Jesus Calling

Matthew 4:23-25

One of my many challenges at this stage of life is to imagine, yes, the great gift of using the imagination God has given each of us.  As a child I had the ability to envision myself as G.I. Joe, or the Lone Ranger, and when listening to the radio I visualized what each character looked like.  That’s not so easy for me to do at this time in life, but today I’m asking you to place yourself into the story.  Your one of the disciples Jesus has called to follow him, you can be any one of them, how about being Peter, or maybe you prefer Andrew or John, it matters not as long as you place yourself in the story.

From a child you have been taught that Messiah was coming to free his people and you have put to memory the words of Isaiah the great prophet, when he said; “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” (Isaiah 7:14 ESV) You also have a picture in your mind of these words of Isaiah; “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6 ESV)

You may wonder, were they really looking for the Messiah or were they like so many in the Church today who say they believe Jesus is going to return but sure hope it is not today, for they are way too busy to have that happen.  Let’s look at some people who were looking; John the Baptist has been put in prison and he heard about what Jesus was doing and he sent word by his disciples to ask one question of Jesus; “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?”  (Matthew 11:3)  Do you remember the woman of Samaria that Jesus addressed at the well, these were her words; “I know that Messiah is coming (he who is called Christ).  When he comes, he will tell us all things.”  Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am he.” (John 4:25-26)

Jesus has approached you and these were the words that changed your business plan, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” No longer a fisher of fish but a disciple of Messiah with a promise to become a fisher of men.  Now I’m sure you have no real understanding of that call, but if there was doubt it is soon changed to admiration for Jesus is drawing great crowds, teaching in the synagogues, proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing everyone of disease and every affliction.  Over night he is famous, and people from Syria start bringing all the sick and those afflicted with various diseases and pains, those oppressed by demons, epileptics, and paralytics, and he healed them.  And there is no way the few of us can do crowd control; people and I mean great crowds are following us from Galilee and the Decapolis, and from Jerusalem and Judea, and from beyond the Jordan. 

As I reflect on those early days, I’m not sure the crowds understood Jesus’ message of the gospel of the kingdom, in fact, I’m sure I did not have a clear understanding, nor did some of the other disciples.  Many were coming to be free of their sickness, to not be afflicted with disease and pain, but Jesus knew someday, some of us would come to understand the message of the “gospel of the kingdom.”  The long-awaited Messiah was among us, the son of the virgin was healing and preaching, the one that Isaiah had proclaimed as;  “his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”  He was the one that called us, and if you are reading this in 2013, He is the one calling you, and the message has not changed, come and follow me.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice