FIRST READING Jonah 3:1-5, 10
1Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah the second time, saying, 2“Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it the message that I tell you.” 3So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the Lord. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city, three days’ journey in breadth. 4Jonah began to go into the city, going a day’s journey. And he called out, “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!” 5And the people of Nineveh believed God. They called for a fast and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them to the least of them. 10When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil way, God relented of the disaster that he had said he would do to them, and he did not do it.
PSALM Psalm 62
1For God alone my soul in silence waits; from him comes my salvation. 2He alone is my rock and my salvation, my stronghold, so that I shall not be greatly shaken. 3How long will you assail me to crush me, all of you together, as if you were a leaning fence, a toppling wall? 4They seek only to bring me down from my place of honor; lies are their chief delight. 5They bless with their lips, but in their hearts they curse. 6For God alone my soul in silence waits; truly, my hope is in him. 7He alone is my rock and my salvation, my stronghold, so that I shall not be shaken. 8In God is my safety and my honor; God is my strong rock and my refuge. 9Put your trust in him always, O people, pour out your hearts before him, for God is our refuge. 10Those of high degree are but a fleeting breath, even those of low estate cannot be trusted. 11On the scales they are lighter than a breath, all of them together. 12Put no trust in extortion; in robbery take no empty pride; though wealth increase, set not your heart upon it. 13God has spoken once, twice have I heard it, that power belongs to God. 14Steadfast love is yours, O Lord, for you repay everyone according to his deeds.
SECOND READING 1 Corinthians 7:29-35
29This is what I mean, brothers: the appointed time has grown very short. From now on, let those who have wives live as though they had none, 30and those who mourn as though they were not mourning, and those who rejoice as though they were not rejoicing, and those who buy as though they had no goods, 31and those who deal with the world as though they had no dealings with it. For the present form of this world is passing away. 32I want you to be free from anxieties. The unmarried man is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to please the Lord. 33But the married man is anxious about worldly things, how to please his wife, 34and his interests are divided. And the unmarried or betrothed woman is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to be holy in body and spirit. But the married woman is anxious about worldly things, how to please her husband. 35I say this for your own benefit, not to lay any restraint upon you, but to promote good order and to secure your undivided devotion to the Lord.
GOSPEL Mark 1:14-20
14Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, 15and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” 16Passing alongside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. 17And Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” 18And immediately they left their nets and followed him. 19And going on a little farther, he saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, who were in their boat mending the nets. 20And immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants and followed him.
THE DANGER OF PROCRASTINATION
Alexander Graham Bell was an amazingly talented person. The list of his inventions is incredible and included life changing machines like the multiple telegraph, the audiometer—the instrument used to test our hearing and the tricycle landing gear you find on planes. In addition, he was the co-founder of the prestigious magazine Science, served as President of the National Geographic Society, and spent his life working with deaf people. But the most famous of all his creations was, of course, the telephone. As you can imagine, Mr. Bell’s genius also made his family and his descendants enormously wealthy. But he almost lost it all.
You see, Alexander Graham Bell never seemed to get around to submitting a patent application. Finally, his father-in-law, who had financed a lot of the research, got so impatient, that he filed the patent on Bell’s behalf on the 14th of February 1876, Bell’s 29th birthday. And it was a good thing his father-in-law filed that patent when he did, because just a few hours later, another scientist, by the name of Elisha Gray, went to the patent office to get a patent on a machine he’d been working on for many years–you guessed it, the telephone. I think you’ll agree when I say that some things are so important, you need to act on them immediately.
Procrastination is something I learned, early in my Air Force career, was a detriment, not only to good order and function, it could also be damaging to one’s career or promotion opportunities. Flying schedules were printed, work was prioritized, and work crews were assigned in order for the Air Force to fly and train. But it was more complicated than that. Aircraft had to undergo systematic inspections. Many of the components on the aircraft had to be removed for periodic maintenance and the airframe had to be regularly cleaned to avoid corrosion. Failure to keep on top these critical schedules could mean the loss of a multi-million-dollar asset; or worse, the loss of an aircrew in a crash. And then there was the paperwork.
Paperwork is something that people often take lightly and will procrastinate on until it’s more convenient. However, even something as simple as keeping records up to date, can have a negative impact on the mission. A late personnel performance evaluation could cost a person the possibility of promotion. A missed deadline, could prevent a person from getting the recognition they deserve and the failure to annotate test data in the equipment history record can mean someone else wasting precious hours looking for a problem that doesn’t exist. Procrastination is a problem that can cost time, it can mean the loss of property and in some cases, it could cost a person their lives.
A heavy rain had been falling as a man drove down a lonely road. As he rounded a curve, he saw an old farmer surveying the ruins of his barn. The driver stopped his car and asked what had happened. “Roof fell in,” said the farmer. “Leaked so long it finally just rotted through.” “Why in the world didn’t you fix it before it got that bad?” asked the stranger. “Well, sir,” replied the farmer, “it just seemed I never did get around to it. When the weather was good, there weren’t no need for it, and when it rained, it was too wet to work on!” Those of you who are homeowners know the perils of allowing home maintenance to slide. But that’s true in all of life: In the things that really matter, there’s a need to act with urgency. Consider today’s lesson Mark’s Gospel.
