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5^th Sunday after Trinity – June 30^th, 2024 Trinity Lutheran Church, Block, Kansas Rev. Joshua Woelmer Text: Luke 5:1–11 “Fishers of Men” Theme: Jesus brings us into his Church by catching us in his net of the Gospel. Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God our Father, and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. Jesus, I am convinced, knows nothing about fishing. At least, not according to human wisdom. The disciples especially were confused at Jesus’s fishing methods, and I think we would be confused as well. Now, I’m sure that there are a number of guys in this congregation who go hunting and fishing. I’m sure that you probably know where all the good spots are to fish at. You can find catfish, crappie, bass, or trout. But, you’ve got to us the right combination of hook, bait, and depth. Perhaps you’ve tested a lot of different combinations, and you know what catches just the fish you’re looking for. You also know when and where to fish—when they are feeding and where they are likely to be found. And, when children or grandchildren come fishing with you, you teach them precisely what to do to catch the biggest fish. But if you took Jesus fishing, he would probably say something like, “Ditch everything you know—fish during the day, in the middle of the lake, and use a net instead of a fishing rod. We want to catch everything that’s down there.” It would make no sense, and indeed, you would be right—if we were catching fish. Jesus, however, has a different catch in mind. In our Gospel reading for today, Jesus wants to give us a picture of what it’s like to fish for men. In fact, Jesus ignores the “proven methods” that most people might think would get people in church these days. Jesus has come to catch not just a particular group of people to become believers, but he tries to catch all by his Gospel. So after Jesus finishes teaching the people, he asks Simon Peter to go fishing. He tells them to “put out into the deep and let down [their] nets for a catch” (Luke 5:4). But, to any fisherman in Judea this would make no sense. Everyone did their fishing at night, and usually in the shallows, where the fish would be feeding. Jesus was insisting on going out into the deep waters and fishing during the day! It made no sense—if they couldn’t catch anything in the night before, even with their life-long knowledge of fishing in the Sea of Gennesaret, how could you go into the deep waters during the day and expect to do better? But, the tired fishermen did what he asked, absolutely sure that nothing short of a miracle would give them any fish. Well, a miracle is what they got. Their nets became so full of fish that they threatened to break. The men had to signal to their friends to come over and split the catch into two boats! These boats, about to sink, caused alarm among these fishermen. They were about to be swamped—literally! Peter recognized what Jesus had done and fell on his knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord” (8). Note that he goes from calling Jesus just “master” to “Lord.” This shows that Peter and the others recognize the power of Jesus, and are starting to realize who he is. Though they recognize his deeds now, they don’t yet understand the greater significance behind these deeds. This would come later. For Jesus is telling them that he brings people into the Church in the same way that they caught these fish. The Gospel is like the net—it is the good news that He, Jesus, has come into our sinful world to call us to repentance and to save us by his cross and resurrection. This net is the message that saves—it draws us, the fish, out of the sea of chaos and sin into the boat. Just so does the Gospel draw us out of our sin and into his Church. This happened at our Baptism and continues to save us even today. Furthermore, this net of the Gospel catches all kinds of people, for that is its purpose. It catches old and young, rich and poor, and all numbers of unexpected people. This is what God wants. God does not fish with a fishing rod and bait. He wants to draw all to himself. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” (Rom 3:23) but yet “*For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever* believes in him should not perish but have eternal life**” (John 3:16). God reaches out to everybody, that you may be saved. But this is contrary to our worldly wisdom. This is not the way the world works. The world catches people by putting them into groups and selecting just the right bait for each group. The world knows all the best fishing spots, bait, depth, and time of day to fish each group of people. Advertisers have this down to a science. They know the trends and styles and desires of each age group and tailor their ads to fit their target audience. We all know that the Cartoon Network ads are very different from those during sports games or daytime TV. They are trying to reach a particular group of people with their product. Unfortunately, many churches have followed down this road. They fish in the part of the pond where the young and wealthy swim. Their bait is a message of feel-good pop-philosophy, and they drop it to a very shallow depth. They try to make the Gospel into a sales pitch for you to buy into. They think that you need to attract people to church with something that they need. They fish for success through popular advertising and branding techniques, but they despise anything that looks old or useless. They don’t see value in history, tradition, the liturgy, or hymnody. As it turns out, they will throw out even the Gospel itself in favor of social justice messaging. Their worldly wisdom has led many of them away from preaching the simple message of Christ that is found in the Bible, God’s Word. And yet it is precisely this, Christ’s Word, which will prevail in this world of chaos and sin. For Jesus shows us how to catch people. Remember what happened at the beginning of the Gospel lesson? A crowd gathered at the seashore to hear the word of God. They wanted to hear about God’s will and the way of salvation. There were so many people that Jesus got into Peter’s boat, pushed off from the shore a bit, and sat down to preach. We don’t know what exactly Jesus’ message was to these people. No doubt it was the message of his entire ministry: that he has come to save sinners by dying and rising again. This message continues to save all who hear and believe it. Jesus died on the cross for the forgiveness of sins, and he rose again that we might have life in him. He gives us this salvation every Sunday in Word and Sacrament. He has sent the Holy Spirit to catch us by the Gospel, pull us into the Church, and protect us there. The church had this in mind when it called the place where you are sitting a “nave”—Latin for “boat”—for you are sitting safe inside the boat, inside the nave. This then is our message too. It is for all. It is for your next-door neighbor as it is for those on the far corners of the world. God casts this net of the Gospel to catch every kind of fish. And it does exactly what God has given it to do—it saves people by pointing them to Jesus. The first fishers of men were his own disciples. Our text tells us that Peter, James, and John left behind their boats and nets and everything, and followed Jesus. Though these men had been terrified and astonished at what they had seen, nevertheless Jesus called them to be his disciples. These men and nine others would follow Jesus for three years, learning the Gospel and how to deliver it. They would see the Gospel at work, not only as Jesus taught and healed, but especially as Jesus died on the cross. They witnessed his resurrected body, and testified about the truth of Jesus’ resurrection. These men would then write much of Holy Scripture. We should interpret this passage to certainly be a call for some to enter the ministry. Just like God through Elijah called Elisha, and Jesus called twelve disciples, God continues this work of calling and ministry to this day. But this does not mean that there is no work for you, the disciples who have been caught by the message of Christ. On the contrary. There are so many ways by which you can be fishers of men too. Raising children and grandchildren is a way of casting your nets to those close to you. Talking with coworkers and sharing the good news with those around you is commendable. Offering to pray for those in distress can be an opening to the Gospel. Your good works support and encourage the Church. And sometimes, our work will not result in what we might expect. There may be people who you would least expect to believe who do—they may be part of that multitude of fish that are caught. This is what Jesus does. He does not follow worldly wisdom and only fish at night, with special bait, and in just the right place. He does not fish just for the powerful or rich. Jesus fishes with a net, for he has come to save all, especially you. He has caught you and many others with the Gospel, and he brings you into the Church through Baptism, where there is life and salvation. He also has sent out his fishermen to preach the Gospel and do the tasks that he has given to them. May we receive the pure Gospel now and always with faith unto salvation. Now may the peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Amen. Return to Top \| Return to Sermons \| Home \| Email Church Office

