And this is the fourth Sunday of Lent! We trust your journey has been one of delightful fellowship with the God who cares! Our District Superintendent Rev. Evelyn Kent Clark is brand new on our South District, and she is one of the most spirit-filled and spirit focused prayer warriors you will ever meet. Prepare your hearts for a blessed word from the Lord.
The Word of God reads from the book of Esther 4.14
Esther 4:14 NKJV
For if you remain completely silent at this time,
relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and
your father’s house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the
kingdom for such a time as this?”
Let us also hear from Mark 1.14-20 where Jesus calls
the disciples.
14 Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, 15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.”
16 And as He walked by the Sea of Galilee, He saw
Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea; for they were
fishermen. 17 Then Jesus said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you become
fishers of men.”
18 They immediately left their nets and followed Him.
19 When He had gone a little farther from there, He saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were in the boat mending their nets.
20 And immediately He called them, and they left
their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants, and went after Him.
“Called for Such A Time as This.” Ready your hearts
for a glorious message!
Called for Such a Time as This
Rev. Evelyn Kent
Clark, South District Superintendent
I give praise to God and honor to Bishop
Peggy Johnson, the Cabinet and all the clergy and laity of the Eastern PA
Conference. I am Rev. Evelyn Kent Clark, District Superintendent of the SUPER
South, where the people minister with faithfulness and service. I am so happy
to be with you and I’m grateful for God’s presence with us uniting us all over
the Conference through this Cabinet sermon series. The sermon today is entitled
“Called for Such a Time as This”. I am reading from the Old Testament in the
NKJ version from the book of Esther 4:14. “For if you remain completely silent
at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another
place, but you and your father’s house will perish. Yet who knows whether you
have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”
I am also reading from the Gospel
according to Mark 1: 14-20 also in the NKJ version. “Now after John was put in
prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and
saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and
believe in the gospel.” And as He walked by the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon
and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. The
Jesus said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” They
immediately left their nets and followed Him. When He had gone a little farther
from there, He saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, who were in
the boat mending their nets. And immediately He called them, and they left
their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants, and went after Him.”
This is the Word of God for the people of God. Thanks be to God. Won’t you pray
with me.
I have often heard the phrase used,
“Called for such a Time as This”. In fact, I’ve probably used it myself on more
than one occasion. But who knew such a time as this would come to us? And yet
we, clergy and laity, have been called by God to proclaim the still living
Gospel in such a time as this. The proclamation of such a time as this is used
when times are dire and arduous, when the strong, the bold, and those who will
take their stand at the front of the confrontation step forward. Those persons
are called leaders for a reason! They lead when leadership is needed without
hesitation! It’s in their DNA.
But wait! Those with the DNA to run to the
front lines are not the only ones who receive the urgent message crying out
about ‘such a time as this”. It is the everyday, ordinary person who rarely
leads, never runs to the front line, who questions ‘why me’ and asks what about
those other persons who have the DNA of leadership.
In both of the examples which were
highlighted in the Scripture readings, the times were dangerous. The persons to
whom the statements were directed, Esther and the fishermen, were persons who
would probably wait for someone else to take the lead and maybe, just maybe,
follow them. They were not the ones who would raise their voices to rally
others! This is the whole point! There comes a time when those who are the ones
on the sidelines or in the rear of the crowd are called to move forward for
God, for righteousness, for peace, for justice.
It is in this light that we find the text
from Mark so poignant. It is at this point in time when the work of God had
come under assault. We understand that from the very beginning Jesus started
His public ministry in difficult times. John, Jesus first cousin, who baptized
Jesus and whose mission was to prepare the way for the coming Messiah, was
imprisoned! The outspoken voice of God had been, if not silenced, at least
quieted. Well, if John was imprisoned, who would speak, Jesus? Yes, but not
alone. Jesus would need others to help and to be prepared for the time when His
voice would no longer be heard in the gathering places. Despite the fact that
John is no longer the voice crying in the wilderness, the plan of God began to
unfold right there in the midst of all the mess.
For such a time as this, Jesus called His
first disciples, Peter, Andrew, James and John. These regular men would share
the ministry of proclaiming the Gospel and continue to expand the ministry
after Jesus had ascended into heaven. These common men, these ordinary people
were fishermen. Seemingly, they were unprepared for the journey and work Jesus
called them for. It would appear that there was a huge difference between the
work they were called from and the work they were called to. They would no
longer catch fish; they would be fishers of people!
Maybe the work was not so different!?
Fishing is not a simple task. Have you ever watched the series ‘River
Monsters”? The central character in the series is Jeremy Wade, who is referred
to as an “extreme angler”. It was because of this series that I came to know a
little bit about the complexities of fishing.
The first thing about fishing has to do
with context. One must be clear about what you are trying to catch. Fish lead very different lives. Some are salt
water dwellers, and others live in fresh water. Some fish live in oceans, while
others live in lakes, rivers or streams. The context dictates the type of
equipment required to catch the fish. Ocean dwellers are usually large and
strong fish and require heavy fishing rods and reels, while fish found in
lakes, rivers and streams don’t need that.
You must be knowledgeable about the setting and the environment in which
you are fishing. It’s the same with people. People live in so many different
environments and contexts that not all types of personalities, attitudes,
concerns, etc. will make you an effective angler to catch men and women, boys
and girls in their particular places.
In addition, the bait you use to catch
your target fish is also crucial. It all depends upon the types of fish you
want to catch. Flies or insects will catch some fish. Maybe worms will be
better for other fish. For larger fish meat or other fish of smaller sizes is
more appealing. Fishermen have to be able to get that baited hook into the
mouth of the fish. Disciples have to be able to get the Word of God into the
hearts of people. Not every evangelistic approach or ministry plan will get the
attention or interest of every person. We have to continue to try different
approaches.
The discipling person must get to know the
concerns, needs, desires, problems and issues facing the persons with whom you
are sharing the Gospel. Get to know the people you’re trying to reel in. It’s
all about relationship. I’m sure you heard that before, but it warrants
repeating.
When Jesus came to John the Baptist at the
Jordon, John told Jesus effectively, ‘I’ve been waiting for you. It’s time for
you to take over’. It sounds like John was tired. I hear disciples all over the
connection saying they’re tired, but this is not the time to give up. Jesus
essentially told John, ‘Patience my friend; it has to be this way for now”.
When you’re doing the Lord’s work, when we’re fulfilling the call to be fishers
of people, keep fishing and be patient. Anybody who loves fishing will tell you
it takes a lot of patience to be successful at it.
These are perilous times. You know that.
We are God’s people called to accomplish the plan God in these perilous times.
Be an extreme angler. Your buildings may be closed, but you have been deployed
to go out of the walls of your church and fish for people. Use every means you
have to increase the Kingdom. Bait the hook. People are hungry and searching
for food, help, connection, relationship, someone to talk to and someone to
listen. Use this time to increase your knowledge, plan and organize for this
new post pandemic season. Change your community; change the world. So, now
let’s get to it! Let' do it. Let’s go fishing!
God of us all, our times and seasons are in your hands. You are in control. You are in charge. We surrender. We submit to your glorious will and your way that leads to life. Help us from day to day to listen and to hear that we might please you, walk with you and be a blessing. We pray as you taught the disciples.
Our father who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day, our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.
May the God who can, make us new!
Next week
we go to the book of Mark chapter 1 and our West District Superintendent Rev.
Bumkoo Chung will bring the message “A New Teaching.”
If you would like to make your contribution to the great ministry and mission of Bethel, the website is
Or you can send it to 952 Bethel Church Road, Spring City, Pa. 19475.
God bless you!
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