Follow me says Jesus- how their hearts must have been warmed to immediately follow the call.
To leave boats, to leave parents.
Follow me – the kingdom of heaven is at hand and it is good news.
Follow me – Jesus proclaims the coming of his kingdom of light – out of Galilee – his new home.
Come let us fish for people!
The LORD is my light and salvation, declares the psalmist, “Come,” my heart says, “seek his face!”
Peter, Andrew, brothers James and John follow, and might they know, in their hearts the sense of the Psalm,
The LORD is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear, The LORD is the stronghold of my life, of whom shall I be afraid?
Jesus’ home is now in Capernaum, a refugee from persecution. John has been arrested and Jesus takes up his mantle and proclaims, Repent for the kingdom of heaven is near. Elisha is greater than Elijah. The followers share his life, they walk in Jesus’ shadow, seeking the rule of heaven, the way of Jesus, turning from darkness to light. This is good news
Isaiah declares that those who walk in darkness see a great light.
The darkness of the gentiles is pierced with light. There is victory in the cross, victory as in the time of Gideon when against all odds there was victory in Midian.
We too are a small band. A family. Brothers and sisters.
Paul reminds us to include and not other.
John preached repentance; Jesus took up his cause – emptying himself.
Pride in our ways, our traditions, empties Christ of power.
Look at us, truly we appear foolish. Why bother?
No!
What we have is the power of the cross – good news;
Beautiful news;
The truth.
See the Nations are healed, the people are cured.
And so we follow Jesus and sing:
One thing I ask of the LORD,
this I seek;
to live in the house of the lord
all the days of my life,
to behold the beauty of the LORD
and to inquire in his temple.
And so we gather, little children, beloved of God, appearing foolish
To share the light,
to share our being,
to love one another,
to break bread.
To behold beauty as we share our hearts, troubled though they might be: in anguish.
And we wait, we tarry to serve the LORD.
To serve in loving one another;
to serve in sharing the good news.
This is healing, this is goodness, righteousness and true.
Come let us follow Jesu.
Grace and peace to you all.
Takeley Chapel 