Inviting people into the Net; Fishing for People
The Rev. Robert P. Travis
Epiphany 3rd Sunday Sermon – 8:00am and 10:30am Church
of the Ascension, Knoxville TN
RCL Epiphany 3 Year
A 1/26/2014
Sermon
Text:
I
am not a good fisherman.
I
enjoy the pleasure of standing, or sitting in nature,
on
a lake or river
and
have enjoyed fishing with other men and women
many
times.
But
my number of catches is laughable.
In
fact,
when
I was a teenager, I was blessed to be able to go with a group of guys
from my church's youth ministry
on
a sort of pilgrimage in creation trip
to
the Boundary Waters In Minnesota
for
a week of canoeing and fishing.
That
whole week, while we ate our catches every day for lunch and dinner,
some
of the best northern pike and walleye I have ever had,
I
did not catch a single fish.
Nope,
not even one.
So
I am not a good fisherman,
though
it is not for lack of trying.
And
my late uncle William
tried
really hard to teach me how to fish.
Here
are some of the things I remember he taught me.
First,
you have to know where the fish are.
So
ask around, and go to a good fishing spot,
he
did not believe in using a radar device on his boat.
Then
you have to know what kind of fish you're going for, and what they
like to eat,
so
that you can choose your bait.
Then
you have to go at a time of day
when
the fish will be hungry.
He
made it sound so simple.
But
I never got it.
So
I find it particularly hilarious,
that
of all the clergy here,
I
get to be the one to talk to you all today about fishing.
I
hope you'll forgive the irony of this situation.
Now
there's a difference, between net fishing,
and
hook and line fishing.
And
I see the primary difference in how hard it is,
for
a fish to get off the hook,
once
it has been set,
versus
how easy it is for a fish to get out of the net,
depending
on the size of the holes
how
many fish are in the net, and so many other variables.
We
know from our Gospel reading
that
Simon,
Andrew,
James and John,
were
net fishermen.
Notice
that Simon and Andrew, left their nets,
to
follow Jesus.
and
James and John were found in the boat,
mending
their nets.
What
must it have been like,
for
these experienced fishermen,
to
hear this Rabbi tell them,
“Follow
me, and I will make you fish for people.”
Now
some of us are more familiar with the older
English
translation, I will make you fishers of men.
There
are obvious reasons for changing the word men,
to
people,
such
as not leaving out half of the human race.
But
our women in the lectionary group this week
helped
me see that there is a connotation difference
with
the use of the preposition in these two phrases as well.
On
the one hand, “make you fishers of men”
uses
more of the passive voice,
and
the connotation of make is to create in you,
or
enable you to do something,
whereas
“make you fish for people,”
seems
to be more active voice,
and
has more of a connotation of commandment,
like
“force you to” do something.
Now
the Jesus that I know,
doesn't
force us to do anything,
certainly
he commands,
but
his commandments are so grounded in love,
that
rather than feeling forced,
I
feel more compelled by love,
to
do what he asks.
That
is the great freedom in serving Him,
that
we have spoken of so often in the past here.
So
maybe there's good reason
beyond
just comfort with an older phrase
that
many people prefer to hear Jesus saying,
“I
will make you fishers of men.”
Now
I can tell you,
that
I resisted the notion of becoming a fisher of people.
As
I said, I'm not a good fisherman,
but
even more than that,
I
was raised a good Episcopalian,
in
the Northeast for that matter,
where
we were taught by everyone around us,
that
it's better to live and let live,
surely
to let the other fish swim where they will,
is
better than going after them with a net.
But
I sought, and still seek,
to
follow Jesus,
so
I find that I am compelled to become a fisher of people,
and
the amazing thing,
is
how Jesus enables even a poor fisherman like me,
to
do just that.
There
are so many ways,
we
at Ascension are fishers of people,
but
one of the primary nets I have worked,
is
called the Alpha Course.
Let
me tell you a little about the way that net works.
First
we decide which fish we're trying to catch.
In
previous years we have gone out into the local waters,
searching
for fish outside our church.
This
year, we're fishing right here,
casting
the net for people who may think they're already caught, and bringing
people from outside too.
Then
we share the bait,
which
in Alpha is the delicious bait of friendly community,
good
food, and conversation.
And
as people are gathered the net is cast,
the
net is the good news of Jesus Christ.
But
the thing about the Alpha part of the net,
is
that there are big holes.
And
people are free to swim in and out as they wish.
Those
who stay,
find
that the bait is just as good as it looks,
and
the net is a delightful place to stay.
Those
who see the net coming,
and
for whatever reason choose to swim away,
are
free to do so, and are not injured as they swim
away
through the holes.
This
part of the net is only cast for 10 weeks at a time,
but
it's amazing how wonderful those 10 weeks can be.
And
the truly amazing thing I have found,
is
that those of us who are fishers of people,
are
really just other fish.
We're
not the one's casting the net,
and
certainly not the one pulling it in.
And
all of us on the team,
speak
about what a joy it is,
to
see others catch and be caught.
Yes,
even I, though I have a big role of helping with the net,
am
just another fish in the net myself,
so
I share in the fishing,
but
only so that other fish,
will
see what a wonderful net our Lord has cast for us.
The
thing about being like fish,
is
that at times we all want to get out of the net
that
has been set for us,
and
everything, and everyone outside the net,
wants
to convince us that being in the net is not a good thing.
That
it's better to be free of the net,
and
swimming around in the open water.
But
the deception that many fish live under,
is
that they are really swimming in open water.
When
actually, the whole sea,
no
matter how big it seems,
and
how free it feels,
is
a giant pot,
and
the water is getting hotter and hotter all the time.
Sometimes
fish swim close to the source of the heat,
and
get burned,
and
swim quickly into the net,
recognizing
their need to be saved.
But
most of the fish swim around,
blissfully
unaware of the slowly rising temperature.
The
net that God is enabling us to work with him,
is
eventually going to bring us all out of the hot water,
just
in time to set us free into the true ocean,
that
goes on forever,
the
ocean of eternal life.
But
we have to stay in the net,
and
when we're in there,
and
we know we want to stay,
some
of the fishing that Jesus was talking about,
is
helping our brothers and sisters stay in the net,
and
some of it is about convincing others
to
get into the net too.
So
as fishers of people,
we
hold out the bait,
we
work on the holes,
we
encourage other fish to hear the truth,
and
not be wooed back
out
of the only way to the true ocean.
And
it can seem like a monumental task to do this.
And
we can easily become afraid,
afraid
for our brothers and sisters,
even
afraid for ourselves.
But
we are reminded:
“The
Lord is my light and my salvation;
whom
then shall I fear?
The
Lord is the strength of my life,
of
whom then shall I be afraid.”
We
truly have nothing to fear,
because
God is saving us,
and
as much as we seem to be able to escape from the net,
he
reassures us that his net is stronger,
and
more complicated than we can imagine.
We
need not fear,
but
we are asked to, and do get
to
participate in the fishing,
which
is the greatest honor of all.
To
help another fish on the way to appreciating
their
salvation,
is
truly more than we could ask or imagine.
All
of have that role,
all
of us can be involved in the invitation.
And
when we see the light shining in other fish,
like
we do on the Alpha Course,
We
can only count it a gift, a blessing,
and
grace, that we could play a small part,
in
their being caught,
rescued,
and
saved.
If
you haven't been on the Alpha Course,
sign
up to come on Wednesday night
and
see what it's like.
If
you have, invite some other fish to come,
you
might just help them
get
to a good place in this wonderful net. Amen
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