Come Follow

Transcript

It is still raining. Is my sign really that I should just stay all day? I mean, like, we're here, and so you've made it here. So I have liberty to just go to the Word and let's just, you know, settle in. Somebody order pizza and we'll stay for the day.

No, but if you will stand with me and we'll turn to the Gospel of Matthew, Matthew, chapter four. And in verse 12 is where we're going to be reading today. This is the third Sunday after Epiphany. Here in verse 12 it says. Now, when Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew to Galilee, and he left Nazareth and made his way 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 by 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. And as he walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon, who was called Peter, and Andrew, his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishers. And he said to them, follow me, and I will make you fishers of people. And immediately they left their nets and followed him.

And 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, in case you missed his name the first time, mending their nets. And he called them immediately they left the boat and their Father and followed him. And Jesus went throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and curing every disease and every sickness among the people. Jesus, we thank you for your word for us today. It is timely.

It is on purpose. You have called us here, you have gathered us here, this small group, this small group of disciple makers. You've called us here to give us this word. We thank you, Jesus. Would you bless your word today?

Would you come and teach us? Holy Spirit, we need you, our advocate, our comforter, our Teacher. May those who are listening on the Internet, may you come to them as well. Jesus, we need you. Amen.

And you may be seated if you like to follow along chronologically. And you're wondering where we are. This is after Jesus had been tempted in the wilderness. This is after the behold the Lamb of God that John the Baptist spoke. And we heard that message last week.

Jesus then went up to Jerusalem, Passover. He had a conversation with a man named Nicodemus. And then Jesus had a conversation with a Samaritan woman at the well. And then he returned to this place, Galilee. It's interesting.

Matthew the disciple, he had a residence in Galilee. That's where he lived. So he begins to teach the public ministry of Jesus Christ from the place of Galilee. That's where we are today. And if you're looking at that scripture, don't you love at the very beginning, where it says when Jesus heard.

Isn't it interesting? The humanity of Jesus, the Son of God, the second person of the Trinity, all God and yet, all man. And he heard the news all knowing and yet he heard. And it says Jesus heard and yet. And Jesus went.

And where did he go? He went to this place called Galilee. Now Galilee was predominantly Gentile. It was not the religious hub. It was a different place.

It was very crowded. There was lots of people that lived in Galilee. And it was known as a farming area. Fertile land. Which is interesting that he would go to that where it was fertile.

Here we are at harvest point. The harvest is what, plentiful? Yes, it is. So this is where he goes. And it says that Jesus made his home in a place called Capernaum.

I think we have a picture Capernaum. Now some commentators, they believe that Joseph, his earthly father, may have had a residence there. Others think that no, Jesus just found his own place to live there. Still some others think no, Jesus stayed with Simon Peter. We don't know exactly, except we do know that this place Capernaum.

And it's hard to see from where you are. But at the very front is right there's a little red dot right by the water there. Capernaum by the Sea of Galilee. And this is where Jesus finds residence. Now the scripture says that this was so prophecy would be fulfilled, that what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled.

Our Old Testament reading. 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 in shadow of death, light has dawned. In Isaiah's time.

Isaiah was warning Judah about a coming invasion of the Assyrians. Greater darkness is coming for the people. And he specifically mentions the area of Zebulun and Naphtali. And that's that other picture you will see that Those two areas. Now remember, this is the twelve tribes of Israel.

They had their land allotment. And so Zebulun and Naphtali are at the far north of Canaan. This is the northern territory. And you see the Sea of Galilee there. The idea is when the Assyrians are coming in, they're invading from the north.

So a group that's going to suffer greatly. Are these groups coming? Darkness for these two areas. But it tells us Isaiah chapter nine, in verse one, there's a precious promise for the people in this northern region, the ones who would be most severely ravaged by the Assyrians when they invaded from the north. He says that although that is coming, there is a time when there is a special blessing for the people that live in this area.

