We're going to do it again. We'll walk slowly through the story and see what happens.

Jesus leaves Nazareth. He leaves home. Why would he leave his home and his family? Well, Matthew tells us at the beginning. He heard that John was in prison. John was a peaceful protestor out in the wilderness calling people to repent, to rethink their allegiance to the authoritarian powers of the state and of religion. And now he's in prison. Golly Gee, I don't know how these ancient stories could possibly be relevant to today.

So Jesus leaves home and starts preaching about the kingdom of God being near. But he doesn't stop there, he then calls some people to "Come, follow me."

So who are we following? We all follow someone or something or some ideology. Our world tells us to follow ourselves - "Live your own truth - speak your own truth - you be you, man." But none of us really does that. We're all following. We got our beliefs, our values, the ways in which we live our everyday lives from someone. It was handed down to us. There's nothing new under the sun. Who are we following? It's an important question for self-reflection.

There are characteristics and actions that DON'T look like Jesus, but we see them everywhere. And if it doesn't look like Jesus, we should stop following.

So it's not too late. We can still repent and receive forgiveness, because that's what God does (this is John's message, who then points to Jesus). Then we can repent - rethink - change our thinking about some things - and then follow Jesus who shows us how to live in the kingdom. And what does Jesus immediately start doing with his new followers? Oh, he goes around Galilee and heals people of all their diseases. That's our work: bring healing into the lives of others wherever we are whenever we are there.

Speaker: Aaron Vis

Scripture: Matthew 4:12-23

http://bible.com/events/49552986