First Presbyterian Church
Foolish Followers
Sermon for January 23, 2005
by Pastor Susan Barnes

Most of us who have read the new testament remember that John the Baptist was arrested . What was John arrested for? John told the Pharisees and Sadducees to repent. His preaching was a critique of the powers that be. Herod was afraid to arrest him, because he was so popular. In Chapter 11 of Matthew, Herod arrested John for criticizing Herod's incestuous marriage. Much of what was dangerous for John was also dangerous for Jesus. Listen for the word of God as it is found in Matthew 4:12-23.

Now when Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew to Galilee. He left Nazareth and made his home in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, so that what had been spoken through the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled :

" Land of Zebulun, land of Naphtali, on the road by the sea, across the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles--the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death light has dawned ."

From that time Jesus began to proclaim, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near." As he walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea--for they were fishermen. And he said to them, "Follow me, and I will make you fish for people." Immediately they left their nets and followed him. As he went from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebed ee and his brother John, in the boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets, and he called them. Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed him.

Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and curing every disease and every sickness among the people.

This ends our gospel reading. One result of the kingdom of heaven drawing near was that Simon Peter, Andrew, James, and John, were called to follow Jesus. Another result is that Jesus taught in the synagogues. In the synagogues he proclaimed the good news and cured diseases.

Where is the harm in that? People are much easier to control when they are sick and unhappy. When we believe we are powerless, we do little to change our situation. When we have hope, we have power. Jesus preached the good news, and healed people. Jesus' good news posed a threat to the powers that be, and a threat to the culture as well.

In Corinthians, Paul writes to the church in Corinth with some advice. Their Roman culture put an emphasis on honor and shame. You worked to secure honor for yourself and minimize shame. You tried to gain praise and limit blame. Subordinates were obligated to praise and honor their benefactors. Paul begins to tell them the gospel is about something else.

Listen for the word of God as it is found in 1 Corinthians 1:10-18.

Now I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you be in agreement and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same purpose. 11 For it has been reported to me by Chloe's people that there are quarrels among you, my brothers and sisters. 12 What I mean is that each of you says, "I belong to Paul," or "I belong to Apollos," or "I belong to Cephas," or "I belong to Christ." 13 Has Christ been divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? 14 I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, 15 so that no one can say that you were baptized in my name. 16 (I did baptize also the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized anyone else.) 17 For Christ did not send me to baptize but to proclaim the gospel, and not with eloquent wisdom, so that the cross of Christ might not be emptied of its power.

18 For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

This ends our reading of God's word. Paul reminded them of what was important. Their priority was not defending their territory, but remembering that they all have the same purpose. They are brothers and sisters in Christ, and ought to act like it. Love is what rules the day, not status.

Anthem “The King of Love My Shepherd Is”

Paul says that the message of the cross seems foolish to those who are perishing. People concerned with honor and wealth, who focus on worldly wisdom, miss out on the life-giving power of the gospel. People concerned with status and appearance don't know there might be more worthwhile priorities. Roman society of honor and shame, praise and blame, subordinates and benefactors sounded a little like the corporate world of business to me.

Here's some advice I read for "doing in" a company rival. Here's the scenario:

You work for a company with Rhoda, who is a “bean counter who snarls at anyone who gets in the way of her numbers. As a result, she treats everyone in exactly the same unpleasant manner, including Joe, your despised rival. Fool with Joe's insecurities. After Rhoda's gone on the warpath, carrying on about everyone's budgets, amble down to Joe's office. ‘Hey,' you offer, ‘isn't it amazing how Rhoda's changed ?'

Joe looks startled. ‘Huh?” he says.

‘She was so nice to me about my numbers,' you continue. ‘She even suggested places where I didn't have to make cuts. Didn't she do that for you?'

Joe will probably agree with you, but behind those nods lies panic. Does Rhoda really hate him? Why is she picking on him? The truth is that Rhoda was just as difficult with you as always. But Joe doesn't need to know that.” (1)

The author does say that as a rule, “territorial office feuds should never become personal, since that's where the hurt starts, and hurt feelings lead to grudge matches, which lead to death fights, which lead to blood on the floor, which lead to everyone sliding around instead of working.”

In the cutthroat world of business, that may be how you have to play the game. But if that is true, then is there a place for Christians in that kind of game?

I read that “something's your vocation if it keeps making more of you. Part of what distinguishes vocation from simply tasks or work that needs to be done is the conviction that the activity is an ingredient in a faithful, flourishing life. We aim for commitments that generate and discipline our passion, and thereby continually make more of us than if we failed to participate in that way of life.

