Sunday, January 24, 2021

“Follow Me”
(Watch past sermons on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Hope-United-Methodist-Church)
Jesus spent about 40 days in the wilderness after his baptism. Out of the wilderness, Jesus spread the word across Galilee. He followed the work of John, but also expanded upon it, not only telling people to repent, but telling them that, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near.”

As Jesus begins his ministry, he began to call co-workers, disciples who would follow him. He went out into the rural areas of the community where he had been raised. First, he saw the fishermen, Simon and Andrew, those who are hard at work. He invited them to join him, saying he would make them fish for people. And, they followed him. Next, Jesus saw James and John. He called to them, and they followed him too, leaving their dad in the middle of the boat with their hired man. So, since its setting is fishing, let’s begin from there. Many of you may have experiences of fishing and many people are enjoying it. I don’t know a lot about fishing, but through the metaphor of fishing, what can we imagine about Jesus’ invitation? When Jesus says, follow me, I’ll make you fish for people, How can the image of fishing, fishing for people, be related to proclaiming Good News and making Jesus’ disciples? Hook the non-churched and bring them to God, to the church? Actually if you catch the fish and put it on the land, then it dies. It could not be an act of life giving. Or does fishing for people mean we bring them in order that they can be saved from the ocean which could be a metaphor of a hostile world? But you know, we are called to set apart ourselves from the world but we are also called to be in the world. Jesus says, Go into the world to make disciples of Jesus Christ.