fisherman

from my sermon on 2/7/10 from Luke 5;1-11

I like to go fishing. You know what I like even better than going fishing? Catching fish! I like results!

There were some fisherman by the Sea of Galilee who hadn't caught any fish. They were frustrated. I can just imagine the conversation when Jesus comes by and offers some advice about how to fish. "We are fifth generation fisherman on this lake, and now this itinerant preacher who used to be a carpenter comes by and tells us how to fish! We just love unsolicited advice from 'experts'. 'Put out your nets into the deep water.' Thanks a lot."

And the fishermen say the mantra of all of us who have tried to do things in our own way, by our own power, according to our own schedule: "Master, we worked all night and have caught nothing."

You may have said it in the church this way:
When I call a meeting, I am the only one who shows up. I have to do all the work myself.
They asked me to be a substitute Sunday School teacher 12 years ago, and I am still here.
We formed committees and sub-committees, and we drew up the by-laws, but nothing ever seems to get down.
Maybe if we got up earlier or worked harder, then something would happen.
Master, we worked all night and have caught nothing.

As a church, we are busy. Look at the church calendar. We have lots of events and meetings and activities. Sometimes in the church we say a prayer at the beginning of the meeting and at the end of the meeting. I call them book end prayers. Then we say that everything that happens in between is "holy." I have begun to ask at the close of church meetings this question, "How has Christ shown up here?" Sometimes, we have a hard time anwering. Because if Christ hasn't shown up, then we have just been busy. It is no wonder that we can get so frustrated. Master, we have worked all night and have caught nothing.

Yet, on account of your word, I will let down the nets. Sometimes, we get so tired, we just surrender. It is sad that it becomes a matter of last resort, instead of the first thing we do. It is so crazy it just might work...this doing what Jesus wants, when he wants, how he wants, where he wants. We have tried everything else...why not turn to Jesus and follow his words?

What happens when we do? There is net full of fish, full to the point of overflowing, of breaking the nets. God is not stingy with grace. The God revealed in Jesus Christ has an abundance of love for us.

Note what happened in the one of the worst parts of Houston. There was a pastor, who was given his first assignment out of seminary to be the "senior pastor" of Windsor Village UMC. Senior Pastor indeed....of a church with 25 members, struggling to survive. But this pastor preached good news to the poor, and they believed the word. His name is Kirbyjohn Caldwell. He is black, but people of all races and all classes were drawn to the good news. And the church grew. They had a vision of reaching out to their neighbors. The church grew so much, they bought a Super K-Mart that had gone under. They established a day care center, a branch of the community college, an AIDS clinic, a job center, and a bank where no bank had dared to go before. And the church grew. Do you know how many members are at this church today? Over 14,000! God is not stingy. The nets will be full. There will be results.

Simon Peter bows down before Jesus, "Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man." I have been humbled this past week. First by my overfunctioning. I am a helpaholic. I never met a need I didn't like. I try to do too much. This past Monday, I was talking to our youth director, who said, "Remember we have our confirmation class retreat on the last weekend of February." Oh, rats....I double-booked. I have another major event I am supposed to lead that weekend. I know I am the only one who has done this! I had to make some phone calls and ask for forgiveness. I got out of the other event, and felt grace flowing over me. I am overwhelmed by how good God is to me and all of us sinners who try to do things by our competence and hard work.

Then Jesus says to Simon and us, "Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people." We will have results with God's help. And apparently it works, or we wouldn't be here today.

They left everything and followed him. Let me sing it for you, in a song some friends and I wrote one summer in our college years.

Fisherman

I am a fisherman, have been all my days.
Toiling long hours in the sun's rays.
But I woke up this morning, cast my net out on the sea.
Then this man came walking by, said, "Follow me."

(chorus) Foxes have holes to hide in. Birds have nests as their bed.
But a follower of the Christ has nowhere to rest his head.

No staff, no tunic, no sandals do I take.
Sacrificing everything for my master's sake.

chorus

Ready to reap the harvest. I've put my hand to the plow.
Trusting only in God's grace. No turning back now.

chorus

I am a fisherman, just a fisherman, I am a fisherman.


The good news is that you are one too. Amen.