On Earth as it is in Heaven

Intro

It’s no secret that I’m originally from St. Louis. I’m not really a sports fan but if I’m going to rep a team they’re growing to be from the city of my birth. My family and I have been in the Chicagoland area for 12 years now but it just doesn’t feel right to change my allegiance. 

I appreciate that none you really hold that against me. 

I did, however, root for the Cubs in their search for their first World Series win since 1908. That was truly a momentous occasion. Since that time STL had won 11 World Series and it seemed fitting to root for the underdog. 

Along with the ongoing rivalry between the Cardinals and Cubs, there’s also the rivalry in hockey between the St. Louis Blues and Chicago Blackhawks. 

No question that the Hawks have been a driving force in hockey over the past decade. The Blues, however, is the oldest NHL team that has never won the Stanley Cup and haven’t been to the finals since 1970. 

Until this year… This year the St. Louis Blues are competing with the Boston Bruins for the Stanley Cup. The Blues currently leads 7 game series 3-2. I win tonight in St. Louis would be just as momentous as the Cubs World Series win in  2016. 

I’m sorry if you’re not a sport fan. Admittedly, I’m really not either but I understand the draw. When you watch these teams over time, it’s exciting to see  the transformation and the goals attained. Whether it been in sports, movies or tv shows many also like to root for the underdog. The comeback story is exciting and compelling. 

This morning we’ll talk about the ultimate comeback story by the epitome of underdog teams. In our text this morning, we get to see how Jesus chooses the team that will lead the charge against the ultimate rival of Satan himself. 

Matthew 4:12–22 ESV

12 Now when he heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew into Galilee. 13 And leaving Nazareth he went and lived in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, 14 so that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: 15 “The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles— 16 the people dwelling in darkness have seen a great light, and for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death, on them a light has dawned.” 17 From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” 18 While walking 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. 19 And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” 20 Immediately they left their nets and followed him. 21 And going on from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets, and he called them. 22 Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.

matt 4:12-22

Matthew 4:18–22 ESV

18 While walking 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. 19 And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” 20 Immediately they left their nets and followed him. 21 And going on from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets, and he called them. 22 Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.

Matt 4:18-22

Pray

When looking at the context of this passage, Jesus and John both ministered in Israel, near the river Jordan. John called Israel to repentance and baptized those who submitted themselves to this call.

Just up until this point in chapter 4 of Matthew, Jesus’ ministry was relatively quiet.

Jesus moves his ministry to Galilee and he begins to choose his team.

What’s interesting is that unlike the sports teams I just talked about, who go after the hottest free agents and the best coaches, Jesus goes after the lowly, the outsiders and the people living in the “shadow of death”.

v. 17

Jesus teaches in the synagogues “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

Sermon Point 1

Jesus Doesn’t Choose the Best, He Chooses the Willing

At first blush, it seems like this is the first encounter Jesus has with these men. However, when we consider John and the other gospels we find that Jesus had known his disciples for a while before he called them to follow him.

Jesus interacted with them and their families and observed them ministry situations. They had seen Jesus in the midst of his ministry so the decision to follow him wasn’t abrupt or made in haste.

This makes their decision that much more important. They left both their career and their families to follow Jesus. They had so much confidence in the person and work of Jesus that verse 20 says they left immediately.

This is remarkable because Jesus didn’t choose warriors to go to battle or the religious elete. He chooses fishermen...

They’re not first string players. They were the B-team. They weren’t the best of the best.

John MacArthur puts it this way:

“God skipped all the wise of the day! The great scholars were in Egypt; the great library was in Alexandria; the great philosophers were in Athens; the powerful were in Rome. He pass over Herodotus the historian and socrates the great thinker and Julius Caesar. He chose men so ordinary it was comical. No Rabbis, no teachers, no religious experts...”

Jesus chose these misfit individuals because His work int he world wouldn’t come from THEIR abilities but from what HE would do THROUGH them.

Jesus doesn’t wait for potential disciples to choose him. Jesus called his disciples to be with him at all times and to witness everything he did.

Acts 1:21–22 ESV

21 So one of the men who have accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, 22 beginning from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us—one of these men must become with us a witness to his resurrection.”

Jesus also trains a wider circle that was dedicated but did not always follow him while he traveled. He began with two sets of brothers: Simon Peter and Andrew, and James and John.

v. 4:18-22

Sermon Point 2

He Chose Us, We Didn’t Chose Him

This master/disciple relationship that we see on display here is very different than what was typical during this time. Typically a disciple would choose the rabbi they wished to follow. If that Rabbi though you were sincere and worthy, he would allow them to be his disciple.

The goal of a disciple would be to commit themselves to the law and move from one master to another in order to gain as much knowledge about the law as possible.

We see time and time again in the life of Jesus how he breaks the mold and doesn’t wait for volunteers He selects his own disciples and challenges them to follow him. In the original language follow me us literally translated as “come behind me”.

He isn’t call them (and us us by extension) to only be apprentices gathering information about the Torah or to rehearse religions traditions.

