09 Feb Sermon – SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2025
Had there been news feeds or social media back in Jesus’ day the title or caption might read: “Fisherman Makes Mega-Bonus Catch after Doing Favor for Stranger.” I wonder how many clicks, “Likes” or “Shares” Simon may have received had he told his story today or had someone like Luke tell it for him.
After all, Simon represents an average man, a typical fisherman on par with an ordinary laborer. Though he and his partners might own their own tools of the trade and equipment needed to perform their jobs, they’re on the provider end of the consumer scale. Simon and his partners are among those whom society counts on to perform dirty work that most people wish to avoid.
What people want from them is the thing they supply, produce or bring to market. Like a minimum wage worker or restaurant employee who spends hours in a place not known for either big tabs or big tips, whose pay adds up slowly and who counts up spare change, who catches a few fish here and a few fish there if they’re lucky, will be able to pay a few bills if they stick with the job long enough or as their shift wears on through the night.
Their nets and pockets are only large enough to hold the amount expected, an amount that’s enough to make ends meet, an amount big enough to live another day, but they live without a hint of surplus. Simon, his partners and small business owners don’t often buy new gear used in the performance of their job, so they constantly mend what they currently own to cut down on costs and to make ends meet.
After years of experience they are familiar with their employment setting; they’re aware of their expertise and limitations pertaining to their specific skill set and above all, they know their customers. Surely, Simon already wondered, “What’s up with this guy,” after seeing him stand beside the lake, step into his boat, then ask him to put out a little way from the shore. I mean, so far Jesus is acting rather suspiciously. He’s behaving like someone who’s just committed a crime, is trying to evade police and make a quick getaway. If I were Simon, I’d have been wary of being boatjacked. I mean doesn’t a carjacker notice someone else’s means of transportation, get in and suddenly wish to drive away? Sounds sketchy to me.
I guess the difference was that Simon had witnessed Jesus sitting down and teaching the crowds earlier from where he sat in his boat. He’d observed Jesus’ activity prior to wanting a lift by sea and noticed that it was only after Jesus had finished speaking, that he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.” I wonder if Simon thought, “Sure, I guess so, dude, whatever you say, I can try. I’ve got no fish to clean or sell, and nothing on my schedule the rest of the day except mending nets and catching some shut-eye.”
But because Simon answered Jesus like this, “Master, we have worked all night long but caught nothing. Yet if you say so, I will let down the nets,” we know that Simon came to recognize and respect Jesus’ authority during some point in his observations. And at this point, perhaps Simon recalled the prophet Jeremiah in 32:27 saying, “Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh; is anything too difficult for me?”
Would it have been too difficult for Jesus to reward Simon with a literal boatload of fish? Does it seem unlikely that Jesus would have sought some way to repay Simon’s kindness to him? After all, when Jesus needed some space between himself and the crowd pressing in on him, Simon immediately dropped what he was doing and put back onto the lake another time after a long night of unproductive labor.
In the midst of Simon’s frustration over having to mend his nets yet again after not catching one fish all night long, isn’t it reasonable that Jesus might extend generosity? Or perhaps planting the idea of a generous catch was a test or temptation for Simon. Like a gambler about to walk away with nothing in his pockets, suddenly he can imagine the fortune that comes with the next roll of the dice. Perhaps he hears Jesus’ words as a good omen and believes now that his luck has really changed. How could he refuse or resist?
Think about this. Might it be harder for Simon to leave his job and follow Jesus after experiencing great success and seeing his nets full to bursting? How many gamblers suffering from addiction are able to leave the casino once they win? They do not easily walk away. They feel lucky and like they could go on winning since they just won.
Could part of Simon have thought, “Gee, if there are all these fish to be had, perhaps I’ve just been fishing in the wrong spot up ‘till now. Perhaps I should stay and keep fishing here, exactly where my efforts paid off. Why leave now and follow this guy? I’ve just won the Sea of Gennesaret lottery.”
But thanks be to God, Simon realized that his success wasn’t his doing. Simon remembered what had happened just before Jesus appeared. He’d spent hours catching nothing and hours more mending nets that were now even more broken through because of catching so many fish.
Heck, even the boats had nearly sunk. Tonight’s big win wasn’t ordinary good fortune or luck. According to the ESV Study Bible, extraordinary abundance marked by nearly breaking nets and almost sinking boats “further emphasizes the great catch of fish such that Jesus’ miracle demonstrates to Simon that he is Lord of the sea and all that’s in it.” [Italics added.] Or maybe Simon recalled again that verse from Jeremiah that states, “Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh; is anything too difficult for me?
When Simon Peter saw the large catch, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!” The ESV states, “Simon’s reaction is appropriate for times when God himself appears to someone as in Isaiah 6:1-8 which we read earlier and in Ezekiel 1:28 where after seeing the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord, Ezekiel falls on his face…” Sometimes, falling on your knees is the only thing one can do once you realize the very presence of God or have a desperate need for God to be present in your midst.
For Simon and all who were with him were amazed at the catch of fish they had taken as were James and John, sons of Zebedee, partners of Simon. Then Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid,” (just as an angel of the Lord had spoken earlier to Zechariah, father of John the Baptist and then to Mary, the mother of Jesus. “Do not be afraid,” of big changes about to happen in your life or your family’s life.) “From now on you will be catching people,” Jesus says.”
Here we see that specific instructions and direction from God will always come with encouragement, assurance and the ability to follow through. It’s not up to us to figure out how to go on or move forward. Jesus has told them what’s in store and that explains why, “When the fisherman brought their boats to shore, they [could leave] everything and follow Jesus.”
Jesus says, “You will (fill-in-the-blank)” and the thing is decided. There’s no prolonged discussion necessary, no further questions asked, no continuous dialogue which seeks clarification or expresses doubts. So I wonder, which of the messages delivered from scripture today you need to hear? Do you need reassurance that your guilt is gone and your sins are blotted out from the prophet Isaiah?
How convinced are you of that after standing for a brief order of confession and forgiveness? Do you believe that the entirety of all your sins are forgiven, guilt is gone and your sins blotted out or does some sin seem to stick to you like those burrs you pick up on your pants legs when walking through fields or like dog hair or cat fur that seems to cling to every item of clothing you own or wear?
God knows that you experience feelings of unworthiness or fear. God knows that certain barriers keep you from feeling able to say, “Yes,” to volunteer to give more of yourself or resources. Guilt and remembrance of sin are as obvious as an empty fishing net with big gaping holes that need mending.
But here comes Jesus to demonstrate and communicate what we need to know: that things aren’t as bad and we aren’t as unsuccessful as they or we might see them in the present moment. Another thing that Simon and his partners demonstrate to us is this: Disappointment isn’t an excuse for hanging things up or hoping things will repair themselves without our attention.
In the midst of being faithful and pressing on with your current responsibilities, doing daily chores related to maintenance and upkeep are still your duty, that is, until such time when Jesus tells you differently or makes another way possible. Look for Jesus standing nearby. Listen for what he might say and tell you to do. He doesn’t expect anyone to endure suffering without hope.
Let us pray. There are days where we feel unworthy or unable to rise to the occasion of being called by you into service. On those days, give us courage. Free us from anything that keeps our focus on empty nets, preoccupied with failure, frustrated or disappointed by our own efforts or the behavior of other people. Show us the possibility of things working out. Remind us of our capabilities. Give us a vision for the future. We can only follow you if you lead and occasionally explain things as we go. In your holy name we pray, Amen.