How Are We To Respond to Jesus?
Rev Dennis Ryle
The following is the full service. It was so good I have put the whole lot here!!!
Thankyou Dennis!
Welcome – today’s service is built around a set of lectionary slides provided by the Vanderbilt Library to which I have also added. The theme enhances the personal responses we make to Epiphany – particularly when an indescribable and unmistakable encounter calls us to life-changing decisions. We will reflect on a series of encounters in the Hebrew scriptures culminating in Luke’s account of Jesus and the fisherfolk hauling in a large catch of fish, the sign of their calling to a new direction.
In acknowledging the Whadjuk Noongar custodians past present and future of the country on which we meet, we make this more than a token gesture by taking a moment to relate this gesture of respect to our worship theme.
Let’s think about fishing. I’m not much of a fisher. My one and only foray into fishing was during my time at Fremantle. Frank invited me to a day out on the Derbal Yerrigan (Swan River) at Dyoondalup (off Point Walter). We launched out in Frank’s tinny and, much to my novice fascination, I took in quite a haul – of blowies!
Blowies are toxic to us newcomers. However, they are part of the Noongar menu. Known as Mangk, they can be prepared to eliminate toxins, thus providing a rich source of nutrition.
The Epiphany of the ancient ways of this land lead us to place of wonder and worship.
TiS 182 Bring Many Names
Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?" And I said, "Here am I; send me!“- Isaiah 6:8
Here begins the life changing summons to Isaiah – summoned to speak truth to his changing world where the corruption of power would eventually lead to the humbling of his own people. How to hold hope and promise while pointing out flaws and denouncing corrupt leadership. A daunting task to which one can only respond by answering deep and passionate conviction. Who will go? Here I am, send me.
Who can forget Bishop Budde’s clear, humble and compassionate call for mercy when addressing the 47th President of the United States. In his week of inauguration, she boldly asked him to mitigate Executive Orders that had a blanket impact against the vulnerable. Here I am send me.
In this world of uncertain anxiety and growing antagonism, in our quiet space, do we hear a question from somewhere deep in the universe and of ourselves? “Who will go?” Are we yet at the place where we are able to say, “Here I am send me?”
An encounter with God is more than reading about God or learning about God. An encounter with God is tangible. It's personal and intimate.An encounter with God changes how one who has the encounter sees oneself.
This new view of oneself and the tangible, personal encounter with God is uncomfortable, humbling, and overwhelming. These feelings cause one to retreat and cower.
God says, in different ways, "I don't seek personal encounters with you just to make you uncomfortable. Take heart in My presence. Stand with me in this new perception of who you are. Let Me work through and in the midst of your anxieties and weaknesses. Let me heal your wounds and work through what you've learned from them. When you let Me, you can do for others what I do for you."
God says, "If you're having trouble encountering Me right now, look for those who have encountered Me. You'll recognize the effects of those encounters. Companions changed by them will remind you of what you're worth to me. I've died with you so you can live with Me."
On the day I called, you answered me, you increased my strength of soul.
Psalm 138:3
For I am the least of the apostles, unfit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.
1 Corinthians 15:9
Our prayer of confession and absolution
Compassionate Creator, in our moments of despair and doubt, we have faltered, neglecting the voice within that calls us to love and justice. We have despaired at the cries of those in need, seeking solace in comfort, avoiding the paths of challenge and change.
Forgive us for our complacency, for the times we chose silence over speaking truth, and for allowing fear to overshadow our courage. In our weaknesses, we call upon your strength, Trusting in your everlasting grace and mercy.
In our humility, we remember, as we cried out, you answered us, lifting us from our troubles, granting us courage. Emboldened by your love, we rise anew, committed to living with purpose and compassion.
We go forth, knowing that, In your strength, we find our own, Ready to embrace the journey ahead with hearts open to Your call. Amen.
TiS 693 Come As You Are
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.
