How to fish for people when you have already tried it all

Sermon on Luke 5:1-11

Simon Peter had a rough day. Things didn’t go like he had hoped. He had been out fishing all day. And had caught almost nothing. Not the best boost for his confidence. Of course, people told him, this could happen to anyone. Bad luck. Not his fault. But he wasn’t sure about that. As a fisherman he should know his waters. He should be able to read the signs and follow the fish. He sees the pity of the people on the shore, their ways of looking away when their eyes meet. Their squinted lips. They perceive him as a looser. And deep down he feels like they are right.

While cleaning up his nets, the crowd suddenly starts moving, chatting. Excitement is in the air. A man seems to be the center of attraction. Without asking he gets into Peter’s boat. Why? Peter doesn’t have time to rationalize what’s happening. He jumps into the boat as well and puts it out a little way from the shore. The man started talking, preaching actually. And Peter realizes who his guest is. Jesus, the famous teacher and healer. What an honor. What a responsibility.

Eventually, Jesus stops talking. Peter gets ready to take him ashore. But Jesus stops him. “Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.”  Peter isn’t sure he heard right. Does this guy want to ridicule him? Does he want to teach him a lesson? 

Respectfully, he replies: “Master, we have worked all night long but have caught nothing. Yet if you say so, I will let down the nets.” To himself he is thinking: Well, I warned you. This is not a great idea. I have fished the waters all day. No fish. And if there were, someone else has most likely caught them by now. Or they are too smart to be caught. Or they will be the wrong size. Or the wrong kind. Also, nobody does that. Going out again at night after a long day. 

Peter also knows to keep quiet. Afterwards he will tell the story in a “told-you-so” style. For now, he just tags along. Jesus is Jesus.

They go out and it seems like Jesus has a particular spot in mind. As if he knows the lake. “Just a little more to the right, ah, more to the left, 2 more strokes. That’s it.” They pause, they lower the nets, the sit and wait in silence, listening to the night. Finally, Peter can’t contain his curiosity anymore. He grabs onto one of the nets. And can’t lift it an inch. Amazed, he looks at Jesus. Just to see that “told-you-so-smile”. Right. Let’s get to work. This is worth a lot. Hopefully, the boat will be able to carry it all. Let’s not take a risk. Ask others to help with the abundance of fish. Peter sees his partners jump into their boats, fill them up with fish until they almost sink. There is more than anyone could ever imagine. Enough for everyone willing to get out that late.

And suddenly, Peter is terrified. He knew that Jesus was a great teacher and healer. He honored him for that. But now, he sees. This man is more than that. Not just because he just magically filled their nets. But because he seemed to exactly know Peter’s troubles. His dark thoughts, his self-doubts. He is not worthy of such attention and help. He doesn’t have anything to offer to Jesus. Well, except for his boat and his nets. At least he can say that he maintained them well over the years. He is good at property management. That’s something, isn’t it? 

He also is lucky to have great partners in his work. People who trust him enough to go out in the dark to help him bring in fish nobody thought he would ever catch. People who risk their boats and livelihoods to help him. He is good at building relationships with likeminded people. That’s something, isn’t it?

But does that qualify him to be singled out by Jesus? There is so much he isn’t. He isn’t particularly brave or adventurous. He likes safety and routine. Which doesn’t involve night trips onto the lake. He sometimes envies his colleagues who seem to be so much more successful with so much less effort. And, often, he feels depressed, hopeless, tired. Even though he isn’t that old and people keep telling him to get over it. Over what? So, all Peter knows is that he is sinful man. And that he isn’t worthy of Jesus’ love and help. Also, is Jesus really trying to help him? Or is making a fool of him in front of everyone? Like “Oh look, Peter didn’t catch anything today even though there is plenty of fish in that lake!”

Peter falls down at Jesus’ knees, saying “Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!” He believes that Jesus is Lord. He always knew that. And it gives him the shivers. 

