Isaiah 6:1-8; 1 Corinthians 14:12b-20; Luke 5:1-11

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

I’ve never been big into fishing. I tried it a couple of times and I never had much success. I don’t even remember if I ever caught a fish. One thing I did catch was a wooden pole of a dock! Needless to say, if I was trying to make a living off of fishing, I would be in big trouble. But even more than that, fishing is a game of waiting, patience, and being in the right place at the right time.

Now, fishing can be done in a number of different ways. The old way of fishing is by net and hoping for a large gathering of fish. This is how the disciples would have fished, those who were fishermen by trade. They knew all the secrets, the perfect times, the proper techniques to optimize their chances of a good catch.

However, in our Gospel lesson this week, we hear that the disciples are having trouble catching anything. Peter, James, John, and any of their other companions had been fishing all evening and caught nothing. Then Jesus arrives with a crowd. He takes the chance to utilize their boats to teach the massive crowd. “And when he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” And Simon answered, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets,” Luke 5:4-5. Even after catching nothing all night, Jesus tells them to try one more time.

Many people become competitive in their work and life. We all want to be better than the next person. But that’s hard to claim when we don’t have any success. I can only imagine that the disciples are confused at Jesus’ request. “We’ve already tried there” or “What good will trying again do?” However, they’re surprised by the result. Not only do they get a catch, it’s so large that it causes the boats to start sinking! This is when Peter has an interesting response, “But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord,” Luke 5:8. Peter’s sin and insufficiencies come into center view because it stands in stark contrast to the perfection just displayed by Jesus.

When we’re confronted by the perfect standard of God, we too must fall down at Jesus’ feet and say, “I am a sinful man, O Lord.” It is a fearful thing of the imperfect meeting the perfect. We toil regularly in life’s endeavors, like Peter, and then meet the perfect man, Jesus who makes it all seem so effortless. But Jesus puts our fears to rest with his words, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men,” Luke 5:10. By saying, “Do not be afraid,” Jesus is telling us, “Even though I am the perfect God, and you are a sinner, don’t fear. I came for you. I came to be with you here. Sin no longer divides me from you.” Jesus came to catch men. He came to catch… sinners! This is why Jesus goes to the cross to die for you and me. He casts his net over us by his cross that he may catch us, drawing us up out of sin by his forgiveness, and bring us into his kingdom!

Pastor Sorenson

Prayer:

O Lord, keep Your family the Church continually in the true faith that, relying on the hope of Your heavenly grace, we may ever be defended by Your mighty power; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen!