"Looking for Light"
Sermon Presented January 27, 2008
Matthew 4:12-25
I watch little television - primarily the news and Packers football - but I was rooted to the 3-part PBS Special The Jewish Americans. I learned a great deal and was moved with compassion for these immigrants who came to America to escape persecution - and instead of welcome, received more persecution. I didn't know that half of the White Freedom Riders in the South and more than half of the Whites who went to the South to help Blacks gain their constitutional rights were Jewish. One man stated that the Jews didn't go as outside agitators as they were accused of being, but they were compelled to go because of their passionate identity with the plight of the Blacks. Because of their own persecution, Jewish Americans believed God led them to usher another race of people from darkness into light.
Our text gives Matthew's perspective on Jesus' ministry and its basis in a prophecy from Isaiah. I'm reading from Matthew 4:12-25.
Matthew says that when John the Baptist is arrested, Jesus withdraws to Galilee - where he chooses his disciples. He states that Jesus' presence in Galilee is the fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy. In the region of Galilee, Jesus preaches the same message as John: "Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near." As he preaches, he begins gathering disciples - choosing two sets of brothers - all fishermen - Simon Peter and Andrew and James and John.
I used the latter part of this text about a year ago for a sermon, so today I want to concentrate on the first part - the Isaiah prophecy and Jesus' fulfillment of it. It's this message of bringing light to those living in darkness that thrusts Jesus and his followers into the forefront. For Matthew, the Kingdom of God is revealed in Jesus' life and ministry - and his life and ministry bring light to the people. The way to enter that light is through repentance.
Last Friday, I saw the movie There Will Be Blood based on the 1927 Upton Sinclair novel Oil - a story of greed, power and hypocrisy in the early days of the discovery of oil in California. One significant character is Eli Sunday, a young preacher whose message of repentance includes forcing parishioners to kneel and shout out their sins over and over again - as he strikes them repeatedly on the head. His message of repentance doesn't bring light, but an intense darkness, and in the end, the audience sees that Eli is also corrupted by greed. God's kingdom brings light rather than condemnation and darkness.
To live in the light is to live a life of wholeness, but we have trouble with this concept. We want wholeness, but we don't always live in the light. Isaiah invites us to wholeness - through the power of metaphor and imagery and visioning. He prophesies light breaking into the darkness in the land of the Gentiles. Light dawns through the person of Jesus and it dawns again - and again - and again through Jesus' followers as God's love spreads down through the generations!
The season of Epiphany is a time to remember that we once sat in darkness but now have seen a great light. We show that light to the world as we manifest Christ's love in service to others. This is what it means to be a follower of Jesus.
How can we serve? How can we bring the light of Christ into the lives of others? I can do little by myself, and the same holds true for Roundy, for the North Shore churches, and for American Baptists in Wisconsin. There isn't enough money or people power or commitment to solve the major problems, but there is enough money and people power and commitment to pursue whatever God calls us to pursue. As followers of Jesus, we are given the opportunity to follow in the light we are given. Sometimes the light doesn't extend very far - as headlights in a fog - but each minor act in the grand scheme of things is part of the whole and a way to be who we are called to be.
Jesus' disciples were called to leave the familiar - their families, homes and occupations - to follow an unknown person, and they did just that. Abraham was called to leave his homeland to follow God's call on his life. Moses was called to leave a life of comfort and lead the people of Israel out of Egypt to the Promised Land; and Joshua was called to lead God's people into the Promised Land even though the land was occupied by giants! Esther was called to save the Jewish people by confronting the king. Paul was called to leave a life of comfort to face persecution in order to spread the gospel of Jesus. All followed the light they received - and their calls were individualized.
The problem with many "religious people" is that we want to take credit and receive glory for what we do, or we don't want to act if it requires self-sacrifice. However, God calls us to a life of servanthood, and that life will seldom bring us to the positive attention of the public. Few of us will have glowing obituaries written about us, but when we follow Jesus to bring light to those living in darkness, God will help us to follow our God-given passion and accomplish what we are called to do.
Some here have heard God's call to help a refugee family and have given of your time and/or financial resources to help. Some hear the call to serve the hungry at St. Ben's or students at the University Christian Ministries Center. Some hear the call to provide food for the hungry through a food pantry or the Crop Walk. Some help the elderly or the poor through serving on the boards of Shoreline Interfaith or Milwaukee Christian Center. God calls us to different activities, because the call is individualized to who we are, our life experiences, and our God-given abilities. I doubt if God calls many 90 year-olds to build a Habitat house, but God does call 90 year-olds to give of their finances, purchase food for the hungry, and call a shut-in.
Last Wednesday I attended a meeting of American Baptist ministers at Immanuel Community Church on South 19th Street. This church is in an impoverished predominately Black neighborhood with serious drug problems. Because of the joint vision of the pastor of this church and the pastor of Immanuel - Brookfield, a food pantry will open on February 9th for weekly distribution. A great deal of work has been done on the church basement so that food can be properly stored and displayed. Grants have been applied for and corporate sponsors engaged. The vision to feed the hungry in this neighborhood is becoming a reality because of the positive response of God's people. God initiated the vision and God's people are bringing it to reality. By being willing to follow God's direction, a ray of light is breaking into a neighborhood in crisis.
With the light we hear a call to repent. This message was given by the Hebrew prophets, by John the Baptist and by Jesus. To "repent" means to be sorry for past sins and turn around so that you are going away from the sin and toward God. It doesn't mean that you beat yourself up! When we repent and follow Jesus, we live in God's kingdom.
I'm not sure what the disciples expected when they chose to follow Jesus. They did hear a call to follow Jesus - the one whose mission was to bring the Kingdom of God to reality through teaching, proclamation, and healing. I'm sure that none of the disciples expected that death, persecution and hardships were connected to their call. And yet, that is what they received. We aren't invited to be robots acting in sameness, but our call is tailor-made to our individual talents and resources. We don't know what is in store for us, but probably not death and persecution because of our faith.
What led you to become a follower of Jesus? How do you respond to Jesus' call now? What do you hear God calling you to do to bring light to the darkness? Faith in Jesus results in following him - it results in discipleship - it results in serving others.
Personally, I need light - lots of it! The worst part of Wisconsin winters for me is the darkness that descends at 4:20 in the afternoon. I don't close my shades because I want every bit of available light to come into my apartment and my office. I also need interior light. I want assurance that I am going in the right direction, but sometimes that light is also dim. When this happens, I try to keep moving in the direction I believe is right until I can see a new direction at that place where the road forks and new choices emerge.
We hear God's call through words spoken by another
or through an interior jolt; and after careful thought and prayer we
answer that call - either yes or no. Our response is revealed by the
actions we take. God's kingdom is revealed as we follow - as we walk
tin the light - as we witness to the light of Jesus.
What is your call? What is your response? Let's move toward the light!
