Something Understood
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12 When Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, he withdrew to Galilee. 13 Leaving Nazareth, he went and lived in Capernaum, which was by the lake in the area of Zebulun and Naphtali— 14 to fulfill what was said through the prophet Isaiah:
15 “Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali,
the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan,
Galilee of the Gentiles—
16 the people living in darkness
have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of the shadow of death
a light has dawned.”[f]
17 From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”
Jesus Calls His First Disciples
18 As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 19 “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” 20 At once they left their nets and followed him.
21 Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, 22 and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.
Jesus Heals the Sick
23 Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people.
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Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress. In the past he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future he will honor Galilee of the nations, by the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan—
2 The people walking in darkness
have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of deep darkness
a light has dawned.
3 You have enlarged the nation
and increased their joy;
they rejoice before you
as people rejoice at the harvest,
as warriors rejoice
when dividing the plunder.
4 For as in the day of Midian’s defeat,
you have shattered
the yoke that burdens them,
the bar across their shoulders,
the rod of their oppressor.
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Prayer the church’s banquet, angel’s age,
God’s breath in man returning to his birth,
The soul in paraphrase, heart in pilgrimage,
The Christian plummet sounding heav’n and earth
Engine against th’ Almighty, sinner’s tow’r,
Reversed thunder, Christ-side-piercing spear,
The six-days world transposing in an hour,
A kind of tune, which all things hear and fear;
Softness, and peace, and joy, and love, and bliss,
Exalted manna, gladness of the best,
Heaven in ordinary, man well drest,
The milky way, the bird of Paradise,
Church-bells beyond the stars heard, the soul’s blood,
The land of spices; something understood.
George Herbert
I would like to begin with a few lines of George Herbert's Poem, Prayer 1: Something Understood. It has inspired me to look deeper into these bible passages today and find greater depth in very familiar teachings of and encounters with Jesus at the start of his early ministry. It was also the subject of an early morning BBC Radio 4, Mark Tully broadcast: ‘something understood.’
What 3 aspects of these bible passages in Isaiah 9 and Matthew 4 can we revisit?
1. Harvest Understood
2. Repentance Understood
3. Beckon Understood
Harvest Understood
Jesus at this point moved from his home in Nazareth to Capernaum (never to return there again) v12. Galilee was the one place where a new teacher (new message) had a chance of listeners. A small region about 50 miles x 25 miles and densely populated. The early historian Josephus recorded 204 towns and villages. He said,
‘Galileans were ever fond of innovations and by nature were open to change.. and never short of courage’ Josephus
This area was ripe for the gospel (good news) - the district in Galilee, the district of Zebulun and Naphtali & (Isa 9:1) There is Something to be Understood here, these were the first tribes taken into exile ie slavery, see 2 Kings 15:29 and Isaiah 9:1
Now Isaiah’s prophecy is fulfilled in Jesus: Freedom begins where slavery began, the kingdom comes where the exile came
"The bar across their shoulders.. you have broken” Isaiah 9:4 - ‘the dawn driving away darkness’ Matthew 4:16 and Isaiah 9:1-4
The first four disciples
As Jesus walked by the Sea of Galilee (v18), he noticed two brothers, Simon-Peter and Andrew - casting a net into the sea. He called out to them, "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men." Peter and Andrew did not sit in the boat and think about it, and didn’t call a meeting. They didn’t seem to count the cost. They immediately left their nets and followed him. Then Jesus saw two other brothers mending their nets - James and John, in the boat with Zebedee, their father and Jesus called them to follow.
As with Peter and Andrew, they left their trade and their father and followed Jesus of Nazareth, this newcomer to Galilee.
Where does that leave you and I? Who among us would respond in this way?
How many people today would drop all and go and follow Jesus? I would probably say to Jesus that I have a wife and family who need my support. I have bills to pay. I have responsibilities ….
Does that mean we are lesser followers than Pete, Andy, James and John? I don’t think so.
What I mean is this, we are called in different ways to serve our Lord in different ways. The Lord knows the harvest fields he is sending us into, and who he will use to ‘bring in the sheaves’. Illustration - Van Gough’s Wheatsheaves
Difference is important, through our differences God is going to reach out to the people in this area, just as he understood the region of Galilee, he knows the harvest in this locality and has, sheaves for you and sheaves for me - people we can reach with the good news of the love and grace of Christ. This is the Week of prayer for Christian Unity when different denominations and Anglican fellowships come together. We are different but we are in communion with those who proclaim the good news of Jesus from the Orthodox Scriptures. Reaching different people through me and reaching different people through you, through the other fellowships, Christians together, in harmony. Yes we are different but difference is important.
