Today’s Scripture

Psalm 27         Isaiah 9:1-4     1 Corinthians 1:10-18             Matthew 4:12-25

 

            In today’s Gospel reading we learn that when Jesus begins his 3-year preaching and teaching ministry, he starts out in the area of Israel called Galilee.  It is the area to the west of the Sea of Galilee.  He moves from Nazareth (southwest of the Sea of Galilee) to Capernaum on the northern shore.  There are different reasons why Jesus begins and carries out a major portion of his ministry in this region.

 

            #1  It is God’s plan that Jesus does his ministry here.  He prophecies this in Isaiah as we read earlier.  He then does this to fulfill that prophecy, as Jesus fulfills all of the prophecies concerning the promised Messiah.

 

            #2  This area of Israel is not the most favored area for Jewish leadership and esteem by them.  This area was settled by the tribes of Naphtali (5^th son of Jacob by Rachel’s handmaden, Bilhah) and Zebulun, the youngest son of Jacob and Leah.  These tribes lived with and commingled with Canaanites there.  Tiglath-pilezer III, an Assyrian king incorporated this area into the Assyrian provincial system around 728 B.C.  This area is called the “way of the sea” as it is in the main route between Egypt and Damascus (further north).  As a main trading route, this area is also known to be inhabited by many Gentiles.

 

            #3  The Jewish leaders in Jerusalem did not respect this area.  We read in John 7:52 that the Pharisees debunked Jesus and his ministry and ridiculed Nicodemus saying to him, “Are you from Galilee too?  Look into it, a prophet does not come from Galilee.” The disciple Nathaniel initially doubted Jesus’ authority asking Philip, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?”  Remember Philip’s invitation, “Come and see.”  [John 1:46f] 

 

            #4  The area along the Jordan where Jesus begins is north of the Sea of Galilee.  It is very distant from the area John the Baptist was teaching farther south and nearer to the Dead Sea.  This makes a distinct separation from the Baptist and the Messiah.

 

            With all of these differences, Jesus begins his message where John the Baptist left off.  His first words are, “Repent.”  Repentance is necessary to receive the Savior.  As prophesied about the Baptist, repentance makes the path level for the coming Savior.  Sin and guilt are the mountains and valleys that stand in the way of receiving salvation.  Repentance levels these obstacles.  Jesus tells the episode of the tax collector and the Pharisee praying in the temple.  Denial of sin does not result in justification.  The tax collector’s humble prayer, “God, have mercy on me, a sinner,” [Luke 18:13] and he went home justified before God [v. 18].

 

            After this call to repentance, Jesus continues with the “good news,” for the kingdom of heaven is near.”  The word for “good news” is the word we eventually get “Gospel.”  The Gospel of Jesus Christ is good news in our hearts today and always.

 

            That the kingdom of heaven “is near” tells us the urgency of Jesus’ message.  When something is near, is coming soon, we make plans and get ready.   If we talk about Christmas or another special event for next year, there is plenty of time.  But when Christmas or that event is near, we know the urgency of completing the preparations. 

 

            About the kingdom of heaven being near, as a people we have lost the urgency as we go home and get busy with the activities in our busy lives.  The disciples lived out their lives continually expecting to see Jesus come again for the last day.  It is now approaching two thousands years later.  The world is complacent about his coming.  We can easily forget that the kingdom comes individually when one least expects it.  I remind myself and many of us how easy it would be if we could visually see the Lord coming each time he takes another believer home, or comes in judgment for each unbeliever.  Then we remember Jesus’ words to Thomas, “Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed,” [John 20:29]. 

 

            We also see the prevalent evidence of what the world considers knowledgeable experts in religion who mislead countless souls away from what Scripture says to the reduced imaginations of the human mind.  The urgency to know and believe the truth God gives in Scripture is lost to so many. 

 

            That is one of the reasons all at Immanuel are invited during Lent to join Together in the Word.  During this period we are invited to read the same Scripture daily, to discuss and further study God’s word together, as together each prepares himself/herself for this coming kingdom.  It is an opportunity for each to invite a friend, relative, co-worker, neighbor, classmate, to join you, to learn God’s graces fulfilled in Christ Jesus so one is prepared for the coming kingdom and confident for that moment when it comes.

 

            As we follow the rest of today’s Gospel, we see Jesus’ calling these four disciples to leave their fishing nets to follow him to become fishers of men.  Those fishing nets were designed to pull large numbers of fish in.  The Gospel is designed the same way, to be thrown out and let it gather in the souls it wraps itself around.  As these and the other disciples put aside their work, we too are to put aside our work each day to follow Jesus and catch other souls for him.  No, we do not neglect our jobs, our tasks, our studies.  But as we do them, to remember that our first mission is to witness the love of Christ in how we do our tasks, offer kindness, and explain the hope in Christ that each one has. 

 

            Here in Des Plaines, we are like Zebulun and Naphtali, the way of the sea.”  We are occupied by a cosmopolitan populace.  We are the crossroads of trade routes of air, road and rail.  We have the calling and the opportunity to share the joy one has in true repentance and knowing those words, “Your sins are forgiven.”  We have the calling and opportunity to share the joy one has in the waters poured in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit for the forgiveness of sins and eternal life.  We have the calling and opportunity to share the joy one has receiving the very body and blood that is given and shed for each one to strengthen faith until life everlasting.  Amen.

 

            And this peace that transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.  Amen.  [Philippians 4:7]