Reading:

• Mark 1: 14-20 

…after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.”

In the first three Sundays of 2018, we have studied two events of Jesus’ early ministry:

1. his baptism by John;
2. the calling of Philip & Nathanael/Bartholomew of “Follow me”

Today we read of John’s arrest, of the calling of Simon (who we know as Peter) and his brother Andrew, fishermen of Galilee, and also of the brothers James and John, but most importantly we read that Jesus continues to preach “the kingdom of God has come near, repent and believe in the good news”.

I’m not going to go back into discussing this morning repentance, because I hope that you have already understood the concept of change of lifestyle that is required with repentance.  It’s not just a simple “I’m sorry”, but rather a fundamental change in the way we think, speak and act.  Repentance is not “going on a diet”: repentance is choosing to live a new healthy lifestyle in which you are active, exercising and eating healthy as a way of life, for the rest of your life.

So, today, I ask what does this mean “the kingdom of God has come near”? Broadly speaking, the kingdom of God is the rule of the eternal, sovereign God over all the universe. But that’s not all that it is. One writer says that God’s kingdom is simply this: Jesus present among us.  Jesus came and preached this good news:  ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you’ (Lk 10:9). ‘ The kingdom of God has come to you’; ‘the kingdom of God is among you’ (Lk 17:21).

God himself (not the throne room with the angels and cherubim and their harps and songs, but God) has come into the midst of God’s people.  ‘The kingdom of God’ was the Jewish people’s way of saying that God acted for their sake, on their behalf, freeing the people from every form of slavery and evil, guiding them to justice and peace, flooding them with joy and good things. And so, Jesus came, healing the sick, making the lame to walk again, causing the blind to see, preaching a repentance and “go and sin no more”.

If we look at the world around us, just at Panama City, do we feel like it is dominated by corruption, evil and that the violence is a normal way of life.  Do we feel at the mercy of gangs, corrupt police, corrupt government officials, wondering when justice will be done and flood down on this country like rivers of living water?  Do we feel like there is even impotence to change matters personally when others have personal agendas and plans that are not Godly?  Jesus responds: “the kingdom of God has come near“.  These verses invite us to believe that God, right now, is conquering these evil actions and intentions and is establishing a peace that surpasses all human understanding.

Colossians 1: 27 reminds us:

the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. 

Christ is in you! This is the hope of glory: God is with us. That God’s kingdom is “at hand”, it has already “come”. This Good News is not that we, as Christians, will have eternal life and go to heaven, although there is that too!  This Good News has everything to do with this life. God was beginning to reign on earth in a new way, in fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy. This new way is Christ in you!

But, what do we have to do? Live our lives Act in such a way as to have him always in our midst. And how do we do that? Well, as Jesus said in Mark 1: we repent and believe the good news. Then we go forth, and “sin no more”. But, in what practical ways can you experience God’s reign in your life? What would it mean for you to recognize God’s purpose and plan for you, living your very best life and best self, when you’re at work? at school? at church? at a family reunion?

I think this starts with humility: accepting the sanctuary and purpose of God requires humility. It means accepting that we don’t know it all. It means that we accept God’s purpose and plan for our lives, which may be different from the purpose and plan we had.  The “Supreme Being” of God is all knowledge, all wisdom, all seeing, everywhere, at all times, and yet, each of us is called to an innate relationship. In order to regain our lost relationship with God, our approach must come with humility, because we were the ones who decided to separate ourselves from God.

Many see this as the “original sin” – a decision to separate from our Oneness with God, and now we each have a constant struggle to rebuild, each day by every choice we make, living with the kingdom of God in our hearts.  We no longer live in the garden of Eden, where we walk and talk with God constantly and easily, but rather living separately and alone.  But Jesus came to preach the Good News: the kingdom of heaven is at hand, it has come!

This week I read:

The true meaning of “for the kingdom of heaven is near” is that each of us can gain the sanctuary of God – the refuge of God – immediately by simply turning to the Supreme Being – by worshiping Him and relying upon Him – and dismissing ourselves (“repenting”) from our search for happiness in a materialistic world of emptiness and physical gratification.

