Finding Faith ... in letting down the nets one more time for Jesus

EDITOR'S NOTE: On Oct. 23, 2021, I was ordained as a minister of word and sacrament in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and installed as pastor at Faith Lutheran Church in Wolverton, Minn. I also served the same church for four years from October 2017 to October 2021 a synodically authorized minister. The journey together these past four years has been an amazing one, full of learning, growing and a deepening of my theological mind. This sermon took place on Feb. 6, 2022, the Fifth Sunday after Epiphany.

This week's gospel: Luke 5:1-11

Jesus Calls the First Disciples

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.

The message:

This morning, I’m going to ask you to take a little, imaginary journey with me.

Imagine if you will, you are a 1st century fisherman named Simon -- or fisherwoman for our culture today. … You fish in the sea of Galilee, which in today’s text is referred to as the lake of Gennesaret, just as your forefathers have done for generations before you.

Many of the folks around you are like you. Fishing here is a common trade, as food sources are scarce. So, in fact, most families are active in trades that directly involve a food source.

You likely are living at a subsistence level, and so every day you set out to sea in your boat, coming home with fish is crucial … vital. … After all, there isn’t a supermarket on the corner if you come home with an empty boat.

You’re often exhausted, and frankly you probably smell a little fishy too. It’s not like fresh bathing water was plentiful.

You’re likely working six days per week. And your work begins in the evening, when you set off from home to launch your boat.

You see, you work all night, because remember, this is essentially a desert that you are living in, and it would be excruciating to be out fishing on the sea during the height of the heat of the day.

So, you set off from home at dusk; arrive down at the beach; get in your boat; and you row out to sea. … There’s no 75 horsepower Evinrude motor back there. You and your fishing companions are the motor.

You get in the boat, sit down at the oars, and after the back-breaking rowing, you finally get out to sea. … Sea mind you.

Once you’re out there, the water starts to throw you to and fro. … After all, this isn’t like sitting out on Pelican Lake and dropping a line from your 16-foot Lund boat. ... No, this is open water … a sea!

You row your bow out to where experience and intuition tells you that you’re going to find a school of fish. After all, that is all you have to rely on because there certainly are no electronic depth finders that are going to do the work of finding the fish for you. … Not here in the 1st century.

You have your wits … and the wisdom passed down from generations of your forefathers who fished before you. … That’s all that you have to go on to find the fish.

And so, now you’ve picked your “go-to” fishing hole. … You switch from the hard work of rowing against the sea to preparing to fish. … But remember, you’re still being thrown to and fro, and trying not to fall overboard.

And that’s just the beginning. … Now, you have to pick up these homemade rope nets that are heavy, heavy, heavy. Even heavier, when they’re wet. … And then you need to heave them overboard, making sure not to lose the secure line that allows you to later haul them back up again.

Once in the water, you pray that you chose the right spot tonight. … After all, last night’s catch wasn’t stellar, and so the meals on the table at home were pretty light. … Tonight has to be better.

Then it’s time: You and your crew head over to the nets and start hauling them up again. … Oh no, it feels light. That’s not a good sign. If there’s fish in there, it should be a lot heavier than this. … Pulling, pulling and … then … nothing. … The net is empty. So is the one you threw over the other side of the boat. … You’ve struck out.

You’ve been working for hours now, and you have nothing to show for it.

Well, there’s still time. … After all, morning is still a ways off, and you know that you have to come home with something, not only to bring to the fish market right away so that you can keep your vendors happy. … But also, you need the fish for your own family if you’re going to have anything of substance on the table today.

So, maybe it’s time to move the boat. … Maybe, they’re biting over in that other fishing hole that your ancestors taught you about. … Why not? … You’re not putting food on the table just sitting here, are you?

So, you pack up the nets, grab the oars and start rowing across the sea again so that you can repeat the entire process in the next spot. … And then again maybe in the next spot some time later.

But time after time, nothing. … Your nets are coming up empty and you’re getting more and more tired, and eventually you come to realize, that’s it: You’re going home after an entire night’s work with nothing to show for it.

How demoralizing must you feel right now? … What an agonizing row back to shore that must be!

