Luke 5:1-11 On one occasion, while the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, he was standing by the lake of Gennesaret, 2 and he saw two boats by the lake, but the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. 3 Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon's, he asked him to put out a little from the land. And he sat down and taught the people from the boat. 4 And when he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch." 5 And Simon answered, "Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets." 6 And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking. 7 They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. 8 But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord." 9 For he and all who were with him were astonished 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. And Jesus said to Simon, "Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men." 11 And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him.
In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
1 Caught. Completely off guard. A relative’s surprise visit when your house is less than tidy. The Ameren guy at your front door to turn off your power for not paying your bill when you hadn’t noticed any past due statements in the mail. A surprise celebrity citing and your camera is turned off, lens-cap in place, and still at home. A sudden unexpected natural disaster before any time for a warning. You’re faced with the reality of who or where you are, and you’re caught, completely off guard.
2 That’s what happened to Peter in today’s Gospel lesson. The One who had been preaching to the crowds called him to take his boat back out after a long night of fruitless fishing for another go at it. Sure he doubted. Honestly, it was a dumb idea. But no sooner had they dropped the nets than they were nearly capsized by the weight of fish in the nets. They called the second boat over and when they finally hauled in all the fish they’ve caught, the two boats are weighed with fish nearly to the point of sinking. Suddenly, Peter was caught: faced with the reality of who he is and who this Man with unorthodox fishing ideas is. It’s the same feeling Isaiah had when he encountered the Lord sitting on his throne above the temple. “Woe is me!” Caught! The reality of a holy God, whose glory fills the earth, and the reality of Isaiah: “I am a man of unclean lips!” Caught! Simon Peter realized who this man in his boat is: God’s Annointed, the Christ, holy and powerful. “Depart from me!” Peter realizes who he is: “I am a sinful man!” Caught!
3 Peter couldn’t escape the reality of who he is. And neither can you. Sure, you’re a faithful church-goer. But you can’t hide from the reality of who you are. Parents find themselves burned out, jaded, and angry at the gifts God has given. Children would rather play video games than sit for family devotions. People more enamored with the pursuit of happiness than the pursuit of holiness. And you’re caught. You’re a sinner. Caught in our sins, caught in the reality of who you are, caught in the presence of the One whose presence sinners best avoid. What do you say? You’re caught. Depart from me!
4 This isn’t just a fish story. It’s a story of words. Luke’s Gospel, leading up to this story had Jesus talking to a lot of groups. He rebuked the devil with the book of Deuteronomy; he told the Nazarene synagogue goers he is the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecies. He rebuked demons; he commanded a fever; and he rebuked a few more demons. Why all the words? He summarized why he had come in the verse immediately before today’s reading: “I must preach as good news the Kingdom of God.” (4:43)
5 Luke hasn’t meandered from this focus to a strange fishing story. No, Jesus got in the boat so he could speak what the crowds want to hear: the Word of God. He told Simon and the fishermen to throw their nets in the water so he could preach the good news of the Kingdom of God. He gathered the fish in the nets so he could preach the good news. He caused Simon Peter to realize the depth of his sinfulness for the same reason! To preach the good news that here in the boat the Lord was reigning. So he did. He spoke good news. “Do not be afraid.” With these words, Jesus forgives sin.
6 The astonishing thing is not the number of fish in the net, not the demons driven out, not the diseases healed, not even the prophecy fulfilled. The great miracle is that Jesus doesn’t do what Peter told him to do. He didn’t depart. He stays with the sinner. He’s not leaving; here is what He came to do. He came to be caught. He came to be caught by the wood and nails of the cross in our place. As much as you are caught in the reality of who you are, He is caught in the reality of who He is. By His name, He is caught. He is the One who Saves His People From Their Sins.
7 He saves his people from their sins. They don’t save themselves any more than fish volunteer to be caught. But Jesus is all about catching more than fish, as his words to Peter declare. Not just catching fish, as he did so wondrously on the lake long ago. But catching men and women and children. “Peter, do not be afraid.” “Isaiah, your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.” “Church, I forgive you.” Sinners are caught in the presence of the holy God and made saints. You have been caught in the net of his forgiveness and brought into our Lord’s church.
8 Having been caught, Peter and the disciples become fishers of a different sort. They set aside their nets to catch men. This time the net is the Word of God, the forgiving word, that drew the crowds to the shores of Gennesaret draws lives into the boat of the church. Peter and the boys become the catchers. “I forgive you,” Jesus says, “now you take my forgiveness and catch some more people. Draw them into my church with my words. Speak my words of forgiveness to them. Place my name upon them. Place my body and blood in their mouths. Catch ‘em!”
9 Jesus doesn’t depart from the sinner. He catches him. Sinners are caught in the net of forgiveness and made saints. Sinner-saints are held in the boat against their own tendencies. Snared their own sinfulness, tangled in their own trespasses, he faces them with the reality of who he is. He is the one caught by the cross. He is the one caught by death. He is the one caught by your sinfulness. Caught red-handed in your place. Caught so that he might catch you with his forgiveness. Amen
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Soli Deo Gloria
Pastor Jeff Hemmer
Hope, Jerseyville