Jesus takes away my fear to fish for people!

When I go to Bass Pro Shop, I still make it a point to stop by the large fish tank. Seeing the many kinds of fish reminds me of the wide variety of life God created in this world. Plus, it is nice to look at a glass screen that has real things moving behind it rather than a digital display on a tv, phone or computer.

A trip to a store like Bass Pro Shop reminds us that there are a lot of ways to fish. As you stroll through the aisles, they have gear to set you up for fly fishing, bobbing, trolling, casting, spearing or using a drag or cast net. These methods can be used in a variety of places like a pond, lake, stream, river or ocean with water a few inches or hundreds of feet deep. And all these different ways to fish take different timing and techniques, but they all have the same goal to hook a fish. As I think about all these ways to fish, I wonder what Jesus’ disciple Simon’s shopping cart would have looked like after a trip to Bass Pro Shop.

Simon might have been planning to return some of his recently purchased items after what happened in our Gospel reading from Luke 5. As Luke 5 begins, we hear that Jesus is teaching the word of God to a crowd of people by the Lake of Gennesaret also known as the Sea of Galilee. Then we read,

2 He saw at the water’s edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. 3 He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat. 4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.”

Jesus’ request did not line up with the fundamentals of fishing. Simon and the other seasoned fishermen knew that the fishing was better at night, and now it was day. Plus, they had been out all night with nothing to show, and they knew to keep close to shore rather than move out to the deeper water. But we read in Luke 5,

5 Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.”

The only reason the seasoned fisherman listened was because it was Jesus. Then, Jesus showed them his miraculous power by having them catch so many fish that their two boats began to sink. And we read in Luke 5,

8 When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!”

Simon was hit with fear as guilt and shame flooded his mind for doubting Jesus. Rather than letting down the nets with faith filled anticipation of the catch Simon had followed Jesus’ command expecting nothing. Then after the miraculous catch of fish, Jesus took away Simon’s fear and told him that he would now fish for people.

Fear stops us from fishing for people. As those God has called to faith, we also have the call to fish for people. There are many ways to fish for people, but our sinful nature pulls us down to the depths of fear like Simon. “I am afraid that I will not be able to…” is a phrase we repeat all too often. We have many excuses for not casting the word of God and waiting for a bite, and they all share the common theme of looking inside rather than to God. The message of Jesus we share with other people does not change, and their need for Jesus has not changed since the Garden of Eden. So, our fear over not sharing Jesus is not an intellectual challenge nor is it a problem with our personality. When our fear persists, we are not seeing our Savior clearly. When we do not spend time with Jesus in his word, our view of him grows murky as sin distorts what his forgiveness has done for all people. Focused on ourselves and thinking we know people’s hearts and the outcome of conversations better than Jesus; we leave the tackle box in the garage and prevent people from being pulled into the boat with Jesus.

Jesus stopped Simon from swimming away with his word. Whether Simon’s words or ours, Jesus’ response to our fear about being in his presence is not, “You are right about being a sinner, so I want nothing to do with you.” Instead, he told Peter, 10 … “Don’t be afraid.” Another way to phrase Jesus’ words to Simon is, “Be at peace.” Simon was overwhelmed with his sin, but Jesus assured him of his love and forgiveness. God showed the same forgiving love to Isaiah in our Old Testament reading from Isaiah 6,

1 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple. 5 “Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.”

Isaiah was terrified in the presence of God for fear he would be judged and punished by the Holy God for his sins until we hear,

6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. 7 With it he touched my mouth and said, “See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.”

God took away his fear by taking away his guilt and sin. God’s right to forgive Isaiah and Simon Peter comes from Jesus not giving into fear while on trial as we read in Matthew 26,

63 … The high priest said to him, “I charge you under oath by the living God: Tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God.” 64 “You have said so,” Jesus replied … 65 Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, “He has spoken blasphemy! Why do we need any more witnesses? Look, now you have heard the blasphemy. 66 What do you think?” “He is worthy of death,” they answered.

Jesus did not give into fear in testifying to the truth of who he is, nor did he give into fear when facing crucifixion. For your fear, guilt, shame and sin he was put to death. And through him, you have been forgiven and given the gift of his righteousness as God inspired Simon to later write in 1 Peter 3,

18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God.

Jesus stops us from swimming away pulling our head up to look to his forgiveness and words of peace.

Jesus’ response was not only one of forgiveness and peace, but also purpose. Peter was not left with a nice feeling about his standing and relationship with Jesus like a catch and release picture on social media, but with belonging, purpose and appreciation for his unique gifts. Jesus’ miracle was specific to these men’s life experience and served as a picture of what they would do for the kingdom of God. When fear reared its ugly head, Jesus told Peter in Luke 5,

10 … “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.” 11 So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.

Peter and the others followed Jesus joining him on his mission. And we hear the same response from Isaiah in our Old Testament reading from Isaiah 6,

8 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!”

With the same Savior, we join Peter, Isaiah and generations of Christians in fishing for people.

One way we equip and encourage one another in fishing for people is through our Personal Member Ministry program. After going through the S.H.A.P.E.D. workshop to learn about your spiritual gifts, you better see how God made you to be a unique fisher of people to share Jesus with your family, at school, at work, in your community and within our congregation. If Simon Peter had gone through the workshop, it may have revealed his gifts of evangelism and leadership, which were blessings for the kingdom of God. God called you into his kingdom to catch people with the gospel as we hear in our New Testament reading from Romans 10,

17 Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.

Our lives are not scripted like a tv series, movie or social media post. Like picking the right time to fish, do not let the many possibilities and many excuses prevent you from going to share Jesus. You are free from sin in Christ, you are free from the control of the sinful nature, the devil and the sinful world and you are free to do what is good, and what is good is to fish for people in your puddle, pond, lake, sea, stream, river or ocean depending on where you are at in your life. Scripture is your Bass Pro Shop. Dive into the Bible to fill your tackle box with the word about Christ to fish for people confident that the Holy Spirit will catch many for the kingdom of God.

When I go to the Bass Pro Shop, I still make it a point to stop by the large fish tank. In heaven we will see all the people caught by the Word of God. There was a time when seeing God would have filled us with fear, but through Jesus’ forgiveness of sins that fear is gone. Jesus has called us to be part of his mission and ministry to fish for others by sharing his gracious Word. Like a tackle box is filled with different lures, we all share Jesus with others in a variety of ways, but the gospel hook remains the same. Encourage one another with the word of God, and Jesus will take away your fear to fish for people. Amen.