Submitted to Red Rock News for Jan 31th’s edition
- Rev. Dona Johnson |February 2, 2025
One of the most beautiful sights in the Holy Land is to stand on the gently sloping hills and look out at the Sea of Galilee. You suddenly realize that you are walking on the same ground Jesus walked. You realize you are looking at the same body of water that Jesus often sailed on to take refuge from the crowds or to preach from a boat to those standing on the shore.
In the Gospel of Luke chapter 5:1-11, Jesus is standing on the shore of Lake Gennesaret (Sea of Galilee) This is a turning point in Jesus’ ministry. New Testament scholar William Barclay writes about this passage, “There is coming a time when the doors of the synagogue will be shut to Jesus. And so his church will be the lakeside, the open road and often his pulpit is a boat.” What is utterly amazing is how Jesus when wedged in between the pressing crowd and the water’s edge, takes to a boat and tells Peter to put out a little from the shore so he could effectively project his voice to preach the crowd. Christians often get so anchored, emotionally attached and fixated on their buildings, that the church becomes more of a safe hiding place from the rest of the world, than a base camp for mission? The gospel instructs exactly the opposite, we are to go out into the world, the unknown with very little equipment, and preach without a pulpit, teach with no materials and take only our witness, the message of God’s love to others (Luke 10). John Wesley did just that. In the mid 1700s, Wesley, a Methodist preacher left the church and headed for the fields to preach. It became known as field preaching. He left the church pulpit to preach in the open air to people of poverty and people who had been shun by the church. Therefore, the church is called to also be on the open road!
Jesus asked Peter to put his boat out into deeper water and let down his nets. Peter immediately tells Jesus that he and his fishing buddies had been at it all night without catching one fish, a bit surprising when these men were professional fishermen. Peter obeys Jesus and lets down his nets. Suddenly out of nowhere, all sorts of fish start flapping and flying into the nets. The fish were so plentiful that their weight almost rips apart the nets. Watching the miracle, Peter seeing his unworthiness in the presence of Jesus’ divine goodness and power, in shock drops to his knees and confesses he is a sinner. Peter’s companions James, John and the sons of Zebedee are in the other boat watching this all unfold. Jesus comforts Peter and then him to discipleship with these words, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.” So, Peter, James, John and the others got out of their boats, left their fishing careers – everything and they followed Jesus.
This amazing story demonstrates a few points. First, the power of God is a great multiplier of all our human efforts. God’s power to transcend our human limitations, our miscalculations and our discouragements make what we deem impossible possible. There are times in our Christian lives where we try and try, we pray and pray and nothing seems to shake loose. But then miraculously God comes alongside us, opens a door and we see clearly a path forward. Secondly, fishing for people, sharing the saving grace of Jesus Christ with others is no easy task. Still today, many Christians are afraid to speak and witness to others.
Luke reminds us that God calls us to push our faith out into deep waters. Yes, following Jesus is not easy, it will cost you something, but the gain is far greater than what you give up. Like Peter, God calls us to take the first step and he will without a doubt multiply our efforts. If we wait for our circumstances to be perfect, if we spend all our time over preparing, we will never begin. Amen.
- Rev. Dona Johnson |February 2, 2025