But many of us struggle to live with this mystery, Christ in you, the hope of glory.  We live under a false sense of entrapment, focused only on the material world, controlled by our fears, rather than seeing the presence of God in our lives.  How much time do we spend caught up in fear and worry? And rather than living a powerful life, in which we have clear priorities, motivation and actions, we live timidly.  The kingdom of heaven has come: Has it come in your life? Is it reflected in the decisions you make? Have you let go of fear, blame and guilt – to live in the freedom of Christ in you, the hope of glory?

“The kingdom of God does not come with observation; nor will they say, ‘See here!’ or ‘See there!’
For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you.” (Luke 17:20-21 NKJV)

The call from Jesus and John for repentance was a call to take off the old and put on the new. And part of that is a call to take off our ego and replace it with a humble, pure heart.  When our ego is out of control, we are trapped by it. Our ego insists that we are “right”, that our way of viewing the situation is the only way and that every other way is therefore “wrong”. Our ego leads us to believe we are superior to others: better educated, more prepared, more deserving. Our ego leads us to be greedy – we never have enough. Our ego leads us to be envious: instead of being happy and grateful when another succeeds, we are resentful and want to pull them back down to our own level.  Our ego tells us that everything is about me: it becomes obnoxious, rude and annoying.

The ego gives a grandiose sense of self-importance and expects others to see this at all times. Our ego exaggerates talents and achievements: constantly comparing ourselves to others, craving respect and recognition. And from here, our ego takes us to being self-serving and self-centered. Favours that we do for others are all transactional: what is in this for me? This, in turn, becomes manipulation and pulling strings.

But Jesus calls us: repent, take off that mask so that you can see life through a crystal clear lens, and allow God to live within you. Take out the ego, and make room for Divine Purpose in your life.  Jesus calls each of us “follow me“, and to each of us Jesus says: “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.”

As we leave church today, what practical ways can you experience Divine Purpose leading your life? What would it mean for you to recognize God’s purpose and plan for you, living your very best life and best self, when you’re at work? at school? at church? at a family reunion? That is a question each one of us has to respond, because our hope of glory is that Christ is in each one us.

Readings:

• 1 Samuel 3: 1-20
• 1 Corinthians 6: 12-20
• John 1: 43-51

Follow Me! Leave everything that you have and that you are doing, and follow me.

I want you to imagine, for just a minute, that instead of Philip & Nathanael, that Jesus had called you that day in Galilee.
What would you be leaving behind today?

• Your house?
• Your car?
• Your job?
• Your pension plan?
• Your security?
• Your family?
• Your spouse?
• Your children?
• Your pets?

If Jesus came to Panama City today, would you say yes like Philip & Nathanael?  What scares you the most about this imaginary call this morning?

Follow me!

But you have been called and chosen. Each of us has, with a purpose and a part to play, a job to do.  1 Corinthians 6: 15 says:

6:15 Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ?

Every one of us here today is a member of this calling. And in verses 17 and 19 we read:

6:17 But anyone united to the Lord becomes one spirit with him.
6:19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, which you have from God, and that you are not your own?

Jesus calls to us: “Follow me”, the very same way that God called Samuel (by name), and Samuel responded “Here I am”.

We are already two weeks into 2018, and I would ask this morning: what have you been called to do or become this year? What is Divine Purpose pushing you towards?  Most people are more driven by purpose or passion than they actually are by money: how does your calling or purpose define the way you are living your life in 2018? How much time have you spent in these weeks asking yourself: What does “Thy Will be done” mean in my life for 2018? What does “Thy will be done” mean spiritually in your life – what are you called to improve, what are you called to change, what are you called to release and let go of? What does “Thy will be done” mean professionally in your life? What does it mean in your family life?  What does “Thy will be done” mean with respect to your health and fitness? When you look at your Vision Board, what stands out as needing you to change or sacrifice? What are you doing with your time that is important?

Prior to His crucifixion, Jesus prayed to His Father about the great trial He would face. Knowing the pain He would soon experience,

“He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done” (Matthew 26:42, KJV).

