Matthew 4:12-17
12 When Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, he withdrew to Galilee. 13 Leaving Nazareth, he went and lived in Capernaum, which was by the lake in the area of Zebulun and Naphtali— 14 to fulfill what was said through the prophet Isaiah:
15 “Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali,
the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan,
Galilee of the Gentiles—
16 the people living in darkness
have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of the shadow of death
a light has dawned.”
17 From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”
What do you know about Jesus? At this point, if you’re honest, not much. Just rumors. They say he’s from Nazareth. Some say he spent time in the wilderness with John the Baptizer. But ever since John was arrested by Herod for criticizing his incestuous marriage to his brother’s wife, Jesus has been out here in Capernaum preaching. His message is pretty much the same as John’s was: “Turn back!”
That’s what 'repent' means: “Turn back!” John told people to turn back because the Messiah was coming.
You grew up hearing stories about the Messiah. “There was a time,” your grandfather would say, at night around the campfire, as sparks flew up into the sky like tiny little prayers making their way to some distant heaven, “Before the Romans… Before the Greeks… Before the Persians even… when Judeans lived free! When David and his children sat upon the throne in Jerusalem and judged the land with justice and mercy… For the Lord promised our forefathers that as long as we stayed true to his covenant, He would bless us and there would always be a descendant of David on the throne... But we did not listen. Our forefathers turned after other gods and turned their backs on their neighbors. And because they turned their backs on God, the Exile came! Invaders from the North! The Babylonians! They swept into Jerusalem and destroyed the Temple and led us away in chains. But after 70 years, God led us back. Because when God’s people turn back to him, he is faithful... And here we are back in the land. Our Temple is built once again. But we are not free! God has promised, though, that if we turn back to him yet again, he will raise up a descendant of David, a bright green shoot from the stump of Jesse, and he will deliver us from the oppressor and we will be free once more. He and his descendants will once again sit on the throne in Jerusalem… and he will rule with justice and mercy... God will call him ‘son’, just as he did David, and all peoples will come to Mount Zion to learn God’s ways, and there will be no more want or war or needless death. All we’ve got to do is turn back! And the Lord's anointed WILL come!"
If you close your eyes, you can still see your grandfather’s eyes well up with hope as he says 'the Lord’s anointed' almost as if he could see him in the fire… The Messiah!
Back when you would lay beneath the twinkling hosts of heaven and listen to your grandfather's words, you would picture him-- the Lord's anointed! --with a sword and shield, with bright bronze armor, ready to lead God's people into battle. You imagined him looking fierce and noble like David staring down Goliath, or Joshua leading his people into Jericho... You always imagined that when he showed up you would be in his army, maybe even at his side, as he marched into Jerusalem and vanquished the foe. "What would it be like?" you would wonder dreamily, "To follow the Messiah?"
But these days you don’t spend your evenings listening to stories by the fire. There is too much work to do. The heavy taxes that the Romans levy mean you and your brothers must work twice as hard to put food on the table. So you are up all night fishing. You sit in your small wooden boat, with your net cast between you and the shore, letting them fill up and then hauling them in. Sometimes your mind would turn to those childish dreams. You thought you'd be riding into glory with the Lord's anointed. But here you are: sitting on the same boat night after night, doing the same things day after day.
You couldn’t possibly know what an amazing adventure you’re about to go on. You couldn’t possibly know that the enigmatic rabbi that has been causing such a stir in town is about to meet you on the shore and turn your life upside down. You couldn’t possibly know all that you will be called to give up and all that you will gain in return when you follow his Way.
No. Right now, 'Jesus' and 'Messiah' are just rumors and campfire stories. Dreams that never panned out. But tomorrow they will be as real as your next breath. Tomorrow they will be the very earth beneath your feet and the endless sky above your head. Because tomorrow you will be come a disciple!
The moon is not out tonight. As you sit alone in your boat, the waters of the lake are still and black as the night but for the light of a few stars glinting on the surface like the last stubborn embers in a fire pit long since put out. It seems in this moment like the whole world is in darkness waiting. Maybe like it's been waiting too long. Maybe it's too late to turn back. Maybe all those legends and stories and rumors are buried forever beneath these waters and there is no retrieving them. All that is is all that is.
You couldn't possibly know how wrong you are. Darkness will not have the last word. It never does. Just over the horizon, a new light is waiting to dawn. And tomorrow you will be living in the shadow of death no longer.
Father, We lie in wait for you in darkness, waiting for the light of Christ! Turn our hearts back to you. Rekindle in us the desire to be your disciples. Give us the grace to find your path and to follow you all the way. Amen.
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