Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany
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Scripture |
Luke 5:1-11 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 everythin g and followed him.
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Devotional |
Jesus encounters a group of fishermen, who had a nights work without catching any fish. After an unsuccessful night of work, they return to shore with empty nets only to be asked a favor. Getting into Simon’s boat, he asks him to move a little way from the shore. After he finishes speaking to the crowd, he instructs Simon to move out into deep water and let down the nets. They caught so many fish the other partners were called to help. When we have reached our limits, Jesus comes to our aid. Jesus encourages us when we have finished a bad day or night. The encouragement may or may not be accompanied with a miracle. This is a story about discipleship. The calling of disciples whether beside the lake of Gennesaret or in the city or rural area today is the same. Jesus demonstrates that teaching, learning, and following is the path to discipleship. Jesus takes these fishermen and also us where he finds us. Jesus uses our nets. He challenges and we decide if we will follow. The invitation is to venture out into new and deep waters. This experience cannot happen if we remain on the shore. Jesus leaves us with the choice of staying in the boat or leaving everything and following him. Today we are called to leave the crowd behind in order to be trained as faithful followers of Jesus. I like Dallas Willard’s description of what a disciple is not. The disciple of Jesus is not the deluxe or heavy-duty model of the Christian – especially padded, textured, streamlined, and empowered for the fast lane of the straight and narrow way. He or she stands on the pages of the New Testament as the first level of basic transportation in the kingdom of God . 1 Jesus looked at these fishermen, smelling of salt water and dead fish but he still thought they could be transformed. Jesus sees us the same way. The great story teller, Tex Sample tells about life as an eighth grader Mamma would come into my room, put her hand on my chest, and gently shake me to wake me up. I was almost always awake, but I did not let on. When my eyes finally opened, she looked at me and said, ”You are so purdy.” You need to understand that in our world purdy was prettier than pretty, and to my momma I was purdy. So get this picture. I have flat feet, eyes that require glasses, a back with a brace, and acne from hair line to hair line, and my momma thinks I’m purdy! 2 Flat feet, bad knees, out of shape bodies and all; but still Jesus thinks we are purdy.
1 Dallas Willard, The Great Omission: Reclaiming Jesus’ Essential Teaching on Discipleship. New York : HarperOne, 2006. p. 3
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