Epiphany 3 A
Zebulun and Naphtali
Matthew 4:12-25
22 January 2017 – Redeemer
I tried to Google Map Zebulun. Nothing. Naphtali. The same. Google said, “We couldn’t find Naphtali.” But it was there in the day of Jesus and in a very real sense it is still here among us today. In fact you know exactly where Zebulun and Naphtali are – for you dwell in darkness and the shadow of death. The Good News is that is exactly where Jesus goes for you.
Before Naphtali and Zebulun were territories they were people. Naphtali was the sixth son of Jacob, born to Rachel’s servant Bilhah. Zebulun was the tenth son of Jacob, born to Jacob’s wife Leah. They were two of the twelve sons of Jacob and their offspring became the twelve tribes of Israel. When God’s children finally entered the promised land, the tribes of Zebulun and Naphtali settled in the far north. It was a very fertile area, along major trade routes, and quite populous. By the time Isaiah mentions them in the Old Testament reading you wouldn’t want to live in Zebulun and Naphtali. They were border states, outlying territories. When foreign kings waged war, when empires started to expand, when conquering armies came they waged war, expanded, and conquered Zebulun and Naphtali first. In the days of Isaiah, the Assyrian empire was on the rise, the shadow of death was hanging over these northern provinces. Their days were numbered.
Zebulun and Naphtali lived in darkness and death – some of it was beyond their control. Empires waged war. Armies plundered and these two tribes suffered. But the darkness was also their own doing – living far from the Temple they mixed the worship of the true Lord with the idols of their land. They intermarried with unbelievers and soon even worship in their homes became a struggle. They were far from Jerusalem, but they also chose to distance themselves from the Holy gifts of the Holy Lord.
Now you might see how you close you live to Zebulun and Naphtali. Even if Google maps cannot find it, Zebulun and Naphtali are here – we dwell in darkness and the shadow of death. Some of it is beyond our control – you don’t want depression but you have it. You like your job, but the company must downsize. Someone in your family gets seriously ill and all your savings are gone in a month. The doctor sits across from you and says, “There’s nothing we can do.” But sometimes it is your very own doing. You distance yourselves from the Holy things of God – His Word, His Supper. This past week I printed out the attendance record of every member of Redeemer – your record. I was really looking for those folks who are mostly absent, but what I saw troubles me. Although I didn’t crunch the numbers it looked to me like our members, on average, are here about 30 Sundays a year. 3/5 of the time on average you are here. Almost half of the time you are not. I would like to be optimistic that when you are not here you are sitting in that church by the cabin or resort or wherever the Hockey Tournament is. However, I am not optimistic. We often live far from the Holy Things – we live far from God’s Word – His Word which clearly tells us what our sins are, what we need from God the very most. That Word forgives us, strengthens us, enlightens us to live not in sin and death, but in forgiveness and love. Do you think being far from the Word, from your baptism, from Christ’s body and blood, will lighten the darkness, strengthen your faith, help keep your children in the faith? By no means.
The first place Jesus goes to preach is Zebulun and Naphtali. His first sermon is “Repent, for the Kingdom of God is at hand.” Repent – turn away from sin and darkness. Come to Jesus for He has come to you. He has come for you. “The Kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
Often when we hear that Word “kingdom” we think of some geographical location, a palace surrounded by walls, but really we should think of the King and His rule over His subjects. When Jesus comes into the world He comes to reign and rule over us, to take us out from under the reign and rule of our own sin and death.
Two weeks ago we observed the Baptism of Jesus. His baptism was one of the places where He was inaugurated the Messiah. God the Father clearly identified Him as His Son. “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” (Matt. 3:17, ESV) Immediately after His baptism Jesus went into enemy territory to establish His rule. There was a new King in town – a King not only of might and right, but a King of life and peace. After Jesus was baptized He was led into the wilderness to be tempted by Satan – life against death, truth against lies, light against the darkness, and that battle was for you. Christ won, hands down, 3-zip. From there Jesus went to Zebulun and Naphtali.
Jesus has come to establish His reign and rule of life – so He goes into the darkness and the shadow of death. He doesn’t simply come to us to tell us the way out – He is the way out. By His incarnation, by the Son of God taking on human flesh Jesus lets Himself be subject to the very evil forces of this fallen world under which we suffer. Jesus is tempted by Satan. He sees His cousin John the Baptist die unjustly. He is betrayed by a friend. His family turns against Him. But Jesus also does what we cannot do – He never embraces the darkness. He never chooses to be anywhere but in the Light of His Father’s love and will. He never sins. He is the Lamb of God, perfect, without blemish or spot, and that also makes Him the perfect sacrifice.
Do you know what happened to the darkness of Zebulun and Naphtali? Christ endured it at the cross. The world went dark for three hours as the Son of God was forsaken by His Father at the cross. It wasn’t Zebulun and Naphtali or you that was cast into the outer darkness – it was Jesus for you because He chose you. This is how your King reigns – He takes on your enemies. He takes on your sins. He dies in your place. His death alone sets you free from sin and death. When your sins are forgiven you have life and salvation, the certain hope of the resurrection. You are out from under the shadow of darkness and death because Jesus came into the world to die for your sins.
The text concludes with Jesus calling some men to help Him spread the light in the darkness. He calls the brothers Simon and Andrew. He calls James and John the sons of Zebedee. He calls them to be fishers of men – they will cast the net of God’s Word in the hopes of gathering people into the light of Christ and rescuing them from the darkness of sin and death. These men were called to be Apostles. I have not been called to be an Apostle. I’m a pastor. You have not been called to be an Apostle – you’re a disciple and a husband or wife, a son or daughter, a worker or boss, a teacher or student, but everywhere you go in this world – your friends and neighbors live in the same darkness in which you once lived – death and guilt are universal conditions.
You know the way out of this darkness. The way out is the reign of Christ. The way out is Jesus who is God’s Son, who bested Satan at every turn, who takes the sin of the world – your sin, my sin, your neighbor’s sin, your daughter’s sin, your enemies sin, and dies with that sin. Jesus goes into the darkness, with your darkness, to deliver you from the darkness. Tell your neighbors and friends. Cast the net of God’s Word. Forgive those who have sinned against you. Invite your neighbor to church. Share a book or audio recording from our resource center. A light has dawned in Zebulun and Naphtali and on you who sit in darkness. That light is Jesus. In His name. Amen.