Matt. 4: 18 – 22; Psalm 32 v1 and 8; and 1 Corinthians 13 4-7, 13
We are preparing many things ahead of Easter, which is scheduled for April 20th. Children practice handbells and draw pictures related to Jesus. Adults conduct Bible studies about the areas where Jesus worked. Also, as a union of churches, each church takes turns preparing for the noon service. Sometimes, our minds can be hectic. But it is significant to remember Jesus, who loved us so much that he came to this world.
The stories in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke, at the beginning of the New Testament, are the episodes that Jesus and his disciples experienced together, and the parts that the authors wanted to remember and emphasize. Therefore, there are some differences in the way the author taught lessons to the community they belonged to and lived in.
The story of Jesus and his disciples in today’s Gospel excites me. This is the story of Jesus calling four disciples who were fishermen. Luke’s Gospel provides a more detailed explanation of this episode. Jesus meets the fishermen who have been trying to catch fish all night. Then Jesus commands them to take the boat back to the lake and cast their nets. Peter and his companions cast a net and caught a large number of fish. Even though the experienced fishermen worked all night long, they hadn’t seen any fish, but Jesus helped them grab a surprising number of fish. They were surprised because it was likely a more significant catch of fish than they had ever experienced before. And now Jesus invites them to do something more valuable than making money by catching and selling fish. They immediately begin three years with Jesus, following His words.
Isn’t it fascinating? Of course, the disciples may feel that Jesus is different from other people just by letting them catch so many fish in the boat. Or maybe there were rumors about him in Galilee at the time. Or, as in Chapter 1 of the Gospel of John, Peter and Andrew may have recognized Jesus at once because they were initially disciples of John the Baptist and had been waiting for Jesus for a long time. What is important is that when Jesus called his disciples, they were pleased. So they were very excited.
Jesus did many things together with his disciples. In these three short years, he worked many miracles. He trained his disciples. He taught people correct lessons about the Bible and the Law. Sometimes, he fought against people who had wrong beliefs. But in the end, according to God’s will and plan, he went one step at a time to the cross. And He was resurrected. Reflecting on this journey of faith, we can consider why Jesus and his disciples engaged in this kind of ministry.
That’s because they had faith, hope, and love. They had faith in God. They had hope for the kingdom of God. They all had an overflowing love for people, including the Israelites. The apostle Paul expresses that among faith, hope, and love, the greatest is love. I also agree. Because love is the beginning and end. Thus, love is the greatest. Let’s sing about love today. Let us sing of our faith and hope toward God. Let us sing of the God who invites us, like his disciples, into his ministry. May the Lord bless us. Amen.