By The Rev. Dr. Paul A. Leggett
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Sermon Text: Matthew 4:18-22
Sermon Theme
Jesus comes to Peter and Andrew by the Sea of Galilee. They are in the process of pursuing their livelihood which is fishing. Jesus commands them to follow him. They don’t delay. They don’t ask questions. They immediately leave their nets and follow him. The same thing happens with James and John. Jesus commands us to follow him in the context of our everyday lives. Every one of us has a special mission from God. We need to follow Jesus by fulfilling that mission. This forces us out of our comfort zone. Yet at the same time we have the joy and the assurance of Jesus’ presence. When Jesus calls there can be no delay or evasion.
Sermon Outline
- Command. Jesus encounters the early disciples at the Sea of Galilee. They are fishermen. They work long and hard hours. Jesus comes to them. He doesn’t greet them or engage them in conversation. Jesus doesn’t offer advice or suggestions. He commands them. Yet he commands them in terms they could easily recognize. He calls them to “fish for people” (Matthew 4:18-19). God calls people throughout history. He calls them for a special mission. Many times it is a mission that only they can fulfill. The correct response is “Here am I” (Genesis 46:2, I Samuel 3:8-9, Isaiah 6:8).
- Concern. However there are many times when people resist the call of God. They are concerned about several things. First, they are afraid of disruption in their lives. Second, they are afraid of what the consequences might be. Finally, they may even think the call could lead to danger. There are three famous examples of people wanting to say no to God’s call. These include Moses, Esther and Jonah. They, like us, are hesitant to respond to God’s command (Exodus 4:10-13, Esther 4:9-14, Jonah 1:3). Their example however shows that there is no avoiding God’s call. In fact that’s the last thing we should ever want to do.
- Commission. The disciples not only have a mission, they have a commission. The mission is a task to be performed. The commission is the authority to carry out that task. In spite of their reluctance, Moses, Esther and Jonah accept their commission and carry out their calling. This benefits not only them but many others. The disciples’ response to Jesus’ call not only transforms their lives, it transforms the lives of countless others (Acts 2:37-41). Each of us has a special mission (John 20:21). This mission arises out of who we are and where we are. It is often a mission only we can fulfill. God gives us the commission, the authority, to carry out this mission. We identify our mission through the leading of God’s Word, the Holy Spirit and our sisters and brothers in Christ (Acts 13:1-3). Jesus calls us because he knows that only we can accomplish the unique mission he has given us. There is no greater thrill in life than living out Christ’s mission.
Questions for Us
- How have we experienced the command of Jesus in our lives? How has that call been communicated to us?
- What kind of difficulties have we encountered in responding to a call from God? What had to happen in the lives of Moses, Esther and Jonah for them to overcome their resistance to God's call?
- Do we realize that we have a commission from Jesus, that we have his authority? How does this change our perception of God's call in our lives?
