25 Jan 26 | Light Rises Where We Least Expect It
When God’s Kingdom draws near, it calls us to leave behind what once defined us and live by a new allegiance.
The Gospel: Matthew 4:12-23
When Jesus heard that John had been arrested,
he withdrew to Galilee.
He left Nazareth and went to live in Capernaum by the sea,
in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali,
that what had been said through Isaiah the prophet
might be fulfilled:
Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali,
the way to the sea, beyond the Jordan,
Galilee of the Gentiles,
the people who sit in darkness have seen a great light,
on those dwelling in a land overshadowed by death
light has arisen.
From that time on, Jesus began to preach and say,
“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
As he was walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers,
Simon who is called Peter, and his brother Andrew,
casting a net into the sea; they were fishermen.
He said to them,
“Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
At once they left their nets and followed him.
He walked along from there and saw two other brothers,
James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John.
They were in a boat, with their father Zebedee, mending their nets.
He called them, and immediately they left their boat and their father
and followed him.
He went around all of Galilee,
teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom,
and curing every disease and illness among the people.
Today’s Focus
This Gospel marks a turning point, as John’s arrest signals that preparation is complete and the time for God’s Kingdom to be proclaimed has arrived. Jesus begins His ministry not in the expected religious centers, but in Galilee—fulfilling Isaiah’s promise that light would rise first in wounded and forgotten places. His call to the fishermen is not symbolic; it demands the surrender of livelihood, identity, and familiar loyalties. Discipleship then and now requires a reordering of what comes first in our lives. The good news is that we are given the same daily opportunity to leave what binds us and orient our lives toward the Kingdom of God.
In the Margins
In this Gospel, we see the shift happen, a prophetic passing of batons of sorts. John’s arrest marked the turning point, as he was sent to prepare the way. If he is unable to continue to prepare the way, due to imprisonment, the way is as prepared as it was going to be. The time for action had come. This lines up with what we see next from Jesus. He enters a phase where He is actively proclaiming that the time had arrived.
Matthew is not just giving us a geographical account. Reading this as a first century Jew, it would have stood out that Jesus’ ministry was sitting in a strategic hub, but not a place you would traditionally have expected. In describing this, Matthew cites Isaiah 9:1-2, where Zebulun and Naphtali were among the first territories to suffer devastation and domination. The promise of “light” that is made by God is restoration beginning at the point of wound.
As Jesus begins to gather disciples, He tells them that He will make them fishers of men. There is a strong Old Testament connection here. Galilean trade was heavy in the fishing industry. To leave their nets behind meant they were leaving their income, identity, and any sense of stability as they knew it. Throughout the Old Testament, fishing imagery is often used with the idea that God draws people near, but now, Matthew’s use of it is showing towards God going out to the people. It is an increase in the sphere of God’s reign.
Another point that could be missed is the idea that these men left their families immediately. Culturally, this was a big deal. To leave their father showed a reordering of loyalty. God’s Kingdom creates a new family structure, and this is very reminiscent of that.
With everything that pulls us today, we are often torn between showing our willingness to follow Jesus. It can be easy to not rank God at the head of our loyalties, choosing to allow sin a space to creep in. There are all the same types of vices, but now they come at you from every screen or electronic.
We cannot say that “well, it’s harder now than it was then,” because these disciples gave up their entire livelihood, immediately. They may have not had electronics pulling them away, but they were making major sacrifices. For us to put God first, for us to look to Jesus first, doesn’t usually require us to leave our livelihood. It may reshape our friends’ group. It may cause other radical changes in our lives. In the same way as these fishermen lost their old identity, many may have to relinquish their way of sin, being reshaped in the eyes of Christ. That being said, how lucky are we to have the chance to do this? We know the truth and have the opportunity every day to refocus our life on the Kingdom of God!
Reflection Question
Do I take a day to focus on worship and glorifying God?
A Small Invitation
If this reflection helped you, consider sharing it with someone who may be carrying more than they were meant to.