Loving God, you call us to come and follow Jesus, walking with him in the way of love.  Empower us by your Holy Spirit to share that love with others, through the same Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

            The past couple of Sundays have featured John the Baptist, pointing to Jesus as the one who is to come.  This week, our gospel begins with John having been arrested and Jesus withdrawing to Galilee.  It is here that Jesus’ ministry begins in earnest, as he makes his home in “Capernaum by the sea” (Mt. 4:13) and calls his first disciples.  It is no accident that they are fisher-folk, as both fish and fishing will become important considerations in the ministry of Jesus.

         The gospel as we have it seems to be a condensed version of the story.  Jesus walks by the Sea of Galilee, says “Follow me,” and immediately Simon, Andrew, James and John leave their nets and their boats and their father behind, in order to follow Jesus.  While it is possible that Jesus’ personality was so magnetic that they were drawn to him right away, it is also quite probable that they had already interacted with Jesus in some way.  In fact, Luke records that there was a miraculous catch of fish just before they left everything to follow Jesus (Lk. 5:1-11).  Whatever the case may be, there is something about Jesus that draws them away from the only lives they have ever known.

         For us, it might be hard to imagine what it would look like to drop everything in order to follow Jesus.  In the first century it meant spending their days with Jesus – literally following him around - eating together, learning from him, and seeing him heal the sick.  Historically, there have been people who left their earthly riches behind in order to follow Jesus – like St. Francis of Assisi – or people who left their chosen profession behind in order to devote their lives to preaching the gospel – like Martin Luther.  There have also been people who have left their home and family in order to go where the need is the greatest and share the love of Jesus – like Mother Teresa.

         On the other hand, there are people who serve God right where they are and share the love of Jesus through their work (either paid or volunteer), as not everybody is called to follow Jesus in the same way.  Still, are there things that we need to leave behind in order to be able to follow Jesus?  Are there things that draw us away from Jesus and hinder our ability to be the people whom God has called us to be?

         One of our hymns, which is sometimes called The Summons, suggests what it might mean to follow Jesus today (ELW #798).  Some of the things to leave behind include yourself and your fear.  Some of the things we will be asked to do include allowing God to use us as answers to prayer, caring for all people – whether they are cruel or kind, and using our faith to reshape the world around us.  We will also be asked to continue to grow in Christ, even as Jesus asks us, “Will you love the you you hide?”  This, too, is part of following Jesus.

         Of course, then there is the whole question of fishing for people.  It’s not a particularly positive image when we think about people who swallow things hook, line, and sinker!  It almost sounds like tricking people – kind of like tricking the fish with bait and lures.  However, perhaps the image changes when fishing with nets – gathering the fish together in order to bring them into the boat.

         In the series The Chosen, Jesus gives the following instructions about fishing for people: “You are to gather as many as possible – all kinds – and I will sort them out later.”  Isn’t that a great line?  Bring them in – all kinds – and Jesus will sort them out later.

         It is easy for us to forget that we are still called to “fish for people” – to be oriented toward those who have not yet encountered Jesus.  Many of us have a tendency to look inward rather than outward.  We like our congregation, and most of the people, and we only want new people so that they can help to keep it going.  There are times when we want new people to come – not for their sake, but for ours.  This isn’t always the case, but it is a very strong temptation for those who have been here longer than others.

         Fishing, on the other hand, involves drawing people together so that they can encounter Jesus.  It involves sharing the love of God in as many different ways as possible – especially with those who need it the most.  It involves remaining open to those we have not yet met, in the hopes that they will meet Christ in us, and we will meet Christ in them.

         The need continues to be great – for healing, for light in the darkness, and for the good news of God’s love.  Let us, then, join with all those who follow Jesus, ever widening the circle of those who have experienced salvation through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

Epiphany 3A                                     Matthew 4:12-23

January 22, 2023

St. Luke’s Zion Lutheran Church

Pastor Lynne Hutchison

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