First Lutheran Church
February 6, 2022
The Fifth Sunday after Epiphany C
Luke 5:1-11Once while Jesus was standing beside the lake of Gennesaret, and the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, he saw two boats there at the shore of the lake; the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. 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. When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.” Simon answered, “Master, we have worked all night long but have caught nothing. Yet if you say so, I will let down the nets.” When they had done this, they caught so many fish that their nets were beginning to break. 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. But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!” For he and all who were with him were amazed at the catch of fish that they had taken; 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.” When they had brought their boats to shore, they left everything and followed him.
Sermon
“The Call of Peter
Who, What, When, Where, How, and Why?”
Pastor Greg Ronning
In this week’s appointed Gospel, we hear the story of the calling of the first disciples, in particular the calling of Simon Peter. Jesus proclaims that familiar line, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people.” To which Simon Peter and the disciples promptly leave everything behind and follow Jesus. It’s a familiar line, a familiar story, but perhaps you may have noticed, this version from the Gospel of Luke is a little different than the version found in Mark and Matthew. And that difference makes a difference.
It's the reason why I prefer Luke’s telling of the story, why Luke’s version makes more sense to me, and ultimately why I can begin to find myself - and my own story of call - in today’s appointed gospel.
As I was thinking about how I might unpack today’s Gospel for you, the difference between the stories found in Matthew and Mark in contrast with Luke, I was reminded of something I learned in Junior High: “Who, What, When, Where, How, and Why?” The W’s of Journalism! So it is that today we will explore the “Who, What, When, Where, How, and Why?” of the calling of Peter. And the “Who, What, When, Where, How, and Why? - of your calling.
We begin with “Who?” The central character of today’s Gospel is Peter, also known as Simon, or Simon Peter, nicknamed “The Rock” by Jesus. Simon Peter becomes the “de facto” leader of the disciples. Before his calling to be a disciple, an apostle, he was a fisherman from the region of Galilee.
Next comes “What?” The story is about Peter’s decision to be a follower of Jesus. What it means to be a disciple. Peter, along with the other first disciples, give up their life as fishermen, to follow Jesus, to become “fishers of people.” It’s dramatic story, incredibly, at the invitation of Jesus Peter drops everything and leaves behind his family and his work to follow Jesus for the sake of the Kingdom of God.
“When? And “Where?” This is where Luke differs from Mark and Matthew. In Mark and Matthew Jesus is baptized, led by Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by Satan, and emerges proclaiming the Kingdom of God. The story then continues with Jesus simply “passing by” along the Sea of Galilee, where he sees Simon and the others casting a net into the sea. Jesus calls out to them, “Follow me and I will make you fish for people. ”And they, inexplicably drop everything, leave their families and homes behind, and follow Jesus. This version of the story, as found in Mark and Matthew, has never made any sense to me. Who drops everything to follow some stranger who shows up out of the blue? Try as I might, I just can’t relate to this story, I can’t find a way to “enter into this story,” I can’t imagine dropping everything at the invitation of someone I know little to nothing about. I would need more.
And that’s what we get in Luke’s version of the story, more, more details about the context of the call of Peter, “When” and “Where” it happens. In Luke, just as in Mark and Matthew, Jesus is baptized, led into the desert to be tempted by Satan, and then emerges proclaiming the Kingdom of God. However, Luke goes on to tell us that Jesus was traveling from town-to-town preaching, that he preached in his hometown. (Last Sunday’s Gospel)Luke then tells us that Jesus goes to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, where he preaches and casts out demons, and when he is done, when evening falls, he stays at the home of Simon,(Simon Peter) where he heals Simon’s Mother-in-Law. Sometime after that Jesus is wandering along the edges of the lake of Gennesaret, and the crowds, wanting to hear the word of God, find him. In that moment Jesus notices Peter coming towards shore on his boat after a long “unsuccessful” night of fishing. Jesus essentially commandeers “Peter’s boat” and uses it as a pulpit from which to speak to the crowd. After his sermon, he tells Peter, “Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.” Despite this unusual invitation, the common practice in that time and place was to fish at night, Peter does what Jesus commands, and lo and behold they catch a great many fish, so many that it takes two boats to bring it all ashore. And then, after all this, in a developing relationship that reveals the nature of the Kingdom of God, Jesus invites Peter to follow him. Suddenly Peter’s response makes more sense, I can begin to understand why he dropped everything and followed Jesus.
