Called to Serve
We continue to explore the milestones or points along the journey of becoming a disciple…work we’ve been doing slowly, with time to reflect on our personal journey.
To recap the ground we’ve covered, a disciple
Experiences the forgiveness and acceptance of God.
Follows the life and teachings of Jesus Christ.
Demonstrates the fruit of the Spirit.
And…
Shares in the life and witness of a community of disciples.
This week, we begin exploring what it means that a disciple of Jesus Christ serves in some form of ministry every day.
I confess that as a pastor, I sometimes struggle to distinguish the tasks on the daily to do list from the servanthood to which I am called. Because that is part of what it means to serve in some sort of ministry each day – to give ourselves over each day as servants to the Lordship of Jesus, and to use the gifts we have received in order to Love God and Love One Another.
Now, as I typed that, it seemed pretty cut and dried.
But it would not be true for me to tell you that everything I do qualifies as servanthood. And I’m guessing that is true for most of us. But…we are called to give something of ourselves to the work of loving God and neighbor every. Single. Day. Not accidentally but with intention.
How does that make you feel?
Challenged?
Tasked?
Affirmed?
Affirmed?
Overwhelmed?
Hopeful?
Take a moment. Think about it. A disciple of Jesus serves in some form of ministry every day.
(Pause)
Our scriptures today shape our calling even today. The text from Deuteronomy, a portion of Shema, is a centerpiece prayer of the morning and evening Jewish prayer rituals. The words are still recited daily to CALL the people to enact their love of God as a centerpoint of their lives, a tradition they are called to hand down through generations and to bear as a testimony to their liberation from bondage under Pharaoh. This summons is to wake up every morning with your God-goggles on, and make sure each step is through the lens of loving God. This would have shaped Jesus…would have been part of the foundation from which teachings like the beatitudes or his response to those who clamored for his healing touch.
And when we let it, the same teaching shapes us today.
Next up, a quotable moment with Micah. Micah was a prophet who spoke truth to power – specifically both religious and political power, and especially into the stronghold cities of power – both Samaria and Jerusalem. He looked at the destruction that the kingdoms faced and declared it punishment for a lack of covenant faithfulness to God. Corrupt officials, economic exploitation, violent oppression, religious manipulation – Micah called it all out as unholy. He looked at the destruction as punishment for the people having lost their way with God. And he was gravely concerned for the underclasses – the shepherds and laborers on whose backs the rich got richer. He looks around and reframes the sacrifice the people are to make – not burnt offerings or firstborn sons. The call issued by Micah is to seek justice, love kindness and walk humbly with God. It is a call BACK to the promises that the people led by Moses made with God – to keep to laws and traditions that demonstrated the peoples’ commitment to being an example and frankly a light and shelter to other peoples around them.
And so…this call is to more than just tending the rules. It is a call to justice, to concern for the orphan and the widow and the immigrant. For the underclass. For dismantling oppression and misused power.
Finally the instruction offered by the letter to the church at Ephesus is a CALL to unity as a body…as well as a reminder that all parts of the body function uniquely. Thus some are prophets, apostles, evangelists, preachers, teachers. But all those varying gifts function toward a oneness that testifies to God’s love in the world. And so this call is about recognizing and fine tuning our gifts and bringing them to a shared table where they become part of something bigger than ourselves.
Why does a disciple serve in ministry each and every day?
Because we are called to this. Not because it is icing on the cake, but because it is part of the journey.
So we have a glimpse at three nudges about how we are called – called to make our love of God the very lens through which we use our time and talent, called to think of our service as sacrifice that is time and resources poured into justice and mercy, called to see ourselves individually as vital parts but also to be part of a bigger whole system that functions in the world.
But why is our service so vital for our journey?
Because we are changed by the work that we do, especially when we are focused on God in the process. We cannot help but to know those who have need differently. We cannot help but understand how we are all beloved of God. We cannot help but see ourselves differently in the process. And we cannot help but understand God differently in the process.
We are transformed by serving in ministry each day. And the world is transformed around us as well.
Next week, we’ll talk a bit more about our unique giftedness. But today, let this sink in.
You are called. Each of us is called.
If You are called, each of you, uniquely to the work of loving God and the people around you.
Through that call, you will be changed. And so will the world you touch.
May it be so.
Amen.
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