So many times when we talk about discipleship (when we talk about following Jesus) we talk a lot about what we do. What I mean to point out is that the focus is on us and how we need to be more Christ-like, and how we need to sharpen up our kingdom skills.
But, in all of our talk about discipleship, I would like to take just a moment…even an entire sermon…to talk about what I love about Jesus. Actually, I will talk about what I love about Jesus in just this short little story from Luke about fishing.
I love that while Jesus is teaching by the sea, his words are so engaging that he is literally running out of space to stand on the lake shore. I love that image because God's Word is like that to me; it is something that excites me and sucks me in. I always want to know more and explore more when engaging with God's Word. Every Bible story is so rich, so I press in to hear more and more and more. Sorry, Jesus, if I have even pushed you into the sea, but I love your scriptures.
I also love Jesus’ solution to the problem of losing ground. He looks around, sees Simon Peter’s boat, and just decides to get in and use it so that he can continue teaching. I like the brashness of that action because it is what God does all the time.
God does not ask our permission to enter into our lives. Jesus does not ask our permission to die for us. Jesus does not ask our permission to use us in amazing and graceful ways. No, he just gets into our boat and starts using it. He just jumps into our lives and just assumes that we are good enough vessels for his use.
You are good enough for Jesus. I love that.
I also love that Jesus just does not care at all about how much we have failed. Jesus tells Simon Peter to set out in his boat and put down the nets after he and his crew failed to catch anything all night.
"Master, we have worked all night long but have caught nothing,” Peter responds.
But, Jesus does not care. He does not let things like an entire night’s worth of effort, resulting in failure, get in the way. Jesus simply instructs Simon Peter to get back into the boat and put the nets down into the waters.
We get caught up in our failures. We get stuck in the disappointments. We get mired in the struggles. We complain about how we tried and tried and we failed each time. It is "we" who care about all of that failure, but it does not even register on Jesus’ radar. I like that my failures do not hold Jesus back in any way.
I also love Peter’s response. It is incredible actually if you consider what is happening in the story. I love that despite having just cleaned up his nets after a hard night’s work for no reward, he just gets into the boat and lowers those freshly cleaned nets back into the sea when all he probably wants is to just go home, eat some food, relax with his wife, and sleep part of the day away.
I love that he is just willing to trust Jesus, even though he’s beyond tired. And, I love that Jesus decides to use a tired out guy like Peter. Again, our own internal state of affairs…our own current emotional state…our own level of tiredness has no bearing on Jesus’ impression of us as someone who he can use for great things.
After-all, in just moments Peter will be pulling up a net so full of fish that he cannot even get it into the boat. And, that leads me to another thing that I love about Jesus: Jesus makes sure there is another boat around to help us.
This thing that we call faith is not a solo endeavor. It is not up to me to be great. It is not up to me to have all the strength. It is not up to me alone to be the hands and feet of Jesus and save the entire world. There is another boat that comes over and helps pull up the bounty that God has provided.
And, what I really, really love about this story is the very next part. I love Jesus’ response to Peter. You see, after the bountiful load of fish are pulled out of the water, Peter falls down at Jesus’ feet and says over and over again, "Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!"
Peter does not feel worthy to receive such grace from God. Peter does not feel in any way, shape, or form that he is an appropriate choice for such a gift. He knows who he is. He knows all that he has done. He is a rotten fish in a sea of clean, fresh water.
Yet, Jesus’ response is not, “It’s OK Peter, you are forgiven. Try harder next time.” Instead, Jesus’ response to Peter is, “Do not be afraid…”
“Do not be afraid.” I love that phrase. It is the resoundingly prevalent message of the entire gospel of Luke. The angels come to both Mary and the shepherds with the words, “Do not be afraid.” Over and over again the people of God are reminded to not be afraid.
Do not be afraid of your past. Do not let the sins of the past hold you up. Do not be afraid.
Do not be afraid of how people have characterized you in the past or tried to put your round body into a square hole. Do not let what others have said about you, “You are too fat,” “You are too stupid,” “You are too old,” “Your are too young,” “You are too caring,” “You are too stubborn,” “You are too…whatever!” You fill in the blank. None of that past matters. Do not be afraid.
You are good enough. You are God’s child, a brother or sister of Jesus, and you are good enough to hear these words: "Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people."
You are good enough to be given a purpose from God.
Do not be afraid, God has chosen you. Yes, even you. Do not be afraid.
And, I love that Jesus' encounter with the fishermen causes them to simply drop their things and follow him. They just let it all go. Like Jesus, they just let the past go. Like Jesus, they just let the fear go. Like Jesus, they just let their tiredness go. Like Jesus, they just let their sinfulness go. They just let it all go and they follow.
That causes me to wonder: what is it that you need to let go?
What is it that holds you back from Jesus’ call?
What is it that stubbornly gets in the way of you being who God created you to be?
Jesus says to you today, “Do not be afraid.” Go ahead, let go of whatever holds you back. Leave it for good and follow your Savior.
You know what else I love? I love that that we can actually just let go and follow Jesus. That is absolutely lovely.
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