Called to Follow Christ

Today, we are beginning a new series on the calls in our lives. God calls each of us. In this New Year, what is God calling you to do? As we explore what God is calling us to do, we will walk with Saul/Paul in the story of his life and see how his persecution, discipleship, and responding to God’s call ultimately gives us a pattern that we can follow, even today. I am leaning on Adam Hamilton’s excellent study for the formation of this series.!

As we walk with Paul, you might be asking yourself, what do we know about Paul, formerly known as Saul? Quite a bit actually. His parents, devout Jews, named him in light of the first king of Israel, also from the tribe of Benjamin. His parents and family, as part of the Jewish diaspora, were living in Tarsus, at some points the capital of Cilicia, a Roman region. We know that Paul was a Roman citizen, a distinction granted to very few in the whole of the Roman Empire. This leads to speculation that Paul’s parents were wealthy or influential, to have received such a merit. The city of Tarsus was also known for being a cultural center. Paul was most likely educated in the education strength of Tarsus, before being sent to Jerusalem for his final studies under the tutelage of Gamliel, the best of the best!

In spite of such pedigree, you and I know Saul, not for being a wonderful Jew or an accomplished scholar or even an upstanding citizen of the Roman Empire. We know him for his complete life transformation (the kind that would make good television – Extreme Makeover style) from the persecuting Saul to the spreading the good news Paul. He comes onto the biblical radar with the stoning of the first Christian martyr, Stephen in Acts 6 and 7. Saul approved the killing and the coats of the stoners were laid at his feet, illustrating his authority. Paul later reflects that this was his zeal for the traditions of his ancestors that urged him to volunteer for such a role persecuting followers of the Way. It is from such a despicable position that Saul finds himself traveling to Damascus in order to continue his persecution of Followers of the Way. He is prepared to cleanse his tradition from those who differ.

On that road, he experiences the presence of Christ, the blinding presence of Jesus that calls to him asking why Saul is persecuting him. His blindness was not immediately relieved; it was three days later that another follower who choose Christ was used, Ananias. Ananias was an essential part of Paul’s conversion experience. Without Ananias, Paul might have become a blind man mad at God, instead of a transformed soul. With the love and forgiveness of Ananias, Paul, formerly Saul changed 180 degrees from persecutor of the Way to arguably, the most passionate advocate and proclaimer! Paul chose Christ in a major Way, and offered God all of his life for God’s purposes.

It was a number of years earlier that other surprising characters choose Christ. It was Magi from the east who came in search of whom the star might disclose. These were not kings, as we have so cleverly identified them in song and story. The Kings in the story are contrasted as Herod, the jealous and Christ, the divine. Magi, instead were more likely astronomers or astrologers, even scientists of the priestly caste of Zoroastrianism. Those who spent time studying the stars and the skies and understood God in a different way, followed the star. They followed the star and believed it to have stopped in Jerusalem, where they began asking, where is the child? It was common in the days of antiquity to understand that the birth and death of great ones would be accompanied by changes in the heavens. And they went to the palace looking for the birth of the new King.
I find it amazing that despite a detour of nine miles from Jerusalem to Bethlehem, an extensive amount when you are on camel back, the Magi choose to continue on to find the new King. They could have been dissuaded by King Herod, his obvious fear and scrambling with the anxiety around new change and impending doom. They could have taken Herod at his word and returned to him with word of the Christ child and the location of his birth. They could have decided they had gotten this king thing all wrong with the humble abode and state that they found Jesus in. But, they decided to choose Christ. They knelt down and worshiped. They were overwhelmed with joy as they spent time with Jesus. They were forever changed by their encounter with Christ. While we do not hear the rest of their story, we do know that they went home a different way. Having been warned in a dream, they changed their geographical route and their spiritual one as well. As with those for whom stars and dreams are the language of the divine, they listened and heard, God speaking to them and choose Christ.

In both the lives of the Magi and Paul, it becomes very clear that God uses all of the pieces of our life for God’s purposes. Each piece of our lives can be offered to God, to be used to bless others. Many people have asked when or why I learned American Sign Language. When I was in college, I needed a lot of language credits, being a liberal arts major. After having taken multiple levels of French, I decided to explore American Sign Language. I took a couple of semesters of both classroom and experiential learning. Imagine my surprise, when my internship at a retirement community as a chaplain put those skills to the test. When I first met Doris and Ray, my supervisor told me that they could just read lips. I decided to try out my skills with some cursory signing. It was not long before I was spending lots of time with them, me learning additional signs and them, finally, receiving some care. God has used those skills in each ministry setting I find myself. My willingness to offer them for God’s work has each time blessed me and I pray, has connected others with God.

It is the puzzle pieces of our lives that most often show up for God’s use later in our lives. It is the off-handed conversation that we have with a co-worker that provides the fodder for a deeper conversation later when a crisis is unfolding. It is an article we read that provides just the right encouragement for a friend when they need it most. It is a documentary we caught part of that gives the context for a story we need to share with a neighbor. It is the struggles of days gone by that are exactly the entryway for a conversation with someone struggling today. Each part of our past, each experience of our present, and each faithful hope for the future is available to God, if only we offer it to God, when we choose Christ. God uses all the puzzle pieces of our lives for God’s purposes, even those we cannot see.

