The Call to Follow

 We've all seen how effective a 'great team' can be. We've seen many examples in sports teams, maybe emergency response teams, or maybe tactical teams. In movies we frequently see specialized teams put together for elaborate missions or even heists. A leader recruits each member of the team for their outstanding ability in one specific area or talent - a weapons expert, a tech specialist, maybe an explosives expert - he's usually the crazy one, right?

If you were going to recruit a team for any sort of project or mission – wouldn't you want to recruit the best of the best? You'd probably look for candidates who excel in extraordinary strength, talent, courage or special skills. Whatever the challenge - isn't that the kind of team you'd choose?

This morning, I want to look at the account of a 'recruitment drive' for a special team that helped to change the world. But they certainly didn't start out as men you would describe as special or elite. I want to look at the story of how…

I. Jesus called the disciples

As you look at this account, it doesn't really have a refined "Oceans 11" sort of feel to it... Let's read the story of the first four recruits from Mark 1:16-20 (NIV)...

As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. (17) "Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men." (18) At once they left their nets and followed him. (19) When he had gone a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John in a boat, preparing their nets. (20) Without delay he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.

Jesus didn't ask to see a resume – He saw some fishermen and He called them to follow. Now I think it's relatively safe to assume that since Jesus is 'God in the flesh' that He already knew all about these men. But there are a few things that are interesting about who Jesus chose for His 'crack team' of disciples.

First, notice that Jesus didn't call guys who had nothing else to do. They were all busy. They were earning a living. They were working as fishermen. Jesus was well aware that they had other things in their life, but He still called them. And we need to notice, they were…

A. Called to leave something

They had to make a choice between what they were doing, what they knew and what Jesus called them 'to'. Now, we do know that Simon and Andrew had listened to John the Baptist's teachings and they were expectantly waiting for the promised Messiah. Not sure, but they may have even witnessed Jesus' baptism by John or heard about it – we don't know. But what we do know – they left everything to follow Jesus hoping that this was the right guy. That takes more than a little bit of faith.

And if we jump ahead to the next chapter, we can also see that not every one called to the team was considered an upstanding citizen of the community.

Mark 2:13-14 (NIV)

Once again Jesus went out beside the lake. A large crowd came to him, and he began to teach them. (14) As he walked along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax collector's booth. "Follow me," Jesus told him, and Levi got up and followed him.

Levi, also called Matthew, was not an income tax collector but it's my understanding that he was more of a customs official assigned to a tax booth. He would charge a 'commodities tax' or toll on anything you were bringing through the area. These customs officials usually charged people way more than what the government required and then took the extra money for themselves. The Roman government didn't really care as long as they got their cut.

However, since Levi was a Jew working for the oppressive Roman government – he was seen as a traitor to his own people. In fact, the Pharisees had a rule that if a Jewish man took a job as a tax collector, he was kicked out of the synagogue, and ostracized by the community. And this was the guy that Jesus chose for His special team...?

As you look at this particular story so far, you see busy, uneducated fishermen and a very unpopular tax collector. Since Jesus was putting together a team to influence the Jewish people, to literally 'up end' the face of 'religion' in the entire world - at first glance, some might have wondered - did Jesus…

B. Call the 'wrong' people?

Now with the luxury of hindsight and the evidence of the entire New Testament, of course Jesus chose just the right men. But isn't it amazing how they would have been absolutely the wrong people to make up a special team like that from the world's perspective?

Even though we have that example, we still think about things like that from our limited human perspective. "Why would Jesus call me? I'm not really that qualified." Being qualified doesn't seem to mean much to Jesus. The only thing that apparently made the disciples the right men was the fact that they were willing to leave something and to follow Jesus.

Not only do we sometimes doubt the fact that God wants to use us – even though we're already in His church - we may also look at those outside of the Church with that same mistaken perspective.

Do we communicate the impression, unconsciously or not, that you have to be the 'right kind of person' to follow Jesus..? By our actions or attitudes do we maybe lead people to believe that in order to follow Jesus they have to have everything together before following? Do we lead people to believe that they have to look the right way or talk the right way or act the right way before following Jesus?

We can't ever forget…

II. Jesus calls 'sinners'

Let's pick up the story right after Jesus called Levi to follow Him…

Mark 2:15-17 (NIV)

While Jesus was having dinner at Levi's house, many tax collectors and "sinners" were eating with him and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. (16) When the teachers of the law who were Pharisees saw him eating with the "sinners" and tax collectors, they asked his disciples: "Why does he eat with tax collectors and 'sinners'?" (17) On hearing this, Jesus said to them, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."

Jesus didn't come for those 'righteous' people, or those who thought themselves righteous – He came for 'sinners'. By that understanding, if Jesus had been born in modern times – where would He most likely be found? My guess is - maybe in bars, casinos, street corners, maybe even the parking lot of a 'strip club'; anywhere 'sinners' might hang out. I'd guess that long before He might show up at Deep River He might go to a bar first.

Now some might be tempted to say, "That's not fair! After all, we're the ones who are singing to God today, right? We gave up our Sunday morning for Him – don't we deserve some sort of preferential treatment for all that we've done for Him?" ...Yeah, it does sound pretty arrogant when you say it out loud doesn't it?