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5^th Sunday after Trinity – June 30^th, 2024

Trinity Lutheran Church, Block, Kansas

Rev. Joshua Woelmer

Text: Luke 5:1–11

“Fishers of Men”

Theme: Jesus brings us into his Church by catching us in his net of the Gospel.

Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God our Father, and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

Jesus, I am convinced, knows nothing about fishing. At least, not according to human wisdom. The disciples especially were confused at Jesus’s fishing methods, and I think we would be confused as well. Now, I’m sure that there are a number of guys in this congregation who go hunting and fishing. I’m sure that you probably know where all the good spots are to fish at.

You can find catfish, crappie, bass, or trout. But, you’ve got to us the right combination of hook, bait, and depth. Perhaps you’ve tested a lot of different combinations, and you know what catches just the fish you’re looking for. You also know when and where to fish—when they are feeding and where they are likely to be found. And, when children or grandchildren come fishing with you, you teach them precisely what to do to catch the biggest fish.

But if you took Jesus fishing, he would probably say something like, “Ditch everything you know—fish during the day, in the middle of the lake, and use a net instead of a fishing rod. We want to catch everything that’s down there.” It would make no sense, and indeed, you would be right—if we were catching fish. Jesus, however, has a different catch in mind.

In our Gospel reading for today, Jesus wants to give us a picture of what it’s like to fish for men. In fact, Jesus ignores the “proven methods” that most people might think would get people in church these days. Jesus has come to catch not just a particular group of people to become believers, but he tries to catch all by his Gospel.

So after Jesus finishes teaching the people, he asks Simon Peter to go fishing. He tells them to “put out into the deep and let down [their] nets for a catch” (Luke 5:4). But, to any fisherman in Judea this would make no sense. Everyone did their fishing at night, and usually in the shallows, where the fish would be feeding. Jesus was insisting on going out into the deep waters and fishing during the day! It made no sense—if they couldn’t catch anything in the night before, even with their life-long knowledge of fishing in the Sea of Gennesaret, how could you go into the deep waters during the day and expect to do better? But, the tired fishermen did what he asked, absolutely sure that nothing short of a miracle would give them any fish.

Well, a miracle is what they got. Their nets became so full of fish that they threatened to break. The men had to signal to their friends to come over and split the catch into two boats! These boats, about to sink, caused alarm among these fishermen. They were about to be swamped—literally! Peter recognized what Jesus had done and fell on his knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord” (8). Note that he goes from calling Jesus just “master” to “Lord.”

