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The fishermen that Jesus calls in our reading today, are exhausted after a long night out on the water. And their long night wasn’t productive or good by any means. They tell Jesus that they worked hard all night trying to catch fish, and caught nothing. But Jesus calls to them, calls them to their boats, and tells them to cast their nets anyway. And when they do, their nets fill with so many fish that the netting is starting to tear.
They call to some friends in another boat even, and both the boats are so filled with fish that they’re almost sinking. They’re that full. Talk about a good day, a productive catch. They, they knew there was no fish in that water, but they listen to Jesus, even with their doubts, and… Jesus changes everything. And so all the fishermen were amazed at the bounty. Simon Peter, who met Jesus when Jesus came to heal his mother-in-law, is in awe in a new way. He’s impressed in a way that he wasn’t at his mother-in-law’s healing. I’m not sure why this is more amazing to him, but it is. This amazes him. Jesus’s power over creation, over the water and the fish brings Simon Peter to his knees. I wonder if it’s because this is something that Simon Peter understands normally. He’s a fisherman, this is his life, his trade, his everything, and to be so completely wrong in his doubts in what Jesus could and what Jesus was telling them to do…whatever the reason: He bows down before Jesus and says, “Go away from me, Lord. I am a sinful man!” He didn’t respond like that when he met Jesus the first time. But this is a new moment for Simon Peter. Maybe it’s his exhaustion after a long night, the relief he feels after finally being productive, or maybe it’s just the awesomeness of what has just happened. And so with all of Simon Peter’s emotions, all of himself comes these words to Jesus. “Go away from me.” Maybe he is afraid of what this means, that this Jesus can heal and teach can also bring something from his own world, from his own life, so powerfully, that it’s just too much. He says, “I am a sinful man.” Simon Peter knows himself. He knows the language he probably uses while he’s out on the boat, fishermen aren’t known for being the most gentile in their speech. He knows that he's not what anyone would expect from a follower of the Messiah. He doesn't look like a teacher. He doesn't look like a healer. He doesn't appear to fit into the molds that are so carefully created. Simon knows the doubts he had about Jesus, he had just tried to convince Jesus that putting their freshly cleaned nets back in the water was a bad idea. Simon Peter knows all of his failings. Like many of us do. Most of us know and recognize that we are sinful and broken, that there’s always work to be done. Many of us feel unworthy. Many of us feel exhausted or doubtful. But Jesus doesn’t care. Jesus doesn’t immediately tell Simon Peter he’s forgiven or that he is worthy or anything that we usually expect after a confession like this. Jesus just says, “Don’t be afraid.” Don’t be afraid of your exhaustion, of your brokenness, of anything. And Jesus says, “From now on you will be fishermen for men.” From now on you will fish for people. From now on, you are with me. Jesus sees Simon, sees all of the emotions, all of the brokenness, all of who Simon is, and says, “Don’t be afraid, let’s work with what we’ve got.” You’re a fishermen? Let’s use your skills, your talents, your experiences, and let’s use them for God’s kingdom. Author and theologian Fredrick Buechner says, “Your vocation in life is where your greatest passion meets the world’s greatest need.” Vocation, a word we use sometimes in the church world, simply means, your calling, your mission. For some people that vocation is in ministry like pastors, deacons, worship leaders. For others it’s in work, like teachers, doctors, nurses, engineers, veterans, whatever your career might be. For many people, vocation is a calling in volunteering, in hobbies, caring for others, maybe it’s artwork, maybe it’s advocacy. There are so many different ways our time can be spent fulfilling this call. Often our roles in our family and friendship relationships are vocational for us. Whether it be in parenting, grandparenting, loving nieces and nephews or siblings, caring for those close to us. Our vocations can change, it can grow, and we can have multiple vocations, you’re not just set with just one. Vocation is just a churchy way to talk about who we are, how we present ourselves to the world, how we interact with the world around us our callings, and who we see ourselves to be. Simon sees himself as a sinful fisherman. And Jesus says, “Okay.” Jesus sees Simon’s identity, his vocation, and sees a great need in the world. For Simon Peter to be that stumbling disciple who often misses the mark throughout his ministry and throughout his time with Jesus especially, as an example to all of us that Jesus doesn’t call perfect people. For him to bring himself to his teaching and healing of others. This fisherman who was changed and brought somewhere new. For Simon to fish for people. Even if Simon doesn’t quite know what that means yet. Sometimes our vocations, don’t really feel like callings. We feel exhausted or tired, from long days and long nights, we’re not sure where to go from here. We’re afraid that the work we’re doing is for naught. That the world’s great need is just too great, and as one person, or even multiple people together, we don’t know what impact we can make. Jesus knows our exhaustion, our doubts, our own brokenness and our worries over failure, and Jesus says, “Don’t be afraid.” Jesus takes all of our fear, all of our doubt, all of our exhaustion to the cross, he rises from the dead, to tell us, “Don’t be afraid. We’ll work with what we’ve got.” So that when we find ourselves unsure of what to do, or tired, Jesus can give us the guidance, give us the strength, to find where our passion and the world’s needs meet. So that we can go out into this world, sharing the good news, sharing the abundant grace that breaks nets and sinks boats. So that we too, can go into our communities, into our relationships, into our callings as people of God, unafraid, and ready for the next catch. So that we too might bow at Jesus's feet and be lifted up the fish for people to serve our God. And to love one another through all things. Thanks be to God. Amen.
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