Hear now the call of God - the call of God into service and ministry. Hear it in the words of Isaiah, and imagine that you are the one who is speaking:

Is it a strange thing to imagine that this call of God might be addressed to you? Is it scary, maybe, too? And yet, all through the Scriptures, this is the type of thing that God consistently communicates to people.

Jeremiah is called even before he is born to be God's prophet and speak God's word to the nations (Jer. 1:5). John the Baptist, who points to Jesus in today's gospel, is called and consecrated by God even before he is in the womb (Lk. 1:13-17)! We are told that, even before his birth, he is filled with the Holy Spirit. Others, like Amos, are called from one occupation in order to do something else. Amos started out as a herdsman, a shepherd, and a "dresser of sycamore trees," and was called by God to be a prophet and go speak to the people of Israel (Amos 1:1; 7:14-15). Paul, too, was called much later in his life - chosen by God to bring the name of Jesus before Gentiles, Jews and kings (Acts 9:15). In Paul's case, he was called after he had been violently persecuting all those who followed Jesus.

Really, the list could go on and on of all those in the Scriptures who were called by God and given a mission and a ministry. There are the very young, like John or Jeremiah or Samuel. There are the very old, like Abraham and Sarah. There are the teenagers and the young people like Mary, the mother of Jesus, or Timothy, or David, or Esther. There are those who previously did something else, like Amos, or Mary Magdalene, or Moses. All of these are called into God's service, whether young or old, male or female, experienced or inexperienced.

They are called into service by God because that is simply how God works. God's message is always passed on through people who are given the gifts of the Spirit in order to be able to do so. In fact, God's message today is passed on through a community of people who are given the gifts of the Spirit in order to be able to do so. And so, God continues to call people into that community, and in turn to call them into lives of ministry and service for the sake of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Now, as you have probably guessed from last month's newsletter and from the inserts in the bulletin today, one of the primary focuses today is on the call into pastoral or diaconal ministry in the church. However, we also need to be aware of one thing which Martin Luther made very clear, and that is that every Christian has a vocation or a calling. It is baptism that is a sign of our call into ministry, which is carried out in many different workplaces, in many different types of work, and in home and family, as well. And so, although not everybody might be called into ordained ministry, everybody is called into ministry and service in whatever their chosen vocation might be.

However, there is a reason that we are focusing especially on the call into ordained ministry today. As some of you know, there is already a shortage of pastors in our church. Over the next 15-20 years it is only going to get worse as more and more pastors reach retirement age. It is estimated that between 500 and 600 new pastors will be needed in our church over the next 20 years in order to keep up with the demand.

Now, it is true that the call into ordained or diaconal ministry, just as the call into any other vocation, is ultimately a call from God. Yet, sometimes we need the help of others in order to discern what our gifts really are and to hear what God is trying to say to us. That is why you are being asked today to nominate individuals in whom you have noticed gifts that would be well-used in either pastoral or diaconal ministry. The person might be young or old, male or female, child, teen or adult. All you are saying by nominating them is that you have noticed in them some gifts and abilities that would be well-used as professional leaders in our church.

Now, it is true that it isn't always easy to discern what God is calling us to do. My own experience was almost like wrestling with God for a while. Although the idea of maybe being a pastor was there by the time I was 12 or 13 years old, I spent a long time saying to God, "Are you sure?!?" Ultimately, God's answer to that question came through other people who affirmed that they did see gifts for ministry in me. Ever since, it has been an ongoing process of discernment as to where God is calling me to be. It is also an ongoing learning experience in how to rely on the Holy Spirit for all that is needed.

This is, in fact, the key. In fact, often it is the times of greatest challenge that force me back into a constant reliance on the power and the gifts of the Spirit. For all those who are called into mission and ministry, this reliance on the Spirit is so important. The moment that we start relying on our own gifts and abilities is the moment that God is least likely to be able to work through us. And so, it is not only gifts and abilities that are needed for ministry, but an attitude of looking toward the Holy Spirit for all guidance and power and strength. It is as if we receive power from outside of ourselves in order to be able to point outside of ourselves to Jesus.

This is the image for ministry that comes out of today's gospel reading. When it comes right down to it, wasn't John the Baptist simply called to point to Jesus? His job is to point to Jesus and say, "Here is the one that I told you about. This is the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world, and he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit." John's ministry is not about him. Instead, it is all about pointing to Jesus. And then Andrew catches on, and he points to Jesus, too. He tells his brother, Simon, "Look! We have found the Messiah!" And Simon comes to Jesus, and Simon becomes Peter, and then he starts pointing to Jesus, too. And ever since then, person after person has found their fulfillment in pointing others to Jesus.

Jesus is, after all, worth pointing to! "Look! Here is Jesus. He is the embodiment of God's love for each and every one of us. He is Emmanuel - God with us. He is our Saviour, the Messiah, the Lord! He is the Son of God, come to live and to suffer and even to die for us in order that we might be offered forgiveness and eternal life. He is the one who saves us by God's grace, through our faith in him, for lives of service (Eph. 2:8-10). Jesus is the one who freely gives himself for our sake, in order that we might be given new life." "Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world" (Jn. 1:29)!

Really, all of us are called to point to Jesus - each in our own way and in our own vocation. Yet, some are also called to point to Jesus as professional leaders in the church. May God continue to raise up faithful leaders who will go in the power of the Holy Spirit to proclaim the name of Jesus. Amen.

Epiphany 2(A) "It's Your Call" John 1:29-42 January 16, 2005 Isaiah 49:1-7 St. Luke's Zion Lutheran Church Pastor Lynne Hutchison Moore

? 2005 Lynn Hutchison Moore All Rights Reserved