Mission Impossible #1: Departures
2015/09/13
Christ Church, Mountain Top
Christ Church, Mountain Top
Call
to Worship, Psalm 116
to Worship, Psalm 116
Children, Genesis 12.1-9
Message,
Mark 1.14-20
Mark 1.14-20
Binding
two related themes
two related themes
Impossible things that we must face in
family life, professional life
family life, professional life
Impossible call of Jesus to follow &
serve
serve
One
of the most difficult classes of things to face, one of the great
impossibilities: Departures
of the most difficult classes of things to face, one of the great
impossibilities: Departures
Our children growing up and leaving home
(“failure to launch”)
(“failure to launch”)
Greeting
card: “Parenting … when messing up your own life just isn’t enough”
card: “Parenting … when messing up your own life just isn’t enough”
Leaving behind the “devil you know” for
the devil you don’t know
the devil you don’t know
Professionally
Escaping abusive relationships for
the devil of being alone
the devil of being alone
Abandoning a cherished hope,
self-perception, or dream
self-perception, or dream
Departures
force us out into an exposed position, loosed of everything that makes us
comfortable, set free from what we have understood as “home”. Departures make
us deeply insecure, for good reason (not just paranoid ones).
force us out into an exposed position, loosed of everything that makes us
comfortable, set free from what we have understood as “home”. Departures make
us deeply insecure, for good reason (not just paranoid ones).
And, that is exactly how Jesus calls each
of us.
of us.
Dietrich
Bonhoeffer writes about it this way:
Bonhoeffer writes about it this way:
The
call of Jesus teaches us that our relation to the world has been built on an
illusion (108). Through the call of Jesus [we] become individuals…. Every
[one] is called separately, and must follow alone (105). … we do not remain
alone (113). The Cost of Discipleship.
call of Jesus teaches us that our relation to the world has been built on an
illusion (108). Through the call of Jesus [we] become individuals…. Every
[one] is called separately, and must follow alone (105). … we do not remain
alone (113). The Cost of Discipleship.
Simon
Peter & Andrew – leave their nets
Peter & Andrew – leave their nets
James
& John – leave their father Zebedee in the boat
& John – leave their father Zebedee in the boat
“Repent
and believe”
and believe”
Repent
is to change, not just your mind, but your direction and behavior from going
your own way to going Jesus’ way: “Follow me”
is to change, not just your mind, but your direction and behavior from going
your own way to going Jesus’ way: “Follow me”
Bonhoeffer,
“Only those who obey believe” (69, edited).
“Only those who obey believe” (69, edited).
Abraham
is called to depart, to become an alien in the world
is called to depart, to become an alien in the world
“Your
mission, should you choose to accept it”
mission, should you choose to accept it”
But I don’t want to cut the umbilical cord
– with my children/my parents
– with my children/my parents
But I don’t want to have to restart my
career
career
But I don’t want to have to be alone at my
age
age
But I don’t want to let go of a hope or
dream
dream
How
do you think fish feel?
do you think fish feel?
Fish
stories
stories
Biggest catch?
Bert & Ernie
“I will make you fish for people”
Cub
Scout fishing tournament
Scout fishing tournament
I was “hooked”
Jesus
has a much greater call and mission for us – a call to single-minded obedience
and a mission that opens our heart fully to the whole world.
has a much greater call and mission for us – a call to single-minded obedience
and a mission that opens our heart fully to the whole world.
May
God break my heart so completely that the whole world falls in.
God break my heart so completely that the whole world falls in.
A prayer attributed to Mother Theresa