The Call To Discipleship

John was standing with two of his disciples, and as he watched Jesus walk by, he said, "Behold, the Lamp of God."  The two disciples heard what he said and followed Jesus.  Jesus turned and saw them following him and said to them, "What are you looking for?"  They said to him, "Rabbi" - which translated means Teacher-, "Where are you staying?"  He said to them, "Come and see."  So they went and saw where Jesus was staying, and they stayed with him that day.  It was about four in the afternoon.  Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, was one of the two who heard John and followed Jesus.  He first found his own brother Simon and told him. "We have found the Messiah" - which is translated Christ - Then he brought him to Jesus.  Jesus looked at him and said, "You are Simon the son of John; you will be called Cephas" - which is translated Peter.

Today we hear in the OT and NT what has become known as, “Call Stories.”  There is nothing more fascinating then hearing about someone being called by God and how it changes everything in a person’s life.

Much of what is written about the 'Call Stories' today is missing one vital element: resistance! The disciples where happy they discovered the Messiah.  Little did they realize at the time when embracing the call of Christ the cost and demand it would place on them.

We live in a culture which impacts us in every way with relativism, extreme religious world views, and the corruption and abuse of power within every institution that exits, one is challenged on a daily based to keep the call of Christ from being drowned-out by the noise of the world.  Yet, reassuringly Christ, in the gospel, is always calling us to discipleship.

This past Christmas, all the church’s in the Rutland Vermont area were packed, (as I am sure every diocese in the country was).  Now we have entered ordinary time, and I have to ask where are all the people who packed the churches just a few weeks ago?

The baby Jesus is easy to admire and adore.  Jesus in his infancy makes not demands on us.  He is not a threat, and does not make our lives uncomfortable.  But today, we meet the adult Jesus – all grown up – who looks at his disciples in the eye and says, “What are you looking for?”

What separates a true disciple from one who is simply along for the ride?  The answer can be found in the response of the disciples?  “Where are you staying?”  Discipleship is about relationship!  Once they have entered the relationship with Christ, the relationship is no longer on their terms.  Being at home with that reality is where they will learn how to live, how to love, and how deal with the messiness of relationships even with the one they are were now staying with - the Messiah.  

I am always amazed how quickly people who do not have faith or believe in Christ walk away from relationships, friendships and even marriages once they become difficult.  (This is not to say Christians never do this, but the speed at which it happens I believe is different)  Yet, what we see in the Christian story are two things: Christ's relationship to us and our relationship with Christ.  He chose us and we blow it.  There is no one (outside of Judas, who I believe would have been forgiven had he held on) who makes more mistakes than Peter.

It is interesting that after the resurrection Jesus asks Peter three times “Do you love me.”  Finally Peter responds by saying of course I love you.  And Peter probably was expecting Jesus to say, 'What a wonderful person you are Pete, I knew you didn't really mean it when you denied me,’ but this is what Jesus tells him,

"But I tell you the truth, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go." (This he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God.) And after saying this he said to him “Follow me.”

Not what Peter wanted to hear I am sure!  He wanted to hear something else like, 'That-a-boy Pete' but Jesus spoke truthfully about the price he would pay for following Him.  As I approach my forty-sixth year and reflect on twenty-five years of discipleship, I amazed at some of the sacrifices that this vocation has demanded of me.  Looking back, I know that I must have been given Divine strength to give up everything, to minister in places I did not want to be or go, and yet, I know I am right where I am supposed to be.  Christ has not asked me to literally die for Him, but I have died in many ways to do what he has called me to do today. 

When I talk to married couples they sometimes share with me the price they have paid in order to say faithful, to have a family and children and it is not that much different than my own vocation.  What Christ is going to ask of me and you this year, I do not know, but one thing I do know is: to do the will of Christ, to be his disciple is the greatest meaning one can ever find. "What are you looking for?" Christ asked his disciples.  If you are looking for a comfortable, selfish lifestyle, you come to the wrong place, but if you are looking for meaning, truth, and real transforming love, then you have come to the right person, Jesus Christ.