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.

Sermon on Luke 4:21-30

Pastor Jennifer Garcia

This part of the story picks up right after last week’s reading. Jesus had been preaching in the synagogues in the area where he grew up and had been making a name for himself.

One day, he read from the book of Isaiah in the synagogue in his hometown. The passage says this:

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,

    because he has anointed me

        to bring good news to the poor.

He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives

    and recovery of sight to the blind,

        to let the oppressed go free,

to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

And Jesus sat down and told them that this scripture had been fulfilled in their hearing.

I like to think of this as Jesus declaring his mission statement.

His mission statement is exciting: full of good news for suffering and oppressed people. Jesus is here to bring about the Reign of God, which has tangible good things for people who are neglected and mistreated by society.

And Jesus’ hearers are excited about it. They’re amazed and speaking well what Jesus is saying.

But then something changes. In the span of a few sentences, Jesus’ hearers go from speaking well of him to trying to throw him off a cliff!

It’s challenging at first read to figure out what makes them so upset.

The only quote from anyone in the crowd is: “Is not this Joseph’s son?”

And then, Jesus reacts and starts putting words in their mouths.

But what he said must have hit a nerve, because they don’t just leave or kick him out—they try to kill him.

So, let’s take a closer look at information we have.

Someone in the crowd says, “Is this not Joseph’s son?”

The implication could be: “We saw this guy grow up; why should we listen to him?”

Or, “This guy’s family isn’t influential—what gives him the authority to say he’s fulfilling scripture?”

But then, when Jesus puts words in their mouths, it doesn’t sound like he’s reacting to either of those implications.

He assumes they will say, “Doctor, cure yourself,” and “Do here also in your home town the things that we have heard you did at Capernaum.”

Jesus seems to be assuming that they want proof, as in, “Do a miracle, Jesus! Show us what you can do!”

Or, “We heard you did really cool things over there. We’re your people—do those things for us, too!”

And then, Jesus alludes to a couple Bible stories. The first is when God sent the prophet Elijah to a poor widow to find food. She and her son only had enough food for a tiny snack each before they were going to die of starvation. Elijah convinces her to share with him, and the food lasts until God sends rain again.

Then, Jesus alludes to the story of Naaman, a military leader who contracted leprosy. A young Israelite captive tells Naaman to seek advice from Elisha, Elijah’s successor. Elisha tells Naaman to wash himself in the river Jordan and he will be cured.

These stories seem a little random. But Jesus tells them that there were many widows in Israel, but God sent Elijah to the foreign land of Zarephath. And there were many people with leprosy in Israel, but God healed Naaman, who was a Syrian.

This gives us a clue about why Jesus’ hearers get so angry.

Jesus is refusing to play their game and prove that he’s who he says he is.

His hearers want him to give them special treatment, because he’s a local boy, one of their own.

But this goes against the very words that Jesus just read from Isaiah:

Jesus is here, not to play favorites, but to bring good news and healing and freedom to those who are most marginalized.

He’s not going to do parlor tricks for people who want to be in the in-crowd—the Reign of God is for everyone!

Let me make this clear, though. Jesus is not saying that the Reign of God is for Gentiles and not for Jewish people. On the contrary—Jesus is Jewish and he’s talking to his fellow Jewish people in their sacred gathering place. Jesus isn’t saying that God isn’t going to bring good news, healing, and freedom to Jewish people. He’s saying God is bringing these things for everyone.

But Jesus’ hearers become enraged by this. To the point of wanting to do violence.

They were hoping that their new hometown celebrity would bring them special benefits. Surely Jesus would heal them first, bring abundance to them first.

They’re disappointed and jealous.

We’ve learned a thing or two about disappointment in these last couple years, haven’t we?

From two weeks of stay-at-home orders to two years of quarantining, closures, social distancing, and cancellations.

We grieve those who have died.

We miss those we don’t see as much or at all.

We’re disappointed when we don’t see our friends at church or our families for holidays.

I know there was a lot of disappointment late last summer when there had been hopes of regathering in a big way at First Lutheran—having celebrations like Jim’s retirement party, having more in-person gatherings, and getting things feeling a little more normal again. Then the delta variant and now omicron have made it wise to be more cautious again. That’s discouraging when we’re tired of masks and being concerned about gathering and all we want to do is hug our friends and family, eat with them, and enjoy being in each other’s company.

It’s all so disappointing.

Jesus’ hearers that day were feeling disappointed. Jesus wasn’t going to do what they hoped. Today, they say about job hunting “it’s not about what you know; it’s about who you know.” The folks in Jesus’ hometown hoped they were going to get special treatment because “they knew him when.” But Jesus wasn’t playing their game. They weren’t going to get to jump the line in the Reign of God.

