The Compelling Call of Christ

Jesus Is Lord
Imitating Jesus
The Supremacy of Jesus Christ

Matthew 4:18-25

The Message

^18-20 Walking along the beach of Lake Galilee, Jesus saw two brothers: Simon (later called Peter) and Andrew. They were fishing, throwing their nets into the lake. It was their regular work. Jesus said to them, “Come with me. I’ll make a new kind of fisherman out of you. I’ll show you how to catch men and women instead of perch and bass.” They didn’t ask questions, but simply dropped their nets and followed.
^21-22 A short distance down the beach they came upon another pair of brothers, James and John, Zebedee’s sons. These two were sitting in a boat with their father, Zebedee, mending their fishnets. Jesus made the same offer to them, and they were just as quick to follow, abandoning boat and father.
^23-25 From there he went all over Galilee. He used synagogues for meeting places and taught people the truth of God. God’s kingdom was his theme—that beginning right now they were under God’s government, a good government! He also healed people of their diseases and of the bad effects of their bad lives. Word got around the entire Roman province of Syria. People brought anybody with an ailment, whether mental, emotional, or physical. Jesus healed them, one and all. More and more people came, the momentum gathering. Besides those from Galilee, crowds came from the “Ten Towns” across the lake, others up from Jerusalem and Judea, still others from across the Jordan

For Reflection

Christ called all who would hear, that salvation from political tyranny from dominating governments, dominating religious practices, and dominating cultures that seduced people away from God's intention for his creation had arrived.  Not as expected in yet another domination system, but rather a trans-formative life of healing, justice, and compassion.  It was then, as it is now, a compelling call for freedom, justice, and compassion.

 

Pray

that you will heed Christ's call to a life in obedience to God and dominated by His call to seek healing, justice, and compassion.  Pray that your life reflects the life that is exemplified in the life and death of Jesus Christ.