Matthew 4:12-23

Now when Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew to Galilee. He left Nazareth and made his home in Capernaum by the lake, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, so that what had been spoken through the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled:

‘Land of Zebulun, land of Naphtali,
   on the road by the sea, across the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles—
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.’

From that time Jesus began to proclaim,

‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.’

As he walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the lake—for they were fishermen. And he said to them, 'Follow me, and I will make you fish for people.' Immediately they left their nets and followed him. As he went from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John, in the boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets, and he called them. Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed him.

Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and curing every disease and every sickness among the people.

The Stories

The first apostles were common fishermen, working for their father’s business and much needed by him as a family business needs the experienced labor of the family members, today.  They abandon their positions to follow Jesus.

We might wonder how to connect this sort of abandonment with today's emphasis on "family values."  But is it possible that we use our faith or at least our religious commitment to put our lives in respectable, orderly comfort? According to Thomas Long,  (Preaching Professor at Emory University Atlanta, GA) "The goal of the kingdom is not to serve us in being more effective and productive in our jobs. Our work is truly effective when it serves to express the will of God. The patterns of our lives are not made secure by the kingdom of heaven; the kingdom of heaven rearranges them into the new design of God's own making."  But Long says that all this disruption is "not to destroy but to renew," and our lives are transformed in the process.

          The stories of last week and this week disagree in how Peter and Andrew were recruited.  Were they fishing with their father or disciples of John?  Probably a little of both.  With each written about 80-90 in the Common Era, the story is written from a different perspective than John wrote in his story form.  It is thought that there were two authors who wrote the gospel of Matthew and that is why the difference but also in agreement with Mark, so there we have differences when stories are told.  It is a familiar story and the point I make this morning is that we are no different from either the story teller or the first disciples.  In doing this I bring you a couple of stories, neither meant to entertain but rather to give examples of storytelling done years later.

          The first is nearly first hand knowledge, told by an upperclassman of mine at the Conservatory.  He was a Senior when I was a freshman, and the story is true but shows several points I think you can relate to.

Trombone  Mutes

By Wayne Johnson

In the fall of the year of 1965, 16 brave souls formed a Stage Band at the Northern Conservatory of Music.

We had to hold practice across the street at the Elks Club as any music that wasn’t deemed proper, was not allowed to be played in the conservatory until 2100, 9 o’clock p.m., or when the big hand is on the12 and the little hand is on the 9.

The 4 Trombone Players needed mutes that at Viners Music Store where around $3 each but the rubber toilet plungers at the Mom and Pop’s hardware store where only 29 cents. Gasoline was about 35 cents a gallon, it was just Economics 101of where the mutes would be bought.

One of the bone players couldn’t go that day so I offered to go in his place.

Ralph had this Idea. We would go in one at a time and order a toilet plunger and we didn’t want the stick that came with it.

Ralph goes in first and the man asks if he can help him. Ralphs says I need that toilet plunger right there. The man picks it up and starts to put the stick in the hole. Ralph says “I don’t want the stick.”  The Man says, “but the stick comes with it.” Ralph says “no stick” pays and walks out.

Daryl goes in next and the woman asks can I help you. Daryl says I need a toilet plunger. She starts to put the stick in when Daryl says “I don’t want the stick.”  But you have to take the stick. Daryl says “no stick,”  pays and walks out.

I’m next, and by now we are being watched very closely. I ask for a toilet plunger and woman say and I bet you don’t want the stick. “Yes ‘mam” I say, I pay and I pass Roger as I’m going out.

Well Roger is not so lucky, as He gets the plunger with the stick in it.

We then go back inside and explain that the plungers are to be used as trombone mutes, but somehow they didn’t have a since of humor.

Well, I got inspired and wrote to Wayne, the author of that story who thinks we ought to write down our experiences of the last century before ones like that are lost.  I wrote the poem or limerick:

The first person stories that come to mind

Especially those that are corroborated or co-authored, would be fine. 

What I worry about, as many of the others who probably read this do,

Are those stories that might be told ABOUT us; especially if they were true.

Dreaming to a New Future

In 1904 a man from Milwaukee took a neighbor girl, Bessie Cary to a picnic on an island in Lake Michigan. After awhile Bessie got a craving for a cool, refreshing dish of ice cream. Ole (that was his name) rowed 2 ½ miles back

to the mainland to get some. Unfortunately, the summer heat melted the ice cream into a globby mess by the time Ole made his return trip.

The embarrassing incident prompted the young mechanic to look for a more efficient means of propelling a small boat. Five years later, Ole Evinrude, patented his revolutionary outboard motor and formed the Evinrude Motor company. Before long the company was swamped with orders for the little one-cylinder engine. Although most of the success can be credited to Ole,

Bessie Cary, soon there after, Bessie Evinrude, was responsible for the management of the business.

Perhaps the Church has become a lower priority in society because it has ceased to dream. By leaving the past and venturing into the future the church can still make a difference.

Keith Wagner, Go Fish!

          Let us continue to fish for people.  More importantly, maybe, let us continue to train fishers; those who bring others to Christ.

          God is still speaking through the stories of the gospel writers.  I somehow hear them saying things like, “I can’t believe 2000 years after I wrote that, people are not only still reading it, but are getting so much out of it.  It is because of whom it is written.  If you quote Isaiah and tell of the life of one so great as Jesus, the story will be read forever.  Written by God, inspired by God or made holy by God’s blessing, this is the Good News, the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  We are part of God’s story.  God is still speaking through us.  Amen.