LET'S GET INTO THE FISHING BUSINESS!

      When the crowds began to press in, Jesus stepped into one of the boats he saw on the shore and proclaimed the word of God to them. Then he told Simon to put his boat out into the deep water for a catch. Simon and the others had been fishing all night. They knew what they were doing. They were tired, but Simon did what he was told to do, saying, "Master... if you say so, I will let down the nets." It was against his own judgement, it seems, but when he let down the nets, "they caught so many fish that their nets were beginning to break!" So, they signaled their partners in another boat to help them and together, they filled both boats with fish- to the point that they were beginning to sink! It was amazing. It was a "God-thing," an Epiphany for sure, Simon thought... and in the manner of Isaiah, he cried out, "Lord, go away, for I am a sinful man." What do you do with an epiphany? How do you act when you've seen the Lord? Well, Simon literally fell down in awe (where the word includes both wonder and fear). Don't be afraid, Jesus said, "from now on you will be catching people!" So, they brought their boats back to the shore, left them and the fish that filled them, and followed Jesus!
      This is a "call" story. It's an "epiphany" story. It a story of trust and obedience. It's a story of how God's blessings can change our lives. Finally, it's a tale about fishing- fishing for the tilapia, sardines, and carp that were in the Sea of Galilee- and fishing for people. ICTHUS- the sign of the fish, which we see on bumpers and in Christian bookstores. It stands for Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior, and its foundation lies in this fishing story... and in Christ's Great Commission for us to make disciples of all people! Yes, we're called to the fishing business and our aim is to catch people. But most Christians, and certainly most mainline Christians, don't want to catch people. They don't want to be in the fishing business. It's a distasteful thing in their view- intrusive, manipulative, and a bit unsavory. ICTHUS. When I think of the "E word," I think about Greg, who was one of two men who joined me for Bible Study when I first became a Christian. Greg was fundamental in his beliefs and his actions. He prayed over his brother when he came home drunk time and time again; he prayed over his car when it didn't start, and he often asked Jewish co-workers if they "knew Jesus as their personal Savior." I could hardly believe Greg's courage, but the "E word" also reminds me of Pastor Lu, who invited me to join his evangelism committee when I joined his church. I soon discovered why he and I were the only two members of the evangelism committee... because we walked around neighborhoods in Omaha, NE. and asked total strangers if they were sure that they would go to heaven if they died that very night. Surprisingly, Greg was never fired and I was never thrown out of anyone's home, but I developed a healthy respect for those who "fish" in this way.
      Oh, the "E" word. How can we make disciples of all nations without irritating all of our relatives and most of our neighbors? Well, let me suggest that we do our  "fishing" through invitation, story, and service. Let me begin with story because we all have a story. I had a rough beginning and an addiction; some people have experienced divorce or abandonment; some people are lonely because they've lost a loved one; some people were disoriented because they were laid-off, downsized, or fired; some people- some of the wealthiest people I've known- are "empty;" some people- many people- believe that others wouldn't love them if they knew them; some people, even in our time, haven't heard the good news; some people have been broken by bad experiences and disappointment. I could go on, of course, but my point is this: we can tell them what our Lord and our faith has done for us. "I know what you mean," we can say; "I've been there," we can say, "and God gave me a new beginning, or a loving community, or a purpose for living"! If Jesus has amazed us with the blessings we've had, if we've had an Epiphany, we can tell others about it. We can tell others, across our kitchen tables, across our office desks, at the cafe downtown, or at a bar somewhere... that God has saved us from the demons that had a hold on us.
      We can all tell our stories. We don't need a degree or a clerical collar to do that, and we can invite others to come and see what Jesus can do for them. We can tell them about the number of fish we caught when we trusted Jesus and we can invite them to come and see for themselves. If you believe that God is moving in this place, invite others to come and see; if you believe that God has blessed us with a love that transcends our differences (and I know that you do), you can invite others to come and experience God's love for themselves; if you've found meaning in one or more of our ministries- the Resale Shop, Quilting for Valor, feeding the hungry with food boxes, calling on those who are shut-in or shut-away for any number of reasons, you can invite others to come and experience that joy and purpose for themselves; if you think that we're preaching the gospel in ways that are faithful and relevant, invite others to come and see if they agree! We can fish by telling our stories and inviting others to come and see, but we can also make disciples by ministering to them in Christ's name. Actions can speak more loudly than words and if we do what Jesus would do, or what he did, when we meet someone who is thirsty, hungry, wounded, ill, broken, blind, or chained... we will be "catching people" for Christ because those who received God's love from us will have experienced an epiphany from God!
      One of my interests in my post-graduate studies was church growth and I learned a lot about it over the years. I know about targeted mailers, large signs, guest speakers and musicians, and fellowship events that draw people in... and I've used them. But here's what I've discovered- every community that gets into the fishing business... must fish in ways that are authentic to them and to their stories. And for us, as we sit in a small, settled town, this means that our fishing will have to come from personal stories about our own faith journeys. We won't be able to purchase the wonderful sign that we purchased in Peoria and again in Rock Island... but we can tell others how great our God is and we can invite them, in small clusters and one by one, to come and see what Christ can do for them! If we put our boats out deep and let our nets down- if we risk a little in faith- we may discover that God has planned to bless us all along. Amen.