ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
October 17, 2025
In the opening chapter of Mark’s Gospel, right after Jesus declared how the Kin(g)dom of God had come near, he turned his attention to calling disciples. We read in vs. 17-18,
“Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” At once they left their nets and followed him.
Like any good teacher, Jesus required students. To be honest, I’m not sure exactly what a teacher is who has no students. In the case of Jesus, he started the work of making disciples almost immediately. Yet even with Jesus as the teacher, these students struggled to achieve a passing grade, even with a grading curve. I believe Jesus is eternally optimistic, but these guys challenged even his cheery attitude. It was only through the lens of the cross and empty tomb that these disciples were able to better understand the teachings of Jesus, which included the task of taking up the cross. The ministry among those who had so closely followed Jesus was about seeking to emulate everything they had come to know in the Jesus-life. Since those early generations, Christianity has swung wildly from a similar kind of commitment all the way to an understanding of Christianity that is entirely about worshiping Jesus. Now I’m all about a time of gratitude, including singing and praising the name of Jesus, but at no point did Jesus say to his disciples, “Don’t forget to worship me.” Instead, he said, “Follow me!”
Let me learn your ways, Lord Jesus. Let me be guided by your Spirit as I desire to follow you with a more keen awareness of how you treated people with kindness and mercy. Amen.
