Pastor Dismer’s sermon for Sunday, Jan. 25, 2009:

“It's decision time: Repent, open your eyes, change directions, refocus and believe the 'Good News.’”

Mark 1:14-20

I’d like to begin with a story about Rachel Remen’s father, found in her book: “Kitchen Table Wisdom.”

Rachel and her parents lived in a 6^th-floor apartment. The three of them often talked about what it would be like to own their own home. Then, when Rachel was in medical school, her parents retired and bought a little house.

Instead of enjoying his home, however, Rachel’s father worried. Something might happen. Someone might break in and take everything. He began working again to pay for an alarm system, and to save for repairs.

Rachel discovered that her parents no longer left the house at the same time, not even to go to a movie together. They never took another vacation.

Rachel’s father’s belief that the world was full of danger, that no one could be trusted, and that they would be devastated if anything happened to their possessions, completely controlled how he lived his last years.

When Jesus preached his first sermon, at the beginning of his public ministry, his cousin John had been arrested.

John, who had been out in the wilderness preaching repentance and baptizing the crowds – John who had baptized Jesus – was in prison. Jesus may have wondered how long it would be before he too was arrested.

So what did he say in his first sermon? Did he say, “The world is a dangerous and scary place. Be careful.” No, he said, “THE TIME HAS COME. THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS NEAR. REPENT AND BELIEVE THE GOOD NEWS”!

In these few words Jesus proclaimed the gospel of God, the Good News of God.

What do we learn from this Epiphany text? What is revealed to us – what is brought to light? Let’s look at each part of this brief sermon.

THE TIME HAS COME, Jesus announced. THE TIME HAS COME. The time of prophets and preparation is over. God is stepping into history – here and now – with a message of salvation. THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS NEAR.

The gospel writer, Mark, connects Jesus’ preaching with the arrival of God’s kingdom. Where Jesus is seen and heard, where his words and actions are present, there is the kingdom of God.

That was true for the hearers of Jesus’ first sermon, but it is just as true for us today. Where we see and hear the gospel, the kingdom of God is very near indeed.

THE TIME HAS COME. THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS NEAR, Jesus preached. And then he said: REPENT AND BELIEVE THE GOOD NEWS,

Decision time!

It’s like being in a restaurant. The menu offers many possibilities. The waitress has gone around the table taking orders, and now she is standing before you. You cannot continue forever, reading the words, you have to make a choice.

THE TIME HAS COME, Jesus preached, REPENT AND BELIEVE THE GOOD NEWS.

John preached repentance to the crowds, repentance and baptism. Repentance in that context is what we usually think of when we hear the word: an acknowledgment of our sins, with regret, and a sincere desire to change for the better.

In Jesus’ first sermon, his call to repentance has a larger context. Repentance here is a call to turn one’s entire focus in a whole new direction; to change course. Here Jesus is inviting his hearers to pay attention to the coming of God’s kingdom, AND MAKE A DECISION TO BE A PART OF IT.

And Jesus connects repentance with belief. REPENT AND BELIEVE THE GOOD NEWS. The kingdom is drawing near, but not everyone will see it. To see the kingdom, one must believe. Later in his gospel, Mark writes about the blind man who called out to Jesus to give him sight, and Jesus did give him sight, saying ”GO, YOUR FAITH HAS HEALED YOU.”

Let me use a simple illustration here. If you are among the millions who have read the books or seen the Harry Potter movies, you will remember this scene.

The children who are going to start school at Hogwarts have received instructions to go to the train depot and board the Hogwarts Express at platform 9¾.

Of course, platform 9¾ is not evident. There is a Number 9 and a Number 10. Anyone not believing that there is a 9¾ would walk right past. But the children believe it is there, and they walk between No. 9 and No. 10, and straight into their future.

How many times do we miss seeing the kingdom? How often do we walk by?

REPENT. OPEN YOU EYES. CHANGE DIRECTION. REFOCUS, AND SEE THE KINGDOM OF GOD BEFORE YOU.

The Apostle Paul, in his letter to the Corinthians, wrote these words: THE TIME IS SHORT; FROM NOW ON, THOSE WHO HAVE WIVES SHOULD LIVE AS IF THEY HAD NONE; THOSE WHO MOURN AS IF THEY DID NOT; THOSE WHO ARE HAPPY AS IF THEY WERE NOT; THOSE WHO BUY SOMETHING AS IF IT WERE NOT THEIRS TO KEEP; THOSE WHO USE THE THINGS OF THE WORLD AS IF THEY WERE NOT ENGROSSED IN THEM. FOR THIS WORLD IN ITS PRESENT FORM IS PASSING AWAY.

Paul was trying to paint a picture of life turned completely around – upside down – refocused in a new direction.

What would he write to us? Maybe this: Time is short. From now on, live as if your political enemies are your friends; as if other countries are as important as this country; as if those who are starving or have no home, no hope, no future, are as important to you as your own children; as if you do not NEED all the things in your house; as if you had heard Jesus say, FOLLOW ME.

FOLLOW ME. Immediately upon preaching the Good News that the kingdom of God is near, Jesus invited people to enter it. And, he invited them to be involved in inviting others.

Jesus walked along the Sea of Galilee and invited 4 fishermen – 4 men who knew something about catching fish – to follow Him, and refocus their lives; to change direction; to change jobs from catching fish to inviting others into the kingdom of God. FOLLOW ME AND I WILL MAKE YOU FISHERS OF MEN.

Decision time is also action time.

And immediately Simon and Andrew, James and John entered the kingdom of God, because they followed Jesus, and wherever Jesus is, THERE is the kingdom of God.

We are invited, today, to make a decision and follow Jesus. We are invited, today, to enter Jesus’ presence and thereby enter the kingdom of God.

Now think back to the story I shared at the beginning of this sermon. Think about Rachel Remen’s father, who could only see the world as scary and dangerous.

What he believed is what led him to a cramped and fearful existence. He lived almost as if he were in prison, unable to see any of the endless opportunities that were there before him. He could have lived in freedom but he chose bondage – to a house!

Decision time. Action time.

In these fearful times what will we choose? What will we focus on: our troubles? Our lack of opportunities? Our losses?

Jesus invites us today to turn in a different direction and walk into our future. The kingdom of God is so close that we get glimpses of it, even when others are walking blindly by, every time we come to this altar and receive a taste of forgiveness.

We see the kingdom every time we step outside ourselves and see that the world is full of God’s children – our brothers and sisters – and recognizing them, we welcome them into the kingdom of God.

Today, in our hearing, Jesus’ first sermon is preached to us: THE TIME HAS COME. THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS NEAR. REPENT AND BELIEVE THE GOOD NEWS. COME, FOLLOW ME, AND I WILL MAKE YOU FISHERS OF MEN. Amen