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The Gospel of Matthew Bible Studies
The Gospel of Mark Bible Studies
January 2008
February 2008
March 2008
April 2008
May 2008
June 2008
July 2008
August 2008
September 2008
October 2008
November 2008
December 2008
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The 3rd Sunday after the Epiphany (A) In the words of today’s gospel: “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…” As many of you know, Carol and I are about to embark on a trip to Israel. We’re going to be leaving tomorrow morning, and if all goes according to schedule in just a few days from now we’re going to be actually seeing and walking in many of those very places where Jesus lived and taught – including the towns of Nazareth and Capernaum that are mentioned in our gospel reading. As you can imagine, we are really excited and looking forward to this! While thinking about those places we’re going to be visiting, I began to wonder – WHY did Jesus decide to move from Nazareth to Capernaum? Jesus had lived in Nazareth for most of his life and that is where his family and friends were – and yet for some reason he decided that he needed to leave that place. And WHY did Jesus end up choosing Capernaum to be the location for his new home? Matthew writes that Jesus’ move fulfilled an ancient prophecy (today’s first reading from the 9th chapter of Isaiah) that the “light” of God’s kingdom would come from someone who has withdrawn to the ancient regions of Zebulun and Naphtali, to a place by the sea, in the land of Galilee. But there is more to it than just that. Matthew writes that Jesus withdrew to Galilee after hearing that John (the Baptist) had been arrested – indicating that his move was not entirely voluntary and that perhaps he was afraid he might be arrested also. Matthew had used the very same word “withdrew” back in the second chapter of his gospel when describing why Joseph and Mary and the infant Jesus came to settle in Nazareth. In that chapter, Matthew relates that after the death of Herod the Great, Joseph brought Mary and Jesus back from Egypt to the land of Israel. But when Joseph heard that Herod’s son Archelaus – a man who was ever bit as violent and bloodthirsty as his father – was now the king in Judea, he was afraid and therefore withdrew to the district of Galilee and made his home in the town of Nazareth – thus (incidentally) fulfilling a prophecy about Jesus that “He will be called a Nazarene.” (Mt. 2:22-23) There seems to be a pattern here. In Matthew’s gospel, Jesus moves from Bethlehem to Egypt, then back to the land of Israel, then to Nazareth, and now in today’s gospel, to Capernaum – not by choice but rather because of necessity. He has to withdraw from one place to another again and again. Yet each “withdrawal” that Jesus makes fulfills a prophecy and ends up becoming a blessing. So it was especially for Jesus’ latest “withdrawal” to the city of Capernaum. Capernaum was a bustling town on the northwestern shore of the Sea of Galilee with a population of almost 10,000 – substantially bigger than Nazareth. A major north – south highway from Syria to Egypt ran through it – the so-called Way of the Sea. Because of this, Capernaum was also a very “cosmopolitan” town compared to Nazareth. It was mostly Jewish, but it was also open to new ideas in a way that other parts of Palestine were not – new ideas such as what Jesus was about proclaim. So although Jesus may not have moved to Capernaum entirely by choice, his new home turned out to be a good place – indeed, the ideal place – for him to begin and carry out his ministry. So it is often with us. During Pella’s centennial year especially, I have been thinking about this congregation’s original founders who came from Denmark. Why did they leave their homes and their country to come to America and out here to eastern Montana? We do not know for sure, but I would venture to guess that it was mostly for economic reasons. They likely felt that they had to move here in order to have a better life. In other words, they – like Jesus – felt it necessary to withdraw from where they had been living before. And the same scenario was also repeated by the Norwegian immigrants who founded our sister congregation of First Lutheran Church in Lambert. I am sure that the decision to leave their homes, their families and friends, and come here was not an easy one. And I know that they went through some difficult experiences in settling the land, beginning new occupations, and in adjusting to a new language and culture. I am sure that at times they were stressed, depressed, and almost ready to give up. And yet, God turned their “withdrawal” into a blessing – for them and for us today. They helped to build this area into what it is today. They founded this congregation of Pella Lutheran Church one hundred years ago – originally as a “place of refuge” for them to worship in their own native language and celebrate their culture in the midst of a foreign land – but over the years it has become much more than just that. I am sure that those founding settlers had no idea what their efforts would lead to in the future. They just tried to do their best day by day. But over the years, God somehow directed and led them. This area – like the town of Capernaum was for Jesus – turned out to be a good place for their vocations, their lives, and their faith, to grow and develop. Yes, because they “withdrew” from where they had been before, they helped bring the “light” of God’s kingdom to this area – through which we are blessed today. I think the same is true for each of us in our own individual lives as well. In many ways, we find ourselves having to make changes and to “withdraw” from being where – or what – we used to be. For some of us, this may actually involve literally moving – as it did for Carol and myself when we came out here to Sidney, Montana. For others of us, it may mean leaving a vocation and beginning a new one. Some among us may be considering making those or other changes in our lives right now – because we feel that is what we need to do. Changes are not easy. They can be stressful and difficult. We don’t know what they will ultimately lead to. But this I know – that God will always be with us. If we trust in him and let ourselves be guided by him, God will bless us and use us to BE a blessing to others in ways that we can’t even comprehend! Getting back to our gospel, that is what it was like for Jesus. His “withdrawal” to Capernaum – as difficult as it must have been for him – became a blessing. His ministry there found a receptive audience. Yes, Jesus became a great light to the people of Capernaum and the surrounding area of Galilee – and eventually, to the entire world. And the same can be true for us. God can use even the changes and seeming failures that we go through in our lives – our “withdrawals” – to bless us and accomplish the work of his kingdom. That is what he did for and through Jesus. That is what he did for and through our founding settlers. And that is what he does for and through us right here and now, and will continue to do in all the years to come. Thanks be to God for being with us and giving us the light of his kingdom wherever we are, now and always – in Jesus’ name! Amen! -------------------- George R. Karres, Pella Lutheran Church 418 W. Main Street Sidney, MT 59270
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