He certainly had a way about him.
If nothing else he could draw a crowd whenever he had something to say.
And beyond that - there was always the unexpected, even shocking way that he could get beyond your defences, under your skin, and right inside of you.

But, hey, that's getting ahead of myself.

The event begins at the side of a lake. Teaching time, from the man whom people had identified as someone who taught with authority - with a different air about him than their run-of-the-mill religious grand poo-ba's. Such a crowd assembles to drink in what he has to say that an impromptu stage is needed.
Boat will do.
Kind of odd. Bit wobbly, but hey - whatever. Right? It worked.

Bible doesn't tell us too much about what Jesus taught. That's not the issue. At least not here. Other places and times for that. Here we reach a level beyond teaching. A deeper level. And I'm not talking water depth.

This isn't a lesson that's aimed for the masses.
We're heading into some very personal stuff. Aimed at one man, really -- and I believe that in this one man we see something very personal
not aimed as some brain-oriented teaching for the masses for the bunch of us sitting here this evening. But rather, something aimed individually and personally at each of us.

The crowd disperses, and Jesus turns his attention to Simon. After a night of hard fishing, and some time of listening to the sermon, Simon would have been a sight. His nets needed cleaning. He needed cleaning. Besides - he's a bit disappointed. Maybe kinda grumpy. After all - no fish. And, as was the case, no fish = no food.

Now, stuff happens - so go home, get some rest and try again tonight.
But then the words:
"Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch."
We who have read the bible enough know that Jesus never just asks someone to do something for the sake of being busy. There's generally something up.
Like here.

Bible only gives us a hint, but I can't help but wonder what all went on in Simon's mind.

You know how it is when someone who hasn't a clue what they're talking about tries to tell you what to do, right?
I mean - Simon's a fisherman. Wasn't born yesterday. Logged many hours on the water. He knew fish. How they ran. When. Where. When to call it a day and quit.
Jesus - he's a carpenter. And lately his callouses were getting soft, he was spending so much time teaching.

"Master, we worked hard all night and caught nothing." Simon is saying, "Thanks for asking. But hey -- I may not know much else, but fishing I know. When they ain't there, they ain't there. Period. You teach. I'll fish. Deal?"
".... Ah, ok. As a favour to you, I'll give it one more try. Just for you."
And the rest, as they say......

You read how the thing goes.
See, while Simon Peter knew how to catch the fish, he didn't really understand that Jesus controlled the fish. The Son of God, who was with the Father when the Great Creating Word was given, has power over the fish -- where they run,
when, where... and how to turn a catchless day into a breath taking one.

Result is that Simon and all his buddies are held captive by the huge catch of fish. Standing ankle deep in water and fish, their boats almost sinking before their eyes, their hearts are gripped with a strange kind of fear.
"Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!"

What happened to Simon is sort of like what happens to you when you paint your house. I just went through that in my kitchen. Had some walls there that I wasn't sure if they were white, or ivory, or light yellow or what. Till some clean, clear white got put up beside them - and come to realize that the wall isn't white at all.

Or like how you don't notice how faded your shirts have become until you see a bright, new, colourful fabric, and it is obvious how dinghy your clothes are.

When we come face to face with God, when our lives are held up to the light of God's holiness, suddenly our sinfulness becomes obvious.
It did to Simon.

His words sound like the words of others in Scripture:
"Now behold, I have ventured to speak to the Lord, although I am but dust and ashes," said Abraham (Gen.18:27);

"I have heard of Thee by the hearing of the ear; but now my eyes sees Thee; therefore I retract and I repent in dust and ashes," said Job (42:5-7);

"Woe is me for I am ruined! Because I am a man of unclean lips...for my eyes have seen the King of the Lord of Hosts," said Isaiah (6:5);

and finally, the words of the apostle John,
"When I saw Him, I fell at His feet as a dead man" (Rev.1:17).

Simon -
"Go away from me Lord; I am a sinful man."

Peter was a strong person, a powerful presence of a man. He was a good fisherman and a natural leader. But no matter how much or how good..... no matter how white it all seemed, when up against a sampling of the glorious power of God everything suddenly seems dirty;
it all seemed faded, ragged.

Peter - quite frankly - gets a bit scared.
He knows this power is bigger than himself.
He knows it can easily crush him.
He wonders that he still stands alive.
Thoroughly cut down, he begs for mercy. He confesses his unworthiness.

But - amazing grace - it doesn't end there.
No more than, as we saw this morning, it ended for the prodigal son in some far-off pig pen.

When the power of God enters a person's life, it doesn't just display and leave.
And it doesn't come like some teacher to simply wow and amaze.
It comes to impact, to change, to direct a person's life.

So it was for Simon
The words of Jesus come to him, "Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people."
 
 

"Do not be afraid."
What did Jesus mean? That Peter was not to be afraid of Him? Perhaps so, but maybe even deeper, "Don't be afraid of bringing yourself - as you are, who you are - into my presence."

