Gathered: Tools and Talents

Luke 5:1-11

"Tools and Talents"

You have everything you need to do your very best work. “When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, ‘Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.'”

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Trinity.

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February 9th, 2025. Our reading is Luke chapter 5, verses 1 through 11. Today's gospel story is about fishing. These were fishermen with nets. Most people I know fish with poles. Where I grew up in Michigan, ice fishing was a thing. I love to go ice fishing. I went with my dad. I love the little poles. They were short and stiff. The opposite of a fly rod. Has anyone here ever been ice fishing? My family had the lowest level setup: a hand auger to get through the ice, a post hole digger to clear the slush, a couple of ice poles, bait, some folding chairs, sandwiches, and a thermos of hot coffee. Most other folks on the ice had fishing shacks they would drag out with a snowmobile or a truck. These were little cabins out on the ice to keep the wind off of you. People make them themselves, so the quality is all over the board. But usually there were some chairs, a couple of old wool blankets, a radio, and a thermos, and a flask. Man, I wanted an ice shack. My dad never built us an ice shack. But my family had been in that town for a long time. My dad knew everyone out on the ice. He would get us set up, we'd fish for a little while, and then when we got cold, we'd go off to chit-chat with all the other folks out on the lake. We never had an ice shack, but I've been in dozens of them. As a kid, I vividly remember opening the door to one ice shack and it blowing my mind. No joke. They opened the door and it was like a living room inside. There was this little wood stove, padded bench seating, hot coffee, beef stew, and I will never forget it. A TV. They had a car battery hooked up to a five-inch zenith. We had been on the ice for a while that day. I was so happy to be inside, warm, cozy, fed, and watching TV while my dad and his friends talked. There are a lot of ways to catch fish. In today's reading from Luke, Simon, James, and John are fishing with nets. The Gospel of John has a similar story to Luke 5, 1 through 11, but John's story happens after the crucifixion. The disciples had decided to go back to their old lives as fishermen. The overflowing nets after a night of nothing helped Simon to see it was Jesus calling from shore for them to cast their nets back into the water. John's story reminds the disciples to return to the work of the gospel. It happens at the end of Jesus' ministry in John 21, 1 through 14. This scene from Luke 5, 1 through 11 is also recounted in Mark chapter 1, verses 16 through 20, and Matthew chapter 4, verses 18 through 22. For Matthew, Mark, and Luke, this story happens at the beginning of Jesus' ministry, not at the end. Of the three, Luke's version is the most complete and the most subtle. Matthew and Mark tell us Jesus said, Come follow me. In Luke, there is no invitation. Luke tells us, Simon fell down at Jesus' knees, saying Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man. Jesus tells Simon Peter, do not be afraid. He will be putting his fishing skills to gathering people. Jesus begins by speaking literally in this story. Jesus then speaks metaphorically. The church understands this passage to be about evangelism, about bringing all people to Christ. It's been matched with our other passage today from 1 Corinthians, where Paul talks about sharing the message to drive home that connection. It's also important to know here that in the Hebrew Bible, the sea is often a metaphor for chaos. When Jesus walks on water, he is demonstrating his ability to rise above the churning chaos of the moment, to use chaos like a bridge to get where he wants to go. This passage in Luke is working on multiple levels. When Jesus tells Simon, put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch, he is speaking to a fisherman. But metaphorically, he is also saying, cast your net into the deep chaos of the world, into places you have never been before. There are people who can be reached. Cast the net of God's love into the deep chaos of the world. And the good news will gather people together into communities so full and vibrant, they can swamp us. What a great problem to have, to be swamped with a community of love. Simon Peter is afraid. He doesn't believe he is worthy of this good news. And Jesus says, don't be afraid. Don't be afraid. Gathering people together into the lived experience of God's grace. Simon, you know how to fish. From now on, you will fish for people. You will gather together communities of God's love from the deep chaos of the world. We think of evangelism as going out into the world and inviting people back to our party. The evangelism of Jesus is the opposite. Jesus and the disciples go out into the world and join the party already in progress. Jesus didn't bring everyone back to his synagogue or church. He didn't have a building. Jesus brought God's love to people wherever they were. Jesus brought more wine to a wedding that was already happening. Jesus enters into lives already in progress. He goes fishing with fishermen. Growing up in Michigan, I loved to go ice fishing. I always wanted us to have an ice fishing shack. I could never understand why my dad didn't want one too. And as I got older, I realized my dad wasn't a fisherman. My dad just liked people. Ice fishing was a social event for him. If you are inside your own ice fishing shack, cozy and well fed, you don't go trotting off across the ice like we did. There's no need. If we ever had an ice shack of our own, my dad wouldn't have a reason to go see people. My dad would just be waiting there for people to come to see him. And guess what? If we all have our own little ice shacks, we don't visit a whole lot. But when we are all out on the ice, exposed to the wind and the cold, we suddenly have a reason to go see each other, to share our resources. Evangelism is deep community. Evangelism is real friendships. Evangelism is getting out there on the ice. In 2000, the United Methodist Church added a mission statement to our church guidelines, the Book of Discipline. Our mission is to make disciples of Jesus Christ. In 2008, we clarified that statement. I think it's telling that the clear call to evangelism happened as church attendance dropped. And I also think it's telling that we had to clarify the point isn't the number of disciples, but the quality of our discipleship. If we are true students of Jesus, we will take the gospel seriously. If we take the gospel seriously, we will be transformed. Our inner transformation transforms the world. If we gather together authentically in community, without an agenda, if we work on our own discipleship, practicing the means of grace, diligent in our prayer life, serving those in need, we transform the world. Jesus reassures Simon he already has the talents and tools required to do the work of the kingdom, gathering people together into the lived experience of God's grace. Simon, you know how to fish. From now on, you will fish for people. You know who also has the tools and talents needed for evangelism? You. Me. Let's cast our nets into the deep chaos of the world. Gather together in community. Buy the neighbor kids lemonade. Show up at the high school game. Play music with friends, nurture real friendships. Evangelism is about getting out there on the ice. So we are the ones who have to do it. Sorry. Our world is a dangerous place. Our call remains. And as the psalmist tells us, when we call for God's help, God increases the strength of our soul. God's fingerprints are all over your life. You are made in their image. You are beloved. You are purposed. No one else in the world has your backstory, your resources, and your talents. Simon Peter was made for his moment. His fishing skills were exactly what was needed. You, you in particular, were made for this moment. There are some things only you can do. There are some places only you can go. Some communities only you can build. And that means there are other things you cannot do. That is by design. That is God's design. You cannot use tools and talents you do not have. You cannot be a person you are not. So stop trying. We are in the church season of Epiphany. The season of Epiphany celebrates the revelation of God incarnate as Jesus Christ. At this moment, a whole lot of us are asking ourselves: what is revealed about the nature of Jesus and his teaching in today's lectionary scripture reading? What does it mean to be gathered together as followers of Christ? And what is the right thing to do in this moment? What is the Christian response to these times? Each story this season of Epiphany revealed the nature of Jesus and his teachings. Each story provides insights into what it means to be gathered together as followers of Christ. Jesus meets people where they are, showing them that God is present in their lives already. There is love. There is safety. We should do the same. Meet people where they are. Show them that God is present in their lives already. There is love. There is safety. There is a catch in the chaos. We only have to go out into it and lower our nets. Amen.

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Trinity. This has been a production of Trinity United Methodist Church, located at 511 Oak Street in Calusa, California. Visit us online at CalusaUMC dot org. Rights retained by original copyright holders, all other rights reserved.