So, they got territorial and even jealous that Jesus was referencing stories about God doing good things for “outsiders.”

But they needn’t have been jealous. God wasn’t choosing others over them. God was choosing others and them.

It can be tempting when we feel disappointed to start getting territorial or jealous.

When we’re missing our friends who are watching the livestream instead of sitting in the pew next to us, we can start resenting the megachurch down the street.

When we’re frustrated that yet another event we were looking forward to gets canceled, we can start saying uncharitable things about the next-door neighbor who makes different choices than we do when it comes to COVID restrictions.

Sometimes our emotions, which are valid and important, run away with us. Hopefully not to the point of violence, like Jesus’ hearers in this story. But, our emotions can sometimes make us act in ways we’re not proud of. When we’re disappointed or discouraged, we can sometimes take it out on other people—like that next-door neighbor who won’t wear a mask or that person with a bumper sticker you disagree with or that family member that’s doing that thing that’s so annoying.

The good news and the bad news is this: the Reign of God is for them too—the Reign of God is for whoever we define as “them.”

Jesus wasn’t telling the people in his hometown, “I’m not here for you.” He was saying, “I won’t be controlled.

I won’t be boxed in by the limitations of your imagination.

I won’t be boxed in by what you want me to do, because I have something so much bigger, so much better in mind. You have no idea.

But if you trust me, I’ll help you imagine the world as it should be, as I intended it to be, and as we will make it together.”

The people in his hometown couldn’t hear it, because they were too caught up in what they wanted Jesus to do, for whom, and in what order.

When we’re disappointed and discouraged, we can fall into that trap of doing things that don’t align with our best selves. We can fall into that sense of scarcity that we talked about a couple weeks ago.

But we have a God of abundance, who says, “I’m here for everyone. I’m here for the outsiders, the foreigners, the forgotten. And I’m here for you, too. You just don’t get to tell me where and when I get to do my work. I have something better in mind than you ever dreamed.”

So, think this week about how you can rest in God’s abundance.

How can we show grace to each other in the face of disappointment—remembering that everyone else in the world is disappointed, too?

How can we live like we believe every person is important, and that God works in everyone’s life, if only we pay attention?

The Reign of God that Jesus invites us into is more abundant and more joyful and full of more love than you could ever imagine. And everyone’s invited.

Let’s show one another and everyone around us that we trust in a God like that.

Because everyone’s invited.

First Lutheran Church

January 23, 2022

The Third Sunday after Epiphany

Annual Meeting

Luke 4:14-21 14Then Jesus, filled with the power of the Spirit, returned to Galilee, and a report about him spread through all the surrounding country. 15He began to teach in their synagogues and was praised by everyone.
16When he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, he went to the synagogue on the sabbath day, as was his custom. He stood up to read, 17and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written: 18“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor.  He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, 19to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

20And he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. 21Then he began to say to them, “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”

Sermon

“Love Will Return in Another Way”

Pastor Greg Ronning

While preparing for this week’s sermon I came across this story about Franz Kafka, the German-speaking Bohemian novelist and short-story writer, widely regarded as one of the major figures of 20th-century literature.

At the age of 40, Kafka, who never married and had no children, was walking through a park in Berlin, when he met a little girl who was crying because she had lost her favorite doll. Kafka volunteered to help her search for the missing doll.  They looked all over the park but could not find the doll.  At this point it was getting late so Kafka promised the girl that he would return to the park tomorrow and that they would resume their search for the doll.

The next day Kafka returned to the park, and they continued to look, they looked high and low, but in the end, they still could not find the missing doll.   At this point Kafka “found” a letter.  It that was addressed to the girl, a letter “written” by the doll.  She opened it up, it read, "Please don't cry. I took a trip to see the world. I will write to you about my adventures." 

Thus began a story which continued until the end of Kafka's life.  He would continue to meet the little girl in the park, bringing with him letters written by the doll, and he would read them to her. They were wonderful letters, carefully written, filled with great adventures, and engaging conversations that the girl found adorable.

Finally, after many meetings, Kafka appeared with “the doll” that had returned to Berlin after finishing her adventures.  (He bought a new one) The little girl looked at the doll, she was confused, "It doesn't look like my doll at all."  Kafka handed her another letter “written” by the doll, they opened it up, and he read it to her.  The doll explained, "My travels have changed me."  The little girl’s face lit up, her holy imagination “recognized” the doll, she opened up her arms and gave the doll a big hug, and with great joy brought her back home.

A year later Kafka died.  Many years later, the now-adult girl found a letter inside the doll. In this tiny letter signed by Kafka, he had written, "Everything you love will probably be lost, but in the end, love will return in another way."

