Get Onboard (February 6, 2022)

GET ONBOARD

Text: Luke 5:1-11

Luke 5:1-11  Once while Jesus was standing beside the lake of Gennesaret, and the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God,  (2)  he saw two boats there at the shore of the lake; the fishermen had gone out of them and 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 way from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat.  (4)  When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch."  (5)  Simon answered, "Master, we have worked all night long but have caught nothing. Yet if you say so, I will let down the nets."  (6)  When they had done this, they caught so many fish that their nets were beginning 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 that they began to sink.  (8)  But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, "Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!"  (9)  For he and all who were with him were amazed at the catch of fish that they had taken;  (10)  and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. Then Jesus said to Simon, "Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people."  (11)  When they had brought their boats to shore, they left everything and followed him (NRSV).

There is the story of a Protestant young man who was engaged to a Catholic young lady. She accepted his marriage proposal. However, her parents gave him their consent so long as he would agree to become Catholic. The one day she came home crying and upset. Her parents asked what was wrong. The daughter responded by saying that “there was not going to be a wedding”. Her parents asked “Doesn’t he love you anymore?” The daughter responded “it isn’t that. We’ve overdone it. Mother. Paul wants to become a priest”. The point of the story is that we never know how the impact of God’s call on our lives will change us. David N. Mosser. ed. The Abingdon Preaching Annual 2010 Edition. Andrew D. Kinsey . “Got Religion?”. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2009, p. 42). It's too bad Paul didn’t remain a protestant.

Today’s text illustrates how God calls us to serve Him. Can you imagine how the conversation was with Peter’s wife when she asked, “How was your day?” How has God’s call impacted your life? How has God’s call on our lives changed the way that we live?

In this story, we see excuses, and an invitation that brought forth an alt[a]ration.

EXCUSES

Do excuses make us exempt from the call? Peter, Isaiah, Jonah and Moses thought it might work.

1)Peter: Imagine that you are Peter in this story and you encountered Jesus in such a way that it shocked you as it shocked Peter. Peter did not think he was fit for the call. Peter’s evaluation of himself was a “sinful man” (Luke 5:8).

2) Isaiah: Like Peter, Isaiah had a similar experience in Isaiah 6 where he did not feel he was fit for the call because he was a man of “unclean lips” (Isaiah 6:5).

3) Moses: Moses wanted God to send someone else because he did not think he was an eloquent speaker (Exodus 4:10-13).

4) Jonah: Jonah made the excuse that he was too mad and stubborn and ran in the opposite direction of his call (Jonah 1:3). “Whoever wants to be judge of human nature should study people’s excuses”. - Hebbel: Galaxie Software. (2002). 10,000 Sermon Illustrations. Biblical Studies Press. Have you ever tried to create an excuse that would get you off the hook?

5) Our excuses: What excuses have we made? Too old? Not good enough? Too busy? Can’t leave our comfort zone?

The commanding officer was furious when nine GIs who had been out on passes failed to show up for morning roll call. Not until 7 p.m. did the first man straggle in. “I’m sorry, sir,” the soldier explained, “but I had a date and lost track of time, and I missed the bus back. Being determined to get in on time, I hired a cab. Halfway here, the cab broke down. I went to a farmhouse and persuaded the farmer to sell me a horse. I was riding to camp when the animal fell over dead. I walked the last ten miles, and just got here.”

Though skeptical, the colonel let the young man off with a reprimand. However, after him, seven other stragglers in a row came in with the same story—had a date, missed the bus, hired a cab, bought a horse, etc. By the time the ninth man reported in, the colonel had grown weary of it. “Okay,” he growled, “now what happened to you?”