The leader is able to take that need and satisfy. There becomes a dependency on the leader’s guidance and strength. A feature of leadership also evident within the church.
The other style – and not really developed by Brett; it was not really needed in her analysis, is broadly speaking the leader that provides inspiration – sees beyond the current situation and yet can within the context of disparate needs and realities, see a new vision and provide leadership .
Needless to say – one can see this style of leadership in Jesus’ ministry at the start. He provides leadership – certainly with this group of disciples by holding out a broad vision of the kingdom of God, a vision which will transform lives; a vision that draws people in to participate in this new thing that he is proclaiming and actually living out.
At this time of beginnings – I think all of this has profound relevance to who we are as the Church of All Nations. Ministry is not just to be performed by an individual – there is a team. Jesus began with himself and those disciples which were called – later, Paul reflecting more theologically, called this team, the body of Christ. It is however, a community endeavour – relying on all, all with gifts and graces. Here in Carlton we are all small in number, but together can do great things. We all need to feel called to participate in this mission of God.
The second thing is what are we actually doing here – and why are we a part of the mission of God – the extension of the kingdom as we cryptically say. We are a part of the ministry of Christ, the ministry of transforming lives, of offering life – the fullness of life. What however, does this mean for this particular congregation at this particular time? We need to be clear. We know it has something to do with the Estate and the human need at our doorstep, we know it has to do with modeling community of vast diversity within the body of Christ – whether that is to do with ethnic, theological or any other differences which is there among us; we know it has to do with the great institutions in our midst – with all the students that live here, or as a result or people visiting hospitals. W know it has to do with social inequality. But where God might be particularly calling us at this time – we need to be clear. Bluntly put, Jesus began with a need for committed people and vision for his ministry. Our beginning together has similar demands.
As I was reminded last Sunday night the heritage of this congregation is rich and deep, much wonderful work is currently been done – however, at this time of beginnings, we need a community of people who will share their gifts – and a clear vision for the future.