In this case, even though Jesus would have preferred not to have suffered as He did, we see him submitting to this purpose in spite of the personal cost. He accepted that his calling involved a pain that perhaps he could not and should not avoid.

But for most of us, the pain of “Thy will be done” is much less and more mundane.  Following Jesus, accepting our calling, and carrying our cross means that we leave aside things we enjoy because we know that they are not helping us grow and become more like Christ. We leave aside ways of life that restrict our spiritual consciousness, and we practice new habits that draw us closer to knowing the Kingdom of God. But I discovered something last year: Purpose (knowing what you are meant to do on this earth) PLUS daily action = Purposeful life! Yes, they are small steps taken each day. Sometimes mundane, like playing scales when you are learning to play a new musical instrument. But because we have the passion of knowing where this is leading, we say “this is the Way“.

How are you investing your time to become more like Christ each day? Are you spending more time in prayer, meditation, learning, or simply just sitting in God’s presence in silence listening to that still small voice? Are you pausing before you walk into each room or your office, allowing God to go before you? Are you pausing when you need to have a difficult conversation and allowing Spirit to guide your words?

“Thy will be done” means that we ask God to handle each situation as God sees best: but it means more than that! I means I am willing to be transformed, by the renewing of my mind, to become the person that is the best version of me that God envisioned.  “Thy will be done” means that  we are aligning our will with God’s will, we are submitting ourselves to this Divine Will and Purpose; it is a request to God that we might do what is pleasing to God, a request for the grace that we need and the insight to know what that will is, and an obedient heart to actually do it.

Follow me.

Have you ever thought, as we pray, “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven,”

“What might happen if I really prayed and meant it, ‘Thy will be done’”

When we pray, “Thy will be done,” it implies that we’re asking God to overrule our will if it’s not the same as His, and that’s tough. That’s tough to pray because we’re born wanting our way, wanting our will.  (https://www.reviveourhearts.com/radio/revive-our-hearts/thy-will-1/)

But Jesus calls us: “Follow me.”  This is a call to change your way of life, not just a call to come to church on Sundays. We are all born with a deep and meaningful purpose that we have to discover. Your purpose is not something you need to makeup; it’s already there. You know – either consciously or subconsciously – what you are meant to do on this earth.

Thy will be done is a conscious decision to fight for what is right, to not only submit passively to God’s will, but to rise to the challenge of doing what is right and good. It’s the challenge to be in the right place, at the right time, and do what we are asked to do by the Spirit.

In Acts 8, verses 26 to 40, we find Philip speaking with the Ethiopian eunuch. We are told that this eunuch was very important: “a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure.” An angel told Philip which road to go to, and when he got there the spirit of God told him “that person” and Philip risked himself to go and join the eunuch in his chariot.  “And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord carried Philip away, and the eunuch saw him no more, and went on his way rejoicing.” Jesus called Philip “Follow me.” and in the same way, you are called “Follow me”.

When we are following Jesus, and we assert “Thy will be done” – this may be a request for discernment, for guidance, for insight.  It may be looking at a financial decision or how to act in a relationship, and knowing that the right and correct thing to do is difficult, saying “Thy will be done” and taking the high road. Doing what is hard and difficult in spite of the emotional cost.  Taking courage in the knowledge that this is right.

Jesus calls us “follow me” and we have to count the cost of doing this.  We read in Luke 14, verses 26 to 33:

²⁶ “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. ²⁷ Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. ²⁸ For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? ²⁹ Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, ³⁰ saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’ ³¹ Or what king, going out to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and deliberate whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? ³² And if not, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace. ³³ So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.

I started this sermon this morning asking:

I want you to imagine, for just a minute, that instead of Philip & Nathanael, that Jesus had called you that day in Galilee.
What would you be leaving behind today?

• Your house?
• Your car?
• Your job?
• Your pension plan?
• Your security?
• Your family?
• Your spouse?
• Your children?
• Your pets?

If Jesus came to Panama City today, would you say yes like Philip & Nathanael?  What scares you the most about this imaginary call this morning?