And you know that your work isn’t even done yet. Once back to land, you’re still going to have to wash your nets and hang them to dry before you ever can even call an end to this lousy day.

Eventually, you make your way to shore. You lug the boats up the beach; unload the soaking wet nets; and then you begin to wash them. … Whew. Just about a full night’s work done and in the books, even if you have no fish.

But, you know what, not everything is lousy. … At least today, while you finish washing your nets, just down the beach, you have the spectacle of watching Jesus hold court for the massive crowd following him.

At least that’s something. You might not have any fish for your night’s work, but you have some entertainment while you’re wrapping up your day.

But, wait, what’s happening. … Jesus is walking toward you now. … And what’s this? … Now he’s stepping into your fishing boat and asking you, after a full night’s work that yielded nothing, to row him out to sea a bit so that he can better preach to his massive following.

You see, those clever Middle Easterners would use water like this to amplify the human voice. And so you could speak to huge crowds just as if you were using a sound system.

Well, despite your complete and utter exhaustion, you ARE a dutiful follower of Christ yourself. … And so you obey, rowing Jesus out a ways on the sea, where he sits down and begins preaching to the gathered crowd.

You likely take a seat, as well, because what else are you going to do? … Tell Jesus to wrap it up because you want to get home? … I don’t think so.

Eventually, Jesus does finish his preaching. And before you can get back to your seat to row him ashore, he commands you to row out to the deep water again and put down your nets for a catch.

Wait, what did you just say, Jesus? … I just got back to shore from an all night fishing trip. I already have washed and cleaned my nets, and I was headed home to sleep. Besides, there are no fish in the sea right now!

“Master, we have worked all night long but have caught nothing.”

Can’t you hear the utter exhaustion in Simon’s words? We tried, Jesus! … We fished all night and came up empty. … Look at the nets! … Do you see any fish in our boat, Jesus? … Come on. Seriously?

But what does Simon ultimately do? … He tells Jesus: “Yet, if you say so, I will let down the nets.”

Faith Family … Now THAT is faith. … We follow Christ not by sight, but by faith. … Am I right? … Simon is done, wiped out. He’s been up all night, he’s worked his body to physical exhaustion. He’s demoralized that he’s not bringing home anything to show for it. And he knows there are no fish in those waters that morning. … He knows it.

But he answers to his Lord’s call anyway. … “Yet, if you say so, I will let down the nets.” … Jesus, I trust in you implicitly, and I will listen to your command. Because yours is a greater power than any we possess. … I want to be home in my bed right now, but Christ if you say put those nets down, then I am putting those nets down.

Faith Family … THIS is the faith that God asks of us. … If you haven’t already, and I think most of us have many times over … I know that eventually you are going to experience some kind of similar situation to Simon in this morning’s text.

You’ll run up against it hard somewhere, somehow, and you’ll have nothing more to give. You can’t see a way through. You are physically, emotionally and spiritually spent. … And then Jesus is going to ask just a … little … bit … more of you.

Simon row me out to sea so that I can speak to the people. … Really, Jesus??? … I have been up all night and have nothing to show for it. … But OK.

And then, Simon, row out even deeper and drop those nets. … You have got to be kidding me! There’s nothing out here today, Jesus! Look at my nets! … But OK.

You said so, and I am your faithful follower.

And, of course, what happens … We know from the text that the nets pulled up are so full of fish that they are near breaking.

Of course they are! … Because Jesus always provides, and he always provides in abundance! Way too much fish! Way too much love! Way too much grace!

But even more important than the overflowing nets was Simon’s faith.

There was nothing leading Simon to believe that the outcome of putting down his nets this time was going to be any different than what happened all night long.

Except that this time his Lord and Savior commanded it. … Regardless of the outcome; regardless if those nets came up empty again, Simon trusted in Jesus. … And we know that is exactly what Jesus is asking of each and every one of us here today too.

Faith Family … that next time you are spent, so exhausted you want to fall over … and then you hear Jesus ask, “Just a little bit more please. Row me out on the water. … Put your nets in the deep water.” … What will your answer be?

Will you too answer: “Yet, if you say so, I will let down the nets.” … Just as Simon did?

And that is the Good News for this Fifth Sunday after Epiphany, Feb. 6, 2022. … Amen.