Epiphany V

Sermon for Camp Allen Chapel

Houston, TX

By The Rev. Martha Frances+

Year C Epiphany V

4 February 2007

Text: Luke 5: 1-11

Other Readings: Isaiah 6: 1-8 [9-13]; Psalm 138; I Corinthians 15: 1-11

“Jesus calls us o’er the tumult of our life’s wild, restless sea” we just sang this morning. Has your life seemed like a wild, restless sea lately? I know at times mine has. This great hymn, the theme song of the Brotherhood of St. Andrew, is really the theme of all our readings today. First, let us look at the “call” stories we have in our scripture selections.

What a spectacular setting for God’s call to Isaiah! God is on the throne &, even before God gets a chance to speak, Isaiah is already back-peddling: “Woe is me! I am lost, for I am a man of unclean lips, & I live among a people of unclean lips;” he replies upon the angels’/God’s appearance. God’s seraph touches his mouth with a live coal, forgives his sins, & offers him the chance to become God’s ambassador. Isaiah responds in 5 of the most significant words in scripture: “Here am I; send me!” Hmmm, seems like I’ve sung that somewhere before.

Paul’s own description of God’s call follows the same pattern as God’s call to Isaiah. Paul’s call follows many appearances Christ made to the disciples after his resurrection, finally to Paul himself. Paul says he is unworthy—as one untimely born, the least of the apostles—because he persecuted the Church.

Christ obviously didn’t take no for an answer with Paul, & it was by God’s grace that he was equipped for the great missionary work ahead of him. His response—“. . .by the grace of God I am what I am”—echoes Moses’ conversation with God on Mt. Sinai, not Popeye self-declaration. Paul’s frenetic activity for the spread of Christ’s kingdom speaks for itself. Paul’s proclamation has resulted in the Corinthians’ coming to believe.

Finally, we come to Jesus’ call to his first disciples—the 4 fishermen—beside Gennesaret Lake, better known as the Sea of Galilee. Jesus’ popularity has caused him to resort to drastic measures to be able to reach the crowds. He borrows Simon’s boat & they put out from shore so he can better speak to the crowd. Then he tells Simon to launch his boat once more & let down his nets. How does Simon Peter react? He argues with Jesus, telling him that they have already been working fruitlessly all night. But then he agrees to do as Jesus has asked & indeed puts out the nets. What a miracle! So many fish that they fill both his boat & that of his partners James & John!

At this point, we see Simon’s self-centeredness. Does he thank Jesus for this amazing catch of fish? No, he responds by moaning about how sinful he is & pleads with Jesus to disappear! Of course, Peter always over-reacts, & here is Jesus’ first encounter with Peter according to Luke. Peter might have wallowed in his self-pity, yet Jesus does not allow that. Jesus calls Peter out of himself to do the work of netting people, hauling them in to build up the Christian community, & really to lead that community, all with the help of his brother Andrew, his partners James & John, & the other folks Jesus calls to discipleship.

Notice they left everything in order to follow Jesus. In the group-oriented culture around the Mediterranean Sea, people didn’t see themselves as independent individuals but rather relied on the social unit of the extended family for their livelihood & indeed for their identity. We independent Americans may have a hard time relating to the drastic steps these disciples took to haul off & follow Jesus, but their departure must have left gaps in the interdependent family structures. Jesus’ band of disciples became a non-traditional family for each other.

But that’s ahead of our reading today. When Peter steps out & follows Jesus, he has no clue as to what will follow. Peter steps out in faith only after Jesus reassures him with the now-familiar, “Do not be afraid” & then promises “from now on you will be catching people” or, as one translation says, “you will net people.”

With Isaiah, Paul, & Simon Peter’s calls to action, a pattern emerges: First, God initiates the action. God does the choosing. God chooses according to God’s qualifications, not according to those whom we humans consider worthy. Second, the person God chooses obviously doesn’t consider him or herself worthy & gives God excuses as to God’s poor judgment in choosing him or her. In modern-day language, we call this whining, sitting on our pity pots. Third, God doesn’t take “no” for an answer; God goes right ahead with God’s plans & urges the person to respond positively. We often say that God doesn’t choose the equipped but equips the chosen. That applies to each of you too, not just to the preacher! Finally, the chosen one responds & then acts on God’s calling her or him out.

Now all 3 of these examples are men, but this same pattern applies to women. Remember God’s call to Mary that we usually call the “annunciation”? The angel comes & initiates the call. Mary is astonished & tells the angel he must have knocked on the wrong door; she can’t have a baby as she is still a virgin. Gabriel replies that God can accomplish more than we humans can ask or imagine. Mary responds “then let it be to me according to your Word.” And she brings forth the Savior of the World. God’s call is not limited to one type person or group & we’re often surprised at those God chooses for a particular task.

As we ponder Christ’s call to each of us, I think it is comforting to realize that this is an ongoing call to conversion, not just a one-time deal. Paul eludes to the ongoing progression of conversion & growth in faith in the last line of the Corinthian reading for today when he says, “. . .and so you have come to believe.” You may remember a man who comes to Jesus for his child’s healing. He says, “Lord, I believe. Help thou my unbelief.” Conversion & response are not a one-time deal, you see.

I hope you haven’t sat back & thought smugly during this sermon, “Well, I’ve already accepted Jesus as my Lord & Savior, so these call stories don’t apply to me.” Just as Jesus’ call is not to a select few but to ALL, so is Jesus’ call to a lifetime of growth in faith & in ways to act out our faith. Each time we respond in love & obedience to Christ’s call to us, we’re strengthened for the next call to be faithful. It is when we get too comfortable with our faith walk that we are most likely to stumble. Christ calls us over & over to turn again & follow him.

Finally, I want to make it perfectly clear that these call stories are examples not of the call of special extra-talented people to be professional Christians. My brothers & sisters, this call to conversion & to living life with Christ & in a Christian community is to ALL of us. Some days I know we all want to say with Peter, “Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!” If Simon Peter could say that & then become the leader of the apostles, then not one of you is so sinful that you are exempted from the call to discipleship. We’re all in this together, you all. We’re ALL, every one of us, invited—actually urged—to a lifetime of conversion & new life in Christ

And don’t think that you’ve got all the time in the world. Christ is incredibly patient, but why not begin to live abundantly right now? What’s more important than abundant life? Whatever holds you back from conversion to new life today, shed it, let go of it, & let God fill that void in your life. Epiphany is the time of year when we explore all the many places & persons God calls us to engage with enlarging & strengthening God’s reign on earth. Soon, we will enter the season of Lent in which we are made ready once again to respond as an Easter people, “Here I am, send me!” What is holding you back? Can you give it up to God?