Leave the Boat

The Feast of St. James

The Set-Up

The Gospel of Mark, the oldest, wastes no time in jumping into the ministry of Jesus. And the story of Jesus calling His first disciples, true to form, begins in the direct, violent shadow of the Empire.

“Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.’”

John the Baptist has just been dragged to a state prison for speaking truth to power. And insured of going into hiding, Jesus steps right into the vacuum. 

He announces that the "kingdom of God has come near." The reality where humanity is deeply connected to God and to each other is here. It is present.

He says "repent" (in Greek, change your mind). He is telling them to wake up from the competitive, violent nightmare of the Empire and step into the cooperative reality of God.

Jesus walks along the Sea of Galilee and sees Simon and Andrew casting nets. He calls them, and they immediately follow. Then, He goes a little farther and sees the sons of Zebedee.

“He saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John, who were in their boat mending the nets. Immediately he called them; and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men, and followed him.”

This isn't just a career change; it is the total collapse of the ego. Fishing is his economic security. James knows exactly who he is, what his inheritance will be, and how his life will play out.

When Jesus calls him, He is asking James to leave the boat, his father's authority, and the safety of the career he has built. 

And James leaves immediately.

Following a rogue, marginalized rabbi in this political climate is incredibly dangerous. James is walking away from a secure paycheck to follow a man who is actively provoking the state.

Bonhoeffer said, "When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die." For James, leaving the boat was the first death, death to his ego, safety, and family expectations. (And historically, James would be the very first of the twelve apostles to be martyred for this exact cause).

The Takeaways

• The reality of the Kingdom is already present. You just have to change your mind (metanoia) to see it.

• You cannot discover your true self in God until you are willing to step out of the boat.

• Following Jesus cost James everything. If your religion only confirms your comfort, protects your prestige, and keeps you safe from the suffering of the world, it is cheap grace.

• Jesus went to the docks and builds the Kingdom with people whose hands are calloused and boots smell like fish.

• Mark uses the word "immediately" over and over. The grace of God demands a response now. The revolution of love cannot wait for you to finish mending your nets.

The Good News

The Good News is that God is not looking to only religious professionals to change the world.

Some elites will tell you that you need the right degree, background, and the right vocabulary to be useful to the Divine. Jesus completely ignores that and walks straight to the shoreline. 

If you are exhausted, working a regular job, and feeling unqualified for anything "holy," you are exactly the kind of person Jesus brings into the fold. 

God just needs you to be willing to drop the nets.