He calls his disciples to fish to people.

Matthew 13:47–48 ESV

47 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and gathered fish of every kind. 48 When it was full, men drew it ashore and sat down and sorted the good into containers but threw away the bad.

Another analogy Jesus uses is that of farming and harvesting.

Matthew 9:36–38 ESV

36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; 38 therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”

Matt 9:36

Brothers and sisters, some of you might be struggling with things in your life today. Whether it be your marriage, career, parenting or anything else, just remember this, if you are a disciple of Christ, He chose you!

John 15:16 ESV

16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.

Sermon Point 3

Our Primary Calling is to Be With Him

Remember what Jesus says. He says, Follow Me.

Most of you are aware that in this season I have been called to two vocations. I’m happy to serve this church full time as Pastor and I also work another full time job as a cyber security director.

I manage people across 5 states. I recently hired someone for my team in Louisville. I spent some time this week training him. There are certain things he can learn from me because I’ve been with the company for 6 year but there are multiple things that I’ll have to send him to training for. I’ll have to send him to other teachers to prepare him to do his job well.

Jesus, when he calls his disciples says, Follow Me.

To be a disciple, Jesus is the only teacher that we need. In order to do our jobs as disciples we must become like Him. The become like Him, we have to know Him. To know Him, we have to know His word.

Here at First Baptist Bolingbrook we have many outlets for this. In addition to our weekly gathering, we have community groups and special studies. We’re reading through the bible together with our daily reading plan.

If you’re serious about being His disciple, you’ll take advantage of a lot of these.

Get His word inside you until it dominates all your thinking and behavior. Until you think it and talk it and quote it.

Sermon Point 4

To Follow Him, We Have to Leave All

v. 20

To follow Jesus, He has to take precedence over everything else in our lives.

It must be God above all.

It must be Christ above all.

It must be Gospel above all.

Most of you won’t literally lose your father and mother over Jesus but some might.

When Muslims hear the gospel and submit their lives to Christ they get cut off from their families and friends. We’re not just talking about in places like Pakistan but also here in this very country. If you come from a Muslim family and abandon Islam for the truth of the gospel, you will be cast out from everything you knew prior. They truly suffer a cost for the gospel.

God may tell you to change careers. God may tell you to leave your job and take the gospel oversees as a missionary. For many of you, it probably won’t be that dramatic.

But you will have moments where you decide which holds great sway over your life.

Sermon Point 5

He Commands Us to Spiritually Reproduce

When we follow Jesus, it’s with the goal of becoming like Jesus.

Just as He was a fisher of men, His followers would become fishers of men. This is what it means to be a disciple and is an essential part.

It’s not something that only a few of us do; It’s something that each of us does.

There is no such thing as a non-reproducing Christian.

Look at what Jesus says in the gospel of John:

John 15:8 ESV

8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.

How do you prove that you are a disciple?

By bearing fruit!

If you’re not bearing fruit, you have reason to question whether you are a disciple at all.

Matthew 28:19–20 ESV

19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Conclusion

As we examine the call jesus extended to his first disciples we should keep in mind that their commitment to follow is an act of faith. This is an informed faith and not a blind faith.

In the same way, when we submit our lives to Christ, we must understand what we are doing and count the cost.

Once we understand the call, we must also follow the example of the first disciples to make a decisive choice.

Revelation 3:15–17 ESV

15 “ ‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! 16 So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. 17 For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.

Rev 3:15

Revelation 3:15–16 ESV

15 “ ‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! 16 So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.

Rev 3:15-16

When Jesus calls Peter and Andrew, they were casting their nets. Jesus called and they dropped their nets and followed him.

When Jesus called James and John they were in their boat , with their father, mending their nets, apparently at the end of their night of fishing described in . When Jesus called, they left their father and the family business to immediately follow Christ.

Brothers and sisters, God’s kingdom still needs dedicated workers.

We are instruments of God to deliver His message to the ends of the earth.

Don’t let this intimidate you. Disciple making is simply teaching someone to follow Jesus as you follow Jesus with the help of the Holy Spirit. Jesus has promised to help you.

So, Who’s Your One?

Ask God to help you identify one person in your life, with the help of the Holy Spirit, that would come to saving faith in Christ this year.

Can you imagine what it would look like if every one of the people here today would do this.

If each one of us would say to God, “Give me one person I could bring to Jesus.” If everyone of our community groups made it their goal to reach one person for Jesus? If each one committed to reach just one person?

Are you a disciple?

If not, I urge you to become one today.

Unlike what we saw here in the text, we may not necessarily be required to drop everything to follow Jesus - although some still do.

Even if we don’t physically leave anything to follow Jesus, new converts do break from their ordinary life. We have a new and different definition of what a good life looks like.

We find joy and satisfaction in new things. We may find as much joy in feeding the hungry as in being fed by a gourmet chef.

We may find more satisfaction in nurturing someone else then being nurtured.

We might prefer to spend free time receiving training for ministry instead of watching television or attending a concerts.