Matthew 4:18-25
18 And Jesus, walking by the Sea of Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. 19 Then He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” 20 They immediately left their nets and followed Him.
21 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. He called them, 22 and immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed Him.
23 And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people. 24 Then His fame went throughout all Syria; and they brought to Him all sick people who were afflicted with various diseases and torments, and those who were demon-possessed, epileptics, and paralytics; and He healed them. 25 Great multitudes followed Him—from Galilee, and from Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and beyond the Jordan.
Through these recruitments God is revealing that He planned all along to use men in the spreading of His New Testament. Why else recruit them? Of course, these lowly men (and the other lowly men to follow) will be equipped with the means of grace (which appear lowly to man’s reason). Yet, because they are equipped with God’s Word, their words and the means of grace will, indeed, have power.
Christ’s words that immediately precede the text for today carry weight: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” (Matt 4:17). These are the very words of Christ that sank deep into the men that were recruited and converted by Christ. These same words will not only resound in keeping the Apostles dying and rising through faith in Christ—it is the means of grace that also revert back to these words.
“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand,” is right there with all preaching. “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand,” is right there with Holy Baptism. “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand,” is right there with confession and Holy Absolution. “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand,” is right there with Holy Communion.
Although seeming to be scarce, God does raise up faithful pastors to continue in the spreading of His very words—creating and sustaining repentant faith through the Office of the Holy Ministry and the means of grace that He instituted! Thanks be to God, indeed!
Let us pray: Almighty and everlasting God, who governs all things in heaven and on earth, mercifully hear the prayers of Your people and grant us Your peace for all our days; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
