“Not So Great Expectations” – John 1:43-51 – January 18 2009
I was discharged from military service in 1974 and I began attending a church in Casselberry, Florida. After attending a few months I was approached by a member of the church who asked me to help with the youth program. At the time I had a young family and volunteering for anything was furthest from my mind. Like most everyone I was reluctant and I kept coming up with a number of different excuses. But, the man who approached me kept asking. I finally agreed.
I grew up in the church but I wasn’t involved during my college and military days. After my discharge I was working on my career. However, agreeing to help with the church youth program was a life changing experience. In the next few years I taught an Adult Sunday School class and also became a church trustee. I also played in the church orchestra. Looking back, I am convinced that the invitation to volunteer led to other opportunities and eventually into a career in the ministry. If I had not been invited my life may have gone in a different direction.
The Church depends on volunteers to do ministry. At some time in our lives we all received an invitation to follow. But, unfortunately we are not always willing. In John we have one of the first recorded volunteers that Jesus invited to help. Jesus asked Phillip to “follow” and Phillip responded by asking Nathaniel to “follow.” Thus began a series of volunteers who eventually became disciples.
We all have those moments when volunteering just doesn’t seem to fit into our personal agenda. To compensate for our feelings of indifference we make up excuses. “Sorry, I’m too busy.” Or “Perhaps you can try me next year.” Or “Why don’t you ask (so-in-so), they’d be much better at it than I.”
Nathaniel was a reluctant follower. When Phillip asked him about following Jesus he said, “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” Nathaniel was skeptical. Why would anyone want to follow a man from a non-descript place in the middle of nowhere? Nathaniel wasn’t sure Jesus was worth following because of his roots. It wasn’t until he met Jesus that he was convinced.
I believe that many volunteers start out in the same way. It’s not easy to jump on the bandwagon when we have reservations about who or what it is we are following. It can be risky business. It means stepping out of our comfort zones in order to extend care to someone else. It means making some changes and setting new priorities.
Jimmy Pattison signed up for the Teens’ Missions International summer trip to Honduras in October, 1998. As they drove an old rickety truck through the Honduran Mountains they noticed beautiful countryside and many shacks that belonged to coffee farmers who had lost everything because of a hurricane. Two days after the hurricane, missionaries and relief agencies rushed food and supplies to the families in the mountains. Pattison’s mission team came to give clothing that had been donated. As the mission team distributed the clothing people swarmed around the many bags, trying to find something that would fit. A small girl, who seemed to be suffering from malnutrition, shyly put out her hands. Pattison held up a tiny, denim dress. It looked to be the right size and he slipped it on her. It was a perfect fit and the little girl walked away wearing the dress and a big smile.
Pattison watched as the little girl wandered up the hill to a one-room shack. She kept looking back, caressing the dress, amazed that she could own something so beautiful. But Pattison hung his head in shame. At home, his closet was bulging with clothes. How many times had he complained about the lack of clothes? He would have been embarrassed to wear one shirt, two days in a row.
Jimmy Pattison was not prepared for a lesson in humility. He had a completely different expectation about the mission trip. He was challenged by the heat, mosquitoes and summer storms. Each night the day concluded with singing, cheers and inspirational speaking. He learned the skills of bricklaying, concrete mixing, carpentry and even puppetry during the four week experience. Slaving in the hot sun in a foreign country was not as relaxing as the lake back home. But for Pattison, seeing that little girl, walking away in that denim dress, gave him personal satisfaction. His volunteer experience in the Honduras was a life-changing event. He truly learned what it meant to “follow.” (from Chicken Soup for the Volunteer’s Soul, pg. 137)
When Jesus called Phillip and Nathaniel he didn’t expect them to be exactly like Jesus. He said, “follow me.” In other words, he called them to come as the people they were. We are all different and we all have a variety of talents, skills and abilities. It’s not about competition. God calls us all. Some of us have one talent and others are multi-talented. Some are educated and some are not. Some are friendly and some are cranky. There are doers and there are thinkers. Some are charismatic and others are dull. There are introverts and extroverts, male and female, young and old. When God calls us we do not cease being the persons we are. We follow, with all our baggage, all our idiosyncrasies, some helpful and some annoying. This is what makes the church unique. You may not like some of the volunteers you work along side, but each has followed, just like Phillip and Nathaniel.
In my very first parish there was a man who led the worship services at one of the three churches I served. It was the last church on my Sunday morning worship schedule. The man was overbearing and liked to be in charge. When I arrived at the church the service had already began. He led the singing, made the announcements and well, basically was in charge of worship until I arrived. I was new to the ministry and jealous of my turf.
In the beginning I was somewhat annoyed by his overwhelming authority. In time I got to know the man and it turned out he was one of my best supporters. He frequently stopped by the parsonage to see if we needed anything. One time he filled the freezer full of meat. Looking back I have learned to appreciate that not everyone who follows Jesus will be persons we will like. At the same time, perhaps not everyone will appreciate the work that we do. God calls us, not to change us, but God wants us to follow Him and use our talents for the sake of God’s mission.
I am sure that Phillip and Nathaniel had no idea where they were going. They probably had mixed emotions and mixed expectations. Nevertheless, they followed and because they volunteered the course of history was changed. We never know how our lives will be changed when we answer the call. We follow, trusting that God will watch over us. The good news is that God promised Nathaniel that “he would see greater things and the heavens would be opened and that angels would come and go.” And, so shall we.
The Greek Word here is oyesqe. It basically means, “You aint seen nothing yet!” Those who are willing to follow Jesus will have experiences beyond their wildest dreams. The image of angels ascending and descending means that there will be a connection between our lives on earth and our lives in heaven. If you read the last chapter in the gospel of John you will note that Nathaniel was one of the disciples Jesus appeared to after the resurrection. They were fishing but they had not caught a thing. Jesus challenged them to go again but this time to cast their net on the other side. This time they caught 153 fish.
When we are open to the wondrous possibilities of God, when we are courageous enough to leave our comfort zones and step into a world with no idea of the outcome, God will surprise us. We will never be surprised when we have to be in control of our lives always wanting order, security and predictability. Following God is risky, even dangerous. But, unless we are willing to try we many never realize the glory of God. Perhaps it takes a child-like innocence, an almost naïve behavior in order to follow God. Perhaps we need to trust God more than we trust ourselves but also live our lives, expecting that great things can happen.
Dr. Keith Wagner