NOTE:  This Fall at Vine begins with a message series on Jesus' call to discipleship, called "THE PATH" culminating in a retreat experience on Saturday, October 2nd for anyone who wants to really explore what being a disciple means.  Go here for more details.

“And he said to them, ‘Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.’” (Matthew 4:19)

Which of the two phrases within Jesus’ invitation to the fishermen Peter and Andrew that day on the shore of the Sea of Galilee was most compelling to the two men? Was it the “follow me” part or the “I will make you fishers of men” part?

First of all, they ought to write management books for MBA curricula on this story. Jesus was a master motivator. He didn’t hand them a job description. No lengthy “setup”, “sell”, or “closing the deal.” There doesn’t appear to be any headhunters or demographic surveys involved. In about as vague a description of random-seeming events possible (“one day Jesus was walking along the shore and saw two brothers”) , and on the strength of just one sentence, Peter and Andrew dropped everything, left everything they had and everyone they knew, to become Jesus’ disciples.

Maybe the “follow me” part was what grabbed them the most. Jesus must have had such a presence, such an air of purpose about him. To hear his call and to see his face was to instinctively know that to be with him was to have the fullest and most satisfying existence possible. Career, family, possessions – all that had driven them to get to this point - paled in comparison to the overwhelming reality of Jesus. To be with him was to truly live. It was better than anything imaginable. It was an assurance that there would be much, much more in the days, months and years to come.   They just knew it, even before he said a word. Leaving the nets was easy.

Or maybe the “I will make you fishers of men” part was what made them sign up on the spot.   Up to that point, life had just been existing, trying to find meaning and value in things which failed to deliver. Maybe these macho fishermen didn’t allow themselves to think about it, let alone talk with each other about it, but deep down a vortex of dissatisfaction swirled…a lingering shadow of doubt and troubling question: “Is this really all life is going to be about? Is this all I should expect?” And then along comes Jesus, and gives a one-phrase mission statement which is so exciting, so right, that suddenly what was once a small, compressed life opens up from horizon to horizon and beyond.

My hunch is that it was actually pretty simple. And that the words Jesus said really were more for our benefit than Peter and Andrew’s. He didn’t have to say anything to them. The minute he walked up to them, they knew they wanted to be with Him. In a moment, they knew that walking with him would be to walk in grace, truth and light. It would be new, it would be challenging, it would be hard; but staying behind watching Jesus recede into the distance would be far worse.

I think that’s the essence of discipleship: knowing with full clarity that life without Jesus is not a life you want to live. Once you are in that place you are fully attentive, motivated, and prepared for whatever Jesus says and wherever Jesus leads you. Being in the loving presence of God through Christ surpasses any other description for existence, no matter how enticingly it may advertise itself.

Paul wrote in Romans “I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes.”   Once he encountered Jesus on the road to Damascus, there could be no turning back because, honestly, what is back there that is so much better?   So he will follow wholeheartedly.

If you are a Jesus Follower, what is the basis for your discipleship?

If you are not a follower of Christ, what difference would it make if you knew that his invitation to you wasn’t an invitation into “churchiness” or “religion” or self-sacrifice, but an invitation into himself?

Dear Jesus, thank you that you offer us more than a creed, religion or philosophy of life to follow, but you give us your very self. And to be in your presence is to experience a new life bathed in love, forgiveness, peace, and joy, even when life leads us into challenge, hardship and suffering. Because wherever we walk, Lord, we follow you and remain in your gracious presence. Thank you for your invitation, and the strong love behind it. In your name we pray. Amen.

The Christian liturgical ritual called "passing of the Peace" has its origins in the New Testament.  Paul makes references to greeting other Christians with a "holy kiss" (Rom. 16:16, 1 Cor 16:20, 2 Cor 13:12, 1 Thess 5:26).  This greeting became a part of Christian worship, usually after the reading and interpreting of the word and before the celebration of communion.  Also,  when a shared prayer of confession and declaration of God's forgiveness was offered, the next action would be to "pass the Peace."  It was a visible demonstration that all who were present were one in the faith and that no sin stood in the way of their unity.

Over time, the actual kiss gave way to a clasping of hands or an embrace, but the purpose was still the same:  because we have been reconciled to God through the death of Jesus Christ, we are to be reconciled to one another.

It's probably not a surprise that as church became, more and more, an institution rather than a fellowship or community of believers growing and serving together; and when Christians, more and more, saw the practice of faith as more of an individual or private matter than a shared reality, the passing of the Peace was either abandoned or became a somewhat confusing and awkward "how ya doin?" moment in worship.

But consider this:  what if you didn't want to share the peace with the person sitting in front of you or across the worship space because you were angry or harbored a grudge for something that person did or said against you?  The fact that you don't even want to shake hands would suggest that indeed there is a need for reconciliation in our lives - a gift that God freely offers us in Jesus Christ.

And what kind of community would we be if we honestly and sincerely shared God's Peace with one another in our worship gathering, promising to live in that Peace and strive for it in our lives?  What kind of message would that give to people looking for some sign of God's grace and new life?

So, in this message series on faith in conflicts, we'll be re-engaging with this ancient Christian practice of the passing of the Peace.  We'll leave out the "holy kiss" part, but definitely try to reclaim what the Peace of Christ means, and live in that Peace together!