Sermon Tone Analysis

5 Once while Jesus was standing beside the lake of Gennesaret, and the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, 2 he saw two boats there at the shore of the lake; the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets.

3 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 he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat.

4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.” 5 Simon answered, “Master, we have worked all night long but have caught nothing.

Yet if you say so, I will let down the nets.”

6 When they had done this, they caught so many fish that their nets were beginning to break.

7 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.

8 But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!” 9 For he and all who were with him were amazed at the catch of fish that they had taken; 10 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.”

11 When they had brought their boats to shore, they left everything and followed him.

Introduction

Over the last few weeks, we’ve heard stories of Jesus’ calling — Jesus in the temple, speaking the prophets words.

Jesus, the light to the nations, owning his calling of bringing good news and liberation to a world in need.

We want to figure out what it means to know Jesus as Lord — as the light that actually brings life to our world.

We have heard this good news about Jesus being the fulfilment of the prophets word, the hope and promise for us even now.

But we encounter a transition problem: How are we supposed to be involved in this?

How are we brought into this life?

And what, are we meant to jump ship and run away from all that we’ve been doing, even the faithful life we’ve been living, if we suddenly encounter Jesus in a new way?

Are we supposed to really leave it all behind?

The Sinful Peter

The problem of hearing our own calling is seen straight on in the way Peter responds to Jesus, who has come to preach at the shoreline and on the boat in the lake.

People have gathered, a gravitational pull is developing around Jesus because of the good news he is preaching.

Imagine Peter there, perhaps thinking a few things: Wow, this guy really speaks well.

Look at all those people surrounding him.

Such charisma.

I bet he’s a really well behaved dude.

I bet he’s clean, ritually pure, because he seems to know the story of God like a rabbi would.

I bet he washes his hands a lot.

I stink like fish.

Peter voices his concerns to Jesus — “Go away, for I am a sinful man.”

(vs.

8)

vs. 8 — Go away, for I am a sinful man.

How often do we say this?

Or how often do we say “I have no need of you, I can do this on my own?”

Or “Go away, don’t try to tell me how awful I am.”

Peter names what I think many of us carry as resistance to the good news.

It can’t be for me.

Either I’m not good enough or I don’t buy it.

But I wonder, as we get started today, if we’re missing part of his statement — we look at Peter and think he’s naming his utter sinfulness as a representative of all our sinfulness.

What if he’s testing Jesus?

What if he really wants to see if this guy’s the real deal, if he won’t back down, if he’ll live love and not just talk love.

Jesus’ abundant reply

Jesus sees through Peter’s self-deprecating comment.

Jesus doesn’t reply with, “Oh, no you’re not, you’re great, don’t be so hard on yourself.

Listen, I’m not all that perfect either, but that’s ok.”

Nope.

Jesus doesn’t throw fluffy words or a simple plan Peter’s way.

Instead, Jesus models abundant generosity, doing something so generative and awakening and pulling that Peter and his friends can’t deny that Jesus is the real deal.

Jesus fills up the nets with fish!

He fills their nets to the point of breaking.

He gives them life to the fullest, well-being and sustenance beyond their wildest dreams.

He doesn’t throw words their way — he acts in love and sets the fishermen free.

It is here, out of this abundant reply, that we get to the heart of the text and the true alignment of what it means for us to hear the call and respond.

The call liberates Peter from his need to qualify himself.

And it sets us all on a totally new trajectory — Come, follow me, let’s find the life and share it with others.

Is Peter’s request for Jesus to leave out of self interest or out of his reverence for Jesus’ miracle?

Jesus’ words have drawn a crowd and they recognize his power.

Christ takes the initiative to call Peter — helping him and the other fishermen with their empty net problem.

He doesn’t require something of Peter first — rather, Jesus helps him and then offers a call to a different priority in life.

Christ risks encounter — and it calls forth more life from Peter and his friends.

I wonder...

Can we risk encounters with the other, in hopes that we have some good life to share with them?

Can we risk being encounter, in the possibility that the other might offer us the good life?

Can we risk embracing calling, trusting that if the call is from Christ, it will bring the good life?

Do we get hung up on needing to be fishers of men and miss that Christ is calling us into a new kind of gravitational field, one where as we live the good life, we encounter others in a way that will bring connection on its own?

Maybe Jesus really does make us “good looking and fun to be around.”

:)

Do we get hung up on needing to be fishers of men and miss that Christ is calling us into a new kind of gravitational field, one where as we live the good life, we encounter others in a way that will bring connection on its own?

Maybe Jesus really does make us “good looking and fun to be around.”

:)

Do we get hung up on needing to be fishers of men and miss that Christ is calling us into a new kind of gravitational field, one where as we live the good life, we encounter others in a way that will bring connection on its own?

Maybe Jesus really does make us “good looking and fun to be around.”

:)

Jesus’ call leads to an obedience and loving way of life that resonates out of that echo of hope.

He has spoken of the good news and the hearers cannot help but follow his voice to something new.

Invitation and Response

Christ invites, we respond.

We invite, Christ responds?

Mutual relationship.

Fully Alive

In a moment, I want to offer a brief, yet important study in translation and phrasing.

But first, a story to illustrate the problem we’re working with here.

I imagine you’re familiar with this passage in some way, shape, or form if you’ve brushed up against the Gospel stories of Jesus in your life: I’ll make you fishers of men (or people).

It’s a very recognizable part of the Christian story — we are sent out to catch people for Jesus.

To claim members in the Kingdom’s citizenship.

To gather up the lost, to secure salvation for the other.

Certainly, this isn’t an incorrect sentiment.

As followers of Jesus, we are meant to share the good news and invite others into it.

But if we get stuck with only this concept of catching people, it leaves a lot to be desired as a metaphor.

My heart sinks as I think about how this phrase has been applied.

(Don’t worry, I’ve got a different translation-take on it that is much more life affirming…but first, a story).

In high school, I was connected in with a large, evangelical youth organization that worked really hard to make the Christian story accessible and relatable to teenagers.

They did this through fun, games, relevant marketing, amazing Summer camps that were super-high production.

I am absolutely a product of that ministry and I thank God for it, as it was part of affirming my call into pastoral ministry.

However, one of the heartbreaking things I recollect upon is the high importance this group put upon getting teens to make a public, documented, confirmed profession of faith.

Again — this was awesome, they were encouraging people to commit to Jesus.

But the problem was, after getting kids into the net, as it were, there was often very little follow through.

Ok, we’ve met our numbers, great.

But what about how the kid goes home?

What about how they face the complexities of adolescence and young adulthood?

Who comes alongside them?

You know what happens to a fish that’s caught and then left in the boat?