First Presbyterian Church      Rev. Michael J. Imperiale

Salt Lake City, UtahJanuary 8, 2006

                                  SOVEREIGN HOPE: BEING THE CHURCH TODAY

“The Best Thing in Life”

Luke 5:1-11

Introduction

He was loved, he was hated, but he was never ignored. His influence on Protestant Christianity continues even some 442 years after his death. We tend to take for granted the new ideas and practices that John Calvin brought to the church in his day and time. Hearing the Bible read aloud in our own language in church; singing hymns and songs based on Scripture; explaining the meaning of a Bible passage in a sermon; having a church lead by elected pastors, elders and deacons; seeing pulpit, font and table as central objects in the sanctuary; believing that salvation comes by faith alone, based on Scripture alone, through the grace of Jesus Christ alone – these were all reformation ideas coming from Calvin and others.

Over the next few weeks, Pastor Jim and I will be exploring some of the unique ideas and particular emphases of Calvin’s faith, theology and practice that make our Presbyterian-brand Christianity alive and well in the 21st century. After all, a sovereign hope in God is the cornerstone of true life and faith.

This morning we begin with the opening paragraphs of John Calvin’s central work, The Institutes of the Christian Religion, an 80 chapter, fifteen hundred page explanation of what faith in Jesus Christ is all about. It asks, “What are we made for?” It answers, “To know God.” What aim should we set for ourselves in life? To know God. What is the best thing in life, bringing more joy, delight and contentment than anything else? The knowledge of God.

So, the question is, “How can we know God?” The account of Peter, James, and John, their companion fishermen, and their amazing catch of fish is instructive.

I. Trying to do Life without God (vs. 1-5)

“One day Jesus was standing by the shore of Lake Gennesaret, the Sea of Galilee. There was a crowd of people around him listening to the word of God. He noticed two boats tied up and the fishermen washing their nets after a long night coming up with no catch.” These fishermen used bell shaped nets with lead weights around the edges. A net would be thrown flat onto the water, and the lead weights would cause it to sink around the fish. Then the fishermen would pull on a cord, drawing the net around the fish. So nets had to be kept in good condition. They were washed to remove weeds and then mended. “When he finished teaching, Jesus said to Simon, ‘Let’s push out into deep water and let your nets out for a catch.’ Reluctantly, they did what Jesus said.”

People then and people now know that life is hard work. Everyone must find his or her place in the economy of earning a living, providing for meeting needs and wants. Seeming to never get ahead, we are required to work as students, laborers, in business and industry, as professionals trying to make a life. Yet even Solomon in all his glory, fame and wealth complained about it. “What does man gain from all his labor at which he toils under the sun?” he asks in Ecclesiastes. “Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless. Like chasing after the wind. So I hated life. I hated all the things I had toiled for.”

Peter and his fishing partners were well acquainted with the toil that sometimes leads to nothing. This was one of