Sermon for Sunday, December 1, 2024 at First Presbyterian Church at Unionville, NY (BPC)
Old Testament reading:
[Psalm 119:57-64 ESV] 57 [Heth] The LORD is my portion; I promise to keep your words. 58 I entreat your favor with all my heart; be gracious to me according to your promise. 59 When I think on my ways, I turn my feet to your testimonies; 60 I hasten and do not delay to keep your commandments. 61 Though the cords of the wicked ensnare me, I do not forget your law. 62 At midnight I rise to praise you, because of your righteous rules. 63 I am a companion of all who fear you, of those who keep your precepts. 64 The earth, O LORD, is full of your steadfast love; teach me your statutes!
New Testament reading:
[Acts 1:15-26 ESV] 15 In those days Peter stood up among the brothers (the company of persons was in all about 120) and said, 16 “Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke beforehand by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus. 17 For he was numbered among us and was allotted his share in this ministry.” 18 (Now this man acquired a field with the reward of his wickedness, and falling headlong he burst open in the middle and all his bowels gushed out. 19 And it became known to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the field was called in their own language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.) 20 “For it is written in the Book of Psalms, “‘May his camp become desolate, and let there be no one to dwell in it’; and “‘Let another take his office.’ 21 So one of the men who have accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, 22 beginning from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us–one of these men must become with us a witness to his resurrection.” 23 And they put forward two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was also called Justus, and Matthias. 24 And they prayed and said, “You, Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which one of these two you have chosen 25 to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place.” 26 And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.
Gospel reading:
[Matthew 10:34-39 ESV] 34 “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. 36 And a person’s enemies will be those of his own household. 37 Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38 And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
Sermon Text:
[Matthew 4:18-22 ESV] 18 While walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (who is called Peter) and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. 19 And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” 20 Immediately they left their nets and followed him. 21 And going on from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets, and he called them. 22 Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.
Introduction
A friend of mine with many children says to them:
Obey,
Right away
All the way
And in a happy way.
Each of those presents their challenges!
It can be difficult to obey right away, as “I’m doing something else right now.”
It can be difficult to obey “all the way” because “I think found a shortcut.”
And it can difficult to obey “in a happy way” because “doesn’t obedience entail a depressive servitude?” [Well, it doesn’t]
Each of these would make a good sermon subject. Obeying right away. Obeying all the way. And obeying in a happy way. But the one we have in our text today is the first one: obeying right away.
Jesus says “Follow me” and Immediately They Followed Him.
That is the title of the sermon this morning: Immediately They Followed Him.
Setting:
As for our setting, Jesus has just started his ministry. After being baptized by John, anointed as the Messiah, and put through the trial of Satan’s temptations, Jesus began to preach “repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
And while — as God himself—Jesus could have done ministry by himself, it was in the plan of God for him to have disciples; student-followers of him.
I. The Purpose of Disciples
What is the purpose of these disciples?
These disciples would become apostles.
What is the difference?
A disciple is a student, a follower.
An apostle is a “sent-one,” an ambassador. It is a student that is fully trained.
And that is what any good teacher wants to see: they want to see their students trained to forward with the knowledge that the teacher has given them.
So the purpose of calling these first disciples is to make them apostles. And the purpose of the apostles, at least in part, is to be witnesses of Christ. That was an important criteria in the book of acts when a new apostle was to be chosen in the place of Judas. They needed to be “a witness to Christ’s resurrection.” [Acts 1:22] And all the apostles would be called, Jesus said, “to be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and the end of the earth.” [Acts 1:8]
But it starts on the shores of Galilee. The grand plan of spreading of the Gospel started in a humble corner of the world; a fishing village on a lake in the north of Israel.
So the disciples are to be apostles and so witnesses of Christ to the nations.
That I believe is the major purpose. To be witnesses.
But there more purposes for the disciples noted in Mark’s Gospel.
Mark 3:14 – “and he appointed twelve (whom he also named apostles) so that they might be with him and he might send them out to preach and have authority to cast out demons.”
“So that” is a purpose clause. Jesus appointed his disciples “so that” they would do these things:
1. Be with him
2. Preach
3. Cast our demons
The ultimate goal, as we look to Matthew, is that they will be witnesses to the nation. But to be witnesses they first have to “be with him.” They learn from Jesus. And I don’t think it would be wrong to say that Jesus was blessed in this arrangement as well; everyone wants friends, even Jesus.
