21-Jan-24 (Mark 1:14-20)

When I was a boy, my dad built a train table in our basement. It was a simple set up, with a few switches and a few buildings and a depot. When friends came over, we could play with the trains on that table, but I couldn't bring the trains and especially couldn't bring the table over to my friends houses. I had to leave them behind to go over and be with them.
Sometimes, in order to do something you want to or need to do, you have to leave something behind.
In our gospel story for today, Jesus calls Simon and Andrew and James and John to follow him. They leave behind their fishing boats and nets in order to follow Jesus.
Sometimes, in order to do something you want to or need to do, you have to leave something behind.
You probably don't have nets or boats that you have to leave behind to follow Jesus, but there may be some other things that all of us should leave behind to follow him.
We could leave behind the ways that we are selfish and the ways we only care about ourselves.
We could leave behind being mean and hurting other people.
There may be some actual things we leave behind, but I think following Jesus is more about the ways we act and how we behave.
Let's pray about that.

Prayer:

God, who calls each and every one of us to show your love by loving others, we thank you for Jesus who taught us how to do that. Help us leave behind the ways we treat others that don't work when we're trying to follow you. Help us to pick up the ways you treat others.
In the name of Jesus, our Christ, AMEN