Worship and Devotions

Third Sunday After Epiphany

January 25, 2026

Welcome visitors and old friends. Welcome regardless of belief, ethnic background, sexual orientation, gender, socio-economic status, marital status, age, abilities, or life situation. Welcome believers and doubters as well as doubting believers. Welcome to share the fullness of Christ's love for the world! (Adapted from The welcome message from the Thomas Community in Finland. "Celebrating milestone moments" by Rev. Jukka Joensuu. Canada Lutheran January/February 2024 Vol. 39 No. 1; chorus of ELW 523)

Jesus begins his public ministry by calling fishers to leave their nets and follow him. In Jesus the kingdom of God has come near. We who have walked in darkness have seen a great light. We see this light most profoundly in the cross — as God suffers with us and all who are oppressed by sickness, sin, or evil. Light dawns for us as we gather around the word, the font, and the holy table. We are then sent to share the good news that others may be “caught” in the net of God’s grace and mercy.

Music

Listen, God is Calling

Listen, God Is Calling - ELW 513

Prayer of the Day

Lord God, your loving kindness always goes before us and follows after us. Summon us into your light and direct our steps in the ways of goodness that come through the cross of your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen

Readings

Isaiah 9:1-4; Psalm 27:1, 4-9; 1 Corinthians 1:10-18

Gospel - Matthew 4:12-23

Glory to you, O Lord.

Jesus begins his public ministry shortly after John the Baptist is imprisoned by Herod. He proclaims the nearness of God’s reign and calls four fishermen to be his first disciples.

Now when Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew to Galilee. He left Nazareth and made his home in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, so that what had been spoken through the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: “Land of Zebulun, land of Naphtali, on the road by the sea, across the Jordan, Galilee of the gentiles — ¹⁶ the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death light has dawned.” From that time Jesus began to proclaim, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” As he walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea — for they were fishers. And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of people.” Immediately they left their nets and followed him. As he went from there, he saw two other brothers, James, son of Zebedee, and his brother John, in the boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets, and he called them. Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him. Jesus went throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and curing every disease and every sickness among the people.

Praise to you, O Christ.

Music

Will you Come and Follow Me

Will you come and follow me (The Summons). Lyric video (StF 673)

Sermon

Called to New Life

By Pastor Carol J. Dennison

“A logging truck is coming and it’s headed right for you unless you change your route!” What do you do? Move!

In Isaiah’s time, this is basically the message he gives to the people of Israel, telling them to turn from worshipping idols and live up to their covenant with God, or they will be destroyed along with the Assyrians whose lead they have trusted. However, those who turn back to God, will be delivered from the darkness of death and see God’s light rescuing them. Isaiah reminds them of Gideon and three hundred soldiers facing the Midianites with a countless army. God sends their enemy running away before them scared out of the wits and it is God’s victory!

In Jesus’ time all of Israel is under Roman rule. Everywhere the Romans redistribute the land among local supporters and by taxation of the largely rural economy, give economic control and resources to local elites who cooperate with them to line their own pockets. The Romans, along with previous conquerors, repopulate many areas with their own people to make it easier to put down uprisings. For the rest of the population, it means deep poverty, working under Roman rules or not at all, and in seventy to ninety per cent of the population a resultant rise in ill health due to poor water quality, food insecurity along with poor quality, and infectious diseases a constant danger- no vaccinations then! If you became ill, you could not work and you did not eat! The Emperor is king and rules!

Then comes John the Baptist saying another king is coming- God! The kingdom of heaven has come near! Change your ways because God’s whole new world is coming straight towards you! That is good news for those suffering under Roman rule. However, to Roman governors and elites it is subversive, an attack on Roman rule, and John’s popularity – people from Jerusalem, all Judea and all the region along the Jordan River are flocking to him to be baptized- results in his arrest and death.

Jesus also comes to see John, travelling from Nazareth in the hills of Galilee about 350 metres or 1138 feet above sea level, to the Jordan River Rift Valley - over 396 metres or 1300 feet below sea level- and down to where John is baptizing. He hears this message and sees the effect it is having on the listeners. He too is baptized and receives the affirmation of the Holy Spirit descending on him like a dove and a voice from heaven saying: “This is my Son whom I love and with whom I am well pleased.”

Jesus then goes into the barren Judean Desert in the Rift Valley to face, not only lions, bears, wild boars and bandits, but especially the temptations of the devil to follow him rather than God! Having sent the devil packing and being revived by angels, he arrives back where John is baptizing only to hear that John has been arrested. Immediately, Jesus returns home to Nazareth.

Jesus does not stay in Nazareth, a small village off the beaten track but also near villages where revolts against Rome have been violently put down, but rather makes the treacherous descent from Nazareth to the Sea of Galilee, about 210 meters or 689 feet below sea level and to Capernaum, a city on the main travel routes. Matthew sees this as fulfilling Isaiah’s prophecy- those who turn back to God, will be delivered from the darkness of death and see God’s light rescuing them. We are not told how soon after his arrival Jesus speaks the same message as John: another king is coming- God! The kingdom of heaven has come near! Change your ways because God’s whole new world is coming straight towards you! John’s message reached the southern part of Israel- now Jesus is reaching the northern part.

We are not told what happen when he begins to proclaim this or how long it is before the rest of the story. However, it is probably safe to assume that Simon, called Peter, Andrew, James and John have heard of the message and may even have heard him in person.

