Isaiah 9:1-4, I Corinthians 1:10-18 and Matthew 4:12-23.

The passage from Matthew is about being called….to follow. Most of us know a hundred kinds of calls, some joyfully anticipated, some dreaded. As a child playing outside in complete joy in the summer, the call from mother to come inside is hard to hear. “Supper. Come wash your hands.” Or the call to your parents from your teacher! Oh no! Then as adults…who wants a call from their physician to come talk about test results. Or the call from the bill collectors! And so on….

On the other hand, the call from Jesus should be met with excitement and gladness: “We get to go with the Master for great things!” The concern is if we think the call is just at one time in life e.g., when a person is “called into the ministry.” No, there are many different calls from Jesus throughout life. Do we have “ears to hear?”

The so called Stages of Life each seem to have a call or specific demand upon us: childhood, education and training, employment, marriage, parenthood, aging. We do ask ourselves along the way, “What am I to do next?”

Sunday we will listen in on the various ways and means Jesus calls us throughout life. One big question to each and all: “are we holding still long enough to listen?!”

Listen in this Sunday in worship! What is the call to YOU? To US?” Jesus is calling.

Pastor Barry