Even though we'd probably never say it – do we ever act or think like somehow we're more deserving of being in God's presence than 'those people'? And that's exactly how many religious people responded back then...

Do you remember the story of the prodigal son? The younger son of a man demanded his share of the inheritance and then went off and squandered it all on wild living. Then he came back and his father lovingly welcomed him home and even threw a banquet in his honor. It's a great story with a great outcome for the wayward young man - but not everyone was happy, as you may recall…

Luke 15:28-32 (NIV)

The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. (29) But he answered his father, 'Look! All these years I've been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. (30) But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!'

(31) 'My son,' the father said, 'you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. (32) But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.'

Have you ever identified... with the older brother? Jesus' focus was on 'sinners'. His time and energy was mostly given to 'sinners'. It seems that they do get special treatment - even over those of us who have been in the Church for years; those who have financially, sacrificially supported the Church. It seems like a fair question to ask…

A. Why?

Why did Jesus appear more concerned with 'sinners'?

I have six kids but four sons, the oldest is Winston at 16 and the youngest is August at age 6. There are times when Augie gets preferential treatment over Winston. Any parent of more than one child understands. Winston has done significantly more work around the house; dishes, lawn care - he even worked carrying drywall and bundles of vinyl planks up a flight of stairs with me when the place was being built. But despite all of that - Augie still currently gets extra attention if he needs help. If they're both running in the yard and trip and 'bonk' heads, I'll run to Augie first because he's little.

It has nothing to do with how much I love either of them or their worth. I love both of them and would do anything for either of them. It has to do with urgency and need. Winston had the same attention and extra care when he was little. And, his needs are still met – maybe not as quickly as he'd always like – but he is loved and cared for. Augie's urgent needs are met first because he needs more attention.

Jesus went first to the 'sinners' of His day because they needed Him more urgently. And they still do - but I'm not sure that we, that I, always remember that. Jesus came for 'sinners' because of their great need - and there's also something else that may give them a special place in Jesus' heart.

Luke 7:37-47 (NIV)

When a woman who had lived a sinful life in that town learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee's house, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume, (38) and as she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them. (39) When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, "If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is - that she is a sinner."

(40) Jesus answered him, "Simon, I have something to tell you." "Tell me, teacher," he said. (41) "Two men owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. (42) Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he canceled the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?" (43) Simon replied, "I suppose the one who had the bigger debt canceled." "You have judged correctly," Jesus said. (44) Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, "Do you see this woman?

I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. (45) You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. (46) You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. (47) Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven - for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little."

Jesus loved 'sinners' because of their great need, their helplessness AND because of their gratitude when they finally realized they were found; that they were saved!

Those of us who have followed Jesus for a long time may forget just how worthless what we had to give up was - compared to what we have gained in Christ. How grateful are we that our destiny has been changed from Hell to Heaven?

Jesus didn't come to call the 'righteous' but the 'sinners' – a label that describes all of us at some point and time. And all of us have been….

B. Called to repentance

Jesus did come to call us as 'sinners', but He didn't expect us to stay that way. Let's look at a passage from Luke 13:1-5 (NIV)...

Now there were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. (2) Jesus answered, "Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? (3) I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.

(4) Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them - do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? (5) I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish."

We don't know a lot about the two situations mentioned here - the Galileans who were apparently killed or the eighteen who died is Siloam. The people were discussing specific situations and questioning about the judgment of others. But Jesus basically said, "Don't worry about them - God will judge fairly - but you make sure that you are focused on repentance!" It didn't matter how spiritual they thought they were - unless the people who heard Him there repented, turned from their sin - they would receive a Divine judgment.

We too have to admit that we are not without sin, no matter how spiritually mature we may become. We live in a world where calling sin for what it is – sin – is seen as judgmental. Jesus wasn't being mean, but He was compassionate enough to tell people the truth of what would happen if they didn't stop sinning.

When you understand sin and how it makes us slaves; how it robs us of God's blessing – the most loving thing for the benefit of each of us is to tell us to stop. Calling everyone to repentance, to change, to turn away from sin and turn to Jesus isn't closed minded or mean – it's the only hope any of us will ever have of becoming the person God created us to be! It's the only hope any of us will ever have of inheriting eternal life only through Jesus!

So What?

Jesus hasn't stopped recruiting for His 'team'. The call to follow Him is ongoing. Many give the rational that they're too busy or would have to give up too much to follow. Many try to simply attend a Church service hoping that that somehow qualifies them for the team.

Every week, when I ask you to bring a friend - it's not just so we can grow Deep River. That's not a bad thing and I do want Deep River to grow, but ultimately I want God's Kingdom to grow. Your name on a member role at Deep River won't get you to Heaven. The invitation to bring someone is really to give them an opportunity to meet Jesus. God has built something really special here at Deep River - but we need to actively share it with others!

Do you want to be one of the 'religious people' who give excuses as to why they won't fully follow - or do you want to be one of the admitted sinners who's leaving their life of sin and completely following? Let go of whatever is holding you back and follow, serve, share!