Let's Go Fishing!
a sermon based on Mark 1:14-20
by Rev. Rick Thompson

I could tell you some interesting stories about my past experiences with fishing. 

     I could tell you about the variety of lures, hooks, and other equipment I still have tucked away in a tackle box—which I don’t think I’ve used for at least 10 years.  I could tell you about fishing excursions with a buddy, with family members and friends, and with my brother-in-law—now there are some stories there, let me tell you!  I could tell you about being frightened in a storm, and having boat motor difficulty in the middle of a lake, and I could even tell you about one or two fishing outings that actually produced a meal for the family!   I could tell you how much it relaxed me to sit in a boat on the water, or on the shore near it.  I could tell you lots of stories about fishing.

     And every one of those stories would include a note about how good it was, even at the crack of dawn, to hear those three inviting words: “Let’s go fishing!”

     Today we read about Jesus inviting his first four disciples to go fishing.  That had been their career—not a hobby, but a career—when, suddenly, their lives took a dramatic turn.  At the end of a long night’s work, four weary fishermen were approached by Jesus.  And we’ll come back to this encounter, this invitation, “Let’s go fishing!”

     But we need to note that, before approaching Simon and Andrew, James and John, Jesus had been on a preaching tour.  After his baptism and temptation, and after the arrest of John the Baptist—a sign of things to come—Jesus had begun his public work.  He had been traveling through Galilee, proclaiming an urgent message: “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news!”

     That sounds pretty urgent, doesn’t it?  Jesus is talking about the fulfillment of time—not in the way we come to the end of a calendar month or year, but more in the way that a baby, after all those months of waiting, is finally born! 

     Jesus is proclaiming that something new, something long-awaited, something from God is finally about to happen!  Jesus is proclaiming that ALL THINGS ARE SOON TO BE MADE NEW!

     Now, we should not be surprised to hear Jesus say this.  This early in Mark, we’ve already been told twice, quite explicitly, that Jesus is “the Son of God”.  Jesus is the one in whom and through whom God is at work in a unique and powerful and saving way.  Jesus is the One who has come to earth, from God, to release God’s forgiveness, God’s peace, God’s abundant life into all of creation!  Jesus has come to accomplish this through engaging in a cosmic battle with the forces of sin and evil and death, and will go to his death in the fight, and will emerge victorious from the grave!

     That sounds like good news, urgent news to me—do you agree?

     In fact, it’s news more urgent than all kinds of things that are also important: the current value of our investments in a floundering economy, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the inauguration of a new President, the personal crisis we are experiencing and, yes, even the fate of the Denver Broncos!  The news Jesus brings is more urgent than ANY of these! 

     Jesus comes, with an urgent message, bringing God’s kingdom.  That’s why he calls for repentance—literally, turning around, going in a new direction—and asks us to believe in the gospel.

     And that’s also why he approaches the four fishermen, and says to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fish for people.”

     On the basis of his announcement of the coming kingdom, Jesus approaches Simon and Andrew, James and John, and says, “Let’s go fishing!  Let’s go fishing for people!”

     The words Jesus speaks are a command.  It’s as if he is a king—and he is, after all!—demanding obedience from his subjects.  Jesus has an urgent message, a life-changing message, and he insists that the four fishermen join him in spreading the word. 

     “Follow me—let’s go fishing!” is a command.

     But could we also say it’s an invitation?  We aren’t given much information about their current life.  We don’t know if they were successful fishermen or not.  We don’t know whether they were satisfied with their lives.  We aren’t told if they’ve heard any reports about Jesus before this.  We don’t know a thing about their relationships with their families, other than that James and John left their father, Zebedee, when they went off with Jesus.  We are told they are given a new career—fishing for people—but we aren’t given much detail about what they left behind, or why.

     Perhaps it’s meant that way.  Perhaps we’re to realize that what really compelled the disciples was not the command of Jesus, but the invitation it conveyed: the invitation to enter into a fuller, richer life; the invitation to follow this one with authority, this One who had come to save the world; the invitation to find themselves more fully as they lost themselves in the love and power of Jesus.

     It was a command, yes; but it was also an invitation.

     And a call.

     The disciples were called—called to follow Jesus and fish for people.

     And so are we—commanded, invited, AND CALLED!

     Called to experience the wonder of living in God’s kingdom.  Called to live the abundant life—life with Jesus.  Called to go fishing—fishing for people!

     We say it in our mission statement, don’t we.  We describe ourselves as a community of faith…

 

Worshipping and growing together in Christ,

Serving and reaching out joyfully to all!

 

     That is the mission to which we’ve been called by Jesus—to worship, grow, serve, and reach out in his name. 

     And we’ve been reminded by realities that we haven’t taken seriously enough the “reaching out” portion of our mission.  We’ve noticed a gradual decline in worship attendance in recent years, though we live in a growing suburban area. We haven’t been as effective as we could be in incorporating our newer members into our life together, or noticing and contacting those who don’t worship as often as they once did.  We’re grateful for our new members and worship guests.  But we’ve noticed that most come from another church experience; we’ve barely scratched the surface in trying to reach some of the 65%--that’s 65%--of the residents of this county who don’t claim any church home.  We need to do a much better job of reaching out in response to the call of Jesus!  WE NEED TO LEARN HOW TO FISH FOR PEOPLE—AND THEN DO IT!

     This has not typically been an easy task for Lutherans.  Statistics over the centuries show that our most effective tactics for bringing people into the church have been boats coming from Europe and Lutherans having babies who stay connected with the church.  Statistics also show that neither of those remain very effective strategies; the boats are no longer coming, and we aren’t having a lot of babies, and those who do aren’t necessarily staying in the church.  We’ve got a wonderful grasp of the gospel, the good news of God’s sheer, undeserved grace poured out abundantly in Jesus.  We’ve got a rich worship tradition, and strong ministries in education and caring for others, and serving those in need near and far, and so, so much quality and strength—but we have such a difficult time sharing it and inviting others.

     So now, today, in response to the urgent call of Jesus, and the urgent need for good news in the world—we need to find some news ways of fishing for people.

     And I’ll be the first to acknowledge that I have a lot to learn myself. 

     I wasn’t much good as a fisherman.  And I haven’t been a whole lot better at fishing for people.  Oh, I preach and teach God’s word publicly, and pray with and for others. I can even think of some unchurched people to whom I’ve told the story of Jesus, face-to-face—but not a lot of them.  I can also think of countless opportunities I’ve had to share my faith, but I’ve been too afraid to risk it.  God is inviting me to grow in my call to fish for people.

     And I will.  Together, we will.  We will learn to invite, and we will learn to share our faith.  And here’s one of the things that gives me the greatest hope and encouragement—that we are in it together—together with each other, and together with Jesus.

     So we have something urgent to tend to, people of God.  We need to learn how to fish—to fish for people.  And we will!  We have a powerful, loving, forgiving Lord, and a wonderful gospel message to live and share, and a vibrant community of faith.  So we will learn.  We will learn to fish.  We will learn to more faithfully and more effectively proclaim the gospel:

“The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near;

  repent, and  believe in the good news!”

     The times are urgent.  The message is urgent.  Our Lord has called us.  So what are we waiting for? 

     Let’s go fishing!

                                                                                    AMEN.