✠ Psalmody: Psalm 27:7a, 9b; 1a; Psalm 84:9a, 8a; Psalm 31:1–2a; Psalm 16:7a, 8; Psalm 27:4ab
✠ Lection: 1 Kings 19:11–21; 1 Peter 3:8–15a; Luke 5:1–11
In the Name of the Father and of the ✠ Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Come, oh blessed multitude, and press about Jesus to hear the word of God. Alleluia! His strong word cleaves the darkness of the chaotic world in which we swim as well as that of the shroud of sin, doubt, and shame that so heavily and relentlessly try to cloak our living minds and hearts. Our dear Jesus delights in giving to us that which we need, namely, His blessed word that washes away the filth, the troubles, the worries, the hopelessness, the sadness, and it grows to be a verdant pasture for us, His sheep. In the Old Testament activity of God’s holy temple, the high priest’s robe would jingle giving off sweet sound of indication that the one anointed and sent by God was walking among the people, coming to fulfill his merciful duties of mediation in divine service. Better than bell upon the ear were Christ Jesus’ words that He spoke as He walked among us in the flesh, loving, warning, teaching as One with authority, for it He has indeed possessed from eternity. Those who hear Jesus press about Him to hear more, because once it is discovered the might that He carries in His hand and the mercy that He speaks with His mouth, living hearts look for every rising of this Sun of Righteousness to receive what He gives anew every morning.
All, He gladly gives. He does not withhold Himself from those who seek Him. Thus, by the expansive waters of the lake in Luke chapter five, He got into one of the fishermen’s boats and asked to be put out a little from the land so that He could give more to those who asked. This reflects the unity of heart within the Holy Trinity when the Son’s desire to come to His people to save them from their sins was fulfilled in the Father’s sending Him forth with gladness. And the Son sat down in that little boat as it bobbed, tossed, and rocked upon the unsteady nature of the water and He taught the multitudes from the boat, which was Simon’s. The fisherman-turned-apostle assisted in all this according to Christ’s Word, and once the word of teaching was finished, the Lord confirmed what He had said with a miracle, similar to how signs and wonders accompanied the apostles’ teaching after Pentecost as they were witnesses to Christ in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.
We are beneficiaries of their sacred, noble acts, of their faithful witness to Christ and His Word, of their writings left so that we, too, may press about Jesus by not despising preaching and His word, but by holding it sacred and gladly hearing and learning it. The scene upon the lake with the fishermen is further biblical imagery of our merciful Creator saving some by means of an ark, albeit in this picture, a very, very little one, a fisherman’s vessel, not bearing eight souls and the entirety of the animal kingdom, but a few tired, hardworking men, and their Savior. It never matters the size of the boat so long as it is Christ Who dwells in it. Consider this place to which you come on the Lord’s Day, to press about Our Savior, to hear His Word, to receive true miracle from His hand as He has instituted. She’s a wee little boat, is she not? And yet, its size may fool many eyes, even your own, into thinking that the Treasure she bears upon the turbulent waters of life can’t be all that grand, well, because look at her. But by Christ’s Word, you know the truth. You know that the Priceless Treasure of Jesus that this boat carries for you is worth more than all the fleets crossing the great oceans carrying all our latest pleasures to the nearest mall, warehouse, or same-day distribution center. Even more precious than an oceanliner weighed down to near-sinking with endless stacks of bars of gold is this humble little boat where you taste heaven and the forgiveness poured out from within; eternal blessings of which neither gold nor silver can buy; eternal blessings whose worth in a but a single drop can nothing on earth ever compare. She may be a wee little one, but oh is she a blessed vessel for you to climb into time and time again!
Jesus is worth coming into this little nave, into this vessel of life. He is worth the risk, the time, the sacrifice, the effort of forsaking all and following Him. His word is sure and worthy of our faith, because Jesus doesn’t know how to be unfaithful like us. Thus, after His teaching, He set the miracle in motion with His word. “Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” St. Peter’s flesh, even his experience, knew better. It was a hopeless task. Primetime fishing ended at the daylight’s arrival. “Nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net,” Peter said. So, with fleshly reluctance, He listened to the Lord’s word more than he did even his own expert knowledge. He listened to the Lord more than the fatigue in his body from the labor of life. He listened to the Lord and the Lord showed that not only are men subject to Him, but also the sea, the waters, the fish, all of creation. At the most inopportune time, out of waters that often rage with creation’s fallenness and chaos, came forth a catch only He Who upholds all things by His word could produce, a great number of fish, gathered into the net, according to His word. Never undervalue Christ’s word nor the very boat in which He gives it, for its appearance is likely not to match the worth of Him Who captains it against the scorching heat, and against wind and the waves of earthly wisdom.
And the Church, whether in big or small boat form, must do battle alongside our Captain. When St. Peter and his crew had let down their nets, they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking. Again is an appearance that may deceive the faithless eye, for how can that which is meant to haul in Christ’s bounty continue on, how can it succeed, if it tears? Indeed, the nets were tearing that day, and even when the other boat came to help them, both boats then began to sink. Imminent failure appears in Christ’s Church, not because of Him, but because of false teachings, vexatious tears in what Jesus has instituted for good rescue into the boat. And even if the nets’ tears, the infighting among Christians, the abandonment of godly living, the love of this world more than the next, the apathy toward God even among Christians aren’t enough to discourage the weary and heavy-laden heart, the weight of such difficulties looks like it will all out sink our beloved boats.
But Christ never fails and not even the gates of Hell can prevail against His Church, much less the sins and failures of men. Jesus isn’t limited as we are nor is He unable to overcome troubles. Notice that He was in the boat the whole time the net was tearing and the boats began to sink. He is the reason that though trials may come through disregard, sabotage, disunity, or just plain laziness, what is put to use at Christ’s Word does not tear all the way through. His Word, and all that is built upon it, holds fast till the end. And to briefly consider the fulfillment that we in His boat have to look forward to, after Jesus’ glorious resurrection from the dead, the nets at the miraculous catch of fish in John 21 have no mention of tearing, thus giving to all believers an even more sure hope that after the resurrection of the dead, there will be no more false teaching, no more treachery, no more laziness, no more covetousness, no more ill-treatment of one another. There will be no more tears in Christ’s Holy Word; the blessed Word by which He gathers us into the eternal ark of Himself Who lives forevermore.
The same is witnessed in the sinking of the boats. They began to sink, but never became fully submerged. They endured. Christ never gave them over to the watery depths longing to breach their sides. Regardless of appearance, His Word was sure and to the land were all safely delivered, for that was the purpose of the Word He had sent forth; it did not return to Him void. Even if net tears and sinking signs show up in the small, humble boats like ours, even if the lack of impressive worldly features, size, or wealth tempt you at times to be hopeless, instead, look to Christ and do not be afraid, as He says, for this is His boat, and His word dwells richly in it for you. When the boat is under the command of Jesus, it shall fulfill His will, no matter the circumstance. Listen to His Word. Forsake all the temporary lure that your own eyes may seek to impose upon the saving boat of Christ, and follow Him. Allow not the tears in the Church’s net nor the fear nor the sensation of sinking cause you to despair, to be without a hope within you, or to cling with your heart onto temporal things, even if those things are blessings. Christ sends His word to catch you unto Himself forever. It begins as God in human flesh did. Here, in a place where He restores order to chaos; where we receive the ever-present, faithful benefit and calling of the Word of Him Who comes among us. Yes, even here; especially here; gloriously here. I was glad when they said to me, “let us go into the house of the Lord.” Blessed be God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. O come let us worship Him! O come, let us press upon Jesus!
In ✠ Jesus’ Name. Amen.
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