During the season after Epiphany we are journeying together in a series about baptism. This week we learn from Chloe that through Holy Baptism we are made one, and divisions are healed. Quarreling and division is caused because we fail to “fish for people” as Jesus calls us to do. Thankfully Jesus never stops fishing for us, and molding us into disciples. So far we have learned:
Quarrels Among You
A senator went to his pastor and said that he wanted to plan his funeral. The pastor said, “OK.” The senator said he wanted to be buried 100 feet down in the ground. The pastor asked why. The senator said, “Because deep down I’m a good person.” Can you believe the quarreling and division going on in our country and in our government according to ideology?
You know that quarrels also happen in the church, and they have been happening for a long time. Chloe was a leader of the ancient church. She probably was a wealthy landowner who allowed the Corinthian church to meet in her home. She was a patron of the church and reached out to Paul for help. In the First Letter to the Corinthians Paul writes to a church that is quarreling with itself.
For it has been reported to me by Chloe’s people that there are quarrels among you, my brothers and sisters. What I mean is that each of you says, “I belong to Paul,” or “I belong to Apollos,” or “I belong to Cephas,” or “I belong to Christ.”
1 Corinthians 1:11-12
The people were dividing themselves into groups based on who had presided at their baptism. They were totally missing the point. There is only one baptism and that is Christ’s. So why do people constantly get drawn into division and quarrels?
Not Fishing for People
If you experience quarreling and division it could be because you aren’t fishing for people. Do you see difficult people in your life as a threat and competition to be overcome? If so then you are not thinking like a fisher of people. Jesus had an alternative way of looking at enemies and competitors.
As he walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea for they were fishermen. And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fish for people.” Immediately they left their nets and followed him. Matthew 4:18-20
If you are a follower of Jesus, then you must be a fisher of people. If you call yourself a Christian, then you must be about the business of reaching out to all people. And by the property of modus tollens, the contrapositive is also true. If you aren’t fishing for people, then you aren’t a follower of Jesus.
Why didn’t Noah go fish on the ark? Because he only had two worms. If you aren’t fishing for people, then why not?
Jesus Fishes for You
The good news is that Jesus is a far better fisher of people than we are. Even when we fail to reach out to our enemies, and follow Jesus; Jesus never fails to reach out to us. In fact Jesus specialty is casting his net to catch sinners who have failed to follow God. Sinners like you and me.
As he went from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John, in the boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets, and he called them. Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed him.
Matthew 4:21-22
Jesus doesn’t condemn you if you fail to love your enemy and fish for people. He just spends extra time calling you, and “fishing” for you! When Jesus catches you with the right net and the right bait your life will never be the same. When Jesus catches your heart, mind, and soul your whole world is reoriented. Enemies are no longer people to quarrel with. They are fish to be caught by God’s grace.
Quarreling Will Cease
This past week I got a practical experience in “fishing for people.” I got to experience “Shelter Court” or “Homeless Court” for the first time at the Foothill Family Shelter. One of our congregation members serves as the Honorable Judge Uhler in San Bernardino County. She presides at Shelter Court. How it works is pretty phenomenal. People who have broken the law and are extremely poor, many of whom are homeless have the opportunity to have their case tried at shelter court. They can choose to plead “No Contest” which is the same thing as “Guilty.” But instead of being thrown into jail or saddled with fees they cannot pay their sentence is transmuted into a combination of community service hours and hours of therapy in Narcotics Anonymous or Alcoholics Anonymous. They are given a timeline to complete their hours.
When their time is up they show up to court with proof that they have completed their hours. One by one people are summoned to stand before the judge, baliff, court reporter, public defender, and prosecutor. With their letters, notes, and sign in sheets from churches and non-profits attesting to their work the present themselves before the judge. She examines the notes and if they are legit, then she declares before everyone gathered, “I hereby declare you to be not guilty. Your record is expunged. Your guilt is removed. You are free to go!”
I had the privilege of sitting next to Judge Uhler, so I had a front row seat to see the expressions on people’s faces. You could see a burden of shame lifted from them, and some literally skipped out of the courtroom. Many of the people would clap their hands together and say, “Thank you God!” Or, “God Bless you!” One woman gave a little speech about how she thanked God that the homeless were receiving justice. Judge Uhler asked the woman to stop talking or we might all start to cry, but it was already too late for me.
Then I began to wonder. What is it that separates me from them? I saw young men my age or a little younger wearing t-shirts with the same rock and roll bands I listen to. I saw people that resembled my own family members or friends I have known. Then I realized that nothing separates us. There but for the grace of God go I. Each and everyone of us stands guilty before almighty God. We are caught like fish, hook, line, and sinker. But God forgives us our sin and sets us free.
The big question of course is, what will you do with your freedom? You could be just another anonymous fish in the pond chasing after shiny objects. Or, you could actually help catch fish. How do you do that?
Baptize
Be like Chloe. She didn’t care who did the baptizing. She wanted the church to remember what baptism means. It is the forgiveness of sins and the call to become a fisher of people. There are eight steps to baptism. We’ve talked about: Presentation, Profession, and Thanksgiving. The fourth step is Baptism itself: to pour water on the head three times and say the powerful words you are baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. And when that happens the guilt of your sin is washed away, the power of evil over you is broken, and you are given eternal life. Baptism is the key to healing quarrels and divisions. Baptism brings peace between us and God. So baptize. Baptize your children, yourself, your friends, and your enemies. For heaven’s sake, baptize!
Chloe is also a lot like Lydia