TiS 589 Jesus Calls Us O’er The Tumult
The SALT Project gives helpful commentary, starting first with big picture, then a closer look at the text, and then some taeways. I’m going to follow this closely, adding some observations along the way
1) We’re in the middle of a series of chronological selections from Luke 4 - 9, approaching the season of Lent. The last two weeks included the story of the launch of Jesus’ public ministry, including declaring the dawn of the Great Jubilee. This week, Jesus begins to call disciples to join the mission, starting with Simon Peter. This promises to reinforce our reflection on the connection between call and epiphany.
2) Jesus and Simon know each other already: Jesus has stayed in Simon’s house and even healed his mother-in-law (Luke 4:38-39), and Simon respects Jesus as a compelling teacher (thus he calls him, “Master”). But he has not yet become Jesus’ disciple. Simon’s calling isn’t sudden; it unfolds over time.
3) The story of Jesus instructing Peter to let down his nets in a particular location, and thereby to discover a surprising, almost comically abundant haul of fish, is also in the Gospel of John — but John places the story not at the outset, but rather at the end, as the last appearance of the risen Jesus (John 21:4-14).
This suggests the story was prized in early Christian communities, circulating widely in different forms. So — who has it right, Luke or John?
As so often in Scripture, our ancestors unabashedly include both versions in the biblical library, and far from undermining the Bible’s credibility, this candid, inclusive approach invites us to receive each story with an open mind, humble respect for what we don’t know, and a willingness to listen for the deeper, wider meanings each version suggests in its context.
4) The image of “fishing for people” has an ancient pedigree — but not in the way we might think. In Jeremiah, Amos, and Habbakuk, “fishing for people” refers not to God’s salvation but rather to God’s judgment: the unrighteous and unjust are caught and pulled up by hooks and nets (Jeremiah 16:16; Amos 4:2; Habakkuk 1:14-15). What’s Jesus up to here? As we’ll see soon, perhaps he’s got a mischievous twinkle in his eye…
5) “Calling” narratives in scripture typically begin with reluctance, either because the task seems impossible, the person feels inept, or both — and this week’s passages are classics in the genre. Confronted with divine glory in the temple and believing himself to be “unclean” among “unclean people,” Isaiah initially withdraws: “Woe is me! I am lost!” (Isa 6:5). And likewise, confronted with divine glory in Jesus and believing himself to be unworthy, Simon Peter falls at Jesus’ feet: “Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!” (Luke 5:8).
Scripture:
1) The pivot point around which the drama turns in Luke’s story is whether or not Simon Peter will become Jesus’ disciple. He knows and respects Jesus already as a teacher and healer; he’s no doubt heard Jesus declare the dawn of the Great Jubilee; and now, despite his skeptical objections (I’ll do as you say, but I hate to tell you, we’ve been working all night and caught nothing, so…), he pulls up an astounding, overwhelming catch, as clear a sign as any — especially for a fisherman — that Jesus is God’s anointed, and that a new era has begun. And sure enough: Simon believes, calling Jesus, “Lord” — but only as he cries, “Go away from me!” Far from drawing him closer to Jesus, the astonishing sign repels him.
2) What’s holding Simon back? A lack of trust? Inadequate faith? — but not a lack of faith in Jesus, whom he calls both “Master” and “Lord.” On the contrary, what Simon lacks in this story is faith in himself, in his own capacities and worth, and in the very idea that God would use an ordinary person, a mere fisherman (and not a particularly good one at that, out all night with nothing to show for it)… that God would use an ordinary person to accomplish God’s purposes. Moreover, to borrow terms from Isaiah’s ancient story, Simon is convinced he’s unclean in an unclean world, and unless some angel comes along and purifies him, he’d better withdraw in fear and trembling. For after all, according to the Hebrew prophets, what does God do with sinners — but catch them with hooks and nets and punishment? Dreading the worst, Simon collapses at Jesus’ feet.
3) Thus Luke pulls the story’s tension to its maximal point, like an archer drawing back a bow — and now lets the arrow fly. Jesus doesn’t punish Simon Peter. Nor does he merely forgive him. Rather, he recruits him. He calls him to his side. The perfect reversal of expected punishment isn’t simply the absence of condemnation; it’s the presence of communion, friendship, trust, companionship along the way. It’s saying to someone who’s done you wrong, Come, let’s work together. I trust you. Follow me.
