Called to be Light in Darkness

Isaiah 9:1-4; Matthew 4: 12-23

 

Galilee, Galilee of the Nations. If I close my eyes I can see Galilee; the mount of beatitudes, the lake, placid and plied by boats carrying tourists, Capernaum with its ruined synagogue and a house that may have been Peter’s Mother in law’s , a ruined pier used by Romans and maybe by the disciples of Jesus.

“Matthew records that Jesus "withdrew" to Galilee to begin His public ministry there after He heard that John had been delivered up" (Mt. 4:12). Matthew’s typically matter-of-fact style veils the truly remarkable character of Jesus’ withdrawal. Matthew has been presenting Jesus as the Messiah, the Seed of Abraham and Son of David (1:1, 16), Immanuel (1:23), the King of the Jews (2:2), God’s Son (2:15; 3:17; 4:3, 6), the One who baptizes with the Spirit and fire (3:11ff.) — in sum, as the fulfillment of all the Old Testament types and prophecies.

Yet, this Messiah spends a large part of His life in Galilee, Galilee of the Gentiles (4:15). The area known as Galilee was part of the land conquered under the leadership of Joshua, and was given to the tribes of Zebulun and Naphtali. In the 8th century B.C., the land was invaded by the Assyrians, many of the inhabitants were taken into exile, and the region was repopulated with Gentiles. Despite an attempt in the second century B.C. to forcibly circumcise and convert the populace, it remained a religiously and ethnically mixed province. It was here that Jesus chose to concentrate at the beginning of His public ministry.

In what sense is Jesus’ withdrawal into Galilee the fulfillment of a prophecy about the deliverance of Israel from Assyria? In order to understand this connection, we need to recall the context in Matthew’s gospel. Jesus’ withdrawal took place immediately after His temptation (4:1-11). Jesus, the Last Adam and the True Israel, was victorious in His conflict with Satan. The temptation was the beginning of Jesus’ campaign to conquer the enemy of His people, to deliver them from the slavery that God had justly imposed upon them because of their sins. Thus, His withdrawal to Galilee follows on His triumph over the oppressor. Having dealt an initial defeat to Satan, Jesus went into Galilee to announce His victory, and the coming fullness of the kingdom. Jesus’ conquest of Satan was the reality of which the Lord’s conquest of Assyria was the dim shadow.  (Biblical Horizons 1991)”

Galilee – the Galilee of 2014 is anything but the placid place of tourists, rather it is a Palestinian state in the condition of an undeclared war with Israel. It is a place of where the term terrorist and patriot are interchanged. It is a place where American Tourists are loved and our government hated. It is place of hatred and peace, of a coming darkness threatening to destroy the Light of Jesus Christ.

Amazing isn’t it how conditions do not change.  “Jesus went into Galilee to announce His victory, and the coming fullness of the kingdom. Jesus’ conquest of Satan was the reality of which the Lord’s conquest of Assyria was the dim shadow.  (Biblical Horizons 1991)”

It is into this context that Matthew places the call of the Disciples, a call that resonates in the hearts of followers of Christ. Jesus, victor, comes to the area in which John has been arrested and proclaims victory over evil, the entrance of the Kingdom and the role of his ministry with his disciples. To be a disciple of Jesus means to invade the stronghold of Satan and bring light to a people darkened by evil.

There is a story told about a young writer. He had written his first book and was on a tour to present the book and talk with crowds about it. His first appearance was to be in a large auditorium. He came and took his seat on the podium and after his introduction got up to speak. It was then he realized there was only one person in the audience, a woman who was sitting in the back row; so he invited her to come up front and take a seat closer to him. Her response was, “No thanks, I might want to leave early.” I doubt that he sold her any books.

Not so with the call of Jesus. Jesus calls Pete, Andrew, James and John and calls them to an immediate ministry that does not have the option of leaving early. They are enlisting for the duration, and they are enlisting to invade the lair of the enemy. There are stories throughout scripture of those who wanted to hold the option of backing out when they wanted to; Jesus universally says to them, “thanks but no thanks.”

To be a disciple means to follow and to follow through what we consider good or bad! Do you remember the story of Gideon? That took place in the area of Galilee. Remember the Midianites were oppressing the Israelites and God called Gideon to raise an army to fight the Midianites. So he did. You will remember God culled that army and then gave them torches and trumpets for weapons. And the text says God defeated the Midianites. The message being that “with God all things are possible;” without God “we are a nosy gong or a clanging cymbal.”

So Jesus calls, Peter, Andrew, James and John – small businessmen, making their living as fishermen; married and settled. As he calls them and they leave everything behind, they sell out to follow Jesus and he begins to teach them how they are to be light in the middle of darkness.

Mt.4:23  “Jesus traveled throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues. He announced the good news of the kingdom and healed every disease and sickness among the people.” And then Matthew says: “People brought to him all those who had various kinds of diseases, those in pain, those possessed by demons, those with epilepsy, and those who were paralyzed and he healed them.”

It is no wonder the telling of good news begins with repentance – we, the messengers need to change our hearts; we are the ones who must be healed first – our world is not to be made up of them and us; we are not enemies but each a child of the living God and each lost. Jesus has called you to change your heart and be light in the darkness.

How appropriate are the stories of the “Good Samaritan” and the “Woman taken in Adultery” Jesus smashes our concepts of righteousness and demands we see beneath the surface to the greater wrongs of a polarized society so that we can minister to the needs of the person.

The anthem is quite correct; God has called us to be a welcoming place.

So you and I, like Gideon’s army are to take our torches and bugles and gain victory through the hand of God. Our torches and bugles consist of the love of God and the radical belief of God’s love for the whole world. We come to identify with the lost and lonely. To heal the sick and be one with those imprisoned. We come to offer ourselves to the God of mercy and bring to that God those who have lived in the darkness of sin and oppression.

That sounds so good and noble. But Peter, Andrew, John and James understood that they were the successors of the Baptist and if evil destroyed him they too would face the wrath of the status quo opposition. As you follow Jesus understand that he is not calling you to lives of ease and pleasure, but to battle and there will be casualties.

But there is a greater promise – you are part of the incoming Kingdom of God, in your repentance and new life of love, the world of darkness becomes aware of the power of God and what it means to live in the Kingdom.

You – age doesn’t matter – you are called to be Light in Darkness, you – age has no bearing, you are called to model the Kingdom of God for those who are lost. We are to be in ministry where ever we are and with whom we are.

 

We are called to Light in Darkness.  Our closing hymn is “I want to walk as a Child of the Light” may these words be your prayer:

 

amen