In 2018, what does “follow me” mean for your life? As you work on your goals and purpose, what areas of your life need to reflect growth and maturity? What changes do you foresee and what habits do you leave behind in the past because they no longer serve you or your life purpose? Jesus calls in 2018: Follow me.

‘For I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.  Do not be afraid, for I myself will help you,’ declares the Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.” Isaiah 41:13-14

Psalm 97

Luke 2: 8-20

2:8 In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night.
2:9 Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.
2:10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for see–I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people:
2:11 to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord.

Now, I have a dog that was rescued from the streets, and she is generally fearful and anxious.  If the angels had appeared with her around, I’m not sure whether she would have frozen, fled before they gave the message, or lashed out and tried to bite an angel! Because that is how she responds in fear: flight, fight or freeze!

There’s a meme going around the internet that there are 365 verses in the Bible of “don’t be afraid” or “fear not”. Unfortunately, there are only about 119 such verses, but there are more than 300 more that speak about “when I am afraid” and the ways that we can respond when we are afraid.  For me, it is really important to know how to manage fear and anxiety, because otherwise I spiral downwards into anxiety attacks. Anxiety is simply generalized fear: people living with constant fear.  When most people think of anxiety, the image that comes to mind is generally of someone biting their nails, obsessing, and tossing and turning wide-eyed in bed, unable to sleep. For me, that’s not anxiety. I don’t turn into a helpless mess on the floor. I get irritable and angry!

Someone else described their anxiety as:

Rage seems to feel safer than anxiousness and masks the true emotion. It’s easier for me to direct the emotion outwards at someone else, something else or some situation than it is to face the inner facing anxiety.

Another person described this as:

Having anxiety doesn’t just mean being nervous or worrying. When my mind starts racing and I can’t decide which thing to think about, that’s anxiety. When my chest feels like it’s going to explode from pressure, that’s anxiety. When I snap at a co-worker for no reason at all, or I am inexplicably moody, that’s anxiety. When I spend the entire weekend wondering if I’ll be fired for something I said on Friday, that’s anxiety. When I randomly start crying, or laughing, or jumping up and down, that’s anxiety. When I flake on plans at the last minute, you can bet it’s because of anxiety.

And the result of all of this?

“Anxiety leaves you feeling out of control and vulnerable. Anger makes you feel powerful,” he wrote in 2014. “Compared to each other, anger can appear the clear winner.”

But, there is something more interesting about anxiety:

Anxiety is NOT a random, unknown, or uncontrollable disease or illness that you develop, inherit, or contract. Anxiety results from a certain style of behavior. …we create the physiological, psychological, and emotional state of being anxious when we behave in an apprehensive manner, such as being worried, fretful, and/or concerned.

… The problem is that overly anxious personalities perceive danger more often and to higher degrees than those who aren’t as anxious. It’s this overly anxious behavior that causes problems with anxiety in our lives.

So, there is a very good reason why FEAR is spoken about so much in the Bible!  Even today, this is very relevant.  So much crazy going on around us today – wars, conflicts, persecution, violence, crime, natural disasters, terrorism, economic uncertainty, unemployment, divisions, disease, death. We fear for our children’s future, we fear for our families, we fear for our financial future, we fear for our safety. The list goes on…long. There actually is a lot we could potentially worry about. And yet Jesus says to us:

“Do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear.  Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes.  Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds!  Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?  Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?” Luke 12:22-26

Psalm 56: 3

When I am afraid,
I will trust in you.

Psalm 23: 4

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

Deuteronomy 31:6

Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.

And Jesus reminds us in John 14:27

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7

And finally, Isaiah 26: 3

You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.

So, we see in the Christmas story a overwhelming situation: the suddenness of the appearance of the angels, the brightness of the light, the sound that must have accompanied their appearance: it must have been how movies envision an alien invasion! Do you run, fight or simply freeze? And so the angels begin their message with “Do not be afraid”.  They tell the shepherds the good news, and then they give them the instructions: what to do with this information!

Luke 2:12 This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.

And after the angels left, and everything was once more quiet, and dark, the shepherds decide to go and see the baby.