The first to suffer. And yet in God's might mercy, they would be the first to see the true light of Jesus. Jesus decides to spend most of his earthly ministry in this area in the north, around the Sea of Galilee. Did you see that? It tells us to the very ones that are sitting in darkness, they have seen a great light.

Have you known someone who was sitting in darkness? Have you sat in darkness yourself? Have you been there? It's one thing to be in darkness or to be in a room that is dark. It is another thing when you sit down in it.

When you sit down in the darkness, you are contented. You're staying for a while. It doesn't mean that you're comfortable. It doesn't mean that you're happy in the darkness, but you find yourself sitting in it, stuck in it, if you will. Last weekend, I had a pleasure.

It didn't feel like a pleasure in the moment of meeting a man who was sitting in darkness. He sits down across from me. And I was in my medical role at the time. I had not told him anything about Jesus. I didn't tell them that I loved Jesus.

And he sat down and he began to curse and tell me how angry he was at the Lord. Me and God are not in a good place, he said. Had nothing to do with why he was there, but Jesus would orchestrate. Turns out this man had lost his wife to cancer. He then lost his son, who was murdered as he left a restaurant.

He then lost his remaining son who was hit by a drunk driver. He is sitting in darkness. He is angry. Misplaced anger, but he was sitting in it. It's interesting to me that if you're finding yourself sitting in darkness, you need someone to come to you.

It's not enough for us to say, oh, we love Jesus. And we want to proclaim Jesus to a dark world if we never go to them. If you find yourself sitting in darkness, you can't see because it's dark. And there you are, sitting alone, isolated. You need someone to come to you.

And Jesus comes to those who are sitting in darkness. Jesus comes to them. When Jesus comes, friend, light comes. When the gospel comes, light comes. John 8.

He said, I am the light of the world. He is the light that all of us need. In our text today, it says, from that time on, Jesus began to proclaim. I sense it's time. Moment.

There was a switch. There was a time when it was not Jesus. Time for public ministry. You remember when he was at the wedding with his mama, and his mama said, you know, and he said, it's not time yet, woman. It's not time yet.

But at this point, it says from this time forward, what time? John has been arrested. From the time he heard that John had been arrested, he says, now I'm going to Galilee and it's time. John didn't know that. Remember, John was sitting in prison with his faith and his doubts.

Remember, he was finding himself in prison. He had no idea that God would use the very moment he gets put in prison for Jesus to step forward in his public ministry. Can I tell you that even when you can't see it, God is working? When you find yourself in a situation, possibly in prison and it doesn't make sense, I can't see what you were doing. God, he is still at work and he still has a purpose.

From that time forward, Jesus stepped forward. The best was yet to come. John didn't know it. John didn't know it. What is happening right now in your life that from this time forward, Jesus is doing something and you can't see it.

He is working. He is working. And you know what his message was? Repent the same message that John preached. I love that the very same message, repent for the kingdom of heaven has come near.

Repent the same. Not a new message, but the very same message. I don't think the people knew or realized that the kingdom heaven was near. And you know what? I don't think that we realize the kingdom of heaven is near, friends.

I don't think we realize it. If we understood the power, we would pray more fervently. If we understood the kingdom of heaven was at hand, we would spread the gospel unashamed. If we understood how would that change how we lived our life? The kingdom of heaven, friends, is at hand.

It's near the Kingdom of heaven is near. And he says, you've got to repent. The true light has come to those who sat in darkness. And he says, first thing, repent. Repent.

Aren't you thankful that he came to where you were? Aren't you thankful that you heard with the grace of God, repent. Over and over again he comes, right? Some of us, we have heard God come to us and say, now is the time to repent. And aren't you thankful he came back again?

He said, now is the time to repent, sister. Now is the time. So as we turn to this second portion of the scripture, I love this. It says, as he walked by the Sea of Galilee. Now listen to how nonchalant that sounds, as if Jesus just happened to be strolling down that very area by the water.

