St. Paul's Sermon 2004

Fifth Sunday After the Epiphany- February 8, 2004

Lessons:

"Fishing in Minneapolis"

Introduction:

Everybody talks about fishing in Canada, or the Boundary Waters, or Mille Lacs. In this Land of 10,000 Lakes, the big-time fishermen always talk about the legendary lakes, like these or Saganaga or Leech. These are famous lakes, some two hours away; some six or eight hours of driving away. That's where we'd expect to catch lunkers!

Did you know that record-class fish have been caught right here in the City of Minneapolis? A record-book Musky was taken out of Calhoun a couple years ago. Monster gamefish, plus huge carp and catfish have been pulled out of our city lakes and rivers. I found a website put together by a Minneapolis fisherman who concentrates just on city fish- www.lunkerlink.com . They're out there. We can go fishing right here in Minneapolis just as well as anyplace else in the state!

In the first couple months I was with you, in the late springtime of 1988, you maybe remember I gave a sermon from a canoe in the front of the church.

(Skit goes here- guy dressed up as ice fisherman comes in to start drilling a hole and fishing right next to the pulpit- final line: "Gotta fish where you're at!")

Gotta fish where you're at.

I) The Place Didn't Change

Jesus liked fishermen. Our Gospel story today tells about an encounter with those fisher-folk. The Sea of Galilee looks a lot like our Lake Pepin. It's about the same size; it's got hills running down to it about the same height and angle. It's about the same shape. And when we were there in 1995 it was full of fish. One night we were walking along the cement sidewalk in the town of Tiberias, with huge overhead lights, like a shopping mall parking lot. The whole area along the seashore was lit up like daylight. The light attracted bugs. The bugs attracted minnows. And the minnows attracted schools of huge Sea of Galilee catfish! They were two to four feet long, with a fin running the length of their back. I was carrying a walking stick that had a removable tip, with a slightly sharp point underneath. I got a brainstorm. I took off the tip, and decided I was going to spear a Sea of Galilee fish!

I tried several times, but with my usual luck at fishing, came away empty-handed. But I was amazed at the sheer number of fish.

That morning in Galilee, the disciples were amazed at the sheer number of fish that weren't there all night. These guys were professionals. Today they'd probably have their own TV shows-- "Fishing With Pete and Johnny." They had fished these waters their whole lives, and their families had probably fished that lake for generations. They knew nets, they knew fish, they knew boats- they were professionals, and if they couldn't catch fish, they couldn't make a living. They had fished at night, when the great-great-grand-daddys of the fish I saw had come in to feed at the same lakeshore. They probably fished pretty close to shore. That morning they came up empty. Must've been a cold front.

So when Jesus stopped by to use their boat as a floating stage, it broke up the monotony. By then it was late morning, and no self-respecting fish would be looking to get caught. Up to that time, they were counting on themselves. They were counting on their expertise. They were counting on their abilities. They'd caught zip.

Then Jesus gives them a fishing lesson. Same lake. Same day. Same boat. Same guys. It's now the middle of the day. The fish aren't concentrated nor feeding. Jesus says, "Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch." Peter protests, but he obeys. They go out, they catch an overwhelming catch of fish. It almost sinks two boats. Peter falls at Jesus' feet in the middle of the wiggling, sinking boat, and worships Jesus.

II) The Difference: Jesus

What was the difference between fishing trip A and fishing trip B? The difference was Jesus. The second time Jesus told them to go. The second time Jesus was there. The second time they got fish.

Last week I gave you a two challenges- one, to set aside time to attend the whole series of the "Purpose Driven Life"- all three parts- 1) Attend Sunday Morning worship those six weeks, to hear all six themes; 2) Read the devotional book daily for those six weeks, and 3) Attend a small group weekly Bible study on the theme for those six weeks. That was the first challenge, but tonight is the kickoff, and we really would like to have you here, six PM, and we're providing dessert afterwards. That was the first challenge.

The second challenge was laid on my heart as I worked on the sermon last week. We talked about how the Gospel is just like a virus that comes and invades us, and then spreads through us. The challenge was to be contagious- to pray daily for God to send you someone to 'sneeze' at- someone to let Jesus burst out of you and share the Gospel with. How did that go? (Time for testimonies.)

III) Living Out a Challenge

This week I want to continue those challenges, but I want to add one more reminder. Let's ask Jesus to get in the boat. Maybe that boat is your car. Maybe the boat is your desk. Maybe it's where you work, or in the highrise, or at school. There's room. Even in a sinking boat full of wiggly fish. There's always room for Jesus. I want you to picture your life this week being like that boat. You're busy. You've got a normal life, full of stuff that keeps you busy. You're a real person, just like the disciples. Can you invite Jesus into the boat? When Jesus comes into the boat, the fish show up. They fished right where they were.

How do we do that? Let's keep praying "Father, please send me one person today I can tell about Jesus." AND, "Jesus, you do the talking. You speak through me. Teach me to trust you to speak in the midst of the situation."

I was amazed this past week at how my perception of the week changed. I simply prayed and asked God to send me someone every day. I didn't find that person each day. Maybe I didn't notice them. Maybe I didn't take the time- but it changed the way I went into the day. It changed my expectation, and the role I found myself in, in regards to people around me. I was surprised.

So, that's your assignment for this week.

Pastor, wasn't this the same sermon as last week, sorta?

Ever see one of those evenings on TV when they play two episodes of the same television show back to back- 'two solid hours of ER!" Actually, for three weeks we've been working on one theme. As we go into "40 Days of Purpose" I'm challenging us to stop calling ourselves "Evangelical" and starting being it. That was our topic two weeks ago. That was our topic last week. It doesn't make two hoots of difference if churches are evangelical. What makes a difference is if the people are evangelical-that the Good News has flowed to them and through them. What today is about is fishing right where you're at.

Conclusion:

So today I'm challenging you to do three things:

1) Please be a part of the "40 Days of Purpose" program; please come tonight. The study doesn't start for another two weeks, but we're introducing it tonight, so you will still have time to bring somebody with you to the sessions.

2) Please pray for Jesus to give you somebody to sneeze at this week; ask him to send you someone to blurt out whatever Good News it is they need to hear. Go in with an open heart; listen to the Holy Spirit speaking to you what you are to say.

3) And invite Jesus into the boat. When he's there, it changes things. I'm not sure how many fish are going to jump into the boat, but when you invite him along, expect it to get interesting. He'll tell you where the fish are.

Invitation, Amen

Epiphany 5 - February 8, 2004

Isaiah 6:1-8

In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple. [2] Above him were seraphs, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. [3] And they were calling to one another:

"Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty;

the whole earth is full of his glory."

[4] At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke.

[5] "Woe to me!" I cried. "I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty."

[6] Then one of the seraphs flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. [7] With it he touched my mouth and said, "See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for."

[8] Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?"

And I said, "Here am I. Send me!"

1 Cor. 15:1-11

Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. [2] By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.

[3] For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, [4] that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, [5] and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. [6] After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. [7] Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, [8] and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.

[9] For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. [10] But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them--yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me. [11] Whether, then, it was I or they, this is what we preach, and this is what you believed.

Luke 5:1-11

One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, with the people 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 catch men." [11] So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.