3 Epiphany A January 22, 2017
Luther Memorial Church Seattle, WA
The Rev. Julie G. Hutson
Isaiah 9: 1-4 + Psalm 27: 1, 4-9 + 1 Cor. 1: 10-18 + Matthew 4: 12-23
May the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, our rock and our redeemer. Amen.
We have a precious framed photo at home of our son, Robert, when he was about 2 years old. It was taken in my parent’s backyard, where he’d just caught his first ever fish from the pond in the backyard. Robert looks so stinking cute in the picture….with his little boy clothes and his little boy grin and that little fish, hanging off of the end of his pole.
Fast forward 28 years to a few months ago, grown up Robert told us the story of a recent fishing expedition in Alaska. He covers Alaska as a part of his work territory and on a trip up there, a deep sea fishing trip was organized for him, some vendors, and lots of clients. When they arrived at the docks, all of the other boats were cancelling their junkets for the day, due to inclement weather that included extremely rough seas. Their captain decided, probably in no small part due to the large size of their group and his profit margin, to forge ahead. Cast out. And out they went….farther and farther into the ocean….the sea churning and their boat being tossed about. Soon enough, there was hardly room for the folks lined up on the side of the boat….wishing they had not come on this fishing trip after all. Including Robert.
He reports it was the sickest he’d ever been and at one point he actually thought that throwing himself overboard was preferable to what he was experiencing. To top it off, they didn’t catch much either.
This fishing tale we get from Matthew’s Gospel today is well known….follow me, Jesus says, and I will make you fish for people. I remember being at middle school church camp and getting a little pin to wear that looked like a fish hook. Follow me and I will make you fish for people. The story of Jesus calling the fisherfolk as disciples is ripe for all kinds of unhelpful metaphors…..what do we use to “catch” people? What are our nets made of? What is our bait to get more youth? Yuck.
I mean, let’s face it, I don’t know of any fish who actually like being caught and filleted for supper. So, the metaphor kind of falls apart there.
But it IS a metaphor. Jesus certainly didn’t intend for us to go out and drag people into church against their wills….hooked by some theological bait.
So, why did Jesus choose to have this kind of conversation with Peter and Andrew, James and John? Why didn’t Jesus sit them down and just explain to them why they should follow him instead of tossing out this invitation to fish for people?
Jesus met Peter, Andrew, James, and John where they were. Beside the sea, in their boats. And he spoke to them in language they would understand. And he invited them to a task they would absolutely already know how to do. Go fishing.
This is also Jesus’ invitation to us. And he invites us both as individuals and as a congregation to take what we already know how to do, the skills and gifts we already possess, and use them as we follow him.
We do not have to become something we are not in order to follow Jesus.
Hear that again. We do not have to become something we are not in order to follow Jesus.
Whenever I’m in a group of people who don’t know that I’m a pastor, the minute they find out….they talk about cleaning up their language. Seriously? You think that THAT is how I’m going to know you are a follower of Christ? Because you don’t cuss. I LEARNED to swear in seminary. I kid you not.
Christianity is not a moral code….it is not about whether we swear or dance or wear skirts that are too short (it’s REALLY not about that) or have tattoos or enjoy a glass of wine with dinner. Christianity is about 3 things: Loving God. Loving ourselves. And loving our neighbor.
Doesn’t that sound simple? Love God, with all of your being. Love yourself. And just as you love yourself, love your neighbor.
But we know it’s harder than it seems. I think on any given day it’s like juggling….I can hold one of those things in the air, maybe two….but it’s when I’m attempting to do all three that one of them is bound to crash down around me.
But this is how we live out our Christianity….our belief in the risen Christ. In the way we treat our neighbors….most especially those who are different from us. In the way we love ourselves, by offering ourselves grace when we fail and by affirming the goodness and the sacredness that is within each of us. And by loving the God who has first loved us enough to put on flesh and walk around on earth….calling salty fisherfolks to come and fish for people.
I do think that one of the places this fishing metaphor holds water (get it?) takes us back to my two fishing stories from Robert. Some days, fishing for people….following Jesus….feels as safe and looks as precious as fishing in your grandparent’s back pond. Grandpa is there to bait the hook and help you put it in the water. Grandma keeps an eye on the bobber, so you can see when you have a bite. There’s no danger. There’s just love.
And some days we are hanging our heads over the side of a boat that is rocking and rolling and we’re considering the wisdom of ever getting on board.
Jesus said Follow me, and I will make you fish for people.
It’s not any different from what we’ve spent our lifetimes doing. We just have to adapt our skills, using what we know.
Follow me, you bankers and tellers, and I will make you bank human life!
Follow me, you builders, and I will make you builders of God’s house!
Follow me, you shopkeepers, and I will make you keepers of God’s shop!
Follow me, you clowns and fools, and I will make you fools for God!
Follow me, you landscape workers, and I will make you landscapers of life!
Follow me, you seamstresses and tailors, and I will make you sew our lives as well as our garments!
Follow me, you cooks and chefs and butchers and bakers, and I will make you season and leaven and serve and preserve more than food!
Follow me, you insurance agents, and I will make you insure God’s agency!
Follow me, you instrumentalists, and I will make you instrumental to others!
Follow me, you students, and I will have you learn new and wondrous things!
Follow me, you teachers, and I will entrust you with the task of pouring wisdom and knowledge into humankind!
Follow me, you potters and sculpturers, and painters, and I will make you mirrors of Creation!
Follow me, you poets, and wordsmiths, and I will give you the greatest stories to tell!
Follow me, you friends, you parents, you children, you siblings, you neighbors, you strangers, you hosts and guests, and I will make you all these things—to every other human being![1]
Jesus has called us to a holy and wondrous task….following him. And he trusts that we can do so faithfully using the gifts and skills and talents and resources we already know and have. Essentially, it is about stewardship: what we do with what we have. This is true for each one of us.
And for this congregation, the same is true. Follow me, Luther Memorial….and I will make you a place of welcome. Follow me Luther Memorial and I will make you a place where all people…regardless of gender, race, or sexual orientation are valued and included and loved. Follow me, Luther Memorial, and I will make you a place where homeless families find a home.
Jesus invites us… and he always starts where we already are.
Thanks be to God. And let the church say…Amen.
[1] This idea and a portion of these examples are thanks to Anna Carter Florence, with my gratitude.