Christ doesn’t need our ability. But our Availability
SCRIPTURE: Matthew 4:12-23
Intro
If you think you’re too small to have an impact.- try going to bed with a mosquito in the room.
Our scripture text starts by saying, “Now when Jesus heard that John was delivered up, he withdrew into Galilee” (v. 12). It then tells us that Jesus began to proclaim, “Repent! For the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand” (v. 17).
This is the beginning of Jesus’ ministry. Matthew has told us about Jesus’ birth (chapter 1)–the visit of the Wise Men (chapter 2)–the ministry of John the Baptist in the wilderness–the baptism of Jesus (chapter 3)–and the temptation of Jesus. It is at that point that Jesus officially kicks off his ministry. He calls four disciples–Peter and Andrew–James, and John.
It’s interesting to note the kind of people that Jesus called:
o They were brothers–two sets of brothers. Peter and Andrew were brothers, as were James and John.
o They were fishermen. Peter and Andrew were casting a net into the sea when Jesus called, “Come after me, and I will make you fishers for men” (v. 19). James and John were helping their father repair nets when Jesus called them. All four men dropped what they were doing and followed Jesus.
o All four men were ordinary people. They weren’t the worst, and they weren’t the best. They weren’t poor, and they weren’t rich.
o As far as we know, these four men were successful fishermen. That meant that they worked hard and worked smart. It meant that they used their hands and their heads. It meant that they seldom went hungry, but they just as seldom had money left over at the end of the week.
You would think Jesus could have done better! You would think that the Son of God could have anyone he wanted–and you would think that he would want the best! You would think that Jesus would assemble a team to beat all teams–a team of superstars–of super-disciples! Each disciple should specialize in a particular skill:
But those weren’t the kind of people that Jesus chose. Jesus chose Peter and Andrew–James and John. He chose ordinary fishermen.
o Perhaps Jesus couldn’t find the kind of people he needed.
o Or maybe he didn’t feel like he needed great people.
o Perhaps he preferred ordinary people.
o Maybe he felt more comfortable with ordinary people.
o Or maybe he was making a point.
o He may have been telling us that it is all right to be ordinary.
o He may have been saying that God can use ordinary people.
o Perhaps he was trying to encourage us. After all, most of us are pretty ordinary.
o Maybe he was telling us that if we respond as these four disciples responded, we too can change the world.
I think that those possibilities have much to commend, but the bottom line is that God prefers to work with ordinary people.
o If God calls a brilliant person–a person with a genius IQ–then people will give that brilliant person credit for whatever happens.
o If God calls a rich and famous person, then people will give that person credit for whatever happens.
But we aren’t likely to accomplish much for God unless we’re God-powered–Holy Spirit powered–so God wants us to know that it was God who achieved the results. So, God often prefers to work through ordinary people.
That’s Good News! If God wanted only the rich and famous, we would be left out in the cold. The call of these four disciples–Peter and Andrew–James and John–tells us that God can ordinary people and enable ordinary people to achieve extraordinary results. That’s Good News for us because we’re ordinary people–but God can use us to do extraordinary things.
. I was a young woman in my 20s and only came to faith in Christ for a few years. I was training as a nurse then and met other nurses working in a neighbouring hospital. They told me about the success of their Nurse’s Christian fellowship. Once I learned from them exactly what the fellowship was all bout by attending one of their meetings, I wanted to start one in my hospital. With the help of my Pastor, the group grew from 2 to 30 in no time at all. I am nothing special- just an ordinary person with ordinary ideas, and God did extraordinary things. We had four nurses give their lives to the Lord, two were baptised through that group, and several patients came to faith and were baptised.
When Jesus called these four fishermen, he didn’t invite them to read his book. He invited them to follow him.
He invited them to become his disciples.
Jesus allowed these four men to live with him and observe him at close hands daily. By doing so, they learned much more than Jesus’ ideas. They became familiar with his moods. They observed how he treated other people. They saw how he dealt with problems and opposition. They began to copy his manner of speaking and his gestures. Slowly but surely, they became like Jesus in thought, word and deed.
That should speak powerfully to us about discipleship. It’s not enough to accumulate knowledge from the scriptures about Jesus. Becoming disciples involves spending time with Jesus. We, of course, don’t have the opportunity to sit down with Jesus in the flesh. Still, we can develop an intimate relationship with Jesus through reading the scriptures–prayer–and faithful obedience. Discipleship is “heart knowledge,” not just “head knowledge.”
Jesus chose these four ordinary men–and a few others like them–some better, some worse–some men, some women–and those disciples turned the world upside down. It’s now two thousand years later, and everything has changed. The Scribes and the Pharisees are gone. The Roman Empire is gone. But all over the world, people worship Jesus Christ. That happened because Christ called these ordinary people to be his disciples and empowered them to do his work.
Christ calls us too! Christ calls some of us to be preachers and others to be teachers. Christ calls some of us to be youth leaders and others to be youth group members. Christ calls some to be missionaries in Africa and others to be missionaries in the places where we live and work day by day. Christ calls some of us to sing in the choir or play musical instruments and others to enjoy the music.
But for all of Us- Christ calls all of us to love! Christ calls all of us to bear witness! Christ calls all of us to spread the Good News!
Martin Luther SAID : believe in Christ, and do your duty in that state of life to which God has called you.
If we obey and heed Christ’s call, he will make things happen. Christ doesn’t need our ability. He just needs our availability, so others will see the great light!
Listen for his call! Listen to hear what he is calling you to be–and what he is calling you to do.
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Remember to live life on purpose, in Hope. Faith and Love
Paula Rose Parish💕
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