“Following Christ: Joining God on the Journey” Matthew 4: 12-23

The story of Jesus’s ministry in the Gospel of Matthew is a bit different from some of the other Gospels. In Matthew Jesus is baptized in the Jordan River by his cousin, John, is then sent off into the wilderness to be tempted, and then emerges to find out the distressing news that John had been arrested. Jesus’s public ministry began just as John’s public ministry ended. 

The first act of Jesus’s public ministry was to continue on the proclamation that John had started “Repent! For the Kingdom of Heaven has come near!” The only problem is that people didn’t quite get what he was saying. They thought that Jesus was talking about a military take over of the Roman government, when really Jesus was speaking about something more powerful and lasting - people being called to follow the ways and priorities of God. 

Which is exactly what Jesus did next - Jesus called two brothers, Simon and Andrew, to follow him and he would make them fishers of people. I’m not sure they exactly knew what Jesus meant either, but something in what he said compelled them to leave their nets, leave their lively hood, leave everything that they knew and follow him. Jesus did the same thing with two other brothers - James and John, who also left their father, and followed Jesus.

Sometimes, I think that we are waiting for Jesus to walk by us and call our names to follow him as well. We are waiting for an experience like that of the first disciples to join God on the journey, where Jesus came to them in the flesh and told them that they were now going to go and fish for people. 

But for many of us that isn’t the case. My own call story is more subtle. Since I was a small child, I thought that I was supposed to be a doctor. There are pictures of me playing doctor from as young as a toddler, making my parents be the patients on the couch, up to high school when I attended a special summer program for those going into the medical profession. But when I got to college, I realized that there was a great chasm between what I thought I was supposed to do and what I was truly passionate about. I realized that medicine wasn’t calling, but I also didn’t know what was. 

I spend the next several years trying to find my way, my calling, switching both majors an d schools before settling on a career in counseling. My junior year of college when I was applying to graduate schools. I remember standing in the dissertation room at one of the universities and just breaking down in tears, realizing that this, too, was not my calling. With those tears the conversation shifted from seeking a call, to listening for a call. As I spent time in prayer, I realized that all along my passions, gifts, and graces were aligning for parish ministry.

Sometimes we let our own expectations get in the way of following Jesus. We so badly want Jesus to show up in a particular way in our lives, that we overlook his call again and again in our own lives. Yes, sometimes the call to follow Jesus comes in an audible voice. Or the encouragement of another person. Or sometimes simply in falling tears, as we lay down our own plans for those of Christ. But the central truth about Jesus calling us is it is foundational to who we are.

The disciples entire lives changed that day when they heard Jesus say “follow me” and went. Here’s the thing that we miss out on sometimes in our translations though - they didn’t just go - they went immediately. Without hesitation. In the Greek it means they “directly went”. They didn’t consult or pause, they simply went because Jesus said something that touched their souls.

Is that how we respond today, brothers and sisters? Because the truth is Jesus is calling all of us, both as individuals to follow him, and as a church. When Jesus calls us to try something new to reach new people, is our response to do it without hesitation? 

Because here’s the thing, church, we are all called to be part of the mission and ministry of Jesus Christ. Not just some of us. All of us. In fact, if we have accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we are all also called to be fishers of people. What does it look like today to be fishers of people in this world?

I only remember fishing a few times when I was a child, but I remember that one of the basic premises was certain bait catches certain fish. In other words sometimes we need to change the lore, if we want to catch people. Friends, I’m not sure we are always quick to change our lore as the church. What do I mean by that? Do we share our faith in ways that truly speak to people’s hearts. Do we use words that they understand. 

I was recently at a training with our new Director of Congregational Development, Kay Kotan, and Kay was making the point that all too often as a church we throw the label of evangelism on things that are clearly not. She gave the example of putting a sign in the church lawn that advertised an annual chili super. Then if someone from the community actually showed up at the chili super we make them pay for it, and then they often go and sit by themselves before leaving. Then we get excited because we had a new person come through the door, but we never really talked to them. This is not evangelism that is connecting with folks who don’t know Jesus. 

Instead, what would it mean to actually examine everything that we do through the lens of a visitor. What would reach them? What words or things do we do that they may not understand? In other word, what road blocks can we remove in order to truly be fishers of people? 

Now I am not saying here that we change the message. The message is always about Jesus, brothers and sisters. But I am asking if we are serious about being fishers of people and what we are willing to do or change in order to reach new people. In other words what does it mean to be a congregation that truly fishes for people?

The disciples responded because Jesus simply said “follow me”. They didn’t know who this Jesus was. They had no idea what was coming next. What would Jesus have to say to us today, church, for us to follow him? And what does it mean for us to be followers of Jesus? Do we respond to Jesus’s invitation with excuses or do we immediately go because it is our Lord and Savior who is calling us?

Because we know the list of things that are keeping us from full-heartedly following Jesus. We don’t have the time. We can’t make the commitment. We aren’t sure since we don’t know all of the details. Friends, the early disciples could have said all of the same things, but instead, they focused on Jesus instead of all of the reasons why not. 

Church, Jesus is calling us today. How are we going to respond? Are we going to immediately go, doing whatever it takes to proclaim the Kingdom of Heaven? Are we going to risk the unknown for the sake of God? Are we going to be a congregation that fishes for people with Jesus? Are we willing to be disciples? Amen.