November 12, 2023
St. Andrew Church
Rev. Anne McAnelly
First Lesson: Isaiah 9: 1-4
But there will be no gloom for those who were in anguish. In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time he will make glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations. The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness—on them light has shined. You have multiplied the nation, you have increased its joy; they rejoice before you as with joy at the harvest, as people exult when dividing plunder. For the yoke of their burden, and the bar across their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor, you have broken as on the day of Midian.
Second Lesson: Matthew 4:12-25
Now when Jesusa heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew to Galilee. He left Nazareth and made his home in Capernaum by the sea, 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 sea—for they were fishermen. And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fish for people.” 20 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. So his fame spread throughout all Syria, and they brought to him all the sick, those who were afflicted with various diseases and pains, demoniacs, epileptics, and paralytics, and he cured them. And great crowds followed him from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and from beyond the Jordan.
Our gospel lesson is between two well-known passages: The· Temptation of Christ and the Beatitudes. In the Temptation, Jesus is depleted and challenged, and in the Beatitudes, he is offering hope to the meek and poor in spirit. Having been baptized, Jesus is ready to start his ministry, but John the Baptist has just been arrested. This implies a threat to Jesus’ safety redirecting him to Capemaum. But on this St. Andrew Day I want us to hear what Jesus does between these two events and who is involved. READ
The land of Zebulum and Naphtali were mentioned in both passages. At first, I thought it was to fulfill Isaiah’s prophecy. These were lands promised by God to Abraham, Issac and Jacob and shown to Moses. They are God’s divine gift. But quoting Isaiah ·shows that these lands are occupied and oppressed by the Roman Empire much like they were by the Babylonians. This occupation is what caused the great darkness and death. Jesus will be the light dawning into this darkness. Yet Jesus flees Nazareth when he hears about John’s arrest. It is not safe for him. We read “he withdrew to Galilee,” but it is the same verb used when Mary and Joseph fled to Egypt, and when the Magi went home a different way when Herod was looking for them. It implies fleeing from the threat of violence. John’s arrest is a dangerous situation for Jesus, and he must choose how to respond. Jesus goes to Capemaum, to Zebulum and Naphtali, to distance himself from the Roman threat. But then Jesus proclaims, “Repent for the kingdom of heaven has come near,” the same message that got John arrested (3:2).
Then Jesus walks by the Sea of Galilee and calls Simon Peter and Andrew to follow him. I have thought of this as a warm, inviting, calling, a join me in my mission and I will help you fish for people. That is how it was taught in Sunday school. Jesus sees these two men, these brothers, casting their nets. Then he invites them to follow and use their skills in a new way, to bring in the kingdom of heaven. Simon Peter and Andrew immediately drop everything and follow Jesus. Jesus then ·calls another set of brothers, James and John, and they leave their boats and father behind and follow as well.
What I see this time is that Jesus might be looking for support. He is starting his ministry, he has already fled for his safety, and he has a big job ahead of him. Jesus calls four strong men, two sets of brothers, to be is back up, his support group. If you are about to get into a fight you certainly want your posse with you. You want someone to have your back. Yes, Jesus is calling these four men to be disciples in training, but I would argue he· is also wanting their support.
Why is that important? We often think of Jesus, the Son of God, love incarnate, and we think of Jesus’ power and strength. He faces every obstacle with grace and poise. Our humanness is heartened when he asks for this cup to pass him by, but otherwise he is a strong, quick witted, Messiah who died to save the world. But if Jesus needed the support of his disciples, then I think it gives us permission to need support too. To be OK with asking for help. To let people around us know when things aren’t going right. Ask for prayer when something is weighing on us. We like to go it alone and have a stiff upper lip (I wonder if the Scots do that as well as the English). But what if we can turn that around, repent from our individual island of self-sufficiency and lean into the community of faith and the support that is around us?
Would our lives improve?
Would we have a greater sense of community?
We are surrounded by Redwoods, and they are a wonderful example of what I mean. They tower as much as 300 feet above the ground. “Strangely, these towering trees have unusually shallow root systems that spider out just under the surface of the ground to catch as much of the surface moisture they can. And this is their vulnerability. Storms with heavy winds would almost always bring these giants crashing to the ground but this rarely happens because they grow in clusters and their intertwining roots provide support for one another against the storms.
When we are together, either as a family or a church, we provide this same support. Pain and suffering come to all of us. But, just like our giant Sequoia trees, we can be supported in those difficult times by the touch of one another’s lives. The knowledge that we have someone; that we are not alone; that there is someone who is willing to touch us, hold us, keeps us from being destroyed” (Sermons.com, Brett Blair).
Jesus needed support and we need support as well. What is the first thing Jesus does once he has gathered his team, his posse? After teaching and proclaiming the good news, Jesus heals people. He offers support to everyone he meets. He let us know that it is ok to need support and to offer it as well.
Have you ever wondered why there were so many sick people in Jesus’ world? I thought it was a response to his ability to heal and cure people. But it was also a symptom of the Roman oppression and the crushing conditions of their occupation. Roman imperial structures and practices were bad for people’s health. Some 70-90 percent of folks in Rome’s empire experienced varying degrees of poverty causing social stresses, food insecurity, and lack of water and immunity. Similar conditions are now in Gaza as they face their own occupation.
Jesus’ healings are acts that repair imperial damage and enact God’s life-giving empire in restoring people’s lives. Jesus is creating the Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus provides physical wholeness, where “the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed… and the poor have good news brought to them” (Mt. 11:5; Is. 35:5-6). (Working Preacher, Warren Carter). Jesus is healing and curing people in Judea, Galilee and beyond the Jordan. So, the words of the Beatitudes have a deep context, and heartfelt compassion. Jesus is blessing those who will inherit the kingdom of heaven, after healing and supporting them.
Jesus calls his disciples to a new way of life in the reign of God. Bringing in a new realm takes work and sacrifice. And people supporting each other to do it. On July 3, 1776, the day before the signing of the Declaration of Independence, George Washington wrote a letter to his wife, anticipating the hardships which would soon occur. Here in part are his words:
“In a few days, you will see a Declaration setting forth the causes which have impelled us to this mighty revolution and the reasons which will justify it in the sight of God. lam fully aware of the toil and blood and treasure what it will cost to maintain this declaration and support and defend these states; yes, through all the gloom, I can see the rays of ravishing light and glory” (Sermons.com, Brett Blair). Light shining in the darkness. May we always protect that light, as we stand as Christ’s hands and feet in this neighborhood, country and world.
Today is St. Andrew Day. A day we remember the namesake of our church, Andrew. What I hope we see is that Andrew supported Jesus. That he modeled the need for us to support and be supported as part of our discipleship, following Jesus. And when we see darkness and oppression may we be instruments of light in the name of Christ. Amen.
