Sermon Transcript: January 26, 2025
At the end of last week’s reading, the people of Jesus’ hometown were trying to throw him off a cliff because he refused to do for them what he has done for others. But Luke tells us that Jesus slips through their midst and goes on his way.
Well, we find out later in chapter four that where Jesus goes after that is to Capernaum. And he goes into the synagogue there where he casts out some demons—like you do—and then he visits the house of a man named Simon.
Now, Simon’s mother-in-law is very sick with a fever. And Jesus removes the fever from her. And once word gets out that he is there and what he is doing, everyone is bringing their sick relatives to Jesus to be healed.
And once again, he is overwhelmed by a crowd. But this time, instead of wanting to kill him, they want to praise him. But like before, Jesus slips away—this time for some peace and quiet in the wilderness.
And when he is ready again, he finds Simon, who has just finished his night shift fishing.
Luke 5: 1-11:
“Once while Jesus was standing beside the lake of Gennesaret, and the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, he saw two boats there at the shore of the lake. The fishermen had gotten out of them and were washing their nets. 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 Jesus sat down and taught the crowds from the boat. When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, ‘Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.’
Simon answered, ‘Master, we have worked all night long but have caught nothing. Yet if you say so, I will let down the nets.’
When they had done this, they caught so many fish that their nets were beginning to burst.
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.
But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, ‘Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!’ For he and all who were with him were astounded at the catch of fish that they had taken, 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.’
When they had brought their boats to shore, they left everything and followed him.
For the Word of God in Scripture, for the Word of God among us, for the Word of God within us: Thanks be to God.
***
Let’s walk through the scene again, this time from Simon’s perspective.
Jesus visits your home. He has healed your mother-in-law of a fever. He has healed many of your friends and neighbors. And then, he just disappears. You are excited about all that has happened, but still, duty calls. You have to go back to work. You have a business to run, a household to support.
You and your coworkers—James and John—push off in the boat for a shift of night fishing. Night is the perfect time to do this work. You don’t have to worry about the heat and the sun beating down on you. Plus, the darkness hides the linen nets from the fish. In the daytime, the fish can see and avoid the net.
But at night? At least usually, you can catch a ton of fish. You use what you catch to feed your family, sell at the market, and perhaps even fulfill a government contract that keeps the income flowing steadily. But tonight is not your night. Not a single fish to be caught.
You haven’t had a night like this in years, and it brings up all those fears and anxieties—about not having enough to support your business and your family, about the lake running out of fish, and you being left without a source of income. Defeated and deflated, you return to shore with an empty boat.
And waiting for you on shore is Jesus and a crowd of people pressing in on him. You are glad to see him. When he disappeared, you thought he was gone for good—his presence having been a brief blessing, but far too good to last.
But here he is again. And when he spots you, he recognizes you. You see an expression of relief on his face, which makes you feel so good, that such an important person knows who you are. He asks if he can get in your boat so that he can get a bit of space between him and the crowd while he speaks to them. You gladly oblige.
Once he is done teaching the crowds, things get a bit awkward. Jesus offers you some fishing advice. He suggests that you toss the nets back in the water one more time.
He must not be a fisherman, you think to yourself. If he knew even the first thing about fishing, he would know that you can’t catch fish with a net during the daytime. It’s a ridiculous suggestion.
You begin to tell him this, explaining that you and the crew have been out all night and yet have caught nothing. But even as these words are coming out of your mouth, something begins to come over you.
You remember how he healed your mother-in-law. You remember how he prayed with and healed many of your neighbors and friends. And mid-sentence, you think, “What’s the harm? I’ll give it one more try.”
You cast out the net as Jesus suggests, and the unimaginable happens—the biggest catch of your life. Others come to help. The boats start to sink. Jackpot.
This is the kind of haul that can change a person’s life. Heck, it could change a village’s fortunes. Stunned, you turn to the person in the boat with you, and there is Jesus, smiling, almost laughing, with a twinkle in his eye as if to say, “I told you.”
But instead, he just says your name in a way that lets you know you are loved beyond imagining. Suddenly, you realize something—something big—but you can’t quite put your finger on it. Words dance around in your head: Lord, mercy, abundance, trust, hope, love.
Who is this Jesus, you wonder to yourself, and what in God’s name is going on?
Then another word pops into your head, one that has been there and taken up room most of your life: unworthy. You feel shame. And this shame escapes from your mouth as you say, “Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man.”
But the smile never leaves his face.
And with a chuckle and a loving gaze, Jesus says to you, “Simon, do not be afraid. From now on, you will fish for people.”
“Fish for people,” you think. “What does that even mean?” It’s a funny play on words, sure, but what does it look like in real life? Will it put food on the table? Then you remember.
You look down at your feet, and there’s the largest haul you’ve ever had—months and months’ worth in one single catch. It’s what you’ve always dreamed of.
And then you look up again, and Jesus is still smiling at you with that loving gaze. And suddenly, you begin to know what you must do.
Now, you have no answers, mind you. You are confused as ever, if not more. But even though you don’t know what or how or even why, you know the answer is not in that net. It’s in that smiling gaze.
You suddenly feel peace and purpose.
In the days, weeks, and months to come, you will flow in and out of this place where you are now—this place of calm assurance. Sometimes, the weight of the world will feel too much to bear. You will feel inadequate and helpless. The shame will return with its negative self-talk.
There will be days when it will be hard to get out of bed or when that extra drink will promise numbness to escape it all. You will be convinced that you are in it alone, and all you can really do is look out for yourself and the small circle of folks in your boat.
But eventually, you’ll remember that smile and that invitation and the promise that lies behind both of them.
You do not have to fix the whole world. You do not have to carry your burdens alone. You do not have to be perfect.
Your skills and your experience matter and can be used for a greater purpose than filling your own basket or bank account. You are worthy of love and belonging. And this feeling—this trust—will give you the strength and resilience you need to get up again, one more time. To try to love, with particular passion, what is yours to love and what is yours to do.
And you will know that there is nothing that can separate you from that smile on Jesus’ face.
And it will give you courage—the courage to face even the most powerful and impending forces in the world, even to their face. And from your tiny boat—from your little platform, your pulpit—you will say, “I am not afraid of you. Because you have nothing on that smile.”
All of this happens in a flash. And suddenly, you realize that you are still in that boat, caught between that incredible haul and that loving smile.
And suddenly, you understand that the choice you face is really no choice at all.
And with that, you drop your net and follow him.
Amen.
