Epiphany 3 | Isaiah 9:1-4; Psalm 27:1-9; 1 Corinthians 1:10-18; Matthew 4:12-23

Epiphany 3 | Isaiah 9:1-4; Psalm 27:1-9; 1 Corinthians 1:10-18; Matthew 4:12-23

When last did you make a big decision?

Not the should I have Peanut Butter or Jam kind of decision – bigger than that.

The kind of decision that sends you on an entirely different journey to the one you had anticipated.

* * *

Perhaps it was a positive kind of decision – deciding to take a new job. Deciding to move to a new house…

Buy a new car.

Adopt a child…

* * *

Perhaps you made a negative decision. And by that I don't mean a bad decision – I mean a decision not to do something:

The decision not to take revenge when somebody wronged you.

Not to take a new job.

Not to move to a new house.

Not to buy a new car…

* * *

All of these decisions – even the smallest decisions you made will eventually make a difference in the world.

I don't know if you've seen the Back to the Future films… in them Michael J Fox changes small events in the past that make big differences to his present.

The little decisions we make today – make a world of difference to our future.

Decisions like those of government in 1998 that leave us without electricity today… Decisions that leave us wishing we could travel back in time.

* * *

In the gospel passage Matthew records the decision of some disciples who choose to follow Jesus – Simon – called Peter (whom we will just call Peter), Andrew, James and John.

* * *

Peter and Andrew are casting their nets into the water, James and John are mending theirs, but Jesus calls and they follow him; and they do.

The scene calls to mind the apocalypse which Matthew talks about in chapter 24 –

"Two will be in the field; one will be taken and one will be left… Keep awake therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming."

As Jesus comes and calls them – in the middle of whatever they are doing – they drop everything and follow him, some are left behind.

* * *

Matthew conveys the cost of becoming a disciple of Jesus by illustration… For Peter and Andrew it is the loss of their nets… For James and John discipleship means leaving their boat – and their family…

All of this to become what Jesus calls: "A fisherman of people."

"Follow me," he says, "and I will make you fish for people."

* * *

I doubt very much whether Peter, Andrew, James and John's decisions were spur of the moment decisions; Jesus didn't encourage discipleship that didn't count the cost.

John's gospel in fact tells us a very different story about how Jesus calls the disciples – compare Matthew's account with John's in John 1:35-42, in John's story the disciples have some knowledge of Jesus before they decide to follow him; advised in part it seems by John the Baptist.

When people wanted to follow Jesus without thinking about it he asked them difficult questions – gave them difficult tasks:

Are you willing to take up your cross?

Are you willing to sell all you have and give the money to the poor?

Are you willing to be homeless?

* * *

Imagine we did that when people wanted to join the Methodist Church – It's fine, you can join us – but would you mind taking up your cross, giving up your money and going homeless if that's what it takes?

* * *

When we make decisions – it's foolish if we don't pause to count the cost. But sometimes we have to risk the cost even though we're not sure how we're going to meet it – because the reward for making the right decision is so great.

And that reward is not just personal – the reward for making the right decisions ricochets through to the world around us. As the decisions we make today – radically influence the future.

* * *

Jesus' early followers decide to follow him – not because he promises them heaven or something like that.

They don't necessarily follow him because they believe he is the Son of God – they're quite slow to figure out who Jesus is, and only seem to do so when he gives them a bit of a push. Remember – they were surprised when Jesus rose again.

The only promise Jesus makes to his disciples is that if they follow him – they will become fishers of people.

* * *

Fishing for people doesn't sound that great… it's a metaphor that's difficult for us to understand today.

The Old Testament speaks about God going fishing – fishing for unrighteous and evil people in order to punish them.

But in this situation fishing for people seems to be a god thing.

Matthew has just quoted from Isaiah - and I promise it's not sponsored in any way by Eskom:

Isaiah 9:2 / Matthew 4:16

"The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light;
Those who lived in a land of deep darkness – on them - light has shined."

* * *

For most primitive peoples water was a scary and mysterious thing… scary but necessary.

I don't know about you but when I swim in a deep lake – or out at sea my imagination starts to wonder about just what might be down there – lurking far beneath me – or maybe quite close; ready to snatch me and eat me.

I have the benefit of science – but still I feel a little afraid of what might be down there in the deep.

For primitive peoples there was talk of sea monsters, mysterious creatures that made people disappear out on the water.

* * *

For the disciples and for Jesus, the idea of fishing for people is about bringing them out of darkness and chaos and up into the light. The light of hope promised by God.

* * *

And the idea of being able to do that – with Jesus as their guide is motivation enough for the disciples to follow Jesus.

* * *

In South Africa today – many people, figuratively and quite literally are being overwhelmed by darkness... Just when we had begun to think that we would see some light…

Forget Eskom – but what about things like the Selebi case.

Scandal around the scorpions.

A potential future president who's moral compass seems to point a little skew of North.

All these things in our own country (And that's just the stuff the media makes a fuss about.)

What about rampant immorality in the private sector – as people work for low wages and the rich so often cheat the poor.

Outside of our own country we hear about Zimbabwe, Kenya, Iraq, America – and we shake our heads and wonder…

* * *

Yet, the Bible tells us, the people living in darkness –have seen a great light.

* * *

To fish people out of the darkness – all that the disciples need to do – is follow Jesus.

The words used for following Jesus involve learning from him learning to think his way, deciding to live as he lives. By imitating Jesus we naturally become fishers of people – with the potential to pull them up out of the darkness.

* * *

The Peter, Andrew, James and John know that fishing is hard work. It involves early mornings, late nights and heavy loads… sometimes fishing is life threatening.

Fishing is not philosophical – it is practical. Immediately after calling the disciples Jesus goes fishing himself… healing the sick – encountering all those who were trapped in great darkness themselves – and fishing them up into the light.

* * *

Are we, as God's church in the world today because of the way we follow Jesus fishing people out of darkness and bringing them into the light?

Are we doing something to challenge corruption in government, in business, and even in education?

Are we lifting the poor out of poverty? The drug addict out of addiction?

* * *

As we decide to follow Jesus – we need to keep in mind the goal to which we aspire – that of fishing people out of the darkness they're in, and into the light God created for them.

I believe that when we decide to follow Jesus – we will fish people into God's kingdom vision for the world – and we will see the Kingdom of God in this place.

AMEN