By Pastor John Eich Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Alma, MI
Luke 5:1-11
One time, while the crowd was pressing in on Jesus and listening to the word of God, he was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret. 2He saw two boats there along the lakeshore. The fishermen had left them and were washing their nets. 3Jesus got into one of the boats, which belonged to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from the shore. He sat down and began teaching the crowds from the boat. 4When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep water, and let down your nets for a catch.”
5Simon answered him, “Master, we worked hard all through the night and caught nothing. But at your word I will let down the nets.” 6When they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their nets were about to tear apart. 7They signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them. They came and filled both boats, so that they began to sink. 8When Simon Peter saw this, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Go away from me, because I am a sinful man, Lord.” 9For Peter and all those with him were amazed at the number of fish they had caught, 10and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon.
Jesus said to Simon, “Have no fear. From now on you will be catching people.” 11After they brought their boats to the shore, they left everything and followed him.
In churches all across America, there’s been a long slow decline in membership over several decades, since the end of the Baby Boom, really.
On top of that, we’re fighting the culture. Whereas church membership and church attendance used to be commonplace back in the Fifties and early Sixties, that ship has sailed long ago.
Everybody wants the church to grow, there’s no dispute about that. But “Here’s the Catch”: How? How should the church grow? Well, today Jesus–who, after all, is the Lord of the church–today our Lord gives us direction on how he wants his church to grow.
Here’s the Catch: He calls us.
Jesus’ first disciples Simon-Peter, James, and John, are fishermen. That is their trade and profession: to catch fish. They have boats and nets and business partners. They have loads of experience. And while it is true that they caught nothing all night, still, they are pros who know what they’re doing.
But to be Jesus’ disciples and to catch people. That they weren’t equipped to do. No training. No experience.
When we talk about evangelism, witnessing your faith serving as a leader in the church, is your first inclination to react like Peter, “Lord, I’ve been doing what I’m good at for years. Now you want me to talk to others about God’s kingdom? Seriously, I’m not the one you want to talk to.”
Here’s the catch. It doesn’t depend on us.
Now Jesus impresses a lasting lesson on his disciples by way of a fishing expedition. Jesus was not a fisherman, but he tells Simon Peter to take his boat and “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” Can you imagine that? Here is this itinerant rabbi, the son of a carpenter, and he’s giving advice to experienced commercial fishermen on how to work their own lake! They ought to laugh him off!
At first it sounds like Simon might do just that: “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing!” A reasonable objection. The fishermen used all their skill and techniques, their best practices, all night long and came up empty. And now Jesus wants them to go out and drop their nets again in the wrong place at the wrong time of day. It doesn’t make any sense.
But Jesus’ word overrides Simon’s objection. “But at your word I will let down the nets.”
So that’s what they do. And of course you know what happens: Nets full to breaking, full of fish. So many fish the boats are on the verge of sinking. Fish in abundance.
What is Jesus teaching his disciples, soon to be apostles, about how his church will grow? The application is clear: The church will grow, not by human skill or effort or technique, but by the word of Jesus. We may think we have all the knowledge and tips and the latest surefire techniques but here’s the catch: Jesus would have his church trust in Him and his word to do the job.
Here’s the catch. We are sinful and weak.
Simon Peter realizes that he, the experienced fisherman, had absolutely nothing to do with this great catch of fish.
Like Isaiah in today’s OT text, when he is brought into the presence of God, and like all of us, gathered before Him at confession of sins this morning, the presence of the Holy
One of God causes Peter to become keenly aware of how unholy and powerless he really is. Peter says who he is: a sinful man, for whom God’s presence is not safe. So it would be best for everyone if Jesus went somewhere else. He confesses: “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.”
Can we say that too? Oh, yes. We doubt God’s word, don’t trust His promises, ignore His commands and rely on ourselves more than him. Like Peter, we are sinful people. Who am I that the Lord should use me to catch his fish? YET,
Here’s the Catch: Jesus Still Calls Us
Jesus says to Peter, and he says to us: “from now on you will be catching men.” Jesus has just given them the biggest success in their fishing careers. Never, in all of their whole lives, have they caught as many fish at one time. This was the money-making chance of a life time. Their boat had finally come in. And now, Jesus says to them, “Leave it. From now on you will catch men.” He says, “You think this is a big success? It’s a bigger success to catch men. You think catching a boatload of fish is exciting. Reeling a human life into the kingdom of God is even more exciting.”
Obedience to Christ’s commands always results in divine blessing. For these fisherman it was a huge number of fish.
When God tells you to do something, do it, even if it doesn’t make sense. God told Noah to build an ark because a flood was coming when nobody had ever even heard of rain. And Noah did it. God called Abraham to pack up his possessions and start walking. And Abraham did it, even though he didn’t know where he was going. God told the people of Israel to march around Jericho for seven days if they wanted the walls to fall down, and they did it.
God wants to work through you. God wants to bless you. But you have to be like Simon who says, “That doesn’t make sense, but nevertheless, at your word, I will obey.” Disciples obey Jesus even when it doesn’t make sense.
We are in the fishing business. We are called to fish for people today. Your worldly profession may be homemaker, or contractor, factory worker, or businessman, but that is just something to put food on the table. Your real profession is to be a fisher of men. And you can catch people wherever you are, and whatever you are doing. Fishing for people begins with telling others about why faith matters in our lives. You may say, “Oh Pastor, I know I am supposed to be a catcher of men, but I don’t know how! I get scared. I don’t know what to say. I’m afraid I won’t be able to answer their questions.”
Guess what? That is okay. Everybody feels that way. But do you want to know how to overcome it? Jesus says, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” You become a fisher of men by following Jesus.
We are answering that call to a degree. Our congregation provides a generous mission offering to our synod and supports both Michigan Lutheran Seminary and a student training to be a pastor. That is truly wonderful as we work to cast the net of God’s church wide. We have garnered a world wide following of our live stream. But this catch of fish in the deep waters of the world wide audience, isn’t our doing. It’s Gods.
But what about casting our nets closer to home, in our community, our neighborhood, our family? Have we even been telling others about Jesus? Have we shown any zeal in reaching out to our neighbors with the gospel? This too we should repent of.
God invites You to receive his forgiveness and love and saving grace. Don’t be afraid. Our Lord knows how sinful we are, but he does not strike us down. forgives all his fearful disciples because of the holy innocent blood he shed for us on the cross. His resurrection didn’t make any sense, but it brought Him new life. Ouir resurrection through His blood makes no sense, but brings us new life to be His witnesses.
So here’s the catch: It’s all about Jesus, and it’s all up to Jesus. It’s not our techniques or programs or education or smooth delivery that will produce true growth. Rather, it is the word of the Lord.
And so here is the catch: The catch of people that Jesus promised is right here, sitting all around you, watching from somewhere out there. We are the catch of fish that the church has caught in her net.
And the net result (pun intended)? The gospel, the word of Jesus, gives us life and rescues us from death and the devil. Christ Jesus gives us eternal life as a free gift by his word of forgiveness, the forgiveness he won for you on the cross.
Keep your fishing pole handy. Talk with friends and neighbors, tell them about how God is active in your life. Invite them to come to hear God’s word with you.
And it is that word, that will reel them in.