As he walked by the sea, as he strolled by the water, he saw two brothers. You may think it's a coincidence when you receive that text message at just the right time that someone is praying for you and you were stressed. You may think it's a coincidence. Or when someone stops with that gas can right when you need it, can I tell you that Jesus knows and Jesus sees and it's not a coincidence when he walks by your Sea of Galilee? He walks by our sea at just the perfect time.

Again, Matthew is telling us, where was he walking by the Sea of Galilee, Just where Isaiah had said and prophesied.

What else happened by the Sea of Galilee? This is where the disciples were in the boat, you remember? And Jesus is sleeping. And they wake him up. And he rebukes the winds and he rebukes the sea.

And he says, where was your faith? This is the very water where later Jesus comes. Doing what? Walking on water. And Peter walks to him, the same water.

Something about that water, the Sea of Galilee. It says he saw two brothers. One is Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew, his brother. And they're casting a net, for they were fishermen. So the Bible tells us these two brothers worked together in their profession.

It wasn't the first time they met Jesus. We heard that text last week. You remember that Andrew was a disciple of John the Baptist. And John meets Jesus. Behold, the Lamb of God.

And he says, I'm going to get my brother. And he goes and gets Simon and he brings him and he introduces him. Jesus had met them, but that was not where they were called. Here is where they're called. Jesus says these words, follow me.

Follow me, and I will make you fishers for people. The call is simple. Follow me in the Greek, the word means come. Come, come now, come. Follow me.

Jesus says, come.

The Son of God, the Word made flesh says, come, Lisa, come. He calls us come. Wow. Does that not blow your mind that Jesus would reach out to us and say, come? There was a young woman who grew up in a Christian home.

Her parents were very dedicated to the ministry. She grew up surrounded by a loving family that knew Jesus. As a young woman, she began to write poetry. She became famous for writing poetry. However, even though her upbringing, even though the fame of the poetry, she struggled with feelings of uselessness.

She struggled with depression. This became worse at the age of 32 when she had a terrible illness and she became disabled. She couldn't go out anymore. She was at home in isolation. At this time, she met a Swiss minister and he spoke to her about Jesus and where she was in her struggles.

And to be frank, it just kind of irritated her at the time. Later, her family had gone to the church. They were doing a ministry, raising money for a school. And there she was, at home, alone by herself, struggling with her feeling of depression, struggling with her feelings of isolation. And she remembered the words that that minister said.

And he said, come to Christ just as you are.

Her name was Charlotte Elliot. She wrote what is now known as a timeless hymn, Just as I Am. The evangelist Billy Graham said that his team used that hymn in almost every one of their crusades. He said it presented the strongest possible biblical basis for the call of Christ. Let me read you these lyrics.

Just as I am, without one plea but that thy blood was shed for me and that thou bidst me come to thee O Lamb of God, I come, I come just as I am and waiting not to rid my soul of one dark blot to Thee whose blood can cleanse each spot. O Lamb of God, I come, I come just as I am. Though tossed about with many a conflict, many a doubt Fightings and fears within and without. O Lamb of God, I come, I come, just as I am. Thou wilt receive, wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse and relieve because thy promise I believe.

O Lamb of God, I come, I come. Hear the invitation today when he says, follow me, Come, follow me and I will make you hear the preparation. Who does the making? Jesus does. Who does the enabling?

Jesus does. The word in the Greek means I will do it. I will make it, I will cause it, I will ordain it will do it. You see, we do the obeying, he does the enabling, we do the surrendering, he does the enabling, the preparation. And then lastly, I will make you Fish for people.

He gives us our purpose. He invites us, he prepares us, and he gives us purpose. You say, emily, that is overwhelming. To become someone who fishes for people. There's no way I could do that.

And that's why he says, but I will make you. There's an order to it. He doesn't ask us to fish for people before he enables and prepares us. He doesn't ask us to fish for people before he invites us to participate with him. There's an order, there's an invitation, there's a preparation, and there's a purpose.

And it says, immediately they left their nets. Immediately straightway they followed him. And as he went from there, he saw two other brothers. Oh, is this another coincidence? No.

