“The Call to Go Deeper” February 7, 2010

Luke 5:1-11 Stephens City UMC

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

I. In a few weeks we will enter the season of Lent and on the First Sunday of Lent you can always count on the devil showing up in the story to tempt Jesus.

A. The Rev. Dr. Richard Ward who teaches preaching at Iliff School of Theology in Denver, Colorado, says that whenever the devil shows up in a story it’s not good.

1. But he points out that there’s another character who frequently shows up in stories about Jesus and most of us whenever we realize this guy is going to get involved we think “Oh good, he’s going to say something stupid just like I would in that situation.”

2. Of course, that person is Simon Peter and so often in the Gospels Simon Peter ends up putting his foot in his mouth.

3. The guy means well and he really loves Jesus but he’s SO human and so much of what he says and does is stuff with which we can relate.

B. In today’s scripture lesson Jesus calls Simon to be his disciple but this particular story isn’t like any other stories in the Bible.

1. I mean, Moses got a burning bush. Now how cool is that?!

2. Isaiah is in the Temple with the smell of incense filling the place and he overhears the voice of God speaking with the heavenly court.

3. That’s the stuff great movies are made of.

4. Paul gets hit with a blinding light on the road to Damascus.

5. Talk about out of this world special effects!

6. And what does Simon get?

7. He gets a little fishing boat and an ordinary day when he’s trying to make a living for himself to support his family.

C. The day got a little bit interesting when Jesus asks if he could stand in Simon’s boat while Simon steadied it just off shore so Jesus could preach to the crowd standing on the shore.

1. Later the crowd left and Simon thought he’d finally get to go home and that’s great because he is exhausted from fishing all night and he is frustrated because he’s caught nothing.

2. And that’s when Jesus instructs him to push out towards the deep water and to let down his nets.

3. It sounded simple but this was actually a huge test for Simon because Jesus wanted to know if Simon trusted him.

4. Would Simon trust him enough that Simon would leave the shallow places of his life?

5. Would Simon trust him enough to begin to explore the depths?

6. Would Simon be willing to go to the limits of what he thinks is possible in his life?

7. “Push out into the deeper water,” Jesus says “and trust me that it will be good.”

D. Can you relate to Simon, that character you were glad to have shown up in the story?

1. Can you identify with his reluctance to make that push?

2. Can you comprehend the risk he takes to leave what is familiar and comfortable and journey to a place where life might change?

3. Can you feel what it means for him to let Jesus guide and direct him instead of being in charge of his own life?

4. Can you image what might happen if Simon leaves the shallow places behind – the shallow way he works, the shallow way he relates to other people, the shallow way he relates to God?

5. What changes there might be?

6. What if he dares to do so?

7. What if he pushes a little deeper in trust?

8. Life would change for him and those around him.

E. Simon tries to resist by pointing out that there was no need for him to go out there because he had been there before and he had already fished that spot.

1. It’s like he’s saying – “Oh, Jesus I’ve tried that. I’ve tried to pray. I’ve tried to learn more. I’ve tried to be a servant like you. I’ve tried to live out my faith to please you, but you know, I’ve come up empty every time.”

2. “Now I’m tired. I’m exhausted. I’m used up. The deep isn’t a fun place to be.”

3. Many of us try that line of arguing with Jesus by saying in our own words “I’m not good enough to do this. I’m not smart enough. I’m too young or I’m too old. Really, can’t you just leave me alone?”

4. “Jesus, thanks for trying but just give up on me because I’ve already given up on myself. In the past I’ve tried everything that you asked me to do and it just didn’t work.”

II. But then something dramatic happens.

A. Simon actually makes some effort in faith to respond to Jesus’ call by saying “but, if you say so.”

1. And, maybe with reluctance he goes, and he enters the deep and he discovers abundance like he had never imagined.

2. Now it’s not the kind of abundance that will make him rich but it is the kind of abundance that shows Simon how rich God’s grace and love are.

3. This is a story of how abundant is God’s desire to be in relationship with us and that’s why this is such a great story.

4. Simon isn’t called to be a rabbi like Jesus or a Donald Trump business man.

5. Jesus calls on Simon to live in the depths of his own life.

6. As Dr. Ward says “(Jesus’) call is not (for Simon) to become a professional Christian.”

7. “It is a call into a deeper relationship with God through Jesus Christ.”

B. Maybe prior to today you thought that your call from Jesus had been pretty ordinary and if so that’s good because you have a lot in common with Simon Peter.

1. But what is really good about it is that that call is to go into a deeper relationship with God through Jesus Christ.

2. Very clearly today the call comes through the sacrament of Holy Communion and now you a seemingly ordinary person like Simon will have to decide if you are willing to push out to the depths that Jesus is calling you.