Conversely, we ought to avoid those vocations that are likely to make ‘less' of us, especially if in them we are likely to be shriveled by one or another form of sin.” (2)

A professor at a Lutheran seminary writes,

“For years I've told students ‘If you hate bugs and love a hot shower, I think it unlikely that God is calling you to a mission in the jungle.' My dramatic statement with its trivial example of dislikes and pleasures is meant to emphasize two important aspects of Christian teaching. 1) that God intends for all of us an abundant life; and 2) that God calls each of us according to our gifts into work and relationships consistent with that general intention. Being miserable is unlikely to be a sign that one has found one's vocation. Yet, “responding to God's grace by using one's gifts for the benefits of others….will [not] always be comfortable and pleasant.” So, “if you discover there are bugs where you are called to serve, may those bugs be fit to eat, locusts sweetened with honey. If you find that there are no hot showers, remember that you have been washed in baptism and know that you will continually be refreshed by the living water.” (3)

Peter and Andrew were poorer fishermen, standing in the water casting their nets. James and John were wealthier fisherman; they had a boat to fish from. All four of them left fishing to follow Jesus and a new vocation.

After Jesus was crucified and resurrected , they continued their work in the early church community. Forming a Christian community wasn't easy.

Paul reminds the church in Corinth that their quarreling is a problem. The word that he uses, eris, doesn't mean disagreement or argument. It is more serious. In Romans, Paul includes it in his lists of sins of the wicked, along with murder, deceit, slander, insolence, faithlessness, heartlessness, and ruthlessness.

So their quarreling is pretty serious. They are dividing up into factions of Paul, Cephas, Apollo, or Christ. Even though it was customary to defend your superiors, these rivalries were not serving the body of Christ at all.

When I read this text, it seemed like the followers were trying to defend the holy ones who had baptized them when the baptizers themselves had no interest in it.

It reminded me of what I read about Jane Goodall and the Far Side. You probably remember the Far Side cartoons, full of large insects with smart mouths and wide people with large noses. Jane Goodall is a primatologist who studies chimpanzees in Tanzania. Cartoonist Gary Larson drew a Far Side cartoon, with two chimpanzees as a married couple. One pulls a hair of the other and says, “Well, well—another blond hair….conducting a little more ‘research' with that Jane Goodall tramp?”

Apparently the people at the Jane Goodall Institute were furious that their namesake was being dishonored and threatened a lawsuit. Jane Goodall writes about arriving in America for a lecture tour:

“My then executive director thrust the cartoon at me. ‘Just look at that, will you!' she announced in icy tones. I thought the folded paper must contain some bad news so I opened it apprehensively. When I saw it I [guffawed ] …and I said something like ‘Wow! Fantastic! Real fame at last! Fancy being in a Gary Larson cartoon!' I could hardly believe it when the then executive director told me she had found it so offensive that she had asked a lawyer to write a letter of complaint. …I thought she was joking until I saw her closed and silent face.

….I intended to write Gary Larson myself to apologize, but I got whirled in the frenzy of the tour—and I forgot. The next thing, a year or so later was an urgent call from the National Geographic Society. They wanted to reproduce the Jane Goodall Tramp cartoon in their centennial volume but Larson's company had refused permission ---they were afraid that my institute would sue them! I remember frantic transatlantic phone calls between the Geographic, Larson's attorney, my institute (with quite a different director!) and myself. In the end I had to go to a notary and declare under oath that I had no intention of bringing a lawsuit against Gary Larson or his company, ever. Eventually, the [institute] benefited enormously because Gary gave us permission to put the cartoon on a t-shirt and it is one of our hottest numbers.” (4)

Jane Goodall is a lot more interested in preserving chimpanzee habitat than her dignity. Paul urges the church in Corinth to recognize their shared purpose in Christ. Despite knowing the good news of Jesus Christ, we all need a little wise advice from time to time. And sometimes the wisest advice is to not worry about looking foolish.

(1) Lichtenberg, Ronna and Gene Stone, Work Would be Great If It Weren't for the People: Ronna and Her Evil Twin's Guide to Making Office Politics Work for You , p. 75.

(2) Jones, L. Gregory, “Vocation, “ Christian Century, July 14-21, 1999 , p. 716.

(3) Martin, Marty, Context, Oct. 1, 2003, p. 3-4, quoting L. DeAne Lagerquist at St. Olaf College, The Cresset, Trinity 2003.

(4) Goodall, Jane, “Foreword,” The Far Side Gallery 5, The Far Side Gallery 5 , Kansas City “Andrews and McMeel.