One day, Jesus takes a walk by the Sea of Galilee and sees these men engaged in their work. They are fishers who have bought a lease or contract from Rome enabling them to fish but making them supply a specified quantity of fish at regular intervals or face penalties. He calls them to follow him and fish for people. Now, we have often thought this is just a call to proclaim the gospel and bring people to faith. However this term is used by the prophets as a euphemism for judgment upon the elites, the powerful, the rich, the oppressors. Jesus, is in fact, calling them to join his struggle to bring in God’s rule, God’s kingdom among them. Despite the danger of doing so they immediately drop their jobs, leave their nets, boats, family, and follow Jesus!

Jesus then proceeds to go throughout all of Galilee, teaching in synagogues, proclaiming the good news that God’s kingdom is coming near and showing its reality by curing every disease and illness among the people. People can see the light of God’s presence among them, chasing away the darkness of death and despair. The four new disciples follow and learn.

How does Jesus bring God’s kingdom near? He lives among the people in the most ethnically diverse part of Israel becoming their neighbour. He moves among them learning by experience what it is like to be both an insider, among the Jewish population, and an outsider, among the Gentiles. He chooses other ordinary everyday people to follow him and to do an extraordinary job. Jesus sends them out to their fellow Jews to proclaim “The Kingdom of heaven has come near.” After his death, resurrection and as he is ascending back to the Father, Jesus tells them again, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always.” (Matthew 28:19-20)

Today we live in a world where the rich, the powerful, the elites, continue to bully, terrorize and try to control everyone. They continue to act as if they are in control not God. What does today’s lesson mean for us, now?

First of all it is good news for us! God created us, knew us in our mother’s womb, and called us into God’s kingdom through ordinary everyday people like our parents, grandparents, friends or neighbours. God loves us so much that God sent Jesus to become one of us, learning what it is like to be a human being with all its joys, trials and messiness! Jesus died on a cross to show us that our sin is forgiven, taken away, and that in its place we have the gift of the Holy Spirit to show us how to be the people God created us to be! God sees us as important, loved, valuable, worth it!

Second, God calls us to follow Jesus and tell others that the kingdom of heaven has come near, that when we come back to following God, we are part of God’s plan to bring about a whole new creation when Jesus returns.

Third, God calls us to show the love God gave and continues to give us by showing God’s love to others in words and in actions not just to those whom we like or think worthy but to everyone especially our enemies!

Fourth, God says to each of us, You are my child, my Beloved. With you I am well pleased not because you are perfect or superhuman or rich or famous but because you believe in and follow Jesus.

Fifth, whatever we do, say, think, feel, experience is guided by God through the power of the Holy Spirit so that we do not need to worry about what to do or say or be. God is with us always and leads us to the people and situations where God wants us to be and provided the action, words and resources we need when we need them.

Those first four disciples did not have a clue where Jesus would lead them or what they would be asked to do, or what would happen to them but, guided by God’s Spirit, they just followed and learned as they went. In the words of a country music song, “Life’s a dance you learn as you go.” We don’t lead the dance, God does and when we follow all ends as God wants it to end. When we try to lead, we do not do so well but God is always ready and willing to pick us up, dust us off and lead us in the next dance!

Come, follow me! Tell the world “The kingdom of heaven has come near! Change your ways because God’s whole new world is coming straight towards you!” And remember, I, your God, am always with you!

Let us pray: “Lord, what is it you want us to do? Where do you want us to be? Help us to hear your voice and give us the courage to obey, knowing that you are in control and through your Holy Spirit all things are possible. Grant us the gifts, attitudes, aptitudes and resources we need to do the work you have called us to do to the glory of your Holy Name and the furtherance of your kingdom. Amen (Adapted from a prayer by Bishop Chris Wiliams, retired Bishop of the Diocese of the Arctic, ACC On Eagles’ Wings Advent devotions December 2008)

Prayers of Intercession

As God's beloved children united in Christ, let us pray for the church, the whole human community, and the well-being of the earth, our home.

A brief silence.

Holy One, you entrust the message of the cross and the mission of the gospel to the church in every land. Grant wisdom, courage, strength and patience to our leaders, lay and ordained. Guide the newly baptized and deepen the faith of all who follow Christ. Merciful God, receive our prayer.

We give you thanks O Lord, for the United Nations at it celebrates eighty years of working for peace with justice in this world. Bring to justice and repentance all who are working to weaken its work and give courage to all who support and further it. Merciful God, receive our prayer.

Holy Creator, you lavish creation with splendor, and we praise you for the gift of life. Teach us to live as wise stewards, sharing the earth’s resources with all inhabitants of this garden planet. Merciful God, receive our prayer.

Holy Judge, your power is love, and you judge the nations by the measure of Christ. Free any who are unjustly accused or wrongly condemned. We pray for all in authority among the nations and ask you to give them courage, wisdom and all else they need to pursue peace with justice. We especially ask you to bring wisdom and cooperation among and within Israel and Hamas, Ukraine and Russia, Cambodia and Thailand, Afghanistan and Pakistan, the United States and Venezuela and Denmark, as well as Sudan, and Nigeria. Merciful God, receive our prayer.

Holy Giver, you gather, forgive, and shape us as disciples of Christ. Nurture in us a spirit of patience and respect, that we may love one another as you love us. Merciful God, receive our prayer.

Here other intercessions may be offered.

Holy Saviour, you free us from the power of death. Lead and guide us until we come at last into the communion of all your saints in light. Merciful God, receive our prayer.

Confident that the Holy Spirit receives our prayers and answers us, we commend all for whom we pray to God’s loving-kindness made known to us in Christ Jesus our Saviour.

Amen.

Music

Let us Talents and Tongues Employ

Let Us Talents and Tongues Employ (Tune: Linstead - 3vv + refrain) [with lyrics for congregations]

Go Now In Peace

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQg2XqZcZjIhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQg2XqZcZjI