Come and Do

CONTEXT

Last week: John the Baptism pointed out Jesus as the Christ and two disciples went and met Jesus.

John the Baptist also spoke out against corruption. Specifically, he rebuked the sins of Herod Antipas, the local governor.

Herod had John the Baptist thrown in prison.

Text

Matthew 4:12–23 “Now when Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew to Galilee. He left Nazareth and made his home in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, so that what had been spoken through the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: “Land of Zebulun, land of Naphtali, on the road by the sea, across the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles— the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death light has dawned.” From that time Jesus began to proclaim, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” As he walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea—for they were fishermen. And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fish for people.” Immediately they left their nets and followed him. As he went from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John, in the boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets, and he called them. Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed him. Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and curing every disease and every sickness among the people.”

Introduction

last week come and see.

Today’s lesson is about being called by Christ…to come and do. to join him in his ministry of sharing Kingdom of God with a needy world.

Exegesis 1: Jesus calls two brothers

Jesus begins his ministry in the region of the north, near Galilee. On the one hand, Jesus was distancing himself from the immediate threat of Herod. Jesus was not motivated by fear. He knew that he would one day suffer and die for the kingdom of God…No, he went to the North to call the disciples he would use to extend that kingdom after his death.

Matthew says, Jesus’s ministry in the region of Galilee fulfilled what was written by the prophet Isaiah:

Isaiah 9:2 “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light: light has dawned upon them, dwellers in a land as dark as death.”

Matthew and Isaiah are referring to a well-known history in Jesus’ day: About 700 years previously, the Assyrians had invaded the Northern region and destroyed or exiled many of the Jews living there. And the Jews had never fully recovered.

Generally viewed as a region where Jewish faith and pagan doubt were mixed up together.

The region was, spiritually speaking, a place of “darkness”.

The prophet promised, however, that it was precisely where the darkness was deepest that the light of a new kingdom would dawn.

And so Jesus fulfilled that promise: Jesus the Christ comes preaching, “The Kingdom of God is at hand.”

His plan is to call disciples out of darkness into the light of his kingdom, to share in the ministry of bringing others into light.

Who does he call for such a purpose?

He call not starling pupils, no Nicodemuses. He does not call warriors, no King Davids. He does not call wealthy patrons, no Solomons.

He calls Simon and Andrew and James and John. “Come and follow me”

Men he had met before. Men who wanted to listen to him, to follow him, to have faith in him. Men eager for him and the Kingdom he preached.

He did not need followers with stuff or positions or power. He needed disciples with hearts that desired to come out of darkness into light.

Application 1: We are called

We live in a dark world today, just as the first disciples did long ago.

We see the darkness of doubt and sin all around us. on the world stage. In media. In our workplace. Even in our families.

It can be overwhelming, and Isaiah could say of our time and place: the people are living in a land of deep shadow.

Yet, today as long ago, Jesus brings the light of his kingdom into the darkness.

He calls disciples to join him in the work he is doing.

He calls us.

The good news is that He does not need us to be powerful or superlative or influential in any way. He has all the power and authority he needs.

What he needs is people who want to follow him. To come out of the darkness into the light. People who want to listen to him. Who desire the kingdom he brings.

The first and basic quality of disciple. To follow the master. That is all Jesus is looking for.

So, if you desire Jesus and his kingdom, Yes, he is calling you.

1 Peter 2:9 “But you are … a people claimed by God for his own, to proclaim the triumphs of him who has called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.”

1 Corinthians 1:26–28 “My brothers, …God has chosen things low …mere nothings, to [overcome the world]”

Exegesis 2: Jesus says, “I will make you fishers of people.”

Jesus calls Peter and Andrew; James and John. All of whom were fishermen.

He extends to them a call tailored exactly to them:

He says, “Come and follow me, and I will make you fishers of people.”

He joins to together what they already are…with what he wants them to become.

If Jesus had said, Come help me preach the kingdom of God. They would have been at a lost. What do they know about preaching?

But if he were to say, teach me about catching fish, they could teach him every trick in the book.

So he joins the two together: I will make you fish for people.

He tells them that he is going to take what they already are and put it to a spiritual purpose.

As fishermen they are used to

hard work.

Strategically locating fish

Skillfully ensnaring them.

With Strength pulling them in.

You do this with fish. I’m calling you to do it with people.

As fishers of people I want you to join me in the hard work of finding sinners submerged in the deeps of sin, baiting them toward heaven, and then hauling them in.