4) And so Jesus, ever the student of Scripture and a lover of wordplay, makes this point by trading on the ancient image from the Hebrew prophets: divine judgment as a kind of “fishing for people,” sinners caught by God (or by some agent of God’s judgment) as if by hooks and nets (Jeremiah 16:16; Amos 4:2; Habakkuk 1:14-15). Remember, what’s holding Simon back is that he fears he’s unworthy and deserves divine punishment, and so Jesus co-opts an ancient image of divine wrath — and turns it inside out. You’re afraid of getting caught in one of God’s nets? Well, I’ll tell you what, from now on you’ll be the one catching sinners! And not so they might be damned, mind you, any more than you’re being damned today. On the contrary, we’re out to catch sinners so they might be saved! Take heart, Simon, and don’t be afraid: the Great Jubilee has begun!
5) Amazed, Simon Peter and the others “left everything and followed him” (Luke 5:11). And part of what they leave behind, please note, is this extraordinary catch of fish on the shore (two boatloads worth!). We can take this as a sign of the urgency of their mission, of course, or the depth of their single-minded devotion. But even more, we can take it as yet another glimpse of Jubilee, the Sabbath of Sabbaths, when all crops were to be left alone “so that the poor of your people may eat; and what they leave the wild animals may eat” (Exodus 23:11). Rather than cash in on their miraculous haul, the new disciples leave it behind for those who need it most (think of all those others along the shore who worked all night and came back empty-handed). It’s a tangible sign of the abundant realm of God — now at hand!
Takeaways:
1) How best to discern God’s call? Taking this story as a model, we can draw out at least three primary themes. First, God works with and through questionable characters like us. No sooner has Simon confessed he’s a sinner than Jesus asks him to join his team! Our feelings of unworthiness or ineptitude or fear, while understandable, are precisely what God wants to dispel. God believes in us, and so we should, too!
2) Second, at first the call may seem impractical, if not downright impossible (We just were out there, working all night, and look, our nets are empty!). Boldness and perseverance will no doubt be required; it takes some audacity to venture out into “deep water” (Luke 5:4).
3) And third, God’s call is toward abundance amidst apparent scarcity — particularly abundance for the most vulnerable. Think of those two boatloads of fish on the shore, and the region’s families enjoying an unexpected feast. God’s call is always a call into Jubilee!
4) We should never cease to wonder at Jesus’ choice of recruits. He doesn’t draw from the supposedly best and brightest: say, from the priests or the scribes (the “well-credentialed” of the day), or from accomplished political or military leaders, or from the wealthy elite. Rather, he recruits ordinary folks near the bottom of the social hierarchy, working class or lower-middle class, we might say (some owned boats; others leased them). Questionable, ordinary characters, another example of how Jesus echoes his mother’s song about “lifting up the lowly” (Luke 1:52). And this basic fact — that God calls on regular, real people like us — should continually open our minds and hearts: To what is God recruiting us today? For what mission can we say, with Isaiah, “Here am I; send me” (Isa 6:8)?
5) At its heart, Luke’s story declares God’s abundant mercy.
Let me return to Bishop Budde’s plea to USA President 47 to show mercy to those impacted by his Executive orders that continues to resonate. Some Christian leaders have accused her of committing the “sin of empathy.” viewing it as overly feministic and a manipulative counter to the strong arm of justice.
I had never heard of this sin – I knew of the classic 7 and the early church even had one or two more. But the term “sin of empathy” was completely new to me. A little research revealed that the phrase emerged in recent years from those opposed to theology that wasd overly feministic and a manipulative and deceitful counter to the strong arm of justice.
We may well wonder how they reconcile this with the Jesus of the Gospels who seems to be constantly committing the “sin of empathy”!
Mark Sandlin The Radical Empathy of Jesus states
In the long arc of Christian theology, we have witnessed many bastardizations of Jesus's message, but few are as spiritually dangerous as the emerging concept of the “sin of empathy.”