An even closer look at “Where” gives us an even greater understanding of Peter’s decision to follow Jesus. Notice “where” his encounters with Jesus take place; Jesus comes into his home, and then to his place of work. Jesus does not simply “pass by,” Jesus takes the time to be present in the places where Peter and his friends – live, work, and play. We are reminded that God, in Christ Jesus, comes into our world, into the very depths of our world, that God reaches out to us with grace and love. We are reminded that the direction of the Gospel is always decidedly toward us! Peter’s great calling in life does not happen in a passing moment, it’s not some kind of magical mystical encounter, it does not happen is some kind of space that is beyond our understanding and experience, but in the everyday places of his life. Matthew and Mark leave that part out, leaving us with a story that feels incomplete, Luke reminds us, Jesus comes into our life with the invitation to follow him.
“How?” The word with the “W” on the end! Notice “how” Jesus does it, how Jesus is present, how Jesus comes along side of us, in particular notice “how” Jesus leads Peter to that great catch of fish. He does not stand apart from Peter, he does not stand above Peter, he does not patronize Peter, he does not lecture Peter, he does not meet Peter’s failure from the night before with shame and arrogance;he simply gets into the boat, remains in the boat, and accompanies Peter out to deeper waters, where he freely shares his fishing insight, and together they catch an amazing number of fish.
Which leads us to this last “W” - “Why?” Why does Peter say yes to following Jesus? I suppose it could be because Jesus healed his Mother-in-Law, and she was now able to nag him again. (He just had to get out of the house!)And surely the miraculous catch of fish impressed him, even scared him. Peter responds, “Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!” But then again, who leaves their work behind after their most successful day ever! Peter’s response could have been to figure out a way to make a lot more money fishing with Jesus!
The miracles certainly didn’t hurt, but perhaps what really made the difference in Peter’s decision to follow Jesus was “when, where and how” Jesus came into Peter’s life. Jesus found him at home, at work, and Jesus accompanied him, walked beside him, and worked beside him. Jesus becomes human and engages in a human relationship, a relationship marked by grace and love and abundance.Peter comes ashore, not with an “industry secret” about how to get rich catching fish, but instead with a vision to share that great catch with others, in the same way Jesus had had shared it with him. Peter gets a glimpse of the abundance of the Kingdom of God, an abundance for everyone, a glimpse that transforms him. Theologian Debie Thomas writes, “How amazing is an image of boats so laden with fish that even a weathered fisherman like Simon Peter finds the catch overwhelming. This is extravagant, excessive, bountiful generosity. Food for all, food security for all, justice for all, nurture for all. Jesus shows Simon what God’s kingdom will look like when it’s fully established. God’s kingdom will suffer no empty nets, no empty tables, and no economic exploitation of any kind. God’s kingdom will mean good news for all.”
Peter follows Jesus because Jesus came full of grace into his everyday life, shared the abundant ever-present love of God, inspired him with a vision of the Kingdom of God, and invited him to be a part of it!
Unlike the stories found in Matthew and Mark, the story of the calling of Peter in the Gospel of Luke is a story of call for all of us. Who? A story about you and Jesus. What? A story about how God is calling you to be a part of the Kingdom that is coming even now. When and Where? A story that is able to look back into your life and remember how God has been present in your home, in your family, in your friends, in your relationships, at work, at play, in the life of the church, in fellowship, in service; how God has descended and continues to descend into your everyday life and make it an abundant life. How? A story about how God is present in your life, fleshed out in the many and creative ways Christ is with you, accompanying you in your moments of failure and in your moments of success, and in every moment in between. God going before you to show you the way, above you to watch over you, behind you to encourage you, beside you as friend, and within you to give you peace. Why? Why do you follow Jesus, why do you continue to follow Jesus, and why will you follow Jesus in new ways as new days unfold before you? Because in Jesus we have found an abundance of grace and love, an abundance that overflows into us and from within us to all those around us, an abundance that has no fear of scarcity, an abundance that sets us free to give and to serve with our time – talents – and treasures.
Jesus does not simply pass by and call out to us, Jesus has come to dwell with us deeply, and in that dwelling we have been saved, and inspired to follow, to go and do likewise, sharing the good news in word and in deed, the good news about the Kingdom of God! Amen.