Epiphany 3 Yr B
The Call The Sequel
Introduction
Last week our lessons pointed us toward Samuel's call and Simon's & Nathanael's calls, and we're at it again. More calling. In the gospel, the final twelve are being gathered, but what's that Jonah story about. Initially, one might think it is out of place. But dig deeper. We accepted that Samuel, Simon, and Nathanael heard the call—AND did something about it. Isn't that what Jonah's about—hearing God's call to service AND following through with the actions God expected from him. That's the point. Hearing God's call is one thing; responding to it is altogether another. Check the link in "For youth" below for yet another wrinkle: the disciples dropped everything to follow Jesus' call. The author of the article questions how "wise" that was, whether it was good "stewardship" to leave all (family, friends) behind. Feel free to comment.
Mark 1:14-20
After John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, . . . As Jesus passed along the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the sea—for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them, “Follow me and I will make you fish for people.” And immediately they left their nets and followed him.
From sermon4kids.com: ” Jesus has called us, what will we say? What will we do? I hope and pray that we will drop whatever we are doing and answer the call.”
Scripture: January 21, 2024—Third Sunday after the Epiphany—Jonah 3:1-5, 10 (image); 1 Corinthians 7:29-31 (image); Mark 1:14-20 (image); & Psalm 62:6-14 (image). A visual and oral journey through the scripture.
Collect: Give us grace, O Lord, to answer readily the call of our Savior Jesus Christ and proclaim to all people the Good News of his salvation, that we and the whole world may perceive the glory of his marvelous works; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Reflection: Psalm 62 ends by saying, “God, you repay to all according to their work.” Some of us may find that statement unsettling. Would you rather have God treat you with the payment you deserve or with the grace that you hope for in Jesus Christ?
(excerpted from Feasting on the Word Worship Companion: Liturgies for Year B, Volume 1 © 2014 Westminster John Knox Press)
Eye Candy:
“The First Two Disciples” by Jesus Mafa;
“Calling of the Disciples” by Solomon Raj;
“The calling of the sons of Zebedee” by Marco Basaiti
Ear Worm:
“There were 12 disciples“, children’s song (with lyrics; “Bringing in the sheaves” tune);
“Open my eyes“, with lyrics, accompanied by old-style piano;
“This little light of mine“, arranged by Moses Hogan
Brain Food: The Shortest Sermon in the Book:
The shortest sermon in the Book,
Five Hebrew words is all it took
To turn huge Nineveh around;
We know its size, for on the ground
A three-day’s walk is sixty miles!
And thus the author makes us smile
To see how little Jonah said
To turn the whole place on its head.
With Jesus, “Son,” “Beloved” named,
In Galilee, he then proclaimed
Good news; and with a scant nine words,
In Simon and in Andrew stirred
A calling deep – and so profound,
They left their nets without a sound;
Next, James and John could not resist
In heaven’s cause then to enlist.
The Faithful One who ever seeks
Will come to those who hear, and speak.
Apparently, the sermon’s length
Cannot predict the preacher’s strength;
The anecdotes and wisdom deep,
From files and web that preachers reap,
Can hardly substitute for when
God would our lives begin again.
~Scott L. Barton
“Lectionary notes” by Beth Quick;
Parables:
“The Monuments Men” (2014, PG-13), men sent to rescue/preserve art works, Review;
“The Messenger: The story of Joan of Arc” (1999, R), “unusual French interpretation . . . [sees] Joan of Arc . . . as a radical zealot like John Brown” [one of the editor’s all time favorites], Review;
“Simon Birch” (1998, PG), “testament to the ardor and resilience of faith”, ". . . knows his destiny . . .", a poignant story suggested by John Irving’s Prayer for Owen Meany (and if you have not read Prayer for Owen Meany, do so now; it will change you!), Review 1, Review 2
For families: Study guide and activities (former guide), group activity, snacks, kid video
For children: See family guide/activities (another activity), craft, bulletin
For middlers: See family guide/activities (another activity); craft; bulletin
For youth: Simon (Peter), his brother Andrew, and brothers James and John (sons of Zebedee) dropped everything they knew/had/hoped for and followed Jesus when Jesus called them. Would dropping everything to follow Jesus really be good stewardship in the 21st century? Would it be wise or prudent to walk away from job, family, 401K, and other forms of security to take such a great risk? After all, we know how Jesus’ short ministry ended, and even proof of the resurrection couldn’t shake the fear and confusion and doubt out of some of his closest confidants who had left it all behind. That’s pretty radical. What do you think about their “stewardship”?
(excerpted from “Stewarding the call to follow Jesus” from the Stewardship of Life website.
The prayer of Jonah
(or: the futility of hatred)
Out of my distress I called to you, O Lord,
but you did not answer me.
I refused to preach repentance to the Ninevites,
but you forced me.
When I sailed away in the opposite direction,
you hurled a violent wind at me.
Your monster swallowed me and returned me to your path.
Repentance I would not preach in Nineveh,
rather I cursed them, "Forty days more and Nineveh shall be destroyed."
But you did not listen to me.
You listened to the people of Nineveh as they sat in ashes
covered with sackcloth.
I am angry because you are a gracious and merciful God,
slow to anger,
rich in clemency,
loathe to punish.
If you will not destroy Nineveh then give me death.
It is better for me to die than to see my enemy live.
~Thomas Reese
From Imaging the Word: An Arts and Lectionary Resource. Copyright © 1996 by United Church Press, Cleveland, Ohio 44115, page 124.
Today we continue the seasonal theme of Jesus’ manifestation (“epiphany”) as the Son of God. John the Baptist’s arrest ended his ministry, and now Jesus returns to Galilee and begins his public ministry with the call to repent and the calling of his first disciples. Thus, he announced that in him God’s kingdom has been initiated.
The Old Testament reading is a call to the people to repent and return to God. God promises that if the people do repent then all nations will be blessed.
We continue to read a portion of 1 Corinthians, as we do each Epiphany season. The church, Paul teaches, is the ongoing epiphany of Christ in the world. As the sign of the imminence of God’s kingdom, the church, he says, and its members should live as though there will be no tomorrow. Paul urges that Christians continue to live in the state of life in which they presently find themselves. This passage has provoked debate through the centuries over the question of slavery. Most Christians feel that these words should not be treated as an absolute rule, in light of the fact that the end did not come immediately, as Paul had first thought it would. Nevertheless, his underlying principle does apply: live always in preparation for the end.
We celebrate in the community of faith as those living in the in-between times. We are at once the disciples of the Lord and his Body in the world, and yet sinners who are called to repent. We celebrate the Eucharist remembering his death and proclaiming his resurrection, but also looking for his coming again.
From The Rite Light: Reflections on the Sunday Readings and Seasons of the Church Year. Copyright © 1998 by Michael W. Merriman. Church Publishing Incorporated, New York.