“Follow Me”

Lately, it seems, I am reminded of the old adage “Know your context.” After all, context matters. The places we live, the history we share together – the conflicts, the achievements, the setbacks, the baggage we carry — especially the skeletons we try so desperately to hide from public view. Our context shapes our lives together as a called, gathered, and sent people. A people claimed as God’s beloved children in the waters of Holy Baptism. A people called and gathered together in worship from places far and wide by the Holy Spirit. A people sent out into the world to be the church together for the sake of the world. Context matters.

Take, for example, today’s passage from Matthew’s Gospel (4:12-23). An account that takes place following Jesus’ baptism when Jesus was “Led up by the Spirit into the wilderness” (4:1). A desolate and lonely place. The biblical abode of demons and death. A location far removed from family and friends. The place where Jesus fasted for 40 days, prayed, and was tempted. And then, after the devil left and the angels are attending Jesus (4:11), we learn that Jesus receives some really bad news. News that John the Baptist has been arrested. Sadly, the voice of one calling for repentance and proclaiming the dawn of the Kingdom of Heaven has been silenced (3:2).

After hearing the disturbing report, Jesus withdrew; leaving his home town of Nazareth behind for a new start in Capernaum, an obscure fishing village destined to become the hub of Jesus’ public ministry in the region of Galilee. I wonder, was Jesus troubled? Did he fear that he was next on Herod’s “hit list”? Unfortunately, we don’t know. The text is silent on the matter. Notice, however, that precisely in the midst of a time of great uncertainty regarding John the Baptist’s safety and welfare, we hear once again from the prophet Isaiah. Words of promise and fulfillment. Words of comfort spoken long ago to a fearful, questioning people. Words addressed to you now. “The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death light has dawned” (MT 4:16).

But notice, what follows: “From that time Jesus began to proclaim, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near’” (MT 4:17). Jesus does much more than parrot the words of John the Baptist or seek refuge in an obscure fishing village far removed from the center of political and religious power in Jerusalem. Jesus moves forward. He moves forward in ministry leaving behind the only home he has ever known, moves forward in the face of the uncertainty surrounding the fate of John the Baptist, moves forward — healing the sick, freeing the demon-possessed, and reaching out to the marginalized, and the forgotten (4:23).

When I study the context of this particular text from Matthew’s gospel, what stands out to me more than anything else is the reality that Jesus does not act alone. Instead, Jesus reaches out to ordinary people –in this instance, an odd assortment of fisherman from Galilee. His is a ministry of inclusion and participation. “Follow me, and I will make you fish for people,” calls Jesus. And, one after another, Simon (Peter), Andrew, James, and Zebedee immediately left their nets and boats and followed Jesus (MT 4:18-22). Jesus does something remarkable here. He invites unprepared, unqualified, and very ordinary people to participate in his ministry. And Jesus extends the same invitation to you and to me. “Follow me.”

Unlike the disciples mentioned in Mark’s Gospel, we often find ourselves challenged to answer Jesus’ invitation to “Follow me.” After all, it’s hard to follow Jesus. Especially when we find ourselves so caught up in the things of this world – money, status, power, authority, stuff and more stuff – that Jesus’ invitation sounds more like a whisper than a joyous shout out. To complicate matters, even IF we manage to hear Jesus’ invitation – “Follow me” – we may find ourselves at a loss of how to respond. And, because the task is so daunting, we sell ourselves short. We pass the buck and pray that someone else, someone holier, wiser, more educated, more professional, more experienced will answer Jesus’ call.

Like it or not. Jesus won’t go away. Jesus, the Crucified and Risen Lord, comes to you. Comes to you in the sacraments of Holy Baptism and the Lord’s Table. Comes to you in the hearing of God’s Word proclaimed and calls you – flawed, imperfect, unprepared, frightened, doubt-ridden, young, old and ill-equipped though you may be, inviting you to participate in God’s mission for the world. We Lutherans call it our Baptismal vocation.

It’s important to remember, notes Pastor David Lose, that before God calls us to do anything, God first calls us to be something: God’s own beloved children. Honored, treasured, valued, and loved. Loved so much that God holds nothing back, not even life itself, to reconcile the world to God through the power of the cross. And living into the reality that we are God’s children, we may then learn what it means to live out our baptismal callings – to heed Jesus’ invitation to “Follow me.” Maybe in the course of our daily work or school activities. Or perhaps through volunteering or by participating in one of the many and various ministries of Trinity Lutheran Church. Or by responding to God’s gracious activity in your life by reaching out to a neighbor in need or by simply bearing witness to the good news of the saving activity of Jesus Christ.

And while we may struggle to with making sense what being a child of God exactly means, perhaps we can begin by first focus on being – just being – God’s beloved children, and to let that grace-filled identity seep into the deepest parts of ourselves. If we can do that, simply begin with being God’s beloved children, I am confident that we – both individually and collectively as the church – will figure out how to respond to Jesus’ invitation to “Follow me.”

Note: The idea of first being God’s beloved children and then doing was developed in David Lose’s January 17, 2017 blog post, “Being before Doing”.