Mark tells us that Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, “He saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.” Mark goes on to say that, “immediately they left their nets and followed him.” Notice that it doesn’t say they pondered Jesus’ invitation. It doesn’t say that they made excuses and that they would get back with the Teacher at a more convenient time. Nor does it say that they felt like they were too busy, at the moment, to act. Mark records that they, “At once they left their nets and followed him.”
“When he had gone a little farther, he saw James the son of Zebedee and his brother John in a boat, preparing their nets. Without delay,” says Mark, “he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.” How did these men respond to Jesus’ call? “At once they left their nets and followed him.” That is without delay, when Jesus called James and John, they left their father in the boat with the hired men and followed Him. It’s truly amazing, the first four disciples Jesus calls responded to His call without any seeming hesitation.
Jesus was asking them to leave their livelihood, leave their families, leave the community they grew up in for an adventure the result of which they could not see–and immediately they heeded His call and followed Him. That says a lot about how Jesus comes across to people, but it also says much about them. And perhaps it says even more about the task Jesus had called them to.
Mark shows us a Jesus who is in a hurry; a man with a sense of urgency. Someone has noticed that Mark used one word in his Gospel more than any other. It’s the word “immediately.” This word is used forty times in those brief 16 chapters of Mark’s Gospel. What becomes clear in Mark’s gospel is the last thing Jesus wants is procrastinators. But this isn’t the only place Jesus expresses a sense of urgency.
In Luke’s Gospel, Jesus gives the same opportunity to another man. “Follow me,” Jesus said. But this man replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.” Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” Still another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family.” Jesus replied, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God” (Luke 9:59-62). Jesus’ call is one of urgency; procrastination isn’t an acceptable response. And the same is true in other areas of our lives. The really important things require us to respond without delay.
Consider, for example, how urgent it is that we demonstrate our affection for those we love. Years ago, when the original “Dear Abby” was asked what letter was requested the most for reprinting, she put into her syndicated column this one: “Dear Abby: I am the most heartbroken person on the earth. I always found time to go everywhere else but to see my old gray-haired parents. They sat at home, loving me just the same. Now when I go to visit their graves . . . I wonder if God will ever forgive me for the heartaches I must have caused them . . .”
You may be familiar with another literary giant of another generation, Samuel Johnson. There’s a famous story that comes from Johnson’s boyhood. Johnson’s father was a book seller–selling books from town to town–during Johnson’s boyhood. Once when his father was very ill, tired and worn down by his constant struggle to support his family, he asked young Samuel to go to the market at a nearby small community to take his place. Young Samuel smugly refused to do so. His father dressed and made the arduous trip himself–never saying a word of reproach to his son.
Fifty years later, the renowned and prosperous Samuel Johnson, now his name a household word throughout England, stood bareheaded for hours, close by a spot in that same small community where once his father’s bookstall had stood. People stared at him as he stood there almost motionless in the midst of the wind and rain. He was remembering that time, long ago, when his quickly aging father asked of him a small favor and he had smugly refused.
A great theologian, a man who has inspired millions of Christians, confessed a while back that he had been an abysmal failure with his own children. “How I wish,” he laments, “that when my children were young, I had spent less time with my books and more time with my family.” There is an urgency about love, is there not?
Children grow up, oh so quickly. Time takes its toll in the aging process. There are some people whose love we treasure today, who might not be with us tomorrow, or next week, or next year. If we’re going to take time to show our love for one another, we need to do it now. There’s an urgency about the really important things in life. One of those important things is letting the people we love know how we feel and how much we appreciate them.
Another important thing we may need to do in life, is to alter our lifestyle. There comes a time when a person needs to change his or her way of living and do it now.
Newspaper headlines have brought us tragic stories of the inroads that alcohol and drug abuse has made into our society. Ball players, movie stars, children of famous political families, as well as ordinary citizens by the thousands, are having their lives destroyed by this modern plague. And this epidemic isn’t limited to big cities and blight plagued neighborhoods.
Alcohol, drug addiction and substance abuse, is now running rampant in the rural communities of this country. We must act now and do everything we can to stop this scourge on our society. We can’t always wait for a new program to come along. We don’t always have time for the medical community to come up with an intervening measure. Waiting for the government to step in and provide the fix, may mean the addict falls too far and is beyond help. The time to act is now. The time to step in is now, before it becomes an overwhelming addiction. How low does a person have to sink–how much money do they have to spend–how many people do they have to hurt—how much do they have to steal, before someone helps them recognize the need to get control of their life?” There comes a time when fighting a destructive habit or a debilitating weakness means we must say, “you must stop now, or it will be too late.” There’s the story in the Bible about a man who waited until it was too late. His name was Judas.