As we gather today, nearly two years into the COVID-19 Pandemic, we are very aware of all the things that we have loved and lost.  Life is definitely not the same, life has been forever changed, - tomorrow will be different than yesterday.  Over the past two years we have missed out on special occasions, we have lost track of friends and relationships, we have set aside projects that will never be finished.  Groups and organizations to which we used to belong, have ceased to meet, and may never meet again.  Old ways of doing things are now unsafe, traditions are in the process of changing.  In so many ways, in so many areas, and on so many levels, - life will never be the same.  And for some, those who have lost loved ones and friends to the pandemic, that loss feels unreplaceable. The last couple of years has been filled with loss, lots of loss, even incredible loss.  So it is that we find ourselves - waiting for love to “return in another way.”  

In today’s appointed gospel, Jesus returns to his hometown to preach for the first time since his public ministry began.  The scriptures tell us, “A report about him spread through all the surrounding country,” and that he, “was praised by everyone.”  The people of Nazareth are excited to hear him preach.  It’s not every day that someone from Nazareth, (Can anything good come out of Nazareth,) goes out and makes a name for himself.  

Jesus arrives at the synagogue, and he picks up the scroll and reads from Isaiah, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor.  He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”  He sets the scroll down and boldly proclaims, “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”

At first, they seem to be impressed by his delivery, his eloquence, the poetic words and phrases; but then he lets them know, and in no uncertain terms, that he means it!  Jesus did not come home to turn water into wine, to perform miracles, to do some kind of magic show; but to proclaim the coming of God’s kingdom.  And for the people of Nazareth, many of the people gathered in the synagogue that day, - that meant “change,” and it probably meant “loss.”  Jesus reminds the congregants, (his neighbors, his friends, and his family,) that the coming of the kingdom is not just a poetic expression but the turning upside down of the world.  To “proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor” was to set in motion a radical turn of events: the forgiveness of debt, the restoration of family lands, economic redistribution, the end of slavery, the release of prisoners.  It was to be a hard re-set, a time for everyone to start over again as equals, equals on a level playing field.  And it wasn’t just for the Jewish people, it included the Gentiles as well!  This was good news to the poor, “the have nots;” but it was not good news for those who were doing well, “the haves,” for them it meant “loss.”

As you all probably remember, this is where Jesus gets himself into trouble, suddenly the people of Nazareth are not so pleased and impressed with local boy who spoke so eloquently.  The scriptures tell us what happened next, “When they heard this, all in the synagogue were filled with rage.  They got up, drove him out of the town, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they might hurl him off the cliff.” Thankfully, the Spirit seems to intervene, and Jesus is somehow able to walk away from the situation.

The people of Nazareth did not want to change, they did not want to give up their status, their possessions, all the things for which they had worked so hard for over the years.  And they certainly did not want to give up anything for the sake of the Gentiles.  They were not ready to suffer “loss” for the sake of the Kingdom.  They weren’t ready to give up all the things they loved, to experience love in “another way.”

In the third chapter of Philippians, St. Paul, reflecting on his accomplishments, his birthright, all that he has accomplished in life, writes, “Yet whatever gains I had, these I have come to regard as loss because of Christ.  More than that, I regard everything as loss because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and I regard them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ.” 

Loss is hard.  Letting go of loss is even harder.  But hanging on to the past never moves us forward.  Perhaps Kafka was right, at some point in life, "Everything you love will probably be lost, but in the end, love will return in another way."  Afterall that is the story of our faith too!  Jesus came and lived among us, he loved us, and we loved him; and then he was crucified, he died, and he was buried.  He was taken away.  It was an incredible loss.  Yet three days later he rose up from the dead, and something new began.  The post resurrection stories found in the scriptures tell us that the disciples had a hard time recognizing him when he returned, something was different, something had changed.  But soon they came to trust that love had returned in “another way,” a way that continued after his ascension with the coming of the Spirit and continues even today in the life of the church.

This morning we will gather for our annual meeting, and we will look back, reflect, and give thanks for the past.  And then we will begin to make plans for another year.  For almost two years we have endured the loss of a pandemic, today we hope and pray the pandemic will soon be coming to a close, knowing that we will not return to what was before, but enter into something new.  Today we proclaim that we are a people not of death, but a people of death and resurrection, a people filled with hope, confident in the life of the resurrection, and ready to encounter the love of God anew in yet - “another way.”

St. Paul concludes his thoughts on “the loss of all things,” and the hope of the resurrection with these words, “Beloved, I do not consider that I have made it my own; but this one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus.” 
"Everything you love will probably be lost, but in the end, love will return in another way." Amen!