Called & Sent

Being Called and Being Sent…

Luke 5:1-11

5 On one occasion, while the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, he was standing by the lake of Gennesaret, 2 and he saw two boats by the lake, but the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. 3 Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, he asked him to put out a little from the land. And he sat down and taught the people from the boat. 4 And when he had finished speaking, HE SAID TO SIMON, “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” 5 And Simon answered, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.” 6 And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking. 7 They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. 8 But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” 9 For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish that they had taken, 10 and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.” 11 And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him.

**Catching Men: a new focus for Simon’s life. Following Jesus is being open to newness in my life.

Mennonite historian Harold Bender observed, “The great word of the Reformers was ‘faith,’ while the great word of the Anabaptists was ‘following.’” 

Luke 6:12–16 The Twelve Apostles

12 In these days he went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God. 13 And when day came, he called his disciples and chose from them twelve, whom he named apostles: 14 Simon, whom he named Peter, and Andrew his brother, and James and John, and Philip, and Bartholomew, 15 and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon who was called the Zealot, 16 and Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.

Jesus has prayed. From this he makes the selection of the 12 who he calls Apostles or “Sent Ones”. Following Jesus is being open to new responsibilities instructions.

Luke 9:1–6 Jesus Sends Out the Twelve Apostles

9 And he called the twelve together and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases, 2 and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal. 3 And he said to them, “Take nothing for your journey, no staff, nor bag, nor bread, nor money; and do not have two tunics. 4 And whatever house you enter, stay there, and from there depart. 5 And wherever they do not receive you, when you leave that town shake off the dust from your feet as a testimony against them.” 6 And they departed and went through the villages, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere.

Following Jesus is being open to new abilities, some which may be mystic in nature, spiritual in context and/or have connection to the normal. All of which will have a connection to the human condition for the purpose of compassion and connection to the Kingdom of God.

The region the 72 were sent to was familiar to them. Jesus had been there and would be going back there.

Luke 10:1–12 Jesus Sends Out the Seventy-Two

10 After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them on ahead of him, two by two, into every town and place where he himself was about to go. 2 And he said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. 3 Go your way; behold, I am sending you out as lambs in the midst of wolves. 4 Carry no money bag, no knapsack, no sandals, and greet no one on the road. 5 Whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace be to this house!’ 6 And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest upon him. But if not, it will return to you. 7 And remain in the same house, eating and drinking what they provide, for the laborer deserves his wages. Do not go from house to house. 8 Whenever you enter a town and they receive you, eat what is set before you. 9 Heal the sick in it and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ 10 But whenever you enter a town and they do not receive you, go into its streets and say, 11 ‘Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet we wipe off against you. Nevertheless, know this, that the kingdom of God has come near.’ 12 I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town.

Menno Simons stated, “True evangelical faith cannot lie dormant; it clothes the naked, it feeds the hungry, it comforts the sorrowful. It has become all things to all people.” 

As followers of Jesus, we will do our assignments with full awareness of some acceptance and much rejection.

Following Jesus is reliance upon who he is as Son of God and Son of Man. The mission of the 12 & the 72 had his message and means. Compassion for the present and for their future.

As followers of Jesus, we are to be open to the instructions that come through the Holy Spirit. These may be new to us, they may be awkward to us. We are to “test the spirits to see if they are of God”; John wrote to his church, “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world” (1 John 4:1).

We do this through prayer, interrogation through the Scriptures and counsel of church leaders if you are not convinced. However, as disciples of Christ, active in daily following Christ, we should be used to the Spirit of God giving us direction.

From all of these passages we have some bullet points to hold us:

*When called to follow Christ, we follow with the awareness of Purpose. (Mankind)

*Of those who follow Christ, some are called out to be sent to lead the way (Apostles/pastors/elders/church leaders).

*All followers are to be available for assignment of human compassion of the present and the future (eternity).

*Not everyone will accept our message or our compassion.

*Above all, even success, we are to rejoice of our position in Christ, not of grand workings. Rejoice that we are ‘called and were sent’.

Again, Harold Bender also stated, “When Anabaptism is at its best, it is a worldview wholly surrendered to Jesus and given to the work of His Kingdom.”

In all of these expressions, we are becoming like Christ by experiencing life and ministry as he did on this earth.

Dan Zeigler, in his essay, Jesus Means what He Says and He Is Talking to Us! How Anabaptists Understand Scripture - Part 219th March 2022  “As Anabaptists, we are convinced that Christ means what He says when He challenges us to radical obedience.  Jesus spent His ministry years on earth calling His followers not only to confess Him as Savior, but to live out the rule of His transcendent Kingdom of love.  In the strength of His Spirit, that is exactly what we Anabaptists are endeavoring to do.”