But every Christmas story has a lesson for us. It was not just for the shepherds on that day in Bethlehem.  We are called:

Do not be afraid.
I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: the anointed one, the Messiah, was born over 2,000 years ago in Bethlehem.
And we have seen the signs and know of the wonder.

But have you gone personally to see Jesus? Have you taken the time to actually meet Jesus? How does Christ call you to live? What does Christ call you to do?

As we enjoy this Christmas day, let us remember to live without fear, to keep our minds stayed on God in perfect peace, trusting in the perfect plan for our lives. And let us share the good news with others: “Do not be afraid. There is good news of great joy for all the people!”

“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” 2 Timothy 1:7

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9

This morning, we lit the candle of Joy in our Advent Wreath. And we read part of the Nativity story and Cynthia read for us

Psalm 96:  11-12

Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; let the sea roar, and all that fills it;
let the field exult, and everything in it. Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy

What is Joy? “a feeling of great pleasure and happiness”  and also “delight, jubilation, triumph, exultation, rejoicing, gladness, glee, exhilaration, exuberance, elation, euphoria, bliss, ecstasy, rapture“

Nehemiah 8:10 says

And Nehemiah continued, “Go and celebrate with a feast of rich foods and sweet drinks, and share gifts of food with people who have nothing prepared. This is a sacred day before our Lord. Don’t be dejected and sad, for the joy of the Lord is your strength!”

And another Psalm reminds us: Psalm 28:7

The Lord is my strength and shield. I trust him with all my heart. He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy. I burst out in songs of thanksgiving.

But what does that mean for us as Christians at this time of year? For starters we are celebrating and remembering Christ’s birth. But his birth and his life and Christ’s death is nothing without victory over death. This is true joy! While we celebrate and remember that Oneness with God is possible because Christ came to show us the way, through that small child in a manger, what we are truly celebrating is the light that has come into the world through victory over death.

This is the time of year for joy!

It’s also a time of year when here in Panama we spend time outdoors: at the beach, in the sun, hiking, exploring, swimming, paddle boarding. And so this Christmas Eve, I want to invite you to use those moments in nature to remember that all of earth is simply a reflection of the greatness of God and that the mountains, valleys and even the ocean remind us of the joy that we have through Oneness with our Creator.

Job 12, verses 7 through 10 remind us:

But ask the animals, and they will teach you, or the birds in the sky, and they will tell you; or speak to the earth and it will teach you, or let the fish of the sea inform you.  Which of these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this? In His hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind.

In a similar way, Psalm 19, verse 1 says:

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.

And Psalm 33:5

… the earth is full of his unfailing love.

And the prophet Isaiah in chapter 43, verse 20

The wild animals honor me, the jackals and the owls, because I provide water in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland, to give drink to my people, my chosen.

And then later in Isaiah 55:12

For you shall go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and the hills before you shall break forth into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.

As you spend time at the beach over the coming weeks and months, or go boating or water-skiing, meditate on the greatness and awe of the creation of the Earth.  Think about how nature reflects the creative nature of God and the creation story.  And consider for a moment, as you contemplate the vastness of the ocean, or the stillness of the tropical jungle, the intricacies of the perfect balance of life.  Take a moment to watch an ant work – carrying its load back to the colony, or contemplate the lessons that you can find in the variety of plant life that covers the floor of the tropical forest.  A close look at the millions of animal life types that we have in Panama should be enough to humble you before our awesome God and Creator: to realize how truly ignorant we are.

But the reality is that we need to do more than just appreciate God in creation.  It’s not enough just to learn from the jackals and owls, to enjoy how the sky proclaims the glory of God. You also have an important role to play. The same way that nature speaks of God, and of the celebration of life, death and victory over death: you should also be this witness.

Nature doesn’t speak using words: it is silent. It just is – and by its  being it demonstrates the joy and the peace of complete communion with God. Even in the majesty of an angry ocean, we can appreciate the power of God.

So even if you don’t speak, does the way you live reflect your relationship with God? If you could never speak a word, could people see from the way that you live your life that you are a child of God? Does your life reflect the joy of the Lord?

