In the middle, the thrill of extremes settles into the boredom of routines. For followers of Jesus, this can lead in several problematic directions.
As Matthew tells it, the disciples’ experience of following Jesus began with a bang. We do not know what they expected when they dropped their nets and their boats (and their dad) and immediately followed Him. But it is hard to imagine they expected the wild ride that was about to begin. His teaching and preaching may have been predictable. Then He started healing “every disease and every affliction.” Then He began casting out demons. Then He restored those who suffered seizures and paralysis. No wonder “great crowds” (4:25) joined them! These early days of following Jesus must have been an incredible experience for these small-town anglers.
So was the end. I am thinking of the emotional roller-coaster they experienced at Jesus’ arrest, trial, and crucifixion, the danger they felt when people recognized they were part of His company, the incredible reports of His resurrection, and the thrill of His appearance behind locked doors. The end of the disciples’ time with Jesus was even more exciting than the beginning. It was the kind of thing adrenaline junkies live for.
But then there was life in the middle. These were the times between what happened in this week’s reading and the end of Matthew’s Gospel. Life in the middle for the disciples was often less than thrilling and undramatic. Jesus took them to people and places where no miracles were performed (Matthew 15:8). He taught in ways that confused them and confounded others (Matthew 13:10-17). The great crowds came and went, and the adrenaline rush that characterized both the beginning and the end of their time with Jesus ebbed and flowed.
This contrast between Matthew’s description of the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, as reported in this week’s gospel reading, and the life of discipleship for Christians who live between Jesus’ first and second coming, can be stark. For those who long for excitement as a follower of Jesus, these middle times can be a bit of a let-down.
Part of the problem is we are familiar with the buzz that comes with big beginnings and exciting endings. Sports teams begin the season with recording-setting streaks and end with playoff races that make every second count. Politicians break out with a flurry of fanfare and come crashing down under the weight of catastrophe and scandal. On a personal level, we begin a career with the excitement of new opportunities and end with congratulations for a job well done. Our romantic relationships start with the thrill of discovery and end in the flames of betrayal. We plan, prepare, and invite our loved ones for housewarming celebrations and moving parties. It is easy to get excited about the beginning and the end.
It is the middle times that can become a challenge. In the middle, the thrill of extremes settles into the boredom of routines. For followers of Jesus, this can lead in several problematic directions.
It is the middle times that can become a challenge.
One temptation is apathy. Jonathan Rauch wrote about this in his brief and piercing essay called, “Let it Be.” Rauch extols the rise of what he calls “apatheism” among religious people. He welcomes it as a major civilizational advance and wryly encourages followers of Jesus (among other believers) to care less and less about their faith and the faith of others. A related temptation is to overstate the challenges faced by the Church and engage in alarmism. It may rally the troops to do a little fearmongering, but things are not always as perilous as the loudest voices suggest. If apatheism can lead to a lack of concern about the faith of others, alarmism can lead to overzealous accusations and unchristian infighting in a battle for who has the best ideas about how to battle the evil around us.
Perhaps your sermon this week can help your hearers avoid these temptations and live faithfully in the middle. How might you do that? By recalling the beginning of Jesus’ ministry from our text and proclaiming the promise of the end that is coming soon.
In fulfillment of the prophets, Jesus came as the light shining in the darkness (Matthew 4:15-16). His calls to repent and believe were accompanied by the kinds of miracles that can only be done by one who reigns over disease, despair, and, ultimately, death. In this sense, the beginning of Jesus’ ministry was a glimpse of the power that would become most clear in His resurrection from the dead.
Jesus will also come again. As surely as he is risen from the dead and ascended into Heaven, He will return to judge both the living and the dead. On that great and final day, He will restore His people and creation for all eternity, and His Kingdom will have no end. Confidence in the good news of Jesus’ ministry and the promise of His return will sustain followers of Jesus through the routine of life in the middle.
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Additional Resources:
Craft of Preaching-Check out 1517’s resources on Matthew 4:12-25.
Concordia Theology-Various helps from Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, MO to assist you in preaching Matthew 4:12-25.
Lectionary Kick-Start-Check out this fantastic podcast from Craft of Preaching authors Peter Nafzger and David Schmitt as they dig into the texts for this Sunday!
The Pastor’s Workshop-Check out all the great preaching resources from our friends at the Pastor’s Workshop!
