Knowing that Jesus was executed as a criminal by the powers that be for what he said, for what he did, for not following the orders of Rome, we still answered the call to follow Him. We pledged our loyalty to a different kingdom, the Kingdom of Heaven, the Beloved Community of God. We answered the call to create a new community, to embrace a new mission, to share the good news, to bring healing and wholeness to one and all, and to place our bodies between the powers of this world and the most vulnerable.
January 18, 2026
“Proclaiming the Good News”
Matthew 4:12-23
Rev. Dr. Heather W. McColl
Matthew 4:12-23
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 – 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.
Proclaiming the Good News Matthew 4:12-23
I shared these words on Tuesday as part of my Theology Tuesday, but they bear repeating this morning. Maybe it is because I just finished watching the “Righteous Gemstones”, an irreverent, crude often crass comedy/satire based on the church, specifically the evangelical Mega Church, naming how it is has turned the church into entertainment, how it has embraced a Gospel based on programs designed to keep everyone comfortable and well, entertained so as to not look behind the curtain and see the frailty and faulty human operating the machine. It shows a church embracing the trends, trying to be cool in an effort to bring people in like…not to give anything away but a highlight…a teen Jesus having a dance off to gain the respect of the town elders so that he could claim his title of Son of God. This irreverent comedy/satire captures the ugly truth about the wider church, how often it is more of a business rather than a sanctuary for people, how it is often more about the numbers with budgets and buildings equating success. There are four seasons to this show. Yes, I know that doesn’t seem like a lot but my understanding is that the show ended because the actors wanted to move on to other creative projects not because there was lack of material.
This past week, I held this vision of church which is supposed to be satire alongside words offered by a bishop, words which speak of using our privilege to guard the least of these, words which talk of placing bodies on the line to protect the most vulnerable among us, words which popped up again in my newsfeed this morning, those words being…. “Now is no longer the time for statements, but for us with our bodies to stand between the powers of this world and the most vulnerable,” These words were shared by Bishop Rob Hirschfeld in the wake of last week’s ICE shooting in Minneapolis.
These two visions of Church are being offered by our culture, offered to people in 2026, one of greed, dysfunction, all wrapped up in a comfortable Gospel message which allows people to leave church feeling good about themselves without any regard to how they are connected to the community around them. And one which speaks of sacrifice, of laying our bodies down for the sake of the Gospel. Two visions of the same church being offered to people of faith.
I offer these two visions of church as good news for the people in the pews and the people watching online because there is no choice. You see, the bishop didn’t direct his words to you all. He directed them to clergy. I simply share the bishop’s words this morning not to scare anyone but to simply say I realize that I fall into this category. So really this sermon is not for you. It is for me as I process the complications which come with answering the call to follow Jesus.
First and foremost, the question that comes to mind as I process these complications is Why did I never realize this? Sure, I took ordination vows which talked about servant leadership. I have my ordination certificate hanging in my office, signatures faded by the sun and time but there it is stating that I am ordained to the church in ministry for Jesus Christ. But not once in my 24 years of ministry has it clicked or been stated in such a clear and honest way that the realization of what I signed up for, what I agreed to, what I pledged my heart, mind, body and soul to is a Gospel message which challenges the imperial systems of power and might.
Again, how did I miss this memo? I say all this somewhat tongue in check. Because I have known with my head, there have always been martyrs for the faith. On Monday, we lift up MLK, a martyr of the faith, who was killed because of what he said and how he challenged the unforgiving oppressive systems at that time. With my head, I have always known there have been martyrs for the faith, but this bishop’s words connected this knowledge with my heart, with my being. Martyrs for the faith have always been a part of another time, another place, yet this statement is for here and now.
Here we are….clergy are being asked to get their affairs in order so that we can stand between the powers of this world and the most vulnerable. What a shocking request when in reality it shouldn’t be. Maybe it shocks us to our core because this bishop’s statement reveals to us that we as clergy have allowed the Gospel message to become comfortable. We have allowed the Gospel message to get prettied up and stripped down so it no longer is about proclaiming the good news of God’s Beloved Community, good news which tells us that Jesus came to restore sight to the blind, to let the deaf hear, to make the lame walk, to proclaim release to the captives, and to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor. Or maybe it’s because we have forgotten Mary’s song, a song which we just lifted up a few weeks ago, a song which reminds us that the Gospel turns our world upside down, that the rich will be made poor, and the poor will be made rich, that the lowly will be lifted up while the lofty will be torn down from their thrones.
But here’s the thing…this advice isn’t really limited to just clergy if we truly believe that we are part of the priesthood of all believers. We have all heard Jesus’ call. We have all dropped our metaphorical nets and followed him. We have all embraced him as our Lord and Savior. We have all embraced him as the Way, the Truth, and the Life. We wouldn’t be sitting here if we hadn’t, if we didn’t.
So knowing that, naming that, as people of faith, we can’t really say we didn’t know, or don’t know how the story goes. After all, Jesus was executed as a criminal by the powers that be for what he said, for what he did, for not following the orders of Rome. And still knowing all that, we answered the call to follow him. And still knowing all that, we pledged our loyalty to a different kingdom, the Kingdom of Heaven, the Beloved Community of God. And still knowing all that, we answered the call to create a new community, to embrace a new mission, to share the good news, to bring healing and wholeness to one and all, to place our bodies between the powers of this world and the most vulnerable.
As people of faith, as ones who answered the call to follow Jesus, we cannot sit here today and say we didn’t get the memo. We can’t say we didn’t know what we were signing up for, what we agreed to, what we pledged our hearts, minds and bodies to as disciples of Christ. Jesus said, “Follow me” and we answered the call.
I’m not going to pretend to have all the answers. I certainly will not tell everyone how to process these complications which come with answering the call to follow Jesus. Because my relationship with God, my experiences, my understanding is unique to me. What works for me does not work for anyone else. So as we process these complications which come answering the call to follow Jesus, I will simply offer this hope, a hope that reminds us that even a dysfunctional, broken, messy community of faith which embraces our call to follow Jesus can find good news and ironically enough I found that good news in the words which wrapped up the Righteous Gemstones…words that remind us why we answered the call to follow Jesus in the first place. Those words being this…
Sometimes things happen and the life we knew is taken from us. Just like that. It can happen fast. It is in those times that you realise how precious friends are, family. How important it is to let Jesus’ love find you through them. So that we can left each other up. So that we can fly ever higher. When things change it is easy to give in to the darkness. When we hold on to pain too tight we lose the ability to grab the light. Sometimes grabbing that light feels impossible. So, let go. His love is there for you always, just like I will be there for you. Even if years go by, and we lose our way to each other. Know that I will always be waiting, ready to share my love. I am here whenever you need me. Please don’t ever forget that”.-Aimee Leigh Gemstone
See also: Theology Tuesday for Sunday, January 18, 2026 – Proclaiming the Good News Matthew 4:12-23.
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