Sermon – 5th Epiphany – "Empty Nets Filled" – Luke 5:1-11 – 2/4/07
February 5th, 2007Click play to listen to the audio version of this sermon.
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In the beginning, the Spirit of God was hovering over the deep. And God said, ‘let there be light.’ And there was light. Now, in these last days, or as St. Luke puts it, “on one occasion,” while floating over the surface of the deep, God said, ‘let there be fish.’ And there were fish. So many fish that even professional fisherman were freaked out and didn’t know what to think about this.
The nets began to break and the boats begin to sink. It’s so incredibly wonderful that it’s scary. Peter cries out, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” These are strange words from a fisherman whose livelihood depends on catching fish. Like I’ve always said, if I were Peter, I’d try to sign Jesus to a contract to be my guide at least weekly and together, they’d make a buddle. Or some more practical variation of that theme.
“Get into my car, Jesus, and go to the bank with me and when I let down my paycheck into the tellers window at the drive-through, you fill my checking account with more money than it can hold.” You get the idea.
But no, Peter says, “depart from me…” Remember last Sunday, when Jesus was at the synagogue in Capernaum and the unclean spirits who possessed a man there shouted, “we know who you are Jesus of Nazareth, the holy one of God…” And Jesus used the technical language of exorcism – exelqe – “come out.” That’s exactly what Peter says to Jesus. exelqe – “get out.” The people in the Synagogue were “amazed,” at wits end. So was Peter.
We do have this idea that if only Jesus would give us what we want in life, then we’d really love Him and really worship Him and really follow Him. But here, what we see is that just the opposite happens. “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man.”
But we know that by the time this account comes to its conclusion, Jesus has not departed from Peter but rather, Peter follows Jesus. And “they left everything and followed him.”
We can only imagine the scene at the dinner table that night at Peter’s house. “How was the fishing today dear,” asks Peter’s wife. “I left it all behind and I’m going into the ministry.” “That bad huh?” “No, that good.”
So what happened in that boat that would cause Peter to react like this? He had been in the Synagogue in Capernaum and witnessed the demon coming out of the man because Jesus told it to, but he didn’t run out of the Synagogue because he, a sinful man, couldn’t stand to be in the presence of Jesus, the holy one of God.
Jesus had come into his home because his mother-in-law had a fever, and “[Jesus] stood over her and rebuked the fever and it left her.” But Peter didn’t fall at Jesus’ knees and say, – exelqe – “get out.” I’m a sinful man and I can’t stand being this close to you, the holy one of God.
Remember that little dialog that transpired before they shoved off. “And when Jesus had finished speaking, He said to Simon, ‘put out into deep water 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.”
What must have been going through Peter’s mind that thankfully never came out of his lips? “This is ridiculous. You’ve never caught a fish in your life. Don’t you think that if there were fish to be caught I, a fisherman, would know what to do?” Peter’s pride would demand at least that much respect.
Isn’t this the way our minds work too? We think we know better than Jesus. “You don’t understand how it really is Jesus. I can’t do things your way Jesus, because your ways would never work in my world. I know what you’re asking me to do but my life is complicated in ways that I don’t think you quite understand. But here, I’ll make this deal with you Jesus. Once I get my life squared away, then I’ll try it your way and do what you suggest.”
But Peter doesn’t go quite this far does he? Even if he had entertained all of these thoughts, he dropped them and said. “Because you say so Lord, I will let down the nets.” That’s the sound of faith talking there. How pleased Jesus must have been with Peter. “I know you don’t agree with me Peter and I know I’m asking you to do the very thing that you don’t want to do. I know you’re a practical man Peter. And I’m asking you to do the impractical. I understand that my ways are not your ways and my thoughts are not your thoughts Peter. But how pleased I am that you are willing to do this – even if it’s just because I said so. This kind of trust, faith and obedience is the rock I will build my Church upon.”
So Peter does what Jesus says, and all the fish in the deep blue sea jumps into his net. I picture Jesus with a little smirk on his face, if not all smiles. But Peter is so ashamed of his doubts and his foolish pride. He feels just like Adam in the garden after the Fall, all he wants to do is hide from God. It’s a lot easier to hide from God in a garden than in a boat. Well, not really. Nowhere to run, nowhere to hide. Peter throws himself down at Jesus’ knees and demands the only remedy for his guilt that he can imagine. “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man.” And with that, suddenly Jesus’ smile is gone and His eyes are tightly closed, as if there is something lying ahead that He dreads and doesn’t yet want to see.
