When God Calls-Matthew 4:13-19

Matthew 4:13-19

¹³He left Nazareth and made his home in Capernaum by the lake, 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—
¹⁶ 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.’
¹⁷From that time Jesus began to proclaim, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.’

Jesus Calls the First Disciples

18 As 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 lake—for they were fishermen. ¹⁹And he said to them, ‘Follow me, and I will make you fish for people.’


When one has discerned a call from God the details are not always clear. When Jesus called Peter and Andrew they were fishers. They knew and understood how to make their livelihood by fishing. When their worst day ever of fishing occurred they grew frustrated. Then Jesus, who was not a fisher but a carpenter turned itinerant preacher, intervened, telling them to put their empty net on the other side of the boat, not a huge distance. Suddenly the empty net was full and teeming with fish. Clearly Jesus had intervened not only by filling the net but initially by preventing the catching of fish after a whole day of fishing in order to make a point. Jesus uses what these men are familiar with - their own vocation - fishing. He would make them fishers of people, from now on they would catch something that matters even more than their livelihood. 


I'll be preaching on this text from Matthew 4 on January 23 in just a few weeks from now in Church of the Covenant, a union church of a Lutheran (ELCA) Church and a Presbyterian (PCUSA) located in Grafton, WV. I'm heading down on Saturday to spend two weeks emerged in the context of a small Appalachian town parish to be immersed in the distinct Appalachian content of West Virginia, a place I hold near and dear to my heart as I was born in South Charleston and have roots in WV going back to the early 1800s. 


My hostess for this upcoming immersion is the Rev. Jacq Campbell who has promised to show me some of the many exciting contexts of rural and small town ministry in the area. And she has invited me to preach on my last Sunday there.


My preliminary thoughts are to connect the idea of call and vocation (something near and dear to Martin Luther and John Calvin--the respective "fathers" of Lutherans and Presbyterians) with the lives of the parishioners. In what ways does their own vocation relate to their call to serve God. What illustrations would connect the gospel and evangelism to their lives from their own livelihoods/careers/vocations? If Jesus uses the image of catching fish and catching people, what might he use to illustrate what you are doing as a tool and an illustration for what you might do for God.


I hope to incorporate some technology in this sermon that will include the actual voices and images (perhaps video interview clips) of different members in the congregation reflecting on this issue and sharing their thoughts, as parts of this sermon. I have no idea if the church has projection equipment but I think I may be able to borrow some from the synod office.