January 14, 2024
Indianola Presbyterian Church, Columbus
"Skepticism and Healthy Boundaries"
Sermon by Rev. Trip Porch
January 14, 2024
This week, though it’s early, I began thinking about Nominating Committee. A committee of the congregation who has, I think, one of the most important jobs in the church… They are in charge of discerning the call of leaders. It’s not just recruitment… They are tasked to zoom out, to consider the next three years of church life, to reflect on the absences left by out-going leaders, and then to prayerfully consider who God might be calling to take on that leadership. They are tasked with “making the ask” and then walking alongside those people as they consider their own calls.
Now I know your guard is already up and it feels like you’ve walked into a pitch meeting, and your about to be asked . But don’t worry, there will be no alter calls here. In fact today, I want to talk about that guard being up, that natural caution we have that makes us press the brakes to reflect and consider options before we commit to something. Because I actually believe that’s a good thing, and what God wants from us. I actually think we have a model for it in our story today, in Jesus’ call of Nathanael.
When Philip excitedly tells him about Jesus of Nazareth, Nathanael's initial response is skepticism.
He asks, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" Or as Eugene Peterson handles it: “Nazareth? You have Got to be kidding”
It’s a funny line, but it’s also a very honest, very human response. Almost like Nathanael is saying… Philip, are you so sure about this… this all sounds a bit sketchy to me, maybe you should take a step back and look at your life, sort out your priorities little bit. It’s a layer of skepticism and doubt that we aren’t so used to seeing in scripture or what we assume is the good response from people of faith. which to me reads like someone keeping healthy boundaries, being intentional and discerning.
But here's where it gets interesting. Jesus, knowing Nathanael's heart, doesn't scold him or push him to accept immediately. Instead, Jesus acknowledges Nathanael's doubt, and says, "Here truly is an Israelite in whom there is no deceit." Jesus respects Nathaniel's boundaries, He get his skepticism, and he doesn’t pressure him or use guilt or shame to convince of anything. In fact, unlike the other stories of Jesus calling the disciples, this call story doesn’t even include Jesus asking them to come and follow. Instead, Jesus lets Nathanael take the reins. He allows Nathanael to be the cautious skeptic that he is and come to this decision in his own time, if he comes to at all. He allows Nathanael to keep his boundaries, and say no, or no, not yet.
And this, I think, is an important piece that we need to remember as we consider our own calls, our own lives, our own vocations, our own discipleship, our own ministries.
We live in a world that pressures us to no end. There are so many things vying for our attention, for our energy, for our passion, for our money, for our love. There are so many things trying to pressure us into saying 'yes' when our hearts are whispering 'no.' Millions of dollars in marketing campaigns strategized to hook us as target audiences to make it impossible for us to say no. But I’m here to say that our faith should not be one of those things. Our faith journey isn't a rushed race that demands our “yes” even to the point of our own detriment or sacrifice. It is not something that requires our blind fealty but it’s a gradual and life-long unfolding.
There are seasons in this life where “yes” is not a faithful response. And just like Nathaniel, we're allowed to have boundaries and say 'no' to aspects of faith that we can’t yet commit to… We’re allowed to have our guards up, we’re allowed to say “no” and see that as a faithful, holy, spirit-led, Christ-centered response.
But also, just like Nathanael, as we approach Jesus with our guards up, with our boundaries in check, and as we come to know him and see how he knows us, what we will ultimately find is a path that is life-giving, nurturing, and supportive of who we are. What we will ultimately meet is a love that will not let us go, but meets us and holds us, until we feel that love, and help others feel it too.
May we as a church create spaces where boundaries are honored, where doubts and questions are not just tolerated but embraced. May we allow Holy “No’s” and celebrate it to no end when people say “yes.” May we model Christ who meets people where they are allows them to be who they are and loves them enough to let them choose how to follow.
Amen.
WE GATHER IN AWE AND PRAISE
PRELUDE “Welcome, Welcome, Sabbath Morning” Ebeneezer Beesley
arr. Anne Britt
INTROIT “Sing and Rejoice” Emma Lou Diemer
Sing and rejoice this Sabbath day, the Lord is with us!
Give thanks and praise this Sabbath day, the Lord is with us!
Sing and rejoice this Sabbath day!