Spiritually, I’m not talking about cheeriness or bubbly, feel good.  I’m talking about the settled assurance that God controls all the details of life: where you live in a quiet confidence that all things work together for good of those who love God and are called according to God’s purpose.  I am talking about choosing to thank God and practice gratitude in spite of the situation.  Joy is not about feeling good all the time; it’s not about living as a person who is naturally upbeat and optimistic: being that bubbly, peppy person that the melancholy look at with envy.  No – I’m talking about a deep inner peace that shows itself as joy in your life.

Earlier we read Job 12, verses 7 through 10:

But ask the animals, and they will teach you, or the birds in the sky, and they will tell you; or speak to the earth and it will teach you, or let the fish of the sea inform you.  Which of these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this? In His hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind.

Would someone come to ask you to teach them about God because of the way that you are living your life? Can they see God through you? This Christmas season are you the reason for the season? Does your life reflect the hand of God?

I want to close this morning with a reminder of our first reading:

Psalm 96:  11-12

Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; let the sea roar, and all that fills it;
let the field exult, and everything in it. Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy.

In this same way, our lives should reflect the glory of God: be glad, rejoice, exult with everything that in you. And sing for joy!

Readings:

• Exodus 33: 12-17
• Isaiah 45: 1-7
• 1 Thessalonians 1: 1-7

Most of us know the story of Moses and his encounter with God at the burning bush, found in Exodus chapter 3, verses 1 to 17.  Although Moses was Jewish, he had been cast as a baby into the Nile River in a woven basket, his mother hoping to save his life, and he was plucked out of the river by the Pharaoh’s daughter, who adopted him.  Moses was brought up in the royal household, but things turned sour for him when he killed one of the Egyptians overseers, for having treated the Jewish slaves badly. And fearing arrest and execution, he ran away, into the desert. There he came to work for Reuel ( also known as Jethro), as a shepherd.

As the story in Exodus goes, when the Pharaoh died, the new Pharaoh treated the Jewish people worse than his father, and the Israelites groaned under this burden. And so Moses was out, tending the flock at the edge of the desert, near Horeb – which is known as the “mountain of God”.  And suddenly an angel of God appears to him as a flame of fire in a bush.  God calls out to Moses from the bush, tells Moses that he has heard the prayers and sorrow of the people, and that God will deliver them from Egypt, through Moses.

As we may remember, Moses responds to God with 2 things:

1. I’m not the right person for the job!  I’m not a good speaker – I have a speech impediment!
2. They’re going to ask “who sent you” – which God are you talking about? What should I tell them?

And so we are introduced to the concept of God as “I AM THAT I AM” –  ‘Jehovah, the God of your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, has sent me to you.’

Today, I want to talk about being chosen and called by God: throughout the Christian Scriptures we read that “we are a chosen people” and “children of God”. And I want to also talk about how we respond to being called or chosen, because we have choices about how we respond to this.

I’m going to use the four examples that we saw this morning in our readings:

1. Moses
2. the children of Israel – that Moses leads through the desert and into the promised land
3. Cyrus – as mentioned in Isaiah 45
4. us – or other Christians

The first example, as I said, is Moses, and I just gave you a brief synopses above of his calling and being chosen by God. Most of us, however, have not had this kind of experience with calling or being chosen. Many of us are still struggling to find our purpose and passion – what are you supposed to be doing for the Kingdom of God?  Moses’ experience, as related in Exodus is supernatural.  Whatever kind of experience that it was – whether it was a vision, a dream or a surreal experience – the message and purpose was clear. You, Moses, are going to go and do this! I have chosen you, I am calling you, and this is what I want you to do.

I am sure that many of us wish that our calling were so crystal clear – although I’m not sure that I would have wanted Moses’ job either! I probably would have reacted the same as he did: I’m not the right person for the job, and I don’t even know how to do that. I don’t stutter, but I’m an introvert – you  need an extrovert for this job! Find someone better suited for the job.