Jesus isn't telling Peter, and He's not telling us, that he or we should overlook or poo poo the stains, the torn and worn spots, the ragged edges - the sin - in our lives.
That the holiness of God reveals them in us; that we see them and mourn because of them -
that is a necessary and a good thing.

BUT

Never allow those sin-stained parts of our lives to become tools in the hands of the devil, whose only desire and goal is to wrench us as far away from the Lord as possible; to fragment and destroy our relationship with Him; to isolate and then devour us.

Never allow Satan to plant and leave thoughts in your mind which say, "I'm nothing. There is nothing in me that would be of use to the Lord. Maybe the next person can make God smile, but not me. If I get in at all, it will be by the skin of my teeth."

Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 12:9 "And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me."
 
 

As individuals, as a church community - we can focus on and get all bent out of shape about our weakness, about our shallow and damaged elements. And if we do - we'll be tempted to say, "surely, there is no way that God is using me. There's no way He can use me. I don't even know why I bother. Why even try? Maybe better to quit."
 
 

Which is where the gracious good news comes from the lips of Jesus:
"Don't be afraid; from now on you will catch men."

A fisher for men.
You know what's happening, don't you? Jesus is zeroing in on Simon right in his home turf. See - this isn't the first time that Simon has experienced Jesus performing a miracle. Luke 4 tells about Jesus healing Simon's mother in law. But there we see no response of amazement.
Why?
I think it's because that was still a little away, a bit arm's length so to speak. But here Jesus digs right in and gets to the heart of Simon the fisherman. Previous miracles had occurred outside Peter's realm of experience, but this miracle took place in his own backyard, as it were.

He encountered Jesus through fishing.
As one person put it, If Simon was a consultant, Jesus would have said, "You will help people sort out their problems."
If Simon was an athlete, Jesus would have said, "You will win for Jesus Christ."
If Simon was a soldier, Jesus would have said, "You will destroy your enemies and protect the innocent."
If Simon was a cook, Jesus would have said, "From now on you will cook eternal food."
If Simon was a teacher, Jesus would have said, "You will change the minds of people and teach virgin minds eternal truths."
If Simon was a banker, Jesus would have said, "You will pile up eternal treasure, and teach others to do the same with incredible interest, 30 times, 60 times, a hundred times."
Jesus called Simon individually and personally.

He calls each of us differently.
What would Jesus say to you?
What is the divine call in your life?

"From now on, you will catch men."
In the original language it means something like "from now on you will catch them alive."
You're not just going to catch them.
You're going to catch them alive. Save them!
Only twice is this word used in NT. The other occasion is 2 Tim. 2:26.
"and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will." (2 Timothy 2:26)

Satan's desire is to drag people down and destroy them - you, me, everyone.
Captive.
Jesus' desire is to come that people may have life, and have it most abundantly (John 10.10).

The awesome task of plucking people from the nets of Satan and bringing them into the boat of Christ, into His community of people here on earth known as the Church - that awesome task is given to those who fall on their knees before Jesus
fully aware of their own impurity
fully aware of His sovereign greatness
seeing Him as teacher, yes....
.... but much more than that ---- as Lord.
and humbly submitting to Him.

For Simon the metaphor is fishing.
Maybe here at Calvin Jesus would say, "Don't be afraid; from now on you will be reprogramming people....... Don't be afraid; from now on you will be designing new life policy for people......"

Used by Jesus to enter the lives of others, build contacts with them, hook into their lives, and draw them to the Lord. Snatching them out of the nets of Satan.
That was Simon's task.
That remains our task in life.
Personally, and as a church community.

If a passion to see lost people saved dies; if there is no concern about loved ones wandering away from Christ; if there is no great celebration when young people stand up and commit themselves publically for Jesus; if there is no passion for guiding our little ones into a life of discipleship -
- then people, we are missing the boat completely.

We may be doing all kinds of other things.
But if you and I are not involved in the lives of others, helping people enter a closer and more committed relationship with Jesus, then we're missing the whole point of what Jesus wants for His followers.
 
 

As one wag said in a moment of boldness:
You can go to all kinds of clinics about fishing. You can buy the best fishing gear. You can have meetings about fishing in fancy boat houses. You can learn all the right casting techniques. You can train other people to fish, and marvel when they come back with stories about the fish they have caught. You can share good moments with other fishermen or debate policy and proper procedure about fishing companies..........
...... but if at the end of the day you've not helped to catch any fish, well...... can you still be called a fisherman?

"And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and
followed Him."

These men, Simon, Andrew, James and John, had been following Jesus since the days of John the Baptist in the wilderness. But their commitment to our Lord's life and purpose was as yet incomplete. They followed him and served him as it was convenient, as it fit their personal schedules.
Their hearts up to now were divided between work and following him.

Now, however, they see what really matters.
All that matters.
Something far bigger than any boatload of fish, bigger than any economic or social success.

A new week, a new season lies ahead of us.
We follow in the paths of Simon.
Holy God speaks to us,
the community that wants to glorify Him, the community called to bring the life changing message of Christ to our neighbours as well as each other.
- remember the words of Calvin's mission statement?

As the angels in heaven watch this coming week, what sort of response will they see........ from you?