And once again, how nonchalant it sounds. Can I tell you that Jesus knows where to find you? Jesus knows where to find us. Corrie 10 Boom. If you haven't read the book the Hiding Place, please do that.

When she writes about her sister Betsy, who said, there is no pit so deep that God's love is not deeper still. To those sitting in the darkness. He comes to where we are. He knows where to find us. And it says, james, son of Zebedee.

I just like to say that word, use it in a sentence. Later today, Zebedee and his brother John in the boat with their father, mending their nets. And he called them. Notice two things about that. Number one, God calls them as they're active.

Simon and Andrew are casting a net. James and John are mending a net. They're casting and they're mending. Some would say they were busy. They were actively participating.

When you don't know what to do, do what you know to do. They weren't just sitting at home. They were doing what they knew to do. They were fishing. The word casting means to throw or to let go of something, not caring where it falls, to scatter, to give over to one's care.

And certain about the result.

To cast, to pour into, to put into. And then the word mending, to repair, to complete, to equip, to strengthen. Isn't it beautiful that God would use two people, some that are casting and some that are mending? And for the kingdom of God, he still uses us to cast and to mend, to cast and to mend. He still does that.

And notice, secondly, that their response, response was immediate. They never say, oh, let me go home and talk to my family about this. Let me put out my fleece and see what God would say. Maybe I should have a powwow with My employer, to find out if I could get off early on. That maybe.

I know it said immediately. They went to follow because Jesus said, come. And when Jesus says, come, she shouldn't. Our response say, yes, sir, not, oh, but not there. God, not, oh, yes, I'll go there, but not across there.

No. When Jesus has come, he enables us. And we're to follow. Following requires separation. Following requires separation.

Holiness requires separation. They left their fishing gear. Some of it was probably costly. They left their boats there. They left it.

They left their father there. Following requires separation. Following requires surrender when he calls. We must leave our boat. The very thing that we use for our livelihood, the thing that kept them safe in the middle of the storm, the their comfort, if you will.

God says, leave the boat behind. Leave the safety net behind and follow me. I've got you, brother. I've got you, sister. Surrender.

I will choose obedience over my career, over my family, over my income, over my comfort zone. And it wasn't just them. Remember the Samaritan woman? She left that water pot. She said, I'm going to tell others that I've met him.

Matthew. He left the tax booth, didn't he? He just left it. Jesus said, come, and he said, yes, sir. And he followed the blind.

Bartimaeus, you have to pick this up. He had a cloak covered him. God healed him. He left the cloak behind. He said, this will slow me down.

I'm going. I'm following Jesus. I'm following Jesus. They left it all. Following requires a cross.

Luke 14:27 says, and whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot. Do you see that word cannot be my disciple.

If you won't carry your cross, you can't be my disciple. They left it all, not knowing where they were going, but knowing who was leading them and who was going with them. Is that enough for you? Is it enough for you when you don't know where he's leading you? But you know that he is the one leading and he is the one going with you, Abraham.

Is that enough for you?

We don't hear anything else about Father Zebedee. You'll notice that their mother, her name was Salome. She was the one present at the crucifixion, standing with Mary as Jesus was crucified. Their mother was the one also that met the angel at the empty tomb. We don't know about Zebedee.

He was probably present around. But we hear this invitation to follow very quickly. I'm going to list some things. If you're going to follow Jesus, well, what Are some things you need to do. Number one, you have to get behind the leader.

I can't walk to the side. I can't walk in front of him. If I am going to follow, well, I have to place myself behind the leader. If you're going on a road trip, I was going to Florida. My dad is in the first car.

I told Ryan, let me drive because dad does some line. I mean, it's a whole situation. Let me do it. I'm used to this, and so I'm following after dad. You don't linger in the passing lane.

No, no, no. You get over to the right. This is the whole maneuver. We got stuck in some traffic. We are on a interstate with this huge green median.