So they are with Jesus. They preach. And what do they preach? They preach Christ. Thus they are witnesses. And this preaching itself would have the tendency to cast out demons. But we know from the Scriptures that the apostles did also specifically cast out demons. That was part of their work and calling. All from the glory of God, showing that demons are cast out by the name of Christ. So in all they do they are witnesses of Christ. Witnesses of his divine power.
II. Two Sets of brothers.
The first of these disciples are two sets of brothers.
First Peter and Andrew.
Then James and John, two sons of Zebedee.
In our text Peter is mentioned first. “two brothers, Simon (who is called Peter) and Andrew his brother.”
That’s also the case in Mark’s Gospel. It is “SIMON and Andrew” as the first two disciples.
Even, later in Matthew we have a list of the twelve apostles and it says “the names of the twelve apostles are these: FIRST, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother… etc.”
A Roman Catholic might even see some sort of priority for Peter in this.
But in John’s Gospel is it clear that temporally (in time order) ANDREW came to be a follower of Christ BEFORE Peter did. Andrew believed in Jesus first and ran to his brother Simon Peter and said “We have found the Messiah (which means Christ.” [John 1:41]
So maybe Andrew was the first Pope! [sarcasm] Of course not. The apostles are all the same “rank.” They all have the same mission. To be witnesses of Christ and fishers of men.
So there is Peter and Andrew.
Then there is James and John. John is the apostle, the author of the Gospel of John, and of the Epistles of 1st, 2nd, and 3rd John, and of the Book of Revelation. He is a prominent disciples.
James, like Andrew, is not as prominent in the Scriptures as Peter or John.
And this James is not the author of the Epistle of James. That’s was James, the brother of Jesus not James the son of Zebedee.
Now the text doesn’t tell us why the first disciples were sets of brothers. So we don’t really know why. You could give reasons for why it is better to have brothers as disciples, but then you find that many of the other disciples of the Lord are not biological brothers. So the text is essentially reporting the case (that they are brothers) but not saying that pairs of brothers are preferred.
We do see however that the first brothers are actively working, throwing their nets into the sea. And the other two brothers are mending their nets; showing good industriousness and preparation for their work. These are no doubt beneficial characteristics for a disciple to have.
And, if there is one thing we know about fishermen in the Sea of Galilee, it is that they had dangerous work. The sea was notorious for bad and sudden storms. And what do you think that Apostles of Christ will have to face? Storms, many storms. Physical and spiritual. Financial and emotional. The Apostles would go through it all. Paul alone is beaten, stoned, shipwrecked, bitten by a snake, imprisoned multiple times. The dangers of the sea would prepare at these Peter, Andrew, James, and John for the work ahead.
III. Immediate Obedience
Now in each case, when they brothers are called, THEY IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWED JESUS.
That is the twice-repeated result in our Scripture text.
Jesus said to Simon and Andrew “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”And “IMMEDIATELY they left their nets and followed him.”
And Jesus called James and John.
And “IMMEDIATELY they left the boat and their father and followed him.”
Luke even says “they left everything and followed him.” [Luke 5:11]
They obeyed RIGHT AWAY. IMMEDIATELY.
They obeyed ALL THE WAY. They left everything!
And, while the text doesn’t clearly say so, they presumably obeyed in a happy way. Certainly that phrase of Andrew shows happiness in saying “We have found the Messiah!” The long-awaited messiah has been found. That is a statement of great joy.
Such complete following of Christ is what he commanded to his disciples.
And it is what he commands also to us.
It will be difficult. As James and John left family, so may we have to do the same. If our families won’t also follow Christ, we’ll have to obey the Lord without them, praying that they will follow us who follow the Lord.
We are told in the Scriptures that Jesus came not to bring peace but a sword. That we must love the Lord above even family. And so being called to follow the Lord, we may have to break from traditions and activities of friends and family that are not right in His sight.
We are called to obey.
You are called to obey.
Are you like Andrew and Peter and James and John? Can you say that when God called you that IMMEDIATELY you left EVERYTHING ELSE and followed Him?
That is what you are called to.
There are no luke-warm Christians.
There are no half-way Christians.
There are no “I’ll do it later” Christians.
No, there are only disciples of Christ, with Him as our ONE and ONLY Lord.
We are called to put the Lord above ALL ELSE.
