Becoming a Disciple - Part 2: Sermon given Jan 22nd, 2017

 This last Sunday I continued to examine the stories of the calling of the first Disciples.  This time I looked more closely at the whole "fishers of men" idea.  One of the points that I made in the sermon (video embedded below) was that in the Gospel of Luke we read the words "catching people", we tend to conflate the Gospels when we read them and we therefore recall here the "fishers of men" line in Matthew and Mark.  The whole metaphor of fishing for people is honestly a bit curious as the end result for the fish in the sport or enterprise of fishing isn't too profitable for the fish... generally, it does not end well for the fish.

But in Luke the Greek word translated as "catch" is "zogreo" which is used only twice in the New Testament and really means to capture alive.  It is a word used in the discussion of warfare, where it of course has to do with capturing one's foe alive rather than killing them in battle.  The Disciples are called to no longer take lives, but to now deliver life.  They no longer take what is living and kill it, they now take what is dead (spiritually) and bring it to life.  It's another aspect of reversal, a concept that these verses are so richly imbued with.

The other thing about the fishing in the Gospels is that it is of course net fishing and not the line fishing that we Americans are more familiar with on a personal level.  Net fishing is indiscriminate and if a species is in the body of water being fished it is very likely to be caught in the nets.  This I looked to as a message related to our duty to not judge who or whom we are to bring the message of Christ to.  Just like the story of the Sower, we are to spread the love of Christ indiscriminately and without any consideration as to the fertility or the futility of the ground upon which we sow the word.

This may be the most difficult task we are asked to perform as followers of Christ.  Let us constantly cast our nets for God and allow Him to decide which fish to keep and where to harvest.

Be a blessing to someone today.

In His Grace,
Roy

Jesus Calls the First Disciples

16 As Jesus passed along the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the sea—for they were fishermen. 17 And Jesus said to them, “Follow me and I will make you fish for people.” 18 And immediately they left their nets and followed him. 19 As he went a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John, who were in their boat mending the nets. 20 Immediately he called them; and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men, and followed him.

Luke 5:1-11 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

Jesus Calls the First Disciples
1 Once while Jesus[a] 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.