Sermon - Trinity V - Luke 5:1-11

“Jesus said to Simon, “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” And Simon answered, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing!”” Do you ever feel like that? At the end of the day, the month, the year, you’ve grown weary from working, you’ve toiled all the long day, and you’ve taken nothing, you’re no more ahead than you were before. In fact, it feels like all you’ve done is waste your time and effort. 

If you look back over the years and reflect on your accomplishments, I suppose to some extent you can say you’ve really got a lot done, but in another sense, you did a lot, but really without a whole lot of gain. Upon your death, what happens with all of your wealth you’ve amassed? Eventually it’ll all rot and be sold off for a few dollars. What of your treasure will you bring to heaven with you? Not a dime. A couple generations from now, who’s going to remember you? Probably no one, you’ll be forgotten just like me and most everyone else who has ever lived. That’s a depressing, sobering thought, huh. 

Yet, even with that in mind, how much care do we put into our earthly toiling? Consider this: When I was a young kid I planted an acorn at home, I spent untold hours grooming and caring for the little oakling over the years. While away at college and seminary, when I came home I would inspect my oak tree, admire its growth, and appreciate its structure and size. I took great care of my oak tree. Then a couple years ago the city decided to redo the sewer and that they needed an access hole and vent right where my oak tree was planted. Just like that, the beautiful oak tree that I cared for was replaced by a cement pad for the sewer. All of my care and toiling: all for naught. 

As sad as I was, and honestly still a bit am, the killing of my oak tree proved a valuable lesson to me that it’s not really my job to place all of my cares into this life. Instead, the Holy Spirit guides us to flee all earthly cares and now to zealously follow after Jesus in the comfort of His grace. Scripture repeatedly reminds us of this: “Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs him down…,” “Cast your cares on the Lord and He will sustain you.” “Cast all your anxieties on the Lord, for He cares for you.” “Do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?” “God shall supply all your need according to His riches.” “Your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things.”

There is already One who cares for us and for our needs in this life, and that One is the Author of all life and He will not forget about us. Jesus proves this when Peter, James, and John let down their nets and “they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking.” Jesus shows them that He is the one who cares for them and He will give them all that they have need of in this life. He is the one who cares and so we need not fill ourselves with anxiety.

Prior to this event, Peter, James, and John had already met Jesus and He had called them to be His apostles. But they had not yet had the gumption, the faith, to give up all of their earthly toiling. But now after this event, having heard Him preach the Word of God, and seeing how He will provide for all of their needs, “when they brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed Him.”

When they learned and believed it to be true that God really will provide for all of their needs they trusted in Him so that they placed not their care in the things of this world. Such is true for us today as well. God will truly and honestly provide for all of your needs. Even, and especially when it feels like you toil and labor all night and yet have nothing. God cares for you, and the fact that you are even still alive is evidence that He does care for you. 

But now before you decide to quit all toiling and labor in life, before you just give up on life, do know that He still commands us to work. He instructs Peter “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” Work is a good thing and we’re required to do it within the vocations which God has placed us into. Your work and your labor, even the toilings which seem pointless, are valuable to God. Not because it gives you anything in the kingdom of God, but because you’re doing the task which God has required of you and your work pleases Him. God is the one who gives the catch of fish, be it small or large. God is the one who gives you all of your earthly treasures, to some more and to some less, but all of them come from God generously and graciously, most certainly not because we deserve them.

In fact, like St. Peter, when we see all that God gives to us which we don’t deserve we ought to fall down at Jesus’ knees. We ought to recognize that we are sinful and don’t deserve His blessings, be they small or large. Truthfully, our words should mimic that of Peter’s “depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” If we were to receive what we deserve, we would be given nothing but punishment and hellfire. Indeed! “The face of the Lord is against those who do evil!”

Yet the Christ looks upon us and speaks with charity and love, “Do not be afraid.” For even this our sin, which disqualifies us from heaven above, let alone any earthly treasure, is forgiven by Jesus. In His superabundance, He graciously and lavishly bestows upon us His grace and favor by taking away our guilt upon Himself and suffering for us. 

“For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their prayer.” Our heavenly Father looks upon Jesus and His righteousness. So God doesn’t see us in our uncleanness, but He sees only Christ’s righteousness. When we cry out to Him for mercy, He hears the voice of Jesus and He is open to His prayer so that He showers us with His lovingkindness.

So do not flee from God, as from an archenemy, but flee from all of your cares and anxieties in this life, and instead flee to God who shall hold you and guide you by the proclamation of the Word. Like the crowds around lake Gennesaret, let us flee to Jesus and crowd about Him, pressing upon Him in order to hear the Word of God. This Word of God is so comforting, it is filled with compassion and grace for sinners like us. It teaches us not to fear, but to trust in God so that no trouble shall trouble us. His Word makes us “zealous for what is good.”

Zeal is an interesting thing, if you’re zealous after the cares of this world, it’s as if you’re a boxer just beating at the air. But being zealous for the gospel is a great thing! Zeal for the gospel honors Christ the Lord as holy, and trusts in His unchanging love. Zeal for the gospel is a gift of the Holy Spirit given to us Christians, not only to the apostles who became fishers of men or to the pastors of today, but zeal for the Gospel is given to you, dear Christian! St. Peter instructs all Christians, “always be prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect.” 

Today in the church I believe there’s a bit of fear. Fear because our congregations are apparently aging and shrinking. This fear might cause us to become aggressive towards one another, blaming one another for our problems. But remember, just as it’s God who gives the great catch of fish to the fishermen, so it is God who gives the great catch of believers to the church. God grows the church, not us, it’s His church. The church is always growing, never shrinking or aging, for with every baptism the church increases in size. So even here we need not be anxious or worried, for God shall give the growth. We are but zealous for the Gospel. Proclaiming God’s love and speaking God’s Word of hope unto all people, both our neighbors and ourselves.

You know when I said you can’t take any of your treasure to heaven with you? Well, I was kind of wrong, there is one treasure you can take to heaven with you and that’s the church, one another. If you’re going to strive and toil for something, strive for the Gospel, let God’s Word ever fill your heart, mind, and lips. Don’t be afraid, don’t be anxious. Flee from your earthly cares and sins and flee to Christ. Be zealous for the gospel, press in on Jesus to hear the Word of God, that beautiful word of comfort and grace. God’s Word is more beautiful than any oak tree or worldly treasure, God’s Word is the Christ who forgives us our sins and speaks to us: peace.