From Saul to the Magi, we remember again that it is often the most unusual characters that God uses to proclaim Christ. God can even use each of us, if we offer ourselves to God. At the beginning of this New Year, I am choosing again to offer myself to God, inviting God to use me for God’s purposes. John Wesley encouraged his preachers to use the covenant service with their congregations at the beginning of each new year. This covenant prayer is the language that he gave, reminding us that choosing Christ, means that we do not choose how God will use us, only ask that God will. I invite each of you as we come to the Communion Table today to offer yourself to Christ, choose Christ. Whether you are doing it for the first time or the fifty-first time, choose Christ and God will use you, for the good of God’s purposes throughout God’s way.

This is the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, thanks be to God, Amen.

1 Adam Hamilton’s The Call: The Life and Message of the Apostle Paul was integral to this message and this series.

New Testament Lesson: Acts 22:3-21
“I am a Jew, born in Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, educated strictly according to our ancestral law, being zealous for God, just as all of you are today. I persecuted this Way up to the point of death by binding both men and women and putting them in prison, as the high priest and the whole council of elders can testify about me. From them I also received letters to the brothers in Damascus, and I went there in order to bind those who were there and to bring them back to Jerusalem for punishment.

“While I was on my way and approaching Damascus, about noon a great light from heaven suddenly shone about me. I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’ I answered, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ Then he said to me, ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth whom you are persecuting.’ Now those who were with me saw the light but did not hear the voice of the one who was speaking to me. I asked, ‘What am I to do, Lord?’ The Lord said to me, ‘Get up and go to Damascus; there you will be told everything that has been assigned to you to do.’ Since I could not see because of the brightness of that light, those who were with me took my hand and led me to Damascus.

“A certain Ananias, who was a devout man according to the law and well spoken of by all the Jews living there, came to me; and standing beside me, he said, ‘Brother Saul, regain your sight!’ In that very hour I regained my sight and saw him. Then he said, ‘The God of our ancestors has chosen you to know his will, to see the Righteous One and to hear his own voice; for you will be his witness to all the world of what you have seen and heard. And now why do you delay? Get up, be baptized, and have your sins washed away, calling on his name.’

“After I had returned to Jerusalem and while I was praying in the temple, I fell into a trance and saw Jesus saying to me, ‘Hurry and get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not accept your testimony about me.’ And I said, ‘Lord, they themselves know that in every synagogue I imprisoned and beat those who believed in you. And while the blood of your witness Stephen was shed, I myself was standing by, approving and keeping the coats of those who killed him.’ Then he said to me, ‘Go, for I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’”

Gospel Lesson: Matthew 2:1-12
In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, asking, “Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage.” When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him; and calling together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it has been written by the prophet:

‘And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for from you shall come a ruler who is to shepherd my people Israel.’”

Then Herod secretly called for the wise men and learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared. Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child; and when you have found him, bring me word so that I may also go and pay him homage.” When they had heard the king, they set out; and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising, until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another road.

Meditations For Your Week
Sunday, January 3 ~ Saturday, January 1-

Sunday: Louis S. Glanzman (1922-2013), Anna the Prophetess.
Scripture: “There was also a prophet, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, having lived with her husband for seven years after her marriage, then as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshipped there with fasting and prayer night and day. At that moment she came, and began to praise God and to speak about the child to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem.” Luke 2:36-38
Devotion: Anna never believed her work to be done. God always had a purpose for her. Likewise for us, when we can do as we wish and when we can not, God has a purpose for us. God is not yet done with us! Prayer: Loving God, use each of us for your purposes. Help us to see how you are using us in times of great productivity as well as times when we are not sure what we can offer. Amen.

Monday: Jan Richardson (modern), The Women also came
Scripture: “In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise ones from the East came to Jerusalem,” Matthew 2:1 Devotion: Blessed are those who sense the presence of God and move towards God. Blessed are the wise ones of old who traveled towards the Christ child. May each of us travel towards the Christ child, stopping to serve all those we encounter along the way. Prayer: Christ Child, we too, seek and adore you.
Open our eyes and minds to know you and draw nearer to you. In your name, we pray, Amen.

Tuesday: Brian Whelan (modern) Adoration of Magi with Camels
Scripture: “When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy.” Matthew 2:10 Devotion: The vibrant colors of the artist’s work contrast with the images of nighttime and darkness that we saw earlier in this devotional. The eyes of the character depicted could illustrate the overwhelmed feeling that the wise ones experienced at arriving at the Christ Child. Sometimes, even when we arrive where we have been journeying towards, we find ourselves overwhelmed. Overwhelmed with Joy! Prayer: Overwhelming God, we thank you that you are more than we understand, more than we imagine, and more than we can realize. Allow us to be overwhelmed in your presence, resting in joy, Amen.

Wednesday: Edward Burne-Jones, (1833-1898), The Star of Bethlehem, 1887-90.
Scripture: “On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure-chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.”  Matthew 2:11. Devotion: On this day of Epiphany, new revelations and aha! Moments, may we offer our gifts to Jesus. May we thank God for our aha moments and seek to discover how God is using our talents and treasures for the ushering in of the kingdom. Prayer: God of Light and revelation, move in our hearts and souls. Take the gifts we offer and bless them for your glory, we pray, Amen.

Thursday: “Then he said, “The God of our ancestors has chosen you to know his will, to see the Righteous One and to hear his own voice;” Acts 3:14. God choses us for the mission and ministry to which we are called. Listen for the voice of God.

Friday: “For you will be his witness to all the world of what you have seen and heard.” Acts 3:15. God calls us to choose to follow Christ and share what we experience with all the world.

Saturday: “And now why do you delay? Get up, be baptized, and have your sins washed away, calling on his name.” Acts 3:16. Today, is the day, God calls you!