If Peter had only then realized what an excellent theologian he was, he may have requested his papal crown right there. For indeed, there would be no other remedy for his guilt than for Jesus to depart from him. Because Peter was a sinful man, Jesus would have to depart from him. A holy God and a sinful man can’t be in the same boat together. And isn’t it interesting that Peter didn’t need Jesus to tell him that. Peter was simply expressing the law that was written on his heart, “his conscience bearing witness, his conflicting thoughts now accusing, now excusing him.” (Romans 2:15). The only remedy for Peter’s guilty conscience was for Jesus to depart from him and become sin for him and take the full load of Peter’s guilt upon Himself, nailing it to the cross. And that is what Jesus does. He takes Peter’s sin, all of it, and all of yours too, mine as well. Especially all those thoughts that never do come out but which are not hidden from God.
And there on the cross, the remedy for our guilt is given. God the Father in heaven says to His only-begotten and dearly beloved Son, Jesus, ‘depart from me, for you are a sinful man.’
And in the moment that that flash-forward takes to run through Jesus’ mind, he opens His eyes and says to Peter, “Do not be afraid.” Every time we hear that those words sounded from the mouth of Jesus or the angels of heaven, we are to hear God’s holy absolution. “All your sins are forgiven.” “Do not be afraid,” means, “I have departed from you and born your guilt in my body and risen again on the 3rd day and now there is no reason for me to depart from you or for you to depart from me. Now, you may be with me where ever I am and I may be with you where ever you are.” “Do not be afraid,” means, “I will never leave you nor forsake you, I will be with you always.”
And with that, this same Peter who couldn’t bear being with Jesus or have Jesus be with him, he leaves everything behind because it suddenly means so little compared to the all-surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus to be his Lord, all his sins and all his guilt, and follows him. Such is the transforming power of the gospel.
The account before us this morning is true. It really happened just like this. Peter, James and John really did go on to become fishers of men. They would cast the net of Jesus’ word out into the deep and His word would catch men. Lots of them. Lots of women too.
And one day, that net was cast out into the deep waters while you were being baptized, and you were caught in that net and brought up out of the deep and into the boat – the holy, Christian Church. What happened next to Peter and the others has really happened next to really you too. Here in the Nave, “boat” in Latin, You confessed that you are a sinful man or a sinful women. And you heard His “do not be afraid” and now, you’re ready now to follow Him and catch men. And I dare say that there are lots of men and women to be caught – because this church is not yet so full that its in any danger of sinking.
The account before us this morning is true. It really happened just like this. Peter and the others had been “toiling” all night and had caught nothing. They had invested a lot of time and energy in their daily vocation and calling in life and had nothing to show for it. And what is true for them is also true for us.
I know that for many of you have “toiled” long and hard at your daily vocations and callings in life and feel that you have nothing to show for it. You’ve “toiled” long and hard at a marriage and have nothing to show for it. You’ve “toiled” for what seems a long night raising children and feel as if you’ve nothing to show for it. You’ve “toiled” for many days and nights looking for real friendship and companionship and your nets are empty. You’ve worked hard all night trying to forgive and forget the wrong done to you and having nothing to show for it. You’ve worked hard for many nights and are weary of fishing for reconciliation with someone who just won’t be reconciled and you’re nets are empty.
To you, Jesus says, put out into “the deep and let your nets down for a catch.” The deep is where you can’t see what’s going on beneath the surface. It’s where you must live by faith and not by sight. Simply put your trust in the Lord. The deep is where the Holy Spirit hovers. And where the Holy Spirit hovers, there is the power of God to create something from nothing – from empty nets and empty hearts and empty hopes and empty dreams. His Word speaks into the deep and the deep teams with life, more life than we know what to do with.
“Test me in this and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.” (Malachi 3:10). The grace and love of God is poured out upon you, “a good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, pouring out into your lap.” (Luke 6:38). Until you cry, “Enough Lord! I can’t take any more of Your goodness and mercy. My cup runneth over. I am a sinner. My equipment is fragile. You’re being too generous with me again!”
Too good to be true? Not at all. It really happened just like this. The nets really were ripping they were so full and the boats really were sinking they were so full. Yet I tell you, as true as all of this is, it’s just a sign, just a foretaste of what God has in mind for you. It’s enough to leave everything and follow Him for.
Related Entries:
» Sermon – Epiphany 5 – "Into The Deep" – Luke 5:1-11 – 2/7/10» Sermon Index – Lutheran – LCMS
» Sermon – Epiphany 4 – "Teaching With Authority" – Luke 4:31-43 – 1/31/10
» Sermon – 3rd Sunday after Epiphany – "True Spirituality" – Luke 4:16-30 – 1/21/07
» Sermon – 4th Epiphany – "The Authority Of His Word" – Luke 4:31-37 – 1/28/07
» Sermon – Epiphany 1 – "United To Christ Through Baptism" – Mark 1:4-11