I’ve often wondered if Judas ever really intended for Jesus to die. I wonder if he ever thought it would go that far. The fact that he returned the silver coins seems to bear this out. Perhaps Jesus had said something that hurt or offended Judas. Maybe Judas felt rejected by the other disciples. Perhaps it troubled him that he wasn’t part of that small circle of disciples closest to Jesus–Peter, James and John–who were always there on significant occasions in Jesus’ life. Could it have been a case of simple jealousy? Could it have been greed or the addiction to money that drove him to make the decision he did? Whatever the motivation, I bet he never intended for Jesus to be crucified.
“I have betrayed innocent blood,” he cried out to the temple authorities as he tried to return their money. “What is that to us?” they said with a sneer as they turned their backs on him. Suddenly Judas realized that it was too late, too late to change what he had done and too late to ask for forgiveness once he went and hanged himself.
It’s no simple matter to wake up and realize it’s too late–too late to save your marriage–too late to save your family–too late to take back vicious and hurtful words–too late, you’re hooked, you’re addicted–too late, you’ve been caught, you’ve brought disgrace to your family and friends–too late, you’ve had that tragic accident. Oftentimes there is an urgency about changing the way we’re living, but we put it off or we’re either unwilling or unable to stop. The problem is, many people procrastinate and put off making necessary changes to their life until tomorrow.
The problem is, far too often, tomorrow never comes. Tomorrow, someone has noted, Raphael would finish his painting of “The Transfiguration.” But he died at age thirty-four with the painting only half-finished. Two of his disciples were forced to finish the master’s work. Sir Walter Scott wrote in his diary in his study at Abbotsford, “Tomorrow, we shall . . .” But this last-written sentence of one of Scotland’s greatest writers was never completed. Tomorrow never came for Sir Walter Scott.
Charles Dickens began writing what would become his final novel, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, in 1870, with the plan of releasing a new installment every month for a year. But he died before the last installment was ever written and his readers never discovered what happened to poor Edwin. Important things should never be put off. Life has a way of getting away from us. Perhaps you know the story of a woman named Florence.
Florence was married to Oliver for 58 years before her death. They first got married in Sweden before immigrating to the United States some 30 years ago. After his beloved wife died, Oliver saw the need to put their home in order, and immediately set about it. While doing so, he found a box, opened it and found some dishes he had never seen before. He took the dishes to his eldest daughter and asked if she recognized them. Just like her father, she was surprised at seeing them. Just about then, Oliver’s second daughter came in. “Have you seen these dishes before?” he asked. She looked at the beautiful set of dishes, decorated with colorful paintings and gold. She too had no idea of the origin of the dishes. As a last resort, Oliver decided to call his late wife’s sister and ask about the dishes. Luckily, she knew of the origin of the dishes.
For years before her death Florence collected these dishes piece by piece because she couldn’t afford to buy a complete set. When the collection neared completion she kept the dishes put away in hopes of using them during a special occasion. And because no “special occasion” came around, she chose to lock them away in the box Oliver had found. Think how much joy Florence could have had displaying her beloved dishes to her friends and family. But she died with the dishes still in a box. So it is with people who are always putting things off until tomorrow.
More often than not, tomorrow never comes. If someone in your life is important to you, tell them. If you’re facing an important task, no matter how distasteful, tackle it. Let’s face it, you’re not going to enjoy doing it anymore when you can no longer put it off. Of course, postponing living your life for God is the most serious procrastination of all.
I challenge you to find one place in the New Testament where Jesus told anybody to “go home, think it over, and get back with me tomorrow.” It simply doesn’t happen. Jesus came to Simon and Andrew and James and John at their fishing boats beside the Sea of Galilee and said to them, “Follow me,” and immediately, they left their nets and followed Him. Jesus’ invitation is always an invitation to do it now! This is especially true with the call to discipleship.
There was an interesting interview recently in AARP Magazine, with the well-known singer/song writer John (Couger) Mellencamp, best known for his 1982 rock song “Jack and Diane.” In this interview, Mellencamp had this to say about the final ending of his life: “I intend to make my ending good. I’m hoping it’s one of those long, lingering deathbed conversions. A lot of people go, ‘I hope I just die quick,’” he continues. “Not me. I need to put things right.” A nice wish, but it doesn’t always work like that does it? I hope John Mellencamp gets the opportunity for his long conversion, whether he was making a joke about it or not in this interview.
Life has a way of surprising us. Too often we don’t have as long as we think. Consider how much peace and joy John Mellencamp could have in his life in the meantime. Procrastination, if we’re lucky, will simply hit us in the wallet. However, it could cost us something much bigger; your family, your marriage or worse, your life. There are some things in this life that simply shouldn’t be put off. Like telling those we care about that we love and appreciate them. Like stopping a destructive behavior like drug or alcohol abuse, or an unhealthy lifestyle for another. But the most important thing we should never put off, is living a life that is pleasing to God.
Amen
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