Is there something you haven’t accomplished in life that keeps nagging you?  Is there some part of what you intended to do in life that you never got around to doing? 

Perhaps something happened that prevented you from achieving that goal.  Perhaps you had to care for an elderly parent.  Maybe you got stuck in a job because you thought it paid well and you would later get back to your goal.

At what point is it over, too late, not going to happen, impossible?  Would you like to hear these words?  “It is not too late.  Get up, get going.  Now is the time.”

Could that nagging feeling, that restlessness be the call of God to get you to move from where you are to where God wants you to be?  Do you still deal with that call even at this age and in these present circumstances?

The scene of today’s Scripture is the upper room where Jesus and his disciples celebrated the Passover meal on the night Jesus would later be betrayed.  Jesus had washed the feet of his disciples and taught them about the role of servant being the greatest in his Kingdom. 

John tells us of Jesus having a conversation with Judas.  Judas had already been tempted with the idea to betray Jesus, but, while sitting at the table with the others, it was not too late.  He could have changed his mind.

I am sure Judas did not get up that day and say, “That is it.  I have had enough.  Today I go see the Jewish authorities.  This will force Jesus to declare himself.  If he is God’s Son, he will call down the angel armies.  If he isn’t God’s Son, he might as well die.”

Those ideas came in little bits.  Opportunities came knocking ever so subtly.  Before he knew it, he had gone a long way down the road toward selling Jesus.

That evening at supper, in the upper room, it was not too late.  Jesus was inviting Judas to turn himself around.  

As a gesture of hospitality, acceptance and love, Jesus offered him a piece of bread dipped in the fruit/nut sauce.  Judas took the piece of bread.  John says at that point Satan entered him.  Jesus told him to hurry and do what he was going to do.  Judas left the table and went out into the night.

The remaining 11 disciples, who would be responsible for establishing the church or body of believers that would last throughout history, heard this lesson about loving one another from Jesus.

As we gather here in this place today to worship God and remember that we are those who are commissioned in our day to be the church of our Lord Jesus Christ, these words are for us.

We, too, are constantly being lured away from what God has called us to do.  Satan does not come to us with some grand plan of betrayal, but comes to us with subtle distractions, giving us choices and what may be thought of as logical reasons or excuses for not hearing the call of God and acting on it immediately.

Satan knows we love Jesus.  He knows he cannot compete for our love and worship, so he tells us that while it is okay, maybe even good, to know God and obey his direction for our lives, there is plenty of time.

“Do it later.  Seize this opportunity for yourself.  Stay out late, skip church, sleep late.  You need some time off.  Use this time for yourself while you have it, for it will soon be lost.  God will always be there.  You can do his thing later.
 
“God’s direction for your life can wait.  Now you need to make some money.  Now you need to get out of debt.  Now you need to get these kids raised and the house paid off.  There is plenty of time.” 

While those goals are good goals, they can be distractions and cause our disobedience to God’s call.  Every parent knows:  Delayed obedience is disobedience. 

Delayed obedience is disobedience.
 
When God speaks to us and lines up opportunities and invites us to trust him and follow where he leads, if we do anything but obey at that moment, we are disobeying and choosing to live outside God’s plan.

Now how can we tell when it is the voice of God calling us?

1. God will never ask us to do anything that would disobey his written word.  When God calls us to step out on faith and answer his call, it will never be against God’s word.  So when we have a decision to make, we can go to God’s word and find direction.  Studying and becoming familiar with God’s written word always makes deciding to obey easier.

2. Our goal in all our relationships regardless of our age or ability is to follow the command of Christ:  “Love one another.”  God would never call us to do something that would deliberately hurt someone else.

3. While obeying God’s call may call us out of our comfort zone, we know with God’s help we can do it.  God is not going to call us to do something that will overwhelm us.  God is going to use the abilities and interests we have already.  God will sharpen and shape them as tools for accomplishing great things for God’s kingdom.

4. God’s call is not just for one aspect of our lives, but for all aspects.  God’s call is for us to obey God’s directions in our marriage, our home life, our jobs, even our leisure pursuits.  God wants us to be asking, “How am I obeying God’s call in my marriage, in my relationship with my parents, in my work place, at school?”  Living in obedience to God’s call means we follow where God leads in all those areas.   

Now the reality we all must face is we have had some mixed success in obeying God’s call.  There are times when we have put off doing what God has called us to do.  We have made some excuse.  We have disobeyed.

Perhaps you have that nagging feeling that is calling you back to the call God put in your heart long ago. 

The Good News is, “It is not too late.”  We are all alive.  It is not too late.  God invites us to do our part for God’s Kingdom, beginning today where we are.  God is not looking for only young people, only talented people, only people with lots of experience, or only those who have a great history of faith.

God is individualizing our call.  God is preparing each one of us, at this time in our lives, to accomplish great things for God’s Kingdom.  When we yield our will to his, when obedience becomes the primary goal of our lives, then we know with each new day, “It is never too late.”

                                                          Amen.

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