2-9-25        Luke 5:1-11;  Is 6:1-8

by Pastor Maxine Gray

1 Once while Jesus was standing beside the lake of Gennesaret, and the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, 2 he saw two boats there at the shore of the lake; the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. 3 He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little way from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat. 4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.” 5 Simon answered, “Master, we have worked all night long but have caught nothing. Yet if you say so, I will let down the nets.” 6 When they had done this, they caught so many fish that their nets were beginning to break. 7 So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both boats, so that they began to sink. 8 But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!” 9 For he and all who were with him were amazed at the catch of fish that they had taken; 10 and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. Then Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people.” 11 When they had brought their boats to shore, they left everything and followed him.

Jesus came to gather followers, Jesus comes to gather followers, Jesus comes in the Word.  Amen

Around these parts, we like to think that the focus of this story is the fish! I am afraid not, even though, they made a really impressive catch that day. It also wasn’t a fishing tournament raising funds for a good cause, but the fish did have their part to play. It was to get the attention of the fishermen and to get them to realize that Jesus was the man to whom they should listen! They were being called for an interesting adventure, as Jesus termed it – they would be fishing for people. 

Like Isaiah, in the first reading, Simon was stymied by the realization that sin had stained him. “Go away from me Lord, for I am a sinful man!” Isaiah had evaluated his situation even more thoroughly: “Woe is me! I am lost, for I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips.” Both men could not imagine that the Lord who had called them would accept them if He actually knew how unworthy they were. To choose a servant, a representative who was marked by their past failures, seemed unthinkable. Yet the seraph took a hot coal and touched Isaiah’s mouth – he was purified, his guilt was removed. Simon was to direct his sights on all those fish; it was not a time to look back and see what he had been; it was time to look forward at the great catch and imagine new possibilities.

We are all people who are unclean. We have all thought and made unwarranted evaluations and said hurtful words. Our actions are often selfish, unkind, and bring harm to others and to this earth. Sin marks us! Like Isaiah we are also asked: “Whom shall I send, who will go for me?”

Witnesses, leaders, followers, all are required for our neighborhoods, communities, organizations, and in our homes. The Lord continues to call out to us – to go for him, to be his hands and feet, his voice, and his caring touch. Like Isaiah and Simon, we need to recognize the shape we are in; that we are indeed sinners in need of reform and redirection. It is crucial that we realize that our sin is not to become our excuse. There is a way to deal with that problem, Jesus promises forgiveness; offers it in the meal, through our confession and prayer. Jesus is not seeking perfect people, that would be a hopeless pursuit. What Jesus sought then and looks for now, are those willing to commit themselves to the task, to follow Him.

Knowing that commitment is the expectation may not have you rushing to sign on the dotted line or rearranging your scheduled agenda. Just like the fishermen, we may be held back by past failures and current mistakes and misconceptions, assuming he wouldn’t want us. We might still think he is really calling someone else. 

Consider the experience of St. Paul. He had been pursuing those early Christians, harassing them, getting them arrested, and rejected by their communities. He was a considerable nuisance and danger to those Jews who had come to believe in Jesus. Yet confronted by Jesus on the road to Damascus he had to reevaluate his stance and repent of his actions. In our second reading we hear his explanation to those to whom he had witnessed. “Now I would remind you, brothers and sisters, of the good news that I proclaimed to you, which you in turn received, in which also you stand, through which also you are being saved…. I handed on to you as of first importance what I in turn had received: that Christ died for our sins…and was raised on the third day….Then he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve….Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. For I am the least of the apostles, unfit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God, I am what I am, and his grace toward me has not been in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them – though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. Whether than it was I or they so we proclaim and so you have come to believe.” Paul had not foreseen what God had in mind for him. Neither did those fishermen imagine what was in store for them, nor did they expect the results their work would bring. Yet as Jesus said to Simon: “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people.”

Jesus has that same message for you – DO NOT FEAR -set those qualms aside. His assurance is that God makes possible what seems utterly unlikely at the start. All those who have been called by God have had similar fears. In spite of your reluctance and doubt, our Lord can and will work through you, speak through you, act through you. He will be with you,if you ask him, and will walk beside you into the future. Follow him and be surprised!