The Great Fishing Expedition (Luke 4: 1-11)

One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret,[a] the people were crowding around him and listening to the word of God. 2 He saw at the water’s edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who 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 from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat.

4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.”

5 Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.”

6 When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began 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 full that they began to sink.

8 When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” 9 For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, 10 and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners.

Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.” 11 So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.

I need to begin with a wonderment. 3 weeks ago I came to you with a message about abundance. I said that I had just read the story in Luke about the great fishing expedition and when I discovered I would be preaching that Sunday I looked to find that I would be preaching on the text from John regarding the abundance of wine rather than fish. I was disappointed at first but God’s Abundance led me from fishing on the shores of the lake to the wedding celebration.

I actually got the chills when I saw what text God had prepared for me to preach on today. Coincidence? I’ll leave that for you to decide. But I will simply say, I continue to be in awe of the abundance of God’s grace.

So I stopped and looked at this text with solemn wonderment. What is it that God has for us, you and me, in this text? What are the words God would speak to us today? Those are humbling questions for every pastor who preaches on any Sunday. May the Spirit have her way.

So let’s start at the beginning of this story. Jesus is teaching. The crowds are gathering around him to hear him. And Peter (or Simon) is working on his nets after a long night without a catch. Tired, frustrated, despondent. They had worked hard all night to catch fish, their trade, their means of support. And they had failed miserably. 

While it could be that they had been fishing at night, it is also very much like scripture to infer a different type of darkness when speaking of night time. And day time brings sight, or revelation.

Anyway, Jesus wants to get Peter’s attention, as well as James and John. Jesus has plans for them. What better way to do that than to preach from Peter’s boat? 

You know how it is when you are doing something that needs to be done, especially if you are tired. You might half listen to what is going on around you. Or you might tune it out altogether. 

Peter, let's distance ourselves a bit from what you are so focused on doing so you can take time to listen. Let’s put out a little ways from shore.

And then, when Jesus has said enough, he challenges Peter to set out into the deeper waters. Further away from the distractions on shore. And to throw out his nets into those waters. Jesus has a surprise for him!

It is hard to change course and do something different from what you had planned. I imagine Peter had planned to put away his gear, pat his partners on the back for a good night's work, albeit unsuccessful, and go home. That’s the way it has always been done. That is the way his trade is carried out. 

But Jesus says, “just this one time, let’s try it my way.”

Be careful saying yes to God! Peter puts out his nets and the catch is so great he cannot handle it himself. In fact, it is such a large amount of fish, it almost sinks his boat and his partners’.  

Can you hear them laughing with joy, with awe, with amazing? This is amazing! Jesus, you have got to stay around so we can do this all the time! And they drag the massive catch ashore to the people waiting there. I can almost feel the rush they must have all experienced.

Sometimes even when we have been trying, working, fishing for long periods of time, Jesus says let’s try again. Let’s go out into the deep together and try it my way. For now the time has come.

We may feel weary. We may feel discouraged. We may want to go home and go to bed and save it for another day or perhaps just give up. But what can one possibly do when Jesus says, let’s try again? Don’t quit now. There is no sweeter feeling than being humbled by the abundant grace of God!

I would like it if the reading ended here. It becomes the perfect motivational story. Even though it feels hopeless, believe in God’s abundance. But there is one more part to this story that we can’t ignore.

Peter, John and James do not hang around to memorialize their victorious moment. They do not linger in adoration of all they have accomplished.  

“So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.”

All the fruits of their labor, all the economic value, all the celebratory feast was left for others to partake in, share, or horde. Peter, John, and James left everything, boats, nets, fish, and followed where Jesus was leading them.

They weren’t going to stick around and try to reproduce this moment. For all they knew there might not ever be another catch like this one. Or maybe there would be. But they were simply going to follow Jesus. 

Peter fell to his knees to worship Jesus and Jesus said come on, get up, we have work to do. We have to bring good news to the poor, proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, and set free those who are oppressed. We have to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.

How are we called? We have been the ones reaping the benefits of a free America. For that I continuously thank the men and women who have fought, died, been wounded. Are we left on shore to celebrate that joyous feast? Are we left on shore to share the fruits of their sacrifice with others? Are we left on shore to horde it for ourselves?

Or are we ones called to follow Jesus to proclaim the Lord’s favor no matter the cost?

I will finish with something that happened the other day. I still visit one man on hospice and have the utter joy of bringing God grace to him. On my last visit, we read this story. I asked him what he heard in it. He focused on the mercy of Jesus, forgiving Peter his sinfulness. But he wondered what it meant to “fish for people.”

I smiled. I said it is what you do now that you have found the abundance of God’s grace. You tell others what God means to you. You share the peace you have found with God. You invite them to pray with you. Even though you long to be with God in heaven, God has called you to be a fisher of people. And in spite of your pain, you say yes.

Who are we? What are we called to? Are we willing to follow, not simply worship, Jesus?