In this season of Epiphany, God’s Word gives us the privilege and opportunity to “unwrap” the present God gave at Christmas
What kind of man is Jesus?
What is his mission?
What kind of people did he come to save?
Jesus gave an answer to that last question, later in the Gospel of Luke at the home of a tax collector named Zacchaeus.
“The Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.”
From God’s point of view,
The whole world is lost.
We’ve wandered away from God
We’ve wandered into sin.
We’re broken.
Apart from God’s saving work in Jesus we face eternal death.
And we can’ t save ourselves
The name Jesus means God saves.
In Jesus, God came into this world to live a perfect life in our place.
In Jesus, God came into our world to suffer and die in our place.
In Jesus, God came into our world to rise from the dead on Easter morning.
But Jesus calls people to help him share the Good News of his salvation.
What kind of people did Jesus choose, back then?
What kind of people does Jesus choose today?
Ordinary people who are sinners as well.
It’s interesting to watch, as situations and events drew Simon Peter closer and closer to Jesus.
First Jesus cast out a demon in the synagogue in Capernaum, where Peter worshiped.
Then Jesus healed Simon Peter’s mother in law of a fever.
She felt so good, she got out of bed and made them lunch.
Later that day, after sunset, because it was a Sabbath, the whole town gathered at the door.
They brought their sick, and their demon possessed.
Jesus laid his hands on each one, and healed them.
Jesus cast out many demons.
These demons came out, but as they did so, they shouted, “You are the Son of God.”
Jesus wouldn’t allow the demons to say any more, because they knew Jesus was the Christ.
In today’s story, Simon got to spend more time with Jesus.
Probably more than Simon had planned.
Simon was a fisherman.
He was washing his nets, and was probably just about to go home for a meal and some rest.
Jesus came to the shore, got into Simon’s boat, and asked Simon to put out a little from the shore.
Then Jesus taught the crowds who gathered around Him from the boat.
That’s all the information Luke gives us about Jesus’ teaching that day.
Certainly Simon had a front row seat.
Imagine if Jesus were to preach in our church.
How would we feel?
How would we react?
Jesus knows what ‘s in our hearts.
Jesus knows the brokenness in each of our lives.
Jesus knows the invitation He gives:
“Come to me, all you who are weary, and heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
Jesus knows that He Himself is the Good Shepherd, who came to seek and to save the lost.
Jesus knows where each of us has wandered far from God, and longs to seek us out, and carry us back home to God.
Jesus comes to seek and save us this day.
After some time, the sermon was over.
But Jesus wanted to go fishing.
Out in the deep in the middle of the day.
Peter said, “Master, Boss, we’ve fished all night and caught nothing.”
But at Your Word I will let down the nets.
The tug on the net probably almost pulled Peter out of the boat.
Peter’s boat and his partner’s boats became so full of fish that they began to sink.
Peter had an interesting response to this miracle.
Casting out demons and healing family members was one thing.
But coming right into Simon’s everyday life, and working an amazing miracle there was too much for Simon. 6
Simon dropped to his knees in the boatload of fish, and cried out, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!”
He and his companions and partners were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken.
“Go away from me, Lord, I am a sinful man!”
Jesus didn’t try to talk Simon out of that.
Simon’s story reminds me a little of the comic strip I saw of a little girl confessing her sins at her bedside.
“You know my work, Lord,” she said.
And Jesus does.
He knows every evil thing we’ve ever thought, said, or done.
He knows every good thing we failed to do.
“Lord, you know our work.”
Jesus didn’t say, “Gee, I wish you would have told me that, Simon, before I spent all this time with your town and family.
Maybe there are some sinless people in the town over the next hill.”
Jesus didn’t even say, “Simon, you don’t know how far you will fall one day. You’ll deny you even know me on the hardest night of my life.”
Jesus called Simon, as He calls you, and me, to a new life.
The Bible doesn’t say it, but I can’t help but picture Jesus putting a hand on Simon Peter’s shoulder.
“Don’t be afraid; from now on you will catch men.”
Jesus reaches down into the boatload of whatever we find ourselves lost in.
Jesus puts his hand on our shoulder.
Jesus speaks His Word in our lives.
Don’t be afraid.
Your sins are forgiven.
You’ve been redeemed.
I’ve paid the price for you.
Simon Peter would later write,
“For you know it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you by your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.”
Jesus called Simon to a new life.
Jesus speaks to you and me today.
Simon, Andrew, James and John left everything to follow Jesus.
Sinners all, but redeemed by their Lord, they couldn’t help but speak of what they had seen, heard, learned, and experienced in Jesus.
Being a fisher of people means telling people about Jesus.
Telling them the difference Jesus makes in our lives.
Jesus takes away our sins.
Jesus fills us with His Holy Spirit, and sure hope in God’s love through His Word and Sacraments.
Jesus invites us into a personal relationship with Him which lasts forever.
Jesus promises to be with us always.
What’s amazing is that Jesus didn’t just call Simon Peter once to follow Him.
On Maundy Thursday evening, Peter, afraid of those around him, denied even knowing Jesus not once, but three times.
Jesus had warned Simon he would do this.
But Jesus said, “I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail.
And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”
Jesus met Simon Peter and a number of other disciples on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, after His resurrection.
Jesus helped the disciples make a second miraculous catch of fish.
Jesus cooked them breakfast.
Afterwards, Jesus spoke to Simon Peter.
“Simon, son of John, do you love me?”
Jesus asked this question three times.
Simon Peter answered, ”Yes, Lord, you know all things. You know that I love you.”
Jesus told Simon, “Feed my lambs, tend my sheep, take care of my sheep.”
Jesus called Simon Peter not only to be a fisher of men, but a shepherd of God’s lambs.
Jesus calls us to follow Him—not just when things are going great.
But even when we’ve failed Him and blown it big time in every way possible.
“Don’t be afraid. From now on you will catch people, too.
Follow me.”
In Jesus’ name, we say, “Amen.”
We pray:
Dear Jesus, you call us to follow you.
You loved each one of us enough to suffer, die and rise again from the dead to give us the free gift of eternal life.
Continue to forgive us all our sins.
Lead, help and guide us.
Keep your promise to be with us every step of the way.
Dear Jesus, You call us to serve as fishers of people.
Open doors for Your Gospel in our lives, and in the lives of those around us this week.
Help us to speak of Your faithfulness and rescuing love.
Help us to invite others to come, follow You.
We pray in Your holy name. Amen.