Go Fishing in the Deep: A Call to Discipleship

We remember that Jesus knew when it was the last Passover that only a few words were needed and the simplest meal prepared. Jesus blessed, broke, shared, and whispered, for you. [00:44:28] (17 seconds)  #BlessBreakShare

God, who calls us to participate in your vision of justice for our world, let these offerings become our response. All your people fed, all your people safe, All your people housed. All your people educated. Amen. [00:49:15] (22 seconds)  #JusticeForAll

Jesus comes still to stormy waters and food deserts to borrow a leaky war boat, we wish it was more like a cruise ship, that we call church, and to use it to offer words that change human lives and sustenance that saves them. [00:44:10] (19 seconds)  #WordsAndSustenance

But what would tell Jesus who you are? If Jesus asks who you are, what would tell him? Is it your job? No. It's your heart. It's your spirit. It's your trust in God and in Jesus. [00:34:25] (24 seconds)  #KnownByYourHeart

It's really up to us whether any one time event like Peter's with Jesus turns into a one time event or an eternal one. Jesus' answer to Peter, who's asked him to leave, is an invitation. Do not be afraid. From now on, you will be catching people. [00:34:49] (20 seconds)  #CalledToCatchPeople

That higher purpose is to dream big for God, to see what people don't see, to find the meaning of life, and to change the priority of life, and become a disciple of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. [00:38:17] (16 seconds)  #DreamBigForGod

Who will come to this table having abundance as culture defines it or as your heart knows it and because you have discovered your own generosity and need to start giving? Here we are. We will come. [00:43:11] (15 seconds)  #GenerousTable

Because unless we move in and among community, we can't see the crowd. The gospel should not be confined inside the temple, the synagogues, or the churches. It's got to be heard out in the marketplace in the community where the people are. [00:24:39] (20 seconds)  #GospelInTheMarketplace

But he surrendered his prejudice, and he let down the nets. Peter was the one who sat on the boat with Jesus while he was preaching and heard the good news of Jesus. Jesus was giving him food for his spirit. Peter thought he could rely on him, so he said, we've worked all night about nothing, but if you say so, I'll let down the nets. [00:29:50] (24 seconds)  #LetDownTheNets

Jesus lets him know that right now his faith journey is starting. Right now, he is changed. The miracle of the fish kind of brought Peter to understand his own shortcomings and Christ's holiness and power. [00:33:00] (25 seconds)  #MiracleThatChangedPeter

What we are are people who share love and who share the spirit of God and who share what we have with one another to make where we are here and now the realm of God. [00:36:33] (20 seconds)  #ShareLoveShareSpirit

In different ways, Isaiah and the temple and the disciples in the lakeshore experienced the power and the presence of the holy one. They were overcome with a sense of their own limitations and unworthiness. And often, we too are awed and frightened by the possibilities to which God is calling us, and so we pray. [00:38:46] (20 seconds)  #HolyAweAndPrayer

And among the crowd, many who heard the preaching of Jesus and saw the power of Jesus considered this event a time of amazement, and that was it. But a few a few knew and understood the higher purpose beyond those blessings as the call to discipleship. [00:35:43] (26 seconds)  #BeyondAmazement

What we are is disciples. The challenges for the churches and the congregations in Luke five was to go to the marketplace, to go to the community, and to see all the people, to see them as the people that God loved, to preach the good news of Jesus Christ, and to invite them to higher purpose. [00:36:53] (23 seconds)  #MeetPeopleWhereTheyAre

Sometimes we get so caught up in doing everything we have to do to catch up with everything, get everything done, then we forget that we're here to glorify God and to receive God's love. We get so caught up in all these little details and tasks that we forget our true and higher purpose. [00:37:35] (28 seconds)  #PurposeOverTasks

We find Zebedee and Sons, that great fishing industry giant from first century Galilee leaving everything and following Jesus. And what intrigues us is that it's just at the moment when business was booming, either giving them space to follow or radicalizing their following. [00:35:18] (25 seconds)  #LeaveEverythingFollowJesus

And I wonder what that means for us now in modern times. Well, it means that we are to follow Jesus. We are to decide to follow Jesus. We're to turn away from those things that pull us away from the discipleship, away from following Jesus. [00:33:25] (17 seconds)  #ChooseToFollowJesus

But what would tell Jesus who you are? If Jesus asks who you are, what would tell him? Is it your job? No. It's your heart. It's your spirit. It's your trust in God and in Jesus. [00:34:25] (24 seconds)  #HeartOverTitle

It's really up to us whether any one time event like Peter's with Jesus turns into a one time event or an eternal one. Jesus' answer to Peter, who's asked him to leave, is an invitation. Do not be afraid. From now on, you will be catching people. [00:34:49] (20 seconds)  #CalledToCatchSouls

We remember that Jesus knew when it was the last Passover that only a few words were needed and the simplest meal prepared. Jesus blessed, broke, shared, and whispered, for you. [00:44:28] (17 seconds)  #SimpleSupperRemembered