Follow Me

 Jesu Juva

St. Matthew 4:12-25                                      

January 25, 2026

Epiphany 3A                    

 Dear Saints of Our Savior~

        There’s a lot going on in today’s holy gospel—so much so, that it’s easy to overlook the ominous note in the very first sentence: Now when Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew into Galilee.  John the Baptizer had been arrested by King Herod.  The voice of one crying in the wilderness had been silenced.  And it wouldn’t be long before John’s head would be served up as a party favor.

        You may recall that what landed John in jail was that he publicly criticized the immorality of King Herod.  Herod had taken up with his brother’s estranged wife; and John called him on it.  Everybody knew it was wrong.  Everybody still knows that adultery is wrong.  Even if you were never taught the sixth commandment; yet the moral law, written on every human heart, screams out that marriage is holy—that what God joins together man must not separate.  Everybody knew it was wrong, but only John had the courage and conviction to speak the truth publicly about Herod’s sin.  And for that, John died a martyr’s death.

        God’s truth is rarely tolerated in this world.  In our nation today the truth about abortion cannot be tolerated.  Thank God for the thousands who marched in Washington on Friday.  Those Christians are the conscience of our country.  Everybody knows that murder is wrong—that taking the life of a helpless human being flies in the face of all that is good and right.  Even if you were never taught the Fifth Commandment; yet the moral law, written on every human heart, screams out that killing the living but unborn is an outrageous act of evil. 

We Christians have been entrusted with the truth.  Not only the tragic truth about abortion, but we know God’s glorious truth that every human life is sacred—that God loves life—that God sent His Son into this world (first) as a fetus in the womb of a virgin—a holy embryo—and then to die a sacrificial death as the Lamb of God for every precious human life.  That’s the truth we are called to speak.  But learn from John not to expect applause, but rejection.  You may even lose your head.  That’s how it goes for God’s kingdom in this world:  It suffers violence.  It appears vulnerable and weak.  It always comes with a cross.

There’s a subtle shift underway in today’s Holy Gospel.  Our Lord is launching His public ministry.  Jesus is establishing a beachhead from which the Gospel will eventually make its way to the ends of the earth.  Offensive operations are commencing:  Jesus begins preaching.  Jesus begins teaching.  Jesus begins healing those afflicted by disease and tormented by demons.

        As all this is going on, Jesus relocates.  He moves from Nazareth to Capernaum on the Sea of Galilee.  The population of Galilee was both Jewish and Gentile.  It was a backwoods kind of a place—not where you and I would have chosen to start a movement, much less a religion.  But then again, we’re not in charge.  The Kingdom of Jesus is upside down compared to the kingdoms of this world.  The last are first.  Those who walk in darkness get to see the dawning light first of all.  And so, Galilee becomes ground zero; and Capernaum, a little fishing village, becomes Central Command.

        Meanwhile, Jesus just gives away the whole plan.  The plan that will propel Jesus all the way to Calvary’s cross is plainly revealed.  Jesus lays all his cards on the table.  His strategic priority—what He’s really after—what He will stop at nothing to acquire—is followers.  Not power.  Not money.  Jesus just wants followers.  He wants people to follow Him in faith.  As His first order of business—at the top of His agenda—Jesus says: Follow Me.

        Jesus calls four fishermen to discipleship with that simple invitation, follow me.  Peter and Andrew, James and John.  With a word Jesus calls them away from their nets and their boats.  Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.  They used to catch fish in their nets.  Now they would be sent out to catch people for the kingdom in the net of Jesus’ death and resurrection, by making disciples, baptizing and teaching in His name.  These four men were called not only to be the first disciples, but also the first Apostles.  Even as Jesus called them to follow, He would soon be sending them out.  Not everyone is called to leave everything behind for Jesus’ sake. These four men began a new calling, a new vocation.

        Thus began three years with Jesus, listening to His teaching, watching the wonders He did.  These men would see Jesus through His crucifixion and resurrection.  They would see His physical presence disappear into the cloud at the Ascension.  And they would go forth until they themselves followed Jesus into paradise, being fishers of men, gathering men and women into the church to confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

        But as you back things up to that day on the lakeshore when these four fishermen left their nets and followed Jesus—do you think they knew what they were getting into?   Did they know then how God’s plan for the salvation of the world would unfold?  Did they have any idea what the months and years ahead would bring?  How could they?  Of course, we know all the twists and turns.  We know how the story turns out.  But those four men, at that moment on the lakeshore—they had no idea what was coming.  All they had was faith to trust Jesus—faith to follow where He led.  Faith to trust His Word.  And that is everything.

        It’s not so different for us.  We too have heard that gracious invitation from Jesus.  We hear it echoing in every sermon: Follow me.  We have felt it in the cleansing splash of our baptism: Follow me.  We taste it in the bread that is His body and wine that is His blood: Follow me.  What Jesus wants more than anything are people to follow Him in faith.  What Jesus wants . . . is you.

        Do you know what you’re in for?  Do you know how God’s plan for your life will unfold?  Do you have any idea what the years ahead will bring for you?  How could you?  Twists and turns, tears and triumphs, valleys and mountain peaks, drudgery and surprise, sin and grace.  And through it all, this invitation echoes down to the depths of your soul: Follow Me.  You have no idea what is coming.  All you have is faith to trust Jesus—faith to follow where He leads.  And that is everything.

        You may wonder, sometimes, if you are of any use to Jesus and His kingdom.  (Or worse, there may be times when you don’t care—times when you don’t give a thought to God’s kingdom and your place in it.)  You may think that you don’t have the skills, the aptitude, the personality to make a difference.  You may think that you don’t have the guts to speak the truth in love, about life and death. 

When you begin to wonder such things, remember Peter and Andrew, James and John.  They were fishermen.  Theirs was a low-tech job in a low-tech world.  But God used them to change the world.  God used them—used their preaching and their witness and their teaching—to make sure that you—and other fish like you—would be caught up in the net of God’s grace and mercy. 

That’s right, think of yourselves not as fishers of men.  Think of yourself as a fish.  And don’t pretend for a minute that you’re a good, Lutheran fish—that you’re so smart that you jumped right into Jesus’ net of Justification by grace.  It doesn’t work that way!  I’m no expert, but I have never, ever, encountered a fish that wanted to be caught.  No, against your natural will and instincts, you’ve been caught.  And you’ve been cleaned—made holy through faith in Jesus—to go out and do holy things—not knowing where you go, or what tomorrow may bring—but only that you are, indeed, following Jesus, that you will go where He has gone, that you will live and reign with Him forever. 

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.