Return to the Homepage Home
 Worship Schedules, Education, Fellowship, Outreach Worship & Service
 Sermon Archive Sermons
 A copy of the Sunday Prayers of Intercession Prayers
 Pastor Lynne's monthly newsletter Pastor's Page
 Articles and tidbits from the monthly newsletter Newsletter
 This month's events as well as the monthly calendar Current Events
 Read the Sunday School News Letter! Sunday School News
 Events for grades 7 to 12 Youth
 Other websites of interest Links
  
 Login to Administer this site Admin Login

St. Luke's Zion Lutheran Church
2903 McPhillips Street
Winnipeg, Manitoba
CANADA R2P 0H3
http://www.stlukeszion.ca

Phone: (204) 339-0412
Fax: (204) 339-0412
E-mail: stlukeszionchurch@gmail.com
site design by clayton rumley

 

The 3rd Sunday in Epiphany
Sunday, January 23rd, 2005

click here for past entries
Loving God, you call us to come and follow, and capture us with your love. Make us ready to hear and to respond to your word by the power of your Spirit, that we, too, might be citizens of your heavenly kingdom; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

If you happen to be a fish, you don't really want to get caught. In fact, getting caught is quite frowned upon - especially if you get taken in, hook, line and sinker. No - if you're a fish, you're probably quite comfortable right where you are, as long as there is food to be found.

So, why, then, would Jesus send out his disciples in order to fish for people? Why waste all of that effort on people who really don't want to be caught? Really, isn't that the way it is with so many people? There is a certain comfort level in not being caught by Jesus. That way, my only concern is whether I have what I need. I don't need to concern myself with what other people have (except if it's something that I want). I don't need to worry about giving of myself or about service to others or about living in God's way. I don't need to worry about putting myself out in order to worship with others or learn with others or serve with others. If I have avoided being caught by Jesus, then I only need to be concerned about myself and what I want and need.

On the other hand, if we do get caught by Jesus, look out! Our whole lives will change and our whole way of thinking. Our hearts will be opened up by God's love and by the presence of God's Holy Spirit. We will no longer be able to think only about ourselves. We will be aware of the great love that God has shown for us in Jesus and of the need for that love to flow out of us back to God and to the people around us. We will be aware of the spiritual world that surrounds us and of the hopelessness that comes with being separated from God and cut off from God's life-giving presence. We will be aware of the needs of others and will be drawn to minister to them as if they are Jesus himself. We will be aware of the way of life that God wants for us and will want to live in that way in order to give glory to God and service to others.

Why would Jesus send his disciples out to fish for people who don't want to be caught? The answer is quite simple: Out of love. Jesus knows that those people could have life in all its fulness. Jesus knows that those people have only death and judgment to look forward to without him. Jesus knows that what often passes for life in this world isn't really life at all, but a self-centered existence lived without any awareness of the love and the power of God. And so Jesus calls disciples and sends them out in order to fish for people.

In fact, did you notice Jesus' slick marketing technique? He didn't promise to give them anything. He started out by telling them to repent, because heaven rules. And then he simply said, "Follow me" - I've got a job for you (Mt. 4:19). One commentator asks the question as to how people do become disciples of Jesus Christ. He answers based on today's gospel: "People become believers by the power of Jesus' word; they follow him because he has spoken to them, and his word generates faith" (Eugene Boring, Matthew, New Interpreter's Bible, p. 170). So it would seem that fishing for people involves helping people to hear Jesus' word.

As for possible techniques, we could drag people to church, just like with a fish net, but it's hard to say how much of Jesus' word would be heard by people who are here against their will. Of course, there is the dangling of bait on fish hooks, but once again it's hard to say if Jesus' word would get through if somebody came expecting to be entertained and found a worship service instead. Now, in some cases, people might first hear Jesus' word through the Scriptures, and so making sure that people have access to the Bible might help. In other cases, people might be drawn to ask about the word of Jesus because they have seen something in the life of a believer that makes them think there must be more to life. In still other cases, people might accept the invitation of a friend or neighbour to come and see, and might hear Jesus' word in a worship setting, or at Alpha, or at Bible study.

However it might happen, we, too, are called to follow Jesus, and to hear his word for us, and to help others to hear that same word. Now, at the same time it is true that God could have used an entirely different technique. After all, the disciples witnessed with Jesus how he had power over the fish and could make them come right into the net (Lk. 5:4-9)! If God really wanted to, he could just make all the fish jump right into the boat (which, by the way, has always been a symbol for the church...). However, instead, God uses us.

There is a story by Martin Bell called "Rag-Tag Army" which helps in imagining how God could make it much more organized. It goes like this:

"I think God must be very old and very tired. Maybe he used to look splendid and fine in his general's uniform, but no more. He's been on the march a long time, you know. And look at his rag-tag little army! All he has for soldiers are you and me. Dumb little army. Listen! The drum beat isn't even regular. Everyone is out of step. And there! You see? God keeps stopping along the way to pick up one of his tinier soldiers who decided to wander off and play with a frog, or run in a field, or whose foot got tangled in the underbrush. He'll never get anywhere that way. And yet, the march goes on.

