Fishers of Men

It’s always kind of interesting when you come to a major realization that you weren’t expecting. Something big that was unforeseen. Something major out of the blue.

The disciples had to have a lot of those times. Time after time Jesus was making the unexpected happen. You would think that after a while they would get used to it and actually start expecting those types of things. Well, if that ever happened, we don’t see much evidence of it.

In today’s gospel lesson we get one of those situations where the unanticipated happens and it has a consequence beyond what was expected. It’s a familiar story that most of us probably know. It culminates in Jesus going out with some of the disciples to fish even though they had been there all night. Jesus tells Peter put out into deep water and let down the nets for a catch and Peter, after explaining that they had already tried this all night with no results complies, taking Jesus at His word, almost resigned to the fact that he needs to do this because of his Teacher’s request, but he isn’t expecting anything different.

But what he gets is vastly different! Not because of the large number of fish that they end up catching, but the realization of why they caught that many of Who it really is that was with them. The fact that Jesus commands fish and waves and boats and weather and everything. The fact that this Jesus – Who is right there in the boat with them – is holy; and he isn’t. The unexpected realization and encounter with his own sinfulness and Jesus’ holiness. “Depart from me, Lord, because I am a sinful man,” he says. That was unexpected. We were just going out and doing some fishing and hanging out. “Depart from me, Lord, because I am a sinful man.”

But the story doesn’t end there. The story ends with Jesus comforting Simon saying “Do not be afraid! From now on you will be catching people!” Another unexpected twist! Another different – wonderful ending! It doesn’t end with Peter’s sinfulness. It ends with Jesus using Peter despite his sinfulness because of Jesus’ holiness.

God uses us too. Even when we’re unholy; when we’re sinful; when we’re far away: He makes the unexpected expected. Because of Jesus’ holiness, we are forgiven and no longer sinners. We are no longer stuck with an unfruitful bounty, but rather bountiful in His harvest, in His catch, and what He desires of us.

Jesus has saved us and forgiven us and now He uses us to share Him for unexpected results for everyone else. Praise the Lord!

Scriptures

• Luke 5:1-11
• Psalm 138