“I
chose you”
Reinbeck
UMC confirmation Sunday 2017
Remember, in school lining up and the PE
teacher chose two captains? They took turns choosing their team for the game of
the day, be it kickball or baseball, or dodge ball. I don’t know about you, but
being a scrawny, uncoordinated kid… that was about as bad as it got… until it
got worse. It got worse when they got down the last 4 people and the PE teacher
would say OK you go here and you go there, because he knew that neither team
wanted those of us who stood in the leftover line.
It would have been nice to be chosen at
least once in a while.
When I was in youth ministry, we had an
exceptional football player in the group. He was visited and courted by all 4
big Iowa colleges as well as some big name out of state colleges. I talked to
one of his teammates one time. He admitted that he was happy for his teammate,
but just once, he’d like someone to notice that he was a pretty good player
too.
It would have been nice to be chosen by
at least one college scout.
Sometimes it is nice to be chosen.
Having someone choose us to be a prom date, or spouse, or for a promotion, or
for an award, or even as a friend; feels pretty good doesn’t it? It feels like
a compliment. Mark Twain once came right out and said, “They say that you cannot live by bread alone, but I can live on
compliments.”
In today’s scripture, Jesus says, “You did not choose me, I chose you.”
I suspect that is more than a compliment. What does it mean to be chosen my
Jesus? What difference does it make in our day-to-day discipleship?
Jesus said, in the 15th
chapter of John, “You did not choose
me, I chose you.” Is that even true? It seems like we have a choice in
the matter don’t we? No one twisted the disciple’s arm to follow Jesus. No one
is forcing these young people to be confirmed. No one dragged you into worship
and locked the door. No one forced you to become a Christian, or to live as a
disciple. Those are our choices, aren’t they?
Yes, we do choose how to respond to God.
However, that is not what Jesus is saying.
Let’s turn it around. If someone says, “I
DID NOT CHOOSE YOU, YOU CHOSE ME.” That is a very different thing. In other
words, “you don’t have to be here. You are the one who got yourself into this.
I have no investment in you. You can walk away any time you want.”[1]
If we turn it back around, then, I don’t
think Jesus is really concerned about who chose whom first. He is telling the
disciples that they can count on him.
Think about the context. This is the 15th
chapter of John. The last supper is over. Judas has been identified and is betraying
Jesus even as he speaks. Jesus says something to the effect of, “You did not choose me. I chose you.”
In other words, “I got you into this and get you out. I wanted you on my team,
and I’VE GOT YOUR BACK!” Jesus says, “Don’t worry. You can count on me.”
For Jewish men, brought up in the
synagogue, Jesus’ words, “you did not choose me, but I chose you.” might bring
back memories of Deuteronomy 7. God says,
“GOD, your God, chose you
out of all the people on Earth for himself as a cherished, personal treasure.
7-10 God wasn’t
attracted to you and didn’t choose you because you were big and important—the
fact is; there was almost nothing to you. He did it out of sheer love”[2]
There was nothing special about Israel
and there was nothing special about the disciples. Jesus didn’t choose them
because they were special. They were just fishermen, and tax collectors, and
peasants. Why did Jesus choose them? The same reason God chose the Israelites…
HE LOVED THEM.
You are chosen not because you are rich,
or powerful, or smart, or good looking, or better than anyone else, or even
because you are lucky. You are chosen by God for one reason and one reason only…
because God loves you. Always
has… Always will. That is a fact you can take all the way to the cross and back
from the grave. Jesus chose you, and he has your back. Don’t ever forget that. You
are not chosen because you chose God. You are not chosen because of anything
you do or have ever done. You are not chosen because what you are talented. You
are not chosen because you are better than anyone else is. You are not chosen
because you are smarter or better than anyone else is. You are chosen simply because
you are loved.
When you go to choose a puppy from a litter,
do you choose the one that can do the most tricks? The one that can fetch you
slippers? The one that won’t make a puddle on your kitchen floor? NO. You choose
the one with which you fall in love. You take that puppy into your home and
choose to love and care for that puppy forever.
When I officiate at a wedding, I don't
ask, "John, do you love Susan?" I ask, "John, will you love Susan?" It is
easy to love someone for a minute. It is harder to love them for a lifetime. Love
is a choice… it is a promise we make “Till death do you part.”
It is a promise God makes to you by choosing
you… God loves you to death and beyond. Jesus death on the cross couldn’t even
stop God’s love for us. Being chosen by God is forever, because being loved by
God is forever.
That would seem to be a good place to
stop… except it isn’t. That is only ½ time. Jesus goes on to the second half. “You did not choose me, but I chose you and
I appointed you to go and bear fruit, Fruit that will last,”[3]
I guess I should have stopped when we
were ahead. We want to feel chosen… we don’t necessarily want to feel
obligated. Jesus, however, sends us out to bear fruit that will last.
Let’s be clear that Jesus didn’t choose
you in order to bear fruit, he chose you to be loved. Nothing can change that.
You are loved whether you bear fruit or not.
Those
who are loved and chosen, however, are also sent to bear fruit that will last. Can
you guess what the fruit is? In order to find out we have to go just a little
further. Jesus goes on to say, “I
am giving you these commands so that you may love one another.”[4]
…. LOVE. In verses 8-9 Jesus said, “My
Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and become my
disciples. 9 As the Father has loved me, so I have
loved you; abide in my love.”[5] LOVE.
Love of God and love of others is the fruit that lasts.
You are chosen to be loved, and sent to
share love. “Every person in ministry” means that every one of us is chosen to
be loved, and sent to share love. What are you passionate about? What is your
talent? What makes you angry enough to do something about it? What
opportunities do you have to love others?
Bearing fruit is going to look little
different for each of us, of course.
Let’s see this kind of fruit bearing in
action.
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What are you passionate about? Do it.
What is your talent? Use it.
What makes you angry enough to do
something about it? Do something…. Anything.
What opportunities do you have to love
others? Love them.
You are chosen… you are loved… and you
are sent. AMEN
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