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The Third Sunday after the Epiphany, Year A, 2011
Matthew 4: 12-23
The Rev. Ronald N. Johnson
Today’s
gospel reading is from Matthew’s
gospel. The theme, which we also saw incidentally in last week's
reading from John's Gospel, is one of discipleship and Christian
vocation. In this morning’s reading, Jesus called two sets of
brothers, Andrew and Peter, James and John to be his disciples.
Matthew’s account differs marginally from John’s Gospel. This
simply points to the difficulties of reconciling oral histories
derived from different early Christian communities. Both accounts,
though, speak of Christian vocation. The nature of Christian
vocation is discipleship. To be a Christian is to be a disciple of
Jesus. What is it to be a disciple? It is simply to follow the Lord
by doing his work. The call to Christian vocation is simple and
timeless. It is expressed in our Lord’s command to Peter, James
John and Andrew, “Follow me!”
Discipleship begins with a calling. Calling is what “vocation” means. When we are baptized, we are baptized into the death and resurrection of our Lord and become members of his Holy Church. Our faith teaches us that baptism is not something that we initiate on our own. The Christian understanding is that God first reaches out to us, that he is the initiator of the relationship. It is God’s love for us, and his desire that we be part of his family of Christians, that is primary. God is the initiator. He calls us; we do not call him. In Christ, God the Father says to each of us, “Come, follow me.”
It’s true that we more
clearly when an adult baptism. A baby cannot, of his or her own
will, make a decision to follow Jesus. The decision for Christian
initiation is made for the child by his parents. But we believe that
this is God’s desire, too. God wants every child to grow up
experiencing and understanding the love of Jesus Christ.
There is something else
that must be said about discipleship. A disciple is totally
committed. With a bit of digging, you can see this in today’s
gospel reading in the call to discipleship. Peter and Andrew, James
and John immediately left all that they had behind; they left their
jobs and worldly goods, to follow Jesus. They never looked back.
They simply began doing the work of Christ in this world and did that
work until death. They preached the Good News to those with ears to
hear. They taught the faith to anyone open to the love of God. They
healed in the name of Jesus. They visited the sick and those in
prison. They comforted the afflicted and they afflicted, with the
Word of God, those who were a bit too comfortable. Most of all, they
brought others into the Kingdom of God through baptism into the death
and resurrection of Jesus Christ. They were, indeed, fishers of men.
We are called to this same discipleship and to the same ministry. Ministry in the Church of Christ is not something limited to those who are ordained. As baptized people, we are all called to discipleship and we are all called to ministry. That ministry can take many forms, some more formal than others. The call to discipleship is a call to each of us. Jesus says, “Come, follow me. Follow me today and everyday and you will be my disciple.” Amen.
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