Do you see how the marchers have broken up into little groups? Look at that group up near the front. Now, there's a snappy outfit. They all look pretty much alike-at least they're in step with each other. That's something! Only they're not wearing their shoes. They're carrying them in their hands. Silly little band. They won't get far before God will have to stop again

Or how about that other group over there? They're all holding hands as they march. The only trouble with this is the men on each end of the line. Pretty soon they realize that one of their hands isn't holding onto anything-one hand is reaching, empty, alone. And so they hold hands with each other, and everybody marches around in circles. The more people holding hands, the bigger the circle. And, of course, a bigger circle is deceptive because as we march along it looks like we're going someplace, but we're not. And so God must stop again. You see what I mean? He'll never get anywhere that way!

If God were more sensible he'd take his little army and shape them up. Why, whoever heard of a soldier stopping to romp in a field? It's ridiculous. But even more absurd is a general who will stop the march of eternity to go and bring him back. But that's God for you. His is no endless, empty marching. He is going somewhere. His steps are deliberate and purposive. He may be old, and he may be tired. But he knows where he's going. And he means to take every last one of his tiny soldiers with him. Only there aren't going to be any forced marches. And, after all, there are frogs and flowers, and thorns and underbrush along the way. And even though our foreheads have been signed with the sign of the cross, we are only human. And most of us are afraid and lonely and would like to hold hands or cry or run away. And we don't know where we are going, and we can't seem to trust God-especially when it's dark out and we can't see him! And he won't go on without us. And that's why it's taking so long.

Listen! The drum beat isn't even regular. Everyone is out of step. And there! You see? God keeps stopping along the way to pick up one of his tinier soldiers who decided to wander off and play with a frog, or run in a field, or whose foot got tangled in the underbrush. He'll never get anywhere that way!

And yet, the march goes on...." (Martin Bell, The Way of the Wolf, pp. 89-91)

God doesn't use forced marches. God doesn't even use the master fish finder to bring them all in himself. God uses us. Why? - Because God wants us to respond out of love. God wants us to come to him of our own free will, choosing to follow him because he has first chosen us. God wants us to encounter the love of Jesus Christ and to be changed by that encounter - ready to live a new life that will give glory to the one who has first given his life for us. Yes - God could be far more efficient - but then all of us would have been dispensed with a long time ago. I, for one, am grateful that God has decided instead to go fishing and is patient enough to work within me and through me by the power of the Holy Spirit. May we continue to see the power of the Holy Spirit at work among us as we work at the fishing together. Amen.

Epiphany 3(A) Matthew 4:12-23 January 23, 2005 St. Luke's Zion Lutheran Church Pastor Lynne Hutchison Moore

? 2005 Lynn Hutchison Moore All Rights Reserved


Previous Sermons
March 2024
February 2024
January 2024
December 2023
November 2023
October 2023
September 2023
August 2023
July 2023
June 2023
May 2023
April 2023
March 2023
February 2023
January 2023
December 2022
November 2022
October 2022
September 2022
August 2022
July 2022
June 2022
May 2022
April 2022
March 2022
February 2022
January 2022
December 2021
November 2021
October 2021
September 2021
August 2021
July 2021
June 2021
May 2021
April 2021
March 2021
February 2021
January 2021
December 2020
November 2020
October 2020
September 2020
August 2020
July 2020
June 2020
May 2020
April 2020
March 2020
February 2020
January 2020
December 2019
November 2019
October 2019
September 2019
May 2019
April 2019
March 2019
February 2019
January 2019
December 2018
November 2018
October 2018
September 2018
August 2018
July 2018
June 2018
May 2018
April 2018
March 2018
February 2018
January 2018
December 2017
November 2017
October 2017
September 2017
August 2017
July 2017
June 2017
May 2017
April 2017
March 2017
February 2017
January 2017
December 2016
November 2016
October 2016
September 2016
August 2016
July 2016
June 2016
May 2016
April 2016
March 2016
February 2016
January 2016
December 2015
November 2015
October 2015
September 2015
August 2015
July 2015
June 2015
May 2015
April 2015
March 2015
February 2015
January 2015
December 2014
November 2014
October 2014
September 2014
August 2014
July 2014
June 2014
May 2014
April 2014
March 2014
February 2014
January 2014
December 2013
November 2013
October 2013
September 2013
August 2013
July 2013
June 2013
May 2013
April 2013
March 2013
February 2013
January 2013
December 2012
November 2012
October 2012
September 2012
April 2012
March 2012
February 2012
January 2012
December 2011
November 2011
October 2011
September 2011
August 2011
July 2011
June 2011
May 2011
April 2011
March 2011
February 2011
January 2011
December 2010
November 2010
October 2010
September 2010
August 2010
July 2010
June 2010
May 2010
April 2010
March 2010
February 2010
January 2010
December 2009
November 2009
October 2009
September 2009
August 2009
July 2009
June 2009
May 2009
April 2009
March 2009
February 2009
January 2009
December 2008
November 2008
October 2008
September 2008
August 2008
July 2008
June 2008
May 2008
April 2008
March 2008
February 2008
January 2008
December 2007
November 2007
October 2007
September 2007
August 2007
July 2007
June 2007
May 2007
April 2007
March 2007
February 2007
January 2007
November 2006
October 2006
September 2006
August 2006
July 2006
June 2006
May 2006
April 2006
March 2006
February 2006
January 2006
December 2005
November 2005
October 2005
September 2005
August 2005
July 2005
June 2005
May 2005
March 2005
February 2005
January 2005
December 2004
November 2004
October 2004
September 2004
August 2004
July 2004
June 2004
May 2004
March 2004
February 2004
January 2004
December 2003
January 2003
March 0201