And all of a sudden, daddy had had enough and he whipped that thing through the median and turned around. And Emily had a choice. I can keep staying there in traffic, or I can follow him through the median.

I can either wait where I am, or I can follow my father as he goes off roading in a way that I did not predict or plan. Do you hear me? If you're following, you're not in control of the route. I place myself behind the leader. I get behind the the leader.

And number two, I have to keep pace with the leader. I can't go too fast, and I can't go too slow. There's a rhythm to following. Some would say a dance. God goes, and I'm moving with him to the right, to the left.

Where he goes, I will follow. You got to get behind the leader. You've got to keep pace with the leader. You've got to keep your eyes on the leader. If you don't pay attention, you.

You will lose sight of who you're following. I can't get distracted. I've got to keep close to the leader. I can't let anything between me and the leader. Any cars come in between, I can't see them anymore, and I don't know where I'm going.

When you go to a game or a concert and you're leaving and everybody is going at the same time, and you're trying to stay together as a family, what do you do? You put a hand on somebody and you're like, you just lead and I'm coming through with you. If God is our leader, we got to stay close. We got to stay close to where he's going. In Bible times, it would be around the age of 15 when a young man would begin to follow their rabbi.

The rabbi, the teacher, would call men forward. At age of 15 and say, come, follow me. Learn from me as we walk. And then one day you will be able to teach too. And they had a saying.

They would say. They would say this. May you be covered with the dust of your rabbi. The idea is that you're walking so close behind the teacher that as he's walking in the dust with his sandals, dust is flying off and covering you behind him. The idea is we should walk in such intimacy with the Father, so close to the Father, that we would be covered in the dust of our rabbi following behind.

And our text closes with saying that Jesus went throughout Galilee teaching, preaching, healing. Do you hear it? Jesus went. Jesus didn't just say, I'm going to be at the VBCC on March 23rd. You come and hear me then.

No, no. Jesus went to them. Jesus went. And that's our example, to go to them to preach the good news. I love that.

It says, he healed every kind of sickness, every kind of disease. There is nothing too big for him. He can heal it all. He has the power to heal every kind of disease. He goes to those who are sitting in darkness and he says, come.

He says, repent. He says, follow me, and I will enable you to do exactly what I have called you to do. Will you stand with me.

And bow your head for just a moment? And I'm going to pray for us before we close in song.

It's interesting as we hear the text today, we're called to follow Jesus. Called to care for others, called to spread the gospel. And as you're standing there, you might think and ask yourself, jesus, how do you want me to respond to this text? How do you want me to respond to what you're saying to me? The true light comes to us while we are sitting in darkness.

For some of us, that should bring us gratitude. We should take a moment and just thank God that he came to us while we were sitting in our darkness. Do you remember where you were when he found you the first time? Do you remember where you were when he spoke to you to repent. For some of you, you may be sitting in darkness now.

And Jesus says, now is the time to repent. He says, now is the time the true light comes to us where we're working. And he invites us to leave our nets and leave our boat and follow. He says, come, the true light makes us fishers. He enables us.

We don't have to fear, Brothers and sisters, what he's calling and asking you to do. Don't allow the enemy to bring. Bring fear to keep you paralyzed in that. But he says, I will enable you, brother and sister, to do exactly what I have called you to do.

He gives us purpose. He gives us an assignment to spread the gospel. Brothers and sisters, the kingdom of heaven is near. And he says, will you follow me?

Will you leave your boat? Will you leave your comforts? Will you be obedient? Will you surrender? Will you follow me with all of your heart?

Halfway is not obedience if you don't answer. Yes, sir, on the 1st.

We must give him everything. Jesus, I thank you for your goodness. I thank you for your word of God that is alive and that is active. I thank you that you're calling us to yourself. Not calling us just to go there, no, but calling us to intimacy with you, unity with you, Holiness.

God, I pray that your people would surrender and leave the boat and follow you with all of their hearts.

The Master says, come, and Father, we say, yes, sir. In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, we pray. Amen.