Today's post includes the Gospel verse that reflects Jesus' invitation to the disciples. It's followed by a devotion, written by Nance Wabshaw, posted at www.allsaintsphoenix.org.
Matthew 4:12-23
Gospel Lesson for Sunday, Jan 26, 2014
12Now when Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew to Galilee. 13He left Nazareth and made his home in Capernaum by the sea, in the Territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, 14so that what had been spoken through the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled:
15“Land of Zebulun, land of Naphtali, on the road by the sea, across the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles – 16the 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.”
17From that time Jesus began to proclaim, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” 18As 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. 19And he said to them “Follow me, and I will make you fish for people. 20Immediately they left their nets and followed him. 21As he went from there, he saw to other brothers, James, son of Zebedee and his brother John, in the boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets, and he called them. 22Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed him. 23Jesus 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.(e-Devotion text by Nance Wabshaw) Matthew is determined at every turn to underscore the fact that Jesus’ geographical moves were each a fulfillment of prophecy. This move to
I don’t really like to fish. Getting up before first light to get into a boat, wrangling worms on a sharp hook and snagging a living creature that I don’t really enjoy eating just doesn’t light me up! When I see news reports on the struggling fishing industry in the northeast or the starfish blight along the west coast, I wonder how people can hope to make their living this way, let alone do it as recreation. But as grueling as this work could be, it was also extremely important work, taught and bequeathed down through the generations. Fishing was no less arduous when Jesus was on the shores of
I can imagine Jesus walking along the shore, leaving sandal prints in the sand to be washed away with the tide. It was still dark because Simon (Peter) and Andrew were just casting their nets when Jesus showed up and offered them a “new job.” Jesus’ spirit probably outshone the sun as he approached them so it would be no surprise to read that the response to his offer included such words as “immediately” and “at once.” No returning home to discuss with family, no season of pondering pros and cons…just the immediate response to the great light that had dawned on them. And, as with anyone who spends enough time with someone, the disciples began to take on the attributes of Jesus so that he could tell them (and us), “You are the light of the world (Matthew 5:14).”
For whatever reason, Zebedee stayed in the boat as his sons, James and John, left to begin a brand new journey. It is intriguing that he didn’t join them. Perhaps he was thinking of his other responsibilities. Maybe he had already “sowed his wild oats” as he might have considered his sons’ impetuous behavior. We don’t know if he rejected Jesus or simply wasn’t invited to join Jesus’ initial group of missionaries. Whatever the reason, Matthew leaves Zebedee in the boat which suddenly, to me, seems like a perilous place to be. And yet, how many times have I chosen to stay in the boat, seasick as I might be, rather than climb out and begin a journey of unknown dangers (and equally unknown joy) with God?
Discipleship is not something we can understand from the beginning. It unfolds for each of us in a God-ordained way. If they had known “the end from the beginning,” who knows what they would have chosen. But Jesus’ beckoning must have been exactly what these men had been seeking. Their immediate response is the essence of repentance, which is not necessarily an emotion of sorrow for sins as it is a decision to change our minds, hearts and life directions. God gives us more than one chance to say “Yes” so I choose to believe that Zebedee eventually got out of the boat to do whatever God asked of him.
Being a fisher of men and women is not on a list of optional spiritual practices; it is the heart and soul of any disciple of Jesus Christ. And each one of us is worthy of that call, regardless of what we are doing when we hear it. It doesn’t depend on our talents, our good looks, our bank account, our current profession. It depends on the grace of God and God’s desire that each of us abandons our leaky, self-driven boat and joins him in the most amazing journey there is. My prayer is that I will receive each day the strength of will to untangle myself from the things of this world—to “leave my
nets”—and experience the exhilaration of simply following the Lord.