2. Repentance Understood
Jesus’ message ‘repent for the kingdom of heaven has come near.’ We need to understand the repentance Jesus spoke of was not an act of self-examination, noting our sins and taking the list to the rabbi and in an act of penance. Repentance is not a guilt trip about your past (though when we stand before sinless Christ we can be broken by the reality of our sinful nature)
Don’t confuse repentance with confession
The Greek word used here in Matthew 4:17 means change your life: your attitude, behaviour, mind, relationships, plans. He means come to a new understanding of life's purpose, act differently from now on, you have a new Lord. It is good to bring the Hebrew word for Repent together with the Greek in this instance. The Hebrew word means: Turn around. Go in a new direction. That ‘change’ is the gift of God (grace) that we call faith and repentance. Ephesians 2:8,9
“When the Bible uses the word repentance in the New Testament it is referring to the experience Christians have when they surrender their life to Christ.” John Piper
Repentance understood - It is not mere self-realization, the new me, New Year turning over a new leaf! This is a new Lord, new purpose.
After all, the Prodigal son left his kin and took his inheritance with him. It was a life-changing event, but it was not repentance.
There is something more that we are missing here. Repentance Understood – it is this, Repentance starts with Jesus, it is his call, in the Old Testament we can clearly see it starts with Yhwh. Psalm 80 says it three times in v3,7,19, “Turn us around O Lord.”
God does the turning. That is why it is so important for us to pray for God to change the hearts of people who need to turn, they could be prodigal sons that you know or could be religious leaders you know. God does the turning.
‘Don’t talk to people about God before you talk to God about those people’ Hybels
Pray for God to turn them. In Lamentations 5:21 The Hebrews rebelling against God, and Lamantations says this Hebrew word again for Repent - ‘Turn us back O Lord and we will be restored’ – God’s HS does it.
Anglican Global South and Gafcon Bishops understand Repentance, they are calling some CofE Bishops to Repent. To turn away from false teaching. Pray for God to turn them round – Repentance begins with God
James 5:19 My brothers and sisters, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring that person back,
The disciples understood repentance and demonstrated that by their faith and their turnaround. They leave their ordinary business, (their boats andf nets) their relatives and enter into a new relationship with God in the person of Jesus Christ.
It is the same today, not fashionable, repentance is a work of God in us turning us from going our own way– to trusting and believing in and following Jesus. Pray for God to work in your friends, relatives, neighbours and colleagues.
3. Beckon Undertstood
I prefer Beckon to ‘call.’ Jesus beckoned them to follow him.
The disciples understood Jesus was not calling them to be celebrities, or personalities. God beckons you knowing your personality (you don’t need to be a different personality). Our discipleship is about following the person (risen) Jesus Christ and the power of the gospel to change people’s lives (both then and now). I wonder can you tell me what Jesus’ last words were to Peter? Follow! (John 21v23).
Do you think the Lord was telling us something about discipleship. It is about a person (not a set of values), it’s about a relationship (not a distant God). It is about telling others what he means to you and what he has done for you.
We are called to be Fisherfolk! Do not underestimate the importance of ‘fishing for people’ and the power of testimony. Most of our ‘fishing’ is likely to happen in conversation - those occasions when we show, in small ways, who we are and who we follow. Sadly, we really don't act as if we even have a call to "fish." The issue is not that we should become bolder about fishing (or faith-sharing). It is that we should become more sensitive to the needs of those around us & more sensitive to the subtle prodding of the Holy Spirit (the two in twined). To be sensitive to the Holy Spirit we will be more sensitive to people; to be more sensitive to people ought to make us more open to God and his purposes.
In conclusion, Let us take time this week to pray for and then speak to Friends, relatives, acquaintances, neighbours and colleagues about who we follow and the difference Jesus makes in your life. In this week of Christian unity, let us not be ashamed of our difference. Let’s grasp the truth of this bible passage Matthew 4 that God will use each of us through our different personalities to be Fisherfolk, reaching out and opening the Kingdom of God to those around us.
Sowing in the morning, sowing seeds of kindness,
Sowing in the noontide and the dewy eve;
Waiting for the harvest, and the time of reaping,
We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves.
Knowles Shaw, 1874,
based on Psalm 126:6
“He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.”