As I sit here reflecting on this morally corrupt notion, I am reminded of Jesus' words: “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.”
Those who would condemn empathy as sinful fundamentally misunderstand both the nature of sin and the life and teachings of Jesus. Jesus did not stand apart from human suffering – he wept at Lazarus's tomb, he felt compassion for the hungry crowds, he touched the “untouchable” lepers.
Jesus' ministry was, in fact, defined by a radical empathy that drew him into the depths of human experience.
To suggest that feeling deeply for others' pain somehow corrupts our moral judgment is to forget the Christian concept of the Divine enter into human struggle and suffering. The cross itself stands as a symbol of Jesus' identification with human pain and resistance to systems of oppression.
When Jesus told the parable of the Good Samaritan, he highlighted empathy as the vital force that moves us from mere religious observance to true righteousness. The priest and Levite had correct doctrine, but the Samaritan had what mattered most – a heart that could be moved by another's suffering.
We must resist this dangerous teaching.
The sin is not in feeling too deeply for others, but in hardening our hearts against their cries. As James wrote, "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress." This is empathy in action, and it stands at the very heart of the gospel.
Let us not mistake emotional distance for spiritual maturity. The way of Jesus is the way of deep empathy, solidarity with the oppressed, and liberating love that transforms both oppressed and oppressor. Through divine empathy, we participate in God's ongoing work of liberation and healing.
We must resist this dangerous teaching.
Jesus practiced radical empathy. Imitating him is far from sinful. It is, in fact, what we are called to do.
Go forth and empathize boldly!
Far from catching and damning sinners, God’s work is to save them, to save us, and the whole world besides. How? In part, by inviting sinners to join the movement — and this invitation itself is dignifying and transformative. God’s call is a call to mercy, beginning with being merciful toward ourselves. Simon, take heart — and stand up. We’ve got work to do. Indeed, Simon Peter’s life is an ongoing witness to all of this, not only in this story of his call, but also in the story of the cross to come. We remember his brave words sullied by his betrayal, and his denial. He was still called, as are we. The church is no house of triumphant greatness or perfection. It’s a house of mercy.
Feedback and Prayers
God of all Creation,
We come before You with grateful hearts for Your unending grace and mercy. Just as Jesus called His disciples to cast their nets into the deep and trust in Your provocations, we ask for Your guidance and strength in our lives. Help us to be open to Your calling to Jubilee and to trust in Your way, even when we feel uncertain or afraid.
We pray for our community, global and local, and for those who are struggling. Grant them peace, comfort, and the assurance of Your love. Fill us with the courage to follow You and to be fishers of people, sharing Your message of hope and wholeness.
In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.
TiS 242 Lord of the Dance
Blessing
May the Lord bless you and keep you as you cast your nets into the deep waters of faith and life. May Christ guide your steps and fill your hearts with courage, trust, and unwavering hope. As you follow Jesus' call, may you experience abundant grace, love, and provision in every moment.
Go forth with Christ’s peace, knowing that you are cherished and equipped to be fishers of people, sharing His message of Jubilee with the world. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.
Sing Amen
Credits
https://australianfoodtimeline.com.au/indigenous-food-timeline/
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/paullew/21511780815 - Fr Lawrence Lew, O.P.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/robin_croft/3473331055 - Robin Croft
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:GuadalupeNOLAThanks.jpg
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Joaquin_Sorolla_Bastida_-_Valencian_Fisherwomen.jpg
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https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Joachim_Beuckelaer_(Netherlandish_-_The_Miraculous_Draught_of_Fishes_-_Google_Art_Project.jpg
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Raphael_-_The_Miraculous_Draft_of_Fishes_-_Google_Art_Project.jpg
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Jacob_de_Wet_(I)_-_The_Calling_of_St_Peter_and_St_Andrew_-_WGA25565.jpg
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Additional descriptions can be found at the Art in the Christian Tradition image library, a service of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, http://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/. All images available via Creative Commons 3.0 License.
Indigenous food timeline - Australian food history timeline