The Sermon uses scriptures Luke 5:1-11. It was preached on February 10, 2019 at Vespers Service at Presbyterian Communities in Florence, SC.
In
the Deep Water
What comes to mind when you hear the phrase…
‘in
deep water’?
It usually means you are in a bad situation;
something
dangerous,
being
overwhelmed,
or in a
vulnerable position.
Fear of being in deep water is very common:
your boat can sink,
you may drown,
and you never know what
is lurking in the deep.
Fishermen have a fear and respect for the waters
where they fish;
they know the power of
the sea.
Here are a few facts about fishing in Biblical times:
Those
who made their living by fishing did not
work alone;
they
had fishing co-operatives
that
allowed multiple families to work together
and
thus, share the risks and the burdens of the sea.
There
were at least 2 boats working together
and
these were big boats!
How big?
When a
boat from Jesus’ time was discovered
on
the northwestern shore of the Sea of Galilee,
it
was measured as 26.5 feet long and 7.5 feet wide.
It
was a strong boat too,
made
of cedar and oak,
and could hold up to a
ton, around 15 people or
5 crew and a catch of
fish.[1]
The boat was their security against the power of the
sea.
These fishermen, Simon Peter, James, John and the
others,
knew the sea was
something to respect,
it could take your life or
provide you a living.
That was what was happening when Jesus came to them.
It was the usual daily routine;
they had been out all
night fishing,
however, they returned
with nothing.
Jesus gives them the instruction…
“Put out into the deep water
and let down your nets
for a catch.”
This simple command was to do something ordinary;
Jesus
was not commanding the fish to jump
in the boat
or the sea to bring forth
the fish,
simply
“…let
down your nets...”
They had fished all night, with nothing to show for
it.
What about the command from Jesus made Simon Peter
give it one more try?
Was he
humoring him? Thinking what can it hurt?
Had he
been inspired by what he had heard Jesus teaching?
Or was
it something deep inside Peter, a belief,
a true faith that he knew
it was what must be done.
Do you and I have that same belief as Peter,
knowing that if we give
it one more try, good will come…
even
after we have failed or been disappointed,
one more try may be all
that is needed.
Peter obeyed.
“…they caught so many fish
that their nets were
beginning to break.”
It was not
just a catch of fish,
it was an abundant catch,
super-abundance!
Scarcity had become abundance through
an
extraordinary act of grace.
Yet, there is more to the story than this example of
abundance
provided to the fishermen
by God’s grace through Jesus.
This is a call story.
Jesus calling the disciples:
from now on you will be catching people.”
I
like the reassuring words Jesus begins with
Jesus
is about to ask them to do something extra-ordinary,
something new.
Catching
fish is what they know how to do,
catching people?
What might that even
mean?
In
the Old Testament fishing was a metaphor
for gathering people for judgement.
In
the New Testament, fishing has a different meaning…
gathering women and men for the
Kingdom of God;
not
gathering for judgement,
catching people is rescuing them from death.
Like
many call stories throughout the Bible,
Jesus approaching the disciples follows a
familiar pattern:
~there is a moment of divine epiphany,
God’s grace revealed through the abundance of
the catch;
~a response of unworthiness,
Simon Peter responds
with humility
…fell down at Jesus’
knees, saying,
“Go away from me, Lord,
for I am a sinful man!”
~reassurance is given…
~then a commission is given…
you will be catching people.
~and finally, obedience…
When
they had brought their boats to shore,
they left everything and
followed him.
You and I have our times of doubt;
many times, we get stuck at the feeling of
unworthiness.
What we need to remember is the re-assurance,
Do not be afraid.
God has a call on each and every one of our lives;
from the simple
and ordinary to the extra-ordinary.
What you and I need to embrace is the knowledge
that God is with us as
we follow the commission we are given.
The disciples had the courage, the faith,
to leave everything behind and follow Jesus.
Those words ‘left everything’
brings up a question or two of concern for me…
they had brought in a super-abundant catch of
fish…
did they leave it behind and go?
This great abundant blessing
could not
be meant to go to waste or rot on the shore;
The fish too are God’s
creation and they too have a purpose
in God’s plan beyond exhibiting abundance.
What I understand,
is these fishermen
could leave everything behind because
of the abundance of the
catch;
Yes, we are told Simon Peter, James and John
go and follow Jesus,
but remember they are not lone fishermen,
they are part of a family co-operative.
The families they leave behind will be taken care of;
such an abundant catch will provide for them.
God’s grace.
The fishermen themselves are ‘caught’
by Jesus.
He has not only caught them,
he has reeled them in!
Back to the idea of the deep water…
perhaps, when you
and I are in daily life situations,
when we feel
overwhelmed, in over our heads,
and ‘in deep water’,
we can look at the situation differently.
What is lurking underneath may lead to abundance;
you and I may
be discouraged,
yet, we can find the faith to give it one more
try.
As disciples of Jesus we have been caught, reeled in by God!
Each ‘fish’ caught by the disciples will become a witness,
a fisherman to catch more people
and the cycle will go on and on.
There is a hymn called Will
You Come and Follow Me[2]
Christ asking a
simple question with lyrics that include…
‘Will
you go where you don’t know?’
‘Will
you leave yourself behind?’
‘Will
you quell the fear inside?’
You and I have answered yes Lord!
In the deep water?
Cast your
net…discover abundance…
embrace
humility…be courageous…
have
faith…follow…witness…GO Fishing!
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