Jan 27, 2002

That was nice singing by the children; "I have decided to follow Jesus".

Today’s reading is about how Jesus calls his first disciples. To the two fishing brothers Peter and Andrew he says;" Follow me, and I will make you fish for people."

They left their fishing boat and followed Jesus.

This story is about something basic in Christianity. It is about the call in our lives. Afterwards Jesus called many people. Since then a call has been sent out to people all over where the Gospel is proclaimed and where there is a Christian Church. All of us have received the call: Follow me!

For the Annual Meeting the Minneapolis Synod had the theme "Consider your Call". The preaching was about the call to become a Christian, the call to serve in Church and Mission. It was underlined how important it is in the local congregation to communicate to children and youth about the call from Jesus.

Later the Bishop also invited me and some other pastors new to Minneapolis and said "Tell about your Call". I shared from my life experience and the Letter of Call that I received from Mindekirken a couple of years ago and I said "I believe that I have a call to be a Pastor from God and from the Church". We had a good conversation about this. One in the group said: Has God called you to go back to Norway after only two years? We had a very good conversation about this as well.

Many people are not sure about their calling. Some are expecting a special experience. It could be. But in many cases we are called through the meeting with people each day, from spouse and family and friends, my working place, school, church, neighbors, and the many sick and lonely ones. It might be lonely people even in our church?

The many small calls from other people in our every day life are just important. The life conveys thousand small experiences each day and thousand small tasks and services. Even Jesus talked about visiting in prison and giving a glass of water to the thirsty ones.

Your first call came to you by your baptism.

Your Certificate of Baptism also is your Letter of Call. If you have your Mindekirken Membership Certificate or one from an other Church than you know exactly where you belong. You know what to do.

Than I can tell you, You have a call from God and from the Church!

Some are called to fulltime work in Church and Mission, but the most has an ordinary job. Martin Luther and Hans Nilsen Hauge both had a special call-experience, but they told people of ordinary occupations to consider it as a call and be faithful.

To be faithful and work hard even with small tasks when no one takes notice is what counts.

Jesus extended his call to his disciples when busy in their everyday work. They were ordinary working people. He himself made them to become what they were meant to be. They got three years of preparation. He said to them: you are the salt of the world and you are the light of the world! Go and make disciples of all nations!

We have the same call in our time.

The call, whether it is small or big, it comes from Jesus Christ, our Lord.

His great Call is for "the kingdom of God".

That is the call into the new life.

Christ is calling us to follow him, not to walk our own way.

He calls us to come, than to go.

He calls us to receive, than to give away.

He calls us into being, than into doing.

The children sang "I have decided to follow Jesus".

May God help us do the same. Than we will have the new life. We will find the path. We will finally reach the goal.

Amen.

The Norwegian Lutheran Memorial Church ·  924 E. 21st St, Minneapolis, MN 55404-2952 ·  (612)874-0716