May 20: Called to Serve

“And Saul approved of their killing him.” (Act 8:1)

Jesus holds a very high standard of discipleship and apostleship. I do not believe that you can really read scripture and come to any other conclusion. The bar is set very, very high. Stephen is one of those people who clears that bar with flying colors – as far as we know at least. The first Christian martyr… one who saw clearly our Lord, sitting in Heaven.

But I have mostly skipped his story… because at the moment what strikes me as necessary to hear is that Saul approved of killing Stephen. In fact that’s just the beginning of Saul’s crimes against Christians.

And Saul is not alone. There is lots of company, but mainly I’m thinking of Peter. Peter is like that kid you knew in school that sat in the first row of class and raised his hand to answer every question… and got them all wrong. Peter is the kid who brown-nosed the teacher every day in ways so transparent and awkward that even the teacher was annoyed. Peter had great faith that went only skin deep in moments both private (when he wants to deny Jesus the right to die) and public (when he denies he even knows Jesus). Peter and Saul make a great matched pair. One is actively working against the church from the outside, and one is giving the church a bad name from the inside.

And yet these… these radically imperfect people are who Christ has called to him. These are who Christ will make the foundation of his church. Building and maintaining; spreading and sharing.

The standard of disciple and apostle is incredibly high… but Christ doesn’t demand that we reach it, he doesn’t demand perfect following. In fact Christ calls and lives in those who are anything but perfect followers.

So it strikes me that as we think about Pentecost Sunday coming up this weekend. As we at Palms reflect on our own call and the stewardship of our time and talents, our practices of faith, and our lives as sent out in service to God – we have to remember that not a single one of us in any less qualified than Peter and Paul. Not a single one of us is any less “wrong” for the job! We also need to remember that not a single one of us is any less the foundation of Christ’s church!

“And Saul approved of their killing him.”

So what did God do? God loved him. God called him. God transformed him. God partnered with him in the redemption of the world.

God loves you, God has called you, and God is working transformation with you. So how is God partnering with you for the redemption of the world?

Because if there is one thing I do know… it’s that God has a calling for you – that you are a foundational part of God’s plan for the world.

Are you listening?
Are you following?
Are you partnering with God?

Calling God,
We have not chosen you. You chose us.
Help us God to see the blessed gifts you have given us.
By your Grace may we use those gifts in service to your mission.
Amen.


PS My apologies at this moment for a shameless church plug:

Remember this Sunday to bring in your covenant, pleding time and talents, spiritual practice, and service beyond Palms.

This Sunday will be a wonderful Pentecost celebration as a special Music Sunday that will feature members of the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra including the Guilmant, a three movement work for Organ and Orchestra.

This reflection is part of an ongoing twice a week Journey to Discipleship devotional. If you would like to receive those devotionals by email please email me at andrew.kukla@palmschurch.org and ask to be added tot eh devotional list. I hope you will help make these reflections a coversation by commenting on them.