SOME SAID NO
Jonah 3: 1-5, 10; 1 Corinthians 7: 29-31; Mark 1: 14-20
It was a journey of twenty-six miles from Nazareth to Bethsaida on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, a journey of perhaps eight or nine hours by foot. He had probably been there many times before. The Jewish historian Josephus wrote of the region that it was “wonderful in its characteristics and beauty.” And ancient rabbis had said of it, “Although God has created seven seas, yet He has chosen this one as His special delight.” But whereas I’m sure he was refreshed and energized by the calm, sun-glistened serenity and beauty of the lake and refreshed as its warm water bathed his tired feet, this was no holiday he had embarked upon. He had work to do – important work. And so, as he took in the scenery, he also observed the people. Among them, four fishermen: Peter, Andrew, James and John. What was it in these four that Jesus took note of? We’re not told, but it is to them that he gives an invitation, “Come follow me and I will make you fishers of men.” In our Gospel today, we see their response. They abandon their nets, and the wealth, success and way of life that those nets represent, and follow Jesus.
As I reflected this past week on today’s Gospel, a question came to mind that I had never thought of before. A question that I think it’s important to consider. A question that I think has implications for us. And the question is this: What other roads did Jesus travel before he came to Bethsaida on the Sea of Galilee and how many others did he bid to come follow him before Peter, Andrew, James and John said yes?
Was there, perhaps, someone from his hometown of Nazareth that caught his attention? Someone that he had known all of his life and had admired for his sense of loyalty to family and friends. “I can use that!” Jesus might have said. “There are rough times ahead. Many will not accept what I have to say. I will be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and rise after three days. Your loyalty to me and those who will believe in me will be so appreciated. Come follow me and I will make you a friend of the friendless!” But the man responded, “Thank you, Jesus, but no. I am indeed loyal, but my loyalty to my family and to myself comes first. They and I deserve a secure life and what you have just described to me seems anything but. This talk of rejection and death are all too unsettling to me.
And surely the roads that Jesus walked led him past farms and vineyards. Was there perhaps someone there that Jesus admired and said, “I have observed that you are a hard worker. You work tirelessly in the hot sun from sunrise to sunset. Your hands are strong and dirty, your brow bears the sweat of your labor. I can use you! There is much work to be done. Day in and day out we will travel throughout Israel preaching the good news of salvation. There are the sick to heal, the hungry to feed, the poor and the outcasts to minister to. Come follow me and I will make you a harvester of souls.” But the man said, “Thank you, my friend, but no. I am indeed a hard worker. But what I sow, I reap. I see the results of my long hours of work and I benefit from the work of my hands. What you describe seems to benefit everyone but me. And, after all, don’t I deserve to reap the reward of my own labor?
Another road led Jesus through a pasture where he observed a shepherd tending his flock. He said to the shepherd, “I see the care and concern that you show to every sheep in your flock. I see how you protect them from wolves and thieves and how you go after the ones who stray. I can use someone like you! I have come to shepherd the lost sheep among the people of Israel. I have come to lead them along right paths to verdant pastures and to give them rest. Come follow me and I will make you a shepherd of the flock of God.” But the shepherd said, “Thank you, sir, but no. I am a simple man and just don’t think I’m good enough for your noble mission. For you see, it is one thing to lead sheep; it is another thing to lead people. I just don’t know if I have what it takes. I am a quiet man, I just don’t know if I possess what it would take to do what you want me to do.”
And finally, the path took Jesus into the city of Jerusalem. There he observed men of commerce, merchants, buyers and sellers, and those involved with foreign trade. To one he said, “I admire your wisdom and your ingenuity. You’re well organized and creative, and your personality is such that you work well with all people, not just Jews, but Romans and Greeks alike. I can use someone like you. I can use your mind, your wit, your sense of organization to take my message to the ends of the earth. Come follow me and I will make your business the business of God’s people. But the merchant said, “Thank you, but no. I just don’t think I have the time to devote myself to your pursuits. Although my success is measured in silver and gold, it is the frenetic pace of my life and the art of wheeling and dealing that are my passion. I just can’t risk leaving what I know I’m so good at to traipse around the world promoting someone who seems so countercultural and something that isn’t measured by profit margins.
And so the road led Jesus to Bethsaida, to the shores of the Sea of Galilee, and there he saw four fishermen and in them too he saw something special, something he could use. And to them he beckoned “I will make you fishers of men.” And these four abandoned their nets and followed him. Other roads would lead Jesus to a tax collector named Matthew and to seven others whose birthplaces and occupations have been lost in the sands of time: Philip, Jude, Bartholomew, Thomas, James, Simon and Judas.
But the thing is, Jesus still walks pathways and he still invites those whom he meets to come follow him. And like the Twelve, he doesn’t just call them to discipleship, to be mere followers and students, he calls them to be APOSTLES. The word apostle means “one who is sent. And so he seeks individuals whom he can send in his name to heal bodies and broken hearts, to feed hungry stomachs and souls, and to teach the ignorant and the know-it-all.
And guess what? The road Jesus walks comes right down Main Street, across Route 10, up Hillside Avenue, down Eyland Avenue and around the shores of Horseshoe Lake. And the ones he stops and greets and invites to come fellow him . . . well, they’re you and they’re me. And he looks at YOU and he looks at ME and he sees something special in each one of us, and he says with delight, “I can use that!” What is that special thing Jesus sees in you and what is it that he calls you to do? Only you can discover that within yourself. But the question is not, “Does Jesus call me?” Absolutely HE DOES! The question is, “Do I hear? Do I respond? Do I make excuses for myself?”
What prevents you from recognizing your special gifts and allowing Jesus to use them to build up his kingdom? Are you like the friend in Nazareth who is too overwhelmed by family obligations and expectations? Are you like the farmer who needs to have the tangible fruit of your time and your talents? Are you like the shepherd who is unconvinced that you really possess anything worthwhile that God can use? Or are you like the merchant who is just simply too busy with the things of this world to work toward the things of the next.
Yes . . . I believe that Jesus walked many roads before the one that led him to Peter, Andrew, James and John. Many received the invitation to come follow him. Some said no. What’s your response?
