Following Jesus – January 28, 2024

Isaiah 9:1-7, Matthew 4:12-25
January 28, 2024

This passage from Matthew is all about the beginning of Jesus’ ministry in Galilee.  I mentioned this last week because we were looking at the story of what happened when he spoke in his home synagogue in Nazareth.  (If you want, you can go back and read what I said then.  It’s on the website.)

At the beginning of that story, Luke tells us that Jesus had been preaching in Galilee, “and he taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all.”  That’s what he said.  And when he came to his hometown, they had heard what was happening.  And they wanted to hear and see some of the things they had heard about.  Again, I talked about that last week.

Well, this is Matthew’s account of that time Luke was referring to, when he was preaching and teaching in Galilee.  And as we consider this story, I want you to keep in mind that Matthew was writing to a predominantly Jewish audience, attempting to prove to them that Jesus was the Messiah who was prophesied in their scriptures.  So throughout Matthew, you find many Old Testament references.  You read, “Thus and such happened to fulfill the scripture.”  And then the quote.

Well, there’s one right here.  Matthew tells us that when John had been arrested, (that is John the Baptist) Jesus withdrew into Galilee.  And he went and dwelt in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulum and Naphtali, that the word of the prophet may be fulfilled.”  And that’s connection with the Isaiah quote.  And you heard those names just a little while ago.

Isaiah wrote, “In the former time he (God) brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali.  But in the latter time he will make glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations.”  And that’s the lead-in to this passage we often read at Christmas time.  “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light.”  That’s how Matthew quotes that passage here.  Jesus has now begun his ministry in the very places and the very region that Isaiah foretold.  And it was Capernaum.

Well, I wanted us to focus on that time in Capernaum today, because, as I’ve said before, Capernaum became Jesus’ adopted hometown.  It became his “base of operations” during his earthly ministry.  We hear a lot about him being in Galilee, but Capernaum was his town.

So, two things happened there, which we see in this passage.  First, we see Jesus choosing some of his first disciples.  “As he walked by the Sea of Galilee,” probably in Capernaum, “he saw two brothers, Simon who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea,”

That’s the first story.  The second thing that happens here is that he taught in the synagogue, and then, as Matthew tells us, “He went about all Galilee, preaching the Gospel of the kingdom, and healing every disease and infirmity among the people.”  If you remember, Luke describes that “healing of the multitudes” in his Gospel, too.  It started after Jesus healed Peter’s mother-in-law.  After that, they brought to him all the sick and infirmed from around that region to be healed.  (You can find that in Luke chapter 4.)

I like those two stories together in our reading.  Because in each of those two stories, the calling of the disciples and the gathering of the crowds, we find the word “follow.”  That’s the operative word.  First, Jesus called these men to be his disciples, saying “Follow me.”  And they did.  Then Matthew tells us that “great crowds followed Jesus all around Galilee.”  And that’s what I want us to be thinking about today.  “Following Jesus.”

As I said last week, that’s the hard part.  I had been talking with a colleague recently, and we were saying how many people in churches these days are having trouble following Jesus.  Oh, they’re just fine with the whole “salvation” part of Jesus.  But it’s the “obedience” – it’s the “following” – that they have a hard time with.  As Jesus would say later, in Matthew 16, “If anyone would come after me, they must deny themselves, and take up the cross, and follow me.” (Matthew 16:24-26)  Now “Following Jesus” has become much more serious, hasn’t it?

And before you start thinking, “Well, this was Jesus calling the disciples – the Apostles – these guys who would change the world.  They were the “biggies,” the greatest, in the Christian faith!”  Before you start thinking that, remember this.  Jesus was not calling people who were great.  He was not calling people who had high social status, or the best religious training.  And that’s who rabbis usually called to be their disciples!  They would call disciples from among the best of the best of their students.  But here, Jesus was calling fishermen to be his disciples!  That had to have been shocking!

I’ve said this before.  I think the priests who criticized Jesus about his disciples not following proper religious traditions, would have said with sarcasm in their voice, “Rabbi, your disciples are not doing so and so.”  And there was probably some sarcasm around the word “Rabbi,” too!

When Jesus called his disciples, they knew that it meant something special for them to be called to follow a rabbi.  But these guys would also have known that they were the most unlikely people to ever be called in that way!

And that puts them on a par with us.  (Or we with them!)  God calls all of us, too.  And he calls us not just to be believers, but to follow – just like he called Peter and Andrew, James and John, and all the rest.  They were fishermen, a revolutionary troublemaker, and yes even a dreaded tax collector – one who was now writing this story!

I want us to understand that Jesus has called us, too.  And yes, maybe we’re not going to be followers like those special twelve men turned out to be.  And then again, maybe we are!  You never know with God.  Because God doesn’t call great people to do things.  He calls ordinary people to do great things!

Then, in the second part of this, we see a different kind of “following.”  With his preaching and teaching and healing, as his fame grew, and people followed.  A lot of people followed.  Large crowds followed.  They knew something very special was happening before their eyes!  And many people have been his followers ever since.  Including us.

But, I wonder about those crowds that followed him.  Did any of them say, “Wow, that was really amazing,” but then the amazement wore off and Jesus just became a footnote in their lives.  And does that ever happen to us?  Do we ever lose that sense of “awe” about Jesus?  Do we ever “get over” the excitement about him and go back to our lives as it he has had no impact on us?

Think about that.  Think about the things that really jazzed you in your life.  Think about things that really amazed you, and you were all amped up about.  And think about how that amazement dissipated over time.  You still think about those things, but you don’t have that sense of excitement anymore.  Maybe it was some great accomplishment.  Maybe it was an event you witnessed, like a championship in some sport.  It was great!  But now it’s just a footnote in your life.

Does faith ever get like that?  Does your relationship with Jesus ever get like that.  You’ve been following in the crowd, you were all excited, but after a while you’ve left and gone home with maybe a warm feeling, but not much left of the initial excitement.

In the revelation to John – in the book of Revelation – the angel says to the church in Ephesus, “I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name’s sake, and you have not grown weary.  But I have this against you, you have abandoned the love you had at first.  Remember then from what you have fallen.  Repent and do the works you did at first.” (Revelation 2:4-5)

It’s important that we remember.  It’s important that we recapture that sense of awe and wonder.  It’s important that we think about our journey of faith, when it started, where it’s taken us.  It’s important that we think about those things, or the routine of life will simply take their place in our minds and our thoughts.

It’s important that we remember that we don’t just “believe” in Jesus, and that’s it;  that we don’t just say we’re disciples, and then go back to our lives without thinking of him.  It’s important that we know we’re not just believers, we’re followers.  And the way we continue to follow is to keep in touch.  You can’t follow someone in your car if you don’t keep them in sight.  We need to keep Jesus in our sights.  We need to ask him for directions.  And we need to know we are following with each other.  Because sometimes we don’t feel very good about our following, but someone else can help us find that direction.  We’re here for each other in that way.

So, think about Jesus calling these ordinary men to be his disciples.  They were no more special than you or me.  Yet they changed the world.  Think about those crowds following Jesus.  Know that we’re part of that.  We’re part of that “Great cloud of witnesses,” as Paul would describe it to the Hebrews.  May we remember every day, how amazing that is.  And may we “Run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the pioneer and perfector of our faith.”

Prayer

Eternal God, give us the vision and the strength we need to follow Jesus every day.  Strengthen our faith through our fellowship with you and with each other.  Help us to be sure of your abiding presence, no matter what the circumstances of this life.  Help us to remember the joy of your kingdom.  For we pray in our Savior’s name, Amen.