Called to Follow

March 31, 2019 Background Scripture: Matthew 4:12 – 22 Lesson Passage: Matthew 4:12 – 22 Today’s lesson passage gives a sketch of Jesus’ movements and activities after his baptism by John the Baptist and temptation in the wilderness. Jesus left the region of Galilee to go to John the Baptist and later he returned to Nazareth. From Nazareth, Jesus traveled northeast to Capernaum, on the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee, which was close to the edge of the northern border of the region primarily occupied by the Jews. While in the area in and surrounding Capernaum, Jesus preached repentance and announced the good news of the presence of the kingdom of heaven. John the Baptist preached repentance and baptism for the remission of sins in preparation for the coming of the kingdom of heaven. The good news Jesus preached was that the kingdom of heaven was at hand—or present. Jesus encountered many people during that time. Some he encountered more than once. There were four he interacted with on more than one occasion. They were Simon, his brother Andrew, and two sons of Zebedee, James and John. Strikingly, their activities at the time of the encounters in this passage suggest something about their future work. All of them were fishermen. Simon and Andrew were casting their net into the waters as Jesus passed by, and Jesus asked them to follow him and he would make them fishers of men. When Jesus came to James and John, they were in a ship mending their nets. Likewise, he called them to follow him. All four men followed Jesus the day he asked them to. However, the picture that unfolds as one weave together the fragments from the different accounts of the gospel suggests that it was on again and off again. In other words, they followed him that day but not necessarily every day thereafter. Sometimes, we need to be asked more than once. As far as their activities relative to their future work was concerned, Simon and Andrew were casting a net into the sea. Early church history records Simon, then called Peter, as an evangelistic preacher. He cast the net of evangelism first into the sea of Jews on the Day of Pentecost and later into the sea of Gentiles in the house of Cornelius. Peter became a fisher of men. James and John were in a ship mending their nets. James was one of the first martyrs in the church. John became the elder statesman who outlived the other apostles. Over the years, many have referred to John’s writings whenever there was strife within the body of Christ. His doctrine has been used to mend much that was torn within Christendom. All four men followed Jesus as requested by him, and their work on the day of their calling became their future ministry for the kingdom of God. We are called to follow Jesus. Sometimes it means that our heart’s desire is in the right direction, but it may not be in the right place. True ministry can take place when Jesus shows us how to take what we love and make it an asset for the kingdom. Before we can lead, we are called to follow. Robert C. Hudson February 14, 2019