This shows that Peter and the others recognize the power of Jesus, and are starting to realize who he is. Though they recognize his deeds now, they don’t yet understand the greater significance behind these deeds. This would come later. For Jesus is telling them that he brings people into the Church in the same way that they caught these fish. The Gospel is like the net—it is the good news that He, Jesus, has come into our sinful world to call us to repentance and to save us by his cross and resurrection. This net is the message that saves—it draws us, the fish, out of the sea of chaos and sin into the boat. Just so does the Gospel draw us out of our sin and into his Church. This happened at our Baptism and continues to save us even today.

Furthermore, this net of the Gospel catches all kinds of people, for that is its purpose. It catches old and young, rich and poor, and all numbers of unexpected people. This is what God wants. God does not fish with a fishing rod and bait. He wants to draw all to himself. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” (Rom 3:23) but yet “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). God reaches out to everybody, that you may be saved.

But this is contrary to our worldly wisdom. This is not the way the world works. The world catches people by putting them into groups and selecting just the right bait for each group. The world knows all the best fishing spots, bait, depth, and time of day to fish each group of people. Advertisers have this down to a science. They know the trends and styles and desires of each age group and tailor their ads to fit their target audience. We all know that the Cartoon Network ads are very different from those during sports games or daytime TV. They are trying to reach a particular group of people with their product.

Unfortunately, many churches have followed down this road. They fish in the part of the pond where the young and wealthy swim. Their bait is a message of feel-good pop-philosophy, and they drop it to a very shallow depth. They try to make the Gospel into a sales pitch for you to buy into. They think that you need to attract people to church with something that they need. They fish for success through popular advertising and branding techniques, but they despise anything that looks old or useless. They don’t see value in history, tradition, the liturgy, or hymnody. As it turns out, they will throw out even the Gospel itself in favor of social justice messaging.

Their worldly wisdom has led many of them away from preaching the simple message of Christ that is found in the Bible, God’s Word. And yet it is precisely this, Christ’s Word, which will prevail in this world of chaos and sin.

For Jesus shows us how to catch people. Remember what happened at the beginning of the Gospel lesson? A crowd gathered at the seashore to hear the word of God. They wanted to hear about God’s will and the way of salvation. There were so many people that Jesus got into Peter’s boat, pushed off from the shore a bit, and sat down to preach.

We don’t know what exactly Jesus’ message was to these people. No doubt it was the message of his entire ministry: that he has come to save sinners by dying and rising again. This message continues to save all who hear and believe it. Jesus died on the cross for the forgiveness of sins, and he rose again that we might have life in him. He gives us this salvation every Sunday in Word and Sacrament. He has sent the Holy Spirit to catch us by the Gospel, pull us into the Church, and protect us there. The church had this in mind when it called the place where you are sitting a “nave”—Latin for “boat”—for you are sitting safe inside the boat, inside the nave.

This then is our message too. It is for all. It is for your next-door neighbor as it is for those on the far corners of the world. God casts this net of the Gospel to catch every kind of fish. And it does exactly what God has given it to do—it saves people by pointing them to Jesus.

The first fishers of men were his own disciples. Our text tells us that Peter, James, and John left behind their boats and nets and everything, and followed Jesus. Though these men had been terrified and astonished at what they had seen, nevertheless Jesus called them to be his disciples. These men and nine others would follow Jesus for three years, learning the Gospel and how to deliver it. They would see the Gospel at work, not only as Jesus taught and healed, but especially as Jesus died on the cross. They witnessed his resurrected body, and testified about the truth of Jesus’ resurrection. These men would then write much of Holy Scripture.

We should interpret this passage to certainly be a call for some to enter the ministry. Just like God through Elijah called Elisha, and Jesus called twelve disciples, God continues this work of calling and ministry to this day.

But this does not mean that there is no work for you, the disciples who have been caught by the message of Christ. On the contrary. There are so many ways by which you can be fishers of men too. Raising children and grandchildren is a way of casting your nets to those close to you. Talking with coworkers and sharing the good news with those around you is commendable. Offering to pray for those in distress can be an opening to the Gospel. Your good works support and encourage the Church. And sometimes, our work will not result in what we might expect. There may be people who you would least expect to believe who do—they may be part of that multitude of fish that are caught.

This is what Jesus does. He does not follow worldly wisdom and only fish at night, with special bait, and in just the right place. He does not fish just for the powerful or rich. Jesus fishes with a net, for he has come to save all, especially you. He has caught you and many others with the Gospel, and he brings you into the Church through Baptism, where there is life and salvation. He also has sent out his fishermen to preach the Gospel and do the tasks that he has given to them. May we receive the pure Gospel now and always with faith unto salvation.

Now may the peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Amen.

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