they say you are dangerous

but I don't care

A sermon from the hodgepodge of Luke 5:

This is one of those passages from the Bible that you hear and think, “I’ve heard this before.” 

This passage has that ring of familiarity to it, doesn’t it?

Well, it sounds so familiar, because it is. 

This is one of the few passages in the Bible that turns up in all four Gospels! 

It’s a surprisingly rare thing for a account of Jesus’ ministry to turn up in all four gospels. And this passage does!

Well, parts of it anyway…

With the Gospels of Mark and Matthew, this passage tells of the drafting of the first disciples. How Jesus called Peter and his partners, to follow him. How then and there, they dropped everything and did just that. 

With the Gospel of John, this passage tells about how, after a night of failure, Jesus tells Peter to cast out to some spot or another. How when Jesus’ orders are followed the result is a catch is so big, the nets can barely keep from breaking!

This passage is so familiar because you have heard it. Multiple times, and in multiple places!

But the very reason this passage is so familiar; is also the reason it gives scholars trouble…

Mark, Matthew and Luke agree the first disciples are called at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry. But in the Gospel of John, this miraculous catch comes at the end of Jesus’ ministry. In fact, in John it’s the resurrected Jesus who tells Peter to cast out to the other side of the boat. Yet here in Luke, this account of the miraculous catch happens in the beginning…

Now, you could say Luke and John are talking about different moments, but the trouble is there are other details in this passage that are out of place. Like the reference to “Simon Peter.” Jesus hasn’t given Simon the name “Peter” yet! That doesn’t happen until later, in chapter 6!

What’s more, Peter’s response to Jesus’ miracle doesn’t seem to fit  here, either. Instead of being elated at this catch, Peter’s overcome with guilt. Peter’s response would make more sense where John puts this story, after Peter’s denial!

Familiar as this Gospel is at first reading; upon closer inspection, it doesn’t quite fit here. The timing is all wrong…

What if, though, that’s Luke’s point?

After all, this isn't just a story about the wrong time…

It’s also a story about the wrong people…

It’s after a night of failure for these fishers, when Jesus shows up fighting off the crowd he’s attracted. It’s after the sermon Jesus had to give from Peter’s boat, when Jesus tells Peter to cast out in the deep waters. It’s after Peter has to call for help to haul in the catch, when both boats nearly sink. 

It’s after all that failure, empty nets and a sinking ship, when Jesus calls Peter. Jesus calls Peter who can’t even do his own job right, to help Jesus with his!

And, when Peter saw what Jesus could do, he asks Jesus to leave him. It’s after Peter tries to get Jesus to leave. that Jesus tells Peter to follow him!

This familiar passage is not only about the wrong time; it’s about the wrong people too! 

And what if, that’s Luke’s point?

What if it isn’t in spite of these oddities that this passage works, but because of them? What if this passage fits perfectly? What if the point the scholars miss is the most obvious one of all?

That it’s no accident the resurrected Jesus turns up as Peter’s night of failure comes to an end. Because the resurrected Jesus is always doing that; turning up at the wrong time, to the wrong people!

And, if it’s no accident. If indeed it is Luke’s point; it also means Peter’s reaction isn't out of place either. 

And here’s where it hits home, there’s another reason why this passage is so familiar…

…The truth is, we could handle this passage if it ended with nothing more than a night of failure. 

If after mending his nets Peter politely listened to Jesus’ sermon, went home and talked to his accountant about how to adjust his books for the last night. We could handle that. 

And, we could handle this passage if the resurrected Jesus didn’t turn up. If Jesus would only show up when and where we expected him.

But that’s not what happened. Is it?

And it isn’t what happens, either.

The resurrected Jesus always shows up at the wrong time, to the wrong people. And like Peter, we try to tell Jesus to get out of here, it isn't the time or the place…

Like today, to us…

It’s Annual Meeting time, isn’t it??

Play it safe. Keep the budget flat. Down if possible. No new ministry. Maybe even cut a few of the old ones. 

Manage the failure. Excuse and rationalize them. 

And after yet another night of failure, Jesus shows up. Here, of all places; and to us, of all people.

We too are tempted to tell Jesus to go away. 

We’ve got business to attend to. There’s the budget. The statistical report. Let us fiddle with these fraying nets a little more. It’s been a night of failure anyway. And by now we’re too tired to put out into the deep waters…

As always, though, the resurrected Jesus shows up. At the wrong time, to the wrong people…

This is what it means to be a “forgiven sinner, free riding on Jesus,” folks.

It’s not trying to manage our fate or failure. It’s hearing Jesus call out to the deep, uncharted waters at the wrong time. To cast for all the wrong sorts of people too.

After all, isn’t that when and where Jesus caught you?

It’s Paul’s rhetorical question in First Corinthians all over again, “Consider your own call, brothers and sisters.”

Gathering for a meeting to try and chart our own course is no different than Peter and his partners casting their nets all night. In the dark. 

When we come back empty, it’s all frustration and fear; isn’t it?

For all our worldly wisdom, we don’t know where the fish are. We dream of these young families. Active young adults. People with means, wanting to establish an endowment.
And of course, not a sinner among them.

But it’s Jesus who knows where the real fish are. 

And here’s the rub, they’re not where we want them to be. 

Jesus calls us to cast out into the deep waters. Turning from the trout and walleye, to the bottom feeders. Sinners who can do nothing more than cop a free ride from Jesus. 

In other words, folks who need Jesus. 

Today’s Gospel is familiar. And it’s not just because we’ve heard it. 

It’s because the resurrected Jesus is always turning up at the wrong time, to the wrong people. 

Today, even. To us, no less…

While we’re busy with business as usual, the resurrected Jesus shows up. Calling us out into the deep, uncharted waters where he found us in the first place.  

Jesus doesn’t let us sit on the sidelines fiddling with our nets. He calls us to take them and follow him out to the deep, uncharted waters.

It’s a frightening prospect, isn’t it? It’s not the right time. And we’re not the right people, either…

It may end with you telling Jesus to go away.

Or, it could very well end by you dropping everything to follow Jesus.