But note, Moses doesn’t go down in the history books of the Bible for being a brilliant or great orator, even though he seemed to think that this was what the job he was being called for required. Numbers 12 3: says

“Now Moses was a very humble man, more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth.”

And in Hebrews 11, verses 24 through 30, it talks about the great faith of Moses.  And in Deuteronomy 10, verses 12 to 13 it says that Moses chose to fear the Lord, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and keep the commandments of God.

Then, we have the children of Israel, who are mentioned throughout the Bible as being chosen by God. But, do you want to know something curious, it’s not only the Bible that says that the children of Israel are special and chosen.  The Quran, in 2:47 says

O children of Israel! Remember those blessings of Mine with which I graced you, and how I favoured you above all other people;

This choosing is mentioned in many verses of the Bible, such as Deuteronomy 7, verses 6 to 9:

^{For you are a holy people to the LORD your God; the LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for His own possession out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth. 7} It was not because you were more in number than any other people that the Lord set his love on you and chose you, for you were the fewest of all peoples,⁸ but it is because the Lord loves you and is keeping the oath that he swore to your fathers, that the Lord has brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery…  ⁹ Know therefore that the Lord your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations,

We read, in Deuteronomy 26, verse 17  the response of the children of Israel to this calling:

You have today declared the LORD to be your God, and that you would walk in His ways and keep His statutes, His commandments and His ordinances, and listen to His voice.

But we know that once again in Joshua 24 the children of Israel are asked to confirm their commitment:  “Choose this day whom you will serve”.

I want to mention also Cyrus, mentioned in the verses we read this morning in Isaiah 45.  Bible theologians mention that this prophecy regarding Cyrus was 150 years before he came to power.  Let me remind what these verses said:

This is Jehovah’s message to Cyrus, God’s anointed, whom he has chosen to conquer many lands. God shall empower his right hand, and he shall crush the strength of mighty kings. God shall open the gates … to him; the gates shall not be shut against him anymore. ² I will go before you, Cyrus, and level the mountains and smash down the city gates of brass and iron bars. ³ And I will give you … secret riches; and you will know that I am doing this—I, the Lord, the God of Israel, the one who calls you by your name. … I called you by name when you didn’t know me.

This sounds a little like Jeremiah 1: 5, where God calls Jeremiah as a prophet:

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”

And Psalm 139: 16

Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.

But most of us don’t have the clarity of being told (as Cyrus was eventually told) or as Jeremiah was told in his vision or as David came to know – that they were called even before birth. And yet, each one of us is chosen and called.  How will you respond to this calling?

I realise that our calling is not as impressive as that of Cyrus – to crush nations and break down gates and walls, to conquer. We are not prophets of the stature of Jeremiah. We are not kings like David. But we are still called, chosen and given a purpose.

Thankfully, most of us can relate to the calling and being chosen of the children of God in 1 Thessalonians!  And I want to spend the last few moments of this sermon, discussing our calling and the choices that we have to being chosen.

• You may choose to reject the calling – there is  no obligation on any of us to accept the calling the God makes to us. Like children of an earthly father, we may choose to drift away and not have a relationship.  We may choose to do our own thing, “be my own person” – sing “I did it my way”.
• You may hear the calling and respond, but get caught up in the material world and daily life. I’ll call mum & dad tomorrow. I’ll visit them next week, next month, for Mother’s Day, for Christmas. With good intentions, but not developing and keeping a close relationship.
• Or you may choose to have a close and active relationship with God & Source – listening to the good news with great interest, opening your Spirit to communing directly with Spirit, filling you with power and life!  You may live with strong faith, working with loving deeds constantly.  You may become a living example for others.

All of us here are chosen and called. Some us may respond with the same fear that Moses had. Other ones of us may choose to live like Cyrus, completely unaware until much later in life of the very existence of God or the nature of our calling.  Some of us will be like the children of Israel – knowing that they are called, but frequently straying and struggling to find our way back – letting material things replace the relationship with the Divine, looking for answers in the material world, rather than understanding that Christ is in us, our hope of glory.  And others of us will choose to live a life of faith and humility, of prayer and works of faith and labors of love.

Let us pray!