Follow Me

Each one of us - as imperfect, incomplete and unfinished as we are - is called to follow Christ.

Some of us may not feel worthy of the call. We feel overwhelmed, unsure of what the call means. With all our weaknesses and tendencies to do things that are not Christ-like, we may feel that the call is wasted on us and feel less than excited to respond, as if all we can ever do is be less than God asks us to be. It is easy to feel as if we do not belong. Heck, we say it every Sunday – “Lord, I am not worthy ….”

It is hard sometimes not to feel slightly over our heads or out of place in the face of that calling. In fact, it is easy to feel like we might actually not be a part of that group that is being called. You might see a person that you might think of as particularly holy or Christian - those people who really have it together, who really manage to put everyone first and themselves last in everything that they do - and you think, “Wow, I am nothing like that guy (or girl).”

And as you get wrapped up in imagining the type of person that is truly called, you see those people and only see those things that are different from you. And maybe you convince yourself that you’re not meant to be in this group.

It is so important to remember, though, that you do not have to prove yourself worthy of having received the call. You do not need to feel unworthy of the call. You do not have to earn your belonging. Christ has already chosen you, and you belong. Christ has already chosen you.

You. Christ has deemed you worthy just by offering you the invitation to respond.

Still, in so many aspects of our lives, we might have already been convinced that we do not measure up. Be it in the classroom, on the athletic field, in the conference room, in the gym, at the podium, at a party, at the dinner table or elsewhere - the opportunities to feel less than adequate are unfortunately abundant.

Christ’s invitation to follow him draws a stark contrast. He asks us all; merit is irrelevant. All who choose to accept the invitation merit the invitation simply by virtue of the decision to make that choice. Christ has already deemed you worthy.

I think I chose to start by introducing this notion because it is an important part of what makes the Gospel not just news, but Good News. This church in Christ is your home and Christ has left unlocked the front door. But you need to choose it. You need to respond to Christ’s invitation by showing up.

You are not perfect. And you needn’t be. The fact that you sin was a part of your self when Christ called you. He knows.

I am reminded of the famous scene where Christ walked on water, calming the seas, and calling Simon Peter to walk with him. Matthew tells the story:

Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, but by this time the boat, battered by the waves, was far from the land, for the wind was against them. And early in the morning he came walking towards them on the lake. But when the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified, saying, ‘It is a ghost!’ And they cried out in fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them and said, ‘Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.’

Peter answered him, ‘Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.’ He said, ‘Come.’ So Peter got out of the boat, started walking on the water, and came towards Jesus. But when he noticed the strong wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, ‘Lord, save me!’ Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, ‘You of little faith, why did you doubt?’ When they got into the boat, the wind ceased. (MT 14:22-33)

Christ called Peter, “Come.” This is the same call that we receive. Peter responds and miraculously walks on water. As he became more frightened by the storm, he began to sink. Christ accuses Peter of losing faith. I think we all assume that Peter’s crisis of faith related to his faith in Christ. We assume that when Christ asks Peter, “Why did you doubt?” that he is asking, “why did you doubt me?”

But what if the question relates to Peter’s doubting of himself. Christ called Peter to walk on water. Christ had faith in Peter. He knew that Peter was up to the task. But Peter didn’t. He stepped with confidence onto the water, then sank when weighed down with self doubt, when weighed down by a feeling that he wasn’t worthy of the call, with a feeling that he didn’t belong to this group of disciples.

This is your call to. Christ calls you with the confidence that you can walk on water. You can do what he asks of you. You belong. So often though, we are our own greatest obstacle.

In order to hear this call, or to develop the will to respond to this call, however, each of us has to first have a clear understanding of who Christ is to us.