For he knows what God will do with a sinner. God will cast judgement onto him, rightfully so. Just like fish, the unrighteous and unjust will be caught and pulled up by hooks and nets. According to the old prophets. He is in great trouble, and he knows it and he needs to find a way out of this before it’s too late. God will focus on all the things he hasn’t done in the past years. All the missed opportunities. All the fish not caught, the nets ripped, the new ideas not tried, the great fishing spots he ignored. It’s great that Jesus came now. To grant him some success.  But this can’t be good.

Then Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people.” 

Now, that surely must be a mistake. To use him, the ordinary, not particularly good fisherman to fish for something even harder to catch. God catches people to condemn them. Who would Peter be to condemn anyone? What’s Jesus up to, here? 

Peter looks at Jesus. Searching for a hint of irony or sarcasm. Jesus just waits. He wants Peter to be a fisherman and fish people. No pun intended. Where Jesus shows up, there is no eternal judgement. There is something much more consequential than that. Not just forgiveness. But  recruitment. 

Jesus leans in and whispers: “You’re afraid of getting caught in one of God’s nets? Well, I’ll tell you what, from now on you’ll be the one catching sinners! And not so they might be damned, mind you. On the contrary, we’re out to catch sinners so they might feel loved and worthy! Take heart!”

Amazed, Peter and his friends “brought their boats to shore, they left everything and followed him.” They left the great catch of fish behind. Now that they finally had found the perfect spot. They didn’t even take time to cash the catch in. Instead, they leave it behind for everyone else who came back empty-handed that night. To share with their families and friends the good news of God’s abundance. What could be more tangible than a fish in each hand for a hungry mouth? 

They left to go with Jesus. Trusting that their will be a job for them to do, a meal to grab, a place to sleep at. Something they cannot imagine in their wildest dreams and yet, they trust that they will be fine. That giving up a lot will give them so much more. Uncertainty and adventure and fulfilling encounters spreading God’s love. Spreading the truth that God hasn’t come to condemn, that God isn’t done. That God won’t settle for well-maintained empty boats and nets or great inner circle relationships. It’s not like that isn’t important. It’s not like God won’t use what’s there. 

Got a boat? Great, now get into the deep waters, find the right spot, the right time. Even if everyone else things you are crazy. Take with you whoever asks to get a ride. They might know things you don’t. They might have the answer to your struggles. Don’t give up. 

Got a net? Use it, don’t be afraid of too many people showing up, of too many taking advantage of your give-away, your free cookies, your free grace. There is no cheap grace. Just grace. 

Got fish? Give it away, share it. Don’t believe that you got the one and forever answer just because something worked once. Tomorrow it will be a different time, a different spot, different people waiting to help you, waiting to get fed, waiting to be seen. There is only one continuity in this story: Jesus calling Peter and his friends to do what he tells them to do. 

Peter’s problem was never a lack of faith or trust in Jesus. His problem was his lack of faith in himself. In his gifts, his capacities, his worth. His lack of trust that God could use someone ordinary like him to accomplish God’s purposes. His narrow-mindedness that prevented him from seeing what is possible. If one stops focusing on mere survival. And begins envisioning Jesus’ dream of fishing people. Using what we have without believing that that’s all we are capable of. 

Today, Joe and Kris will share a little bit about our journey with the “Acts for Vitality” program. And I believe that in many ways we are like Peter. We are an ordinary church, with ordinary people. We mess up, we sin, we might even feel like we are not doing a great job at being church in this world that changes so fast we find it hard to identify the right spot and the right time to cast our nets. And so, we often feel like giving up. Like we are working in vain. Like we are maintaining our property without catching the people we wish. Without sharing the Good News that we are indeed forgiven and freed to live as the people God made us to be.

And then, Jesus comes along. And Jesus tells us what to do. Things that sound unorthodox or even insane. Things like giving up some things in order to get so much more. To leave everything behind that keeps us from catching people. Trusting that God will lead us. Amen.