Christ Lutheran Church

1701 Arroyo Chamiso

Santa Fe, NM 87505-4775

(505) 983-9461

church@clcsantafe.com

  

Sunday, February 07, 2010
Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany

 

GOSPEL: 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, 2he saw two boats there at the shore of the lake; the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. 3He 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. 4When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch." 5Simon answered, "Master, we have worked all night long but have caught nothing. Yet if you say so, I will let down the nets." 6When they had done this, they caught so many fish that their nets were beginning to break. 7So 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. 8But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, "Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!" 9For he and all who were with him were amazed at the catch of fish that they had taken; 10and 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." 11When they had brought their boats to shore, they left everything and followed him.

 

Deep Water

 

+ In nomine Domini.  Amen.

Many years ago before I realized I was allergic to the chlorine in the water, I used to get up early in the morning, drive to one of our city swimming pools and swim laps.

It was a wonderful experience for me, very calming and soothing to be in the water and I got some exercise to boot.

Now you need to know that in those days I wore contact lenses, and of course before I got into the pool I would remove them, put on my aerodynamic lap goggles and off I would go.

One day I forgot to take out my lenses, but the goggles did their job and no water got into my eyes.  I was just about in the middle of the first lap when all of a sudden as I turned my head downward at the end of the stroke I was struck with terror and stopped swimming, then turned toward the side of the pool and swam there as fast as I could.  The lifeguard on duty came over to me as I was hanging on the side and said, “Sir, are you okay?”

And I said to him, “Do you realize how deep this pool is over at this end?”

The poor young man looked strangely at this crazed Lutheran Pastor and said, “Well … yes, that’s why it’s called the deep end.”

You see, my whole life, because of my near-sightedness, I had never seen the bottom of the pool.  Sure I know the numbers said 8 or 10 or 12 … but they meant nothing to me, because for me, the pool was always about 4 feet deep … that’s the way it looked to me.

Well, you can imagine what a joke I became to the morning lap swimmers, but in their humour they were pretty supportive … especially those younger than me, and they encouraged me to keep going and they would sometimes keep pace with me in the next lane just to make sure I was not going to freak out again at the deep end of the pool.

And in time, I discovered that there was a beauty to that deep water … a kind of calmness of depth (if you will), a place where I seemed to swim better and better, a place where I knew that my fears were somehow laid aside in the beauty of the deepness of the water.

+++

We have just two Sundays left before Lent begins: this Sunday and next week.  In our pursuit of the Gospel of Luke this year, the Epiphany portions we are reading contain the story you just heard –sometimes called “The Great Catch of Fish” and next week story where we will hear Luke’s dazzling account of the Transfiguration.

It’s interesting that this year, the Year of Luke, Year Three in our Three-Year Lectionary … it’s interesting that these two stories conclude the season … because they are not only fascinating stories, but because they engage us in matters of life and faith.

IN today’s story, Jesus – in an effort to remove himself from the crowds, gets into one of two fishing boats on the Sea of Galilee (called by Luke the Lake of the Gennesaret).   The boat happens to belong to Simon (Peter) … of course.

It’s the style of the Gospel Writer Luke.  When things are getting tense or difficult or preposterous or dangerous or just plain interesting … there we find Simon Peter.

I want you to hear this Gospel read from Eugene Peterson’s translation.  Peterson, a biblical scholar and one time teacher of Hebrew and Greek at Pittsburg Theological Seminary, then a parish pastor for many years, and now retired … has produced a translation of the Bible which you may have already seen, and if not, you should acquire a copy … called The Message: The Bible in Contemporary Language.

Here is Peterson’s version of today’s Gospel:

(Luke 5.1-11 from The Message)

It’s a story of Deep Water, did you hear that?

“Push out into deep water …”

Why?  Well for one reason, there aren’t a lot of fish just sitting along the beach waiting for you to pick them up; and there aren’t that many in the shallow places either … you have to go out into the deep water because that is where the fish are.

But there’s another thing about deep water.  It’s symbolic, and it washes (if you will) through the whole story.

Deep Water is scary, it can be treacherous, it can also be calm, but it is a place beyond the comfort of most people.  You can sink in the deep water, you could drown, you could be lost … but yet, it’s where the fish are.

Peter – realizing that something rather holy and beyond himself is taking place …just wants Jesus to leave him alone … “I’m a sinner,” he says in front of a man who obviously is holier than he is, “I can’t handle this, leave me to myself.”

Ah!  Leave me to myself … that’s where most of us would like to be would we not?  Not in Deep Water, but on the shore, safe, watching others out there.

It’s why we have such a hard beginning whenever we do something new or difficult in the congregation …

Feed 70 – 80 men and women each night for a week?!  You’ve got to be kidding Pastor!

And then we move into the Deep Water and find ourselves healing the world just a bit.

Serve behind the Altar with you Pastor!  Ah, but then you take the step and move into the Deep Water and here you are in an ancient role that helps us pray.

Fill out my pledge card?! Sign up on the Time and Talent?!

Shall we add …

Follow Jesus?!

Come to Services?!

Love my neighbor?!  

Yes, it’s all Deep Water, but that’s where the ministry is … that’s where the need lies … and if we believe anything about today’s Gospel Story … that’s where Jesus is.

You will notice that every time in the Gospels, every time there is work to be done, Jesus is out ahead of his followers leading them to it.

Come on Peter, come on James, come on John … Come on Mary, Martha … let’s go, let’s be moving, let’s be living, let’s be loving.

And so he says to us.  Be the church, be my body in the world, follow me into the places where you are most needed, and live and love and heal the world’s injuries … because that is the Good News.

Let us pray.  Loving God, set us free to experience your abiding presence.  Form us in your love.  Send us to serve in the Deep Water of this world.  And always … be with us.  Amen.

The Rev. Benjamin Larzelere III

Pastor

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