Called to put away sin and self, and put on Christ.
And called to do so immediately.
So many people err in planning only a death-bed conversion.
Live how I want, they think, and then go to the Lord.
But Christ calls us to be followers immediately. Know the joys of the Lord STARTING NOW. Don’t hold back that wonderful blessing until a later time. Embrace it now.
We don’t know when the end will come.
But we do know that a beginning comes RIGHT NOW as we IMMEDIATELY follow the Lord. “Immediate” means “without anything in between.” Christ is our first priority and we are called to follow Him from day 1 until the last day and every for eternity.
And such is a great blessing to us.
That is what is often missed.
Many know of Pascal’s Wager. This idea that the expected value of believing in the Lord is greater than the expected value of not believing.
But an error of Pascal’s Wager is that the Christian life here and now is not worse. We are not making our life worse in order to obtain a great eternity. Our life is better now; once we start believing in Christ. Not better because of promises prosperity and health, but better because of the knowledge that our sins are forgiving and we have a relationship with God IN THIS LIFE.
So do not delay. Come to the Lord.
And if you have come to the Lord, be joyful and thankful that you know God now. Yes, we shall know him more fully in the world to come, but you know him truly even now. What a great blessing that is.
IV. The Great Commission
This greater life, greater blessing of Christian life, is seen in our text in the calling of the disciples. The worldly man wants fish above all things; he wants foods. The man of God is seeking something better. He becomes a fisher of men.
These first four disciples are all fishermen.
Sometimes they fail and get no fish. Sometimes they succeed and get many fish.
But they are called now to go after not fish, but men.
And sometimes they will fail and no one will come to believe. But something they succeed and many come to faith.
And what would you rather gain? Fish or men?
There is a moment of excitement when a fish is on the line. And enjoyment in eating that fish.
But, how many fish would you give to see your brother, mother, nephew, or niece come to the Lord!
Indeed that is far great. Of eternal significance.
And the disciples of Christ are called to that work. An important and glorious work indeed. Fishers of men. Proclaimers of the Gospel. Going out to all the nations and saying like John the Baptist and like Jesus “Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.” Going out with the Great Commission to make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that Jesus taught.
That is far greater. To be fishers of men.
These disciples are called to that purpose, and we disciples of disciples of disciples are called to that same purpose. What an honor indeed to be called a disciple of Christ and work for Him.
So let us all hear the call of the Lord and immediately obey Him and immediately follow him. Take up the example of the first disciples, and truly hear God’s call.
Application: What will you be found doing when the Lord returns?
I want to conclude with one application. One question. What will you be found doing when the Lord returns?
The four apostles in our text, when Christ came to them, were found working. None of them were idle. None of them were criminal. All were honestly working to provide for themselves and their families.
This is honorable indeed. And this was BEFORE they were called to be Fishers of Men.
It is a great calling for us to work. And I’m a big proponent of it. Frankly, I just think its cool if you arrive when someone is working. You see them in their craft, even if they aren’t an expert.
At the seminary I attended — a small school — the president was also the Hebrew professor and the maintenance man. And so often I would come upon him repairing the stairs the library, redoing the siding on a dormitory cabin, or fixing a heater to thaw out the frozen water well. And that is the image I have of him. Always doing something. The teaching, the preaching, the conversations, the evangelism were there as well, but I don’t want to discount the physical work. That is good too.
And so I hope to embrace his go-at-it attitude. And I don’t mind when someone shows up while I’m knee-deep in a project. Work is good and honorable.
Then there is that call to evangelism. It changed the Apostles to be fishers of men.
And so “what will you be found doing when the Lord returns?”
If you are found working that is a good thing.
If you are found proclaiming the Gospel verbally that is, I submit, an even better thing.
We really need to have a better phrase than “speak of the devil” because if I’m speaking about Jesus and He shows up, that wouldn’t exactly be a proper expression! But what a great joy if you are speaking of Jesus and He returns and you can say “speak of the Lord!” Then you’ll be found to be obedient to the very end; obedient all the way.
Finally, there is the phrase “fishers of men.” Jesus promises to make his disciples “fishers of men.” That is, HE is doing the work. HE will make them fishers of men.
The Lord works his sanctification in us;
the Lord works his plan through us.
The Lord gives us strength to follow him.
So let us pray for obedience.
Let us pray for evangelistic strength.
And let us pray for the return of the Lord.