Andrew, Peter, James and John, they can understand that. They can envision that. They can respond to that.

Application 2: Grace perfects nature

When Christ calls us…he calls US.

He doesn’t call us to be something other than what we are. He loves who we are. He calls us to be who we are with and for him.

He wants to take who and what we are and transpose it to a higher key.

One theological writes says, “Grace perfects nature”.

Whatever you are good at in this world is a gift from heaven and can be used for heavenly purposes.

Examples all around us.

Musicians…could do it just for earthly applause. I fine use of that gift. Jesus says, let me make you a singer for God.

Tech folks in back….could work tech for earthly compenstion…jesus says, I’ll make you a technician for God.

Finances, property, deliberation, caring, teaching…all useful in the world…. Jesus, says let us employ that for kingdom purposes.

Confession: All too often we get it backwards: Make me a better fisher of fish. Help me to my earthly work! Switch: Make me a fisher of people. Let me serve you first and foremost.

This calling is not just about our competencies. Jesus also loves who we are as people and call us to follow him with our whole personality: Inquisitive. Servant. Loving. Generous. Curious. Directive. Realistic. Grace perfects nature. It can keep these characteristics from being harmful. Used only for earthly goals. And can relate them to bringing people to Christ.

Good news: Jesus calls you not to be something other than you, but he calls you to be you for and with him.

Exegesis 3: And they left their nets

Jesus says, “Follow me. I’ll make you fishers of people.”

And the first disciples respond immediately and without reservation.

Simon Peter and Andrew leave their nets and follow him. James and John leave their boats and their father, Zebedee, and follow Jesus.

They don’t say, okay just give me a few hours, to clean up.

They don’t tie up loose ends.

They do not ask for a second opinion, advice, permission.

This dramatic response from the disciples shows us that they had their priorities lined up. They wanted to walk with Jesus. They were waiting and hoping for his call. When he called, they were ready and eager to move. Right then.

Sadly, the gospel records that the opposite response in possible.

A would-be disciple who expressed desire to follow Jesus, but delayed because of other commitments. Jesus says, ‘No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.” (Luke 9:62)

But not these four disciples.

They understood that when Jesus said, the Kingdom of heaven is at hand…he meant the kingdom of God is right now. Not yesterday, not tomorrow. Now.

Isaiah 55:6 “Seek the Lord while he may be found, call upon him while he is near;”

And as Paul interpreted: NOW is the favorable time; now is the day of salvation. (2 Cor. 6:2)

Author to the Hebrews: Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden you heart! (Hebrews 3:13)

And it was the Andrew, Peter, James, and John’s ability to recognize hear Jesus’ call in the present moment that enabled them to drop what they were doing and follow him.

Jesus went throughout all the region, preaching, teaching, healing, working miracles. In every town the people got to see a glimpse of Jesus. He arrived, he departed.

Peter, Andrew, James, John got to see it all. Because every day, they said today is a day that I will follow the Lord. So wherever he went, they went. Whatever he did, they saw. Whatever he said, they heard.

They witnessed the Son of God in all his ministry! What a privilege

Because they gave each of their days to Jesus, they ended up giving all their days to him, and that was why, when Jesus departed the earth, he could give the message of the kingdom over to them.

Application 3: Free to Follow

Kingdom of God is here. Christ calls us.

His call presents us with a choice…to follow him or not.

There are always bad reasons that will tempt us to put off the call.

We will tell ourselves, “I will get serious about Christ tomorrow.”

But tomorrow is not promised to us.

If we say every day, “tomorrow” then we shall never actually begin the journey.

We will tell ourselves I will follow Jesus when the conditions are more favorable.

But when will that be? Have you ever had a time in life when you when there were no cares, no problems, no worries?

All those thoughts are like nets that we need to just set aside.

When the Lord call us, we don’t need to delay, we don’t need to get a second opinion, we don’t need permission. We just need to hear him and follow him.

For he wants to give us a great gift: to see his kingdom unfolding.

“The past is history, the future is a mystery, right now is a gift, that is why it is called the present.”

When decide each day to follow Jesus today, we will begin to see the things that he is doing.

He is doing so much.

Today: Ministry Fair: Check it out. Get involved.

Conclusion

Jesus is bringing the kingdom of life and light into the world.

We are each called by Christ to join him in this work.

To be who we are for him.

Now is the time to respond.