WELCOME Rev. Trip Porch
One: This is the day that the Lord has made
All: Let us rejoice and be glad in it
*CALL TO WORSHIP Written by Joanna Harader
One: Jesus comes along side us and calls us by name:
All: “[your name], follow me.”
One: A simple call. A hard call.
All: Because following requires leaving.
One: And we look around to see who else Jesus could be talking to.
All: And we look around to see the trappings of the life we know.
One: It’s hard to leave our nets and walk away from the lake.
All: But we have come this far, to this place,
where we can listen and be transformed.
*HYMN 475 “Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing” NETTLETON
*PRAYER OF CONFESSION Caroline Karbowski
Holy One, you have called us by name. You will not let us lounge in bed.
You wake us up in the middle of the night to remember…
(in the silence… remember God's works.)
Holy one,
You will not let us hide under the tree.
You summon us from the shade to follow you and be changed…
(in the silence… pray for those things in your life that need to be changed.)
Holy one,
You will not let us bury our secrets within the earth.
You unearth our fears and speak them aloud…
(in the silence… name what you are afraid of before God)
Forgive us, O God. Help us to recognize your voice among us and give us the strength to go where we are called, that we may learn, O God, what it means to follow with open hearts. In the name of Christ, we pray. Amen.
*ASSURANCE OF PARDON
*CONGREGATIONAL RESPONSE 551 “Lord, Have Mercy” LAND OF REST
*PASSING OF THE PEACE
One: The peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all,
All: And also with you.
WE LISTEN FOR GOD’S WORD
ANTHEM “Be Thou My Vision” arr. Alice Parker
PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION
SCRIPTURE: John 1:43-51
Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard John’s witness and followed Jesus. The first thing he did after finding where Jesus lived was find his own brother, Simon, telling him, “We’ve found the Messiah” (that is, “Christ”). He immediately led him to Jesus.
Jesus took one look up and said, “You’re John’s son, Simon? From now on your name is Cephas” (or Peter, which means “Rock”).
The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. When he got there, he ran across Philip and said, “Come, follow me.” (Philip’s hometown was Bethsaida, the same as Andrew and Peter.)
Philip went and found Nathanael and told him, “We’ve found the One Moses wrote of in the Law, the One preached by the prophets. It’s Jesus, Joseph’s son, the one from Nazareth!” Nathanael said, “Nazareth? You’ve got to be kidding.”
But Philip said, “Come, see for yourself.”
When Jesus saw him coming he said, “There’s a real Israelite, not a false bone in his body.”
Nathanael said, “Where did you get that idea? You don’t know me.”
Jesus answered, “One day, long before Philip called you here, I saw you under the fig tree.”
Nathanael exclaimed, “Rabbi! You are the Son of God, the King of Israel!
Jesus said, “You’ve become a believer simply because I say I saw you one day sitting under the fig tree? You haven’t seen anything yet! Before this is over you’re going to see heaven open and God’s angels descending to the Son of Man and ascending again.”
CHILDREN’S MESSAGE Jeremy Carroll
SERMON Rev. Trip Porch
WE RESPOND TO GOD’S WORD
*HYMN 69 “I the Lord of Sea and Sky” HERE I AM
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE followed by The Lord’s Prayer (on screen)
TIME OF OFFERING online giving is available at indianolapres.org/give
OFFERTORY “Brightly Beams Our Father's Mercy” Philip Paul Bliss
arr. Marilyn Wells
*OFFERTORY RESPONSE 709 “God, We Honor You” ABUNDANT BLESSINGS
*PRAYER OF DEDICATION
God, today we remember the times our skepticism has been overcome by what we can see – right before us, or in our mind’s eye. Thank you for accepting this offering, that we might continue to grow in our ability to follow Jesus with our whole lives. AMEN
*HYMN 726 “Will You Come and Follow Me” (The Summons) KELVINGROVE
TIME OF COMMUNITY SHARING
CHARGE AND BENEDICTION
CHORAL RESPONSE “Hold Us Ever in Your Keeping” Gary Matheny
Hold us ever in your keeping, comfort us in pain and strife,
Constant hope and faith renewing, Lead us to a nobler life.
Grant, O Lord your richest blessing: Send your servants forth in peace.
POSTLUDE “Tell Me the Stories of Jesus” Frederic A. Challinor
arr. Terri Hutchings
Acknowledgments: Unless otherwise indicated, all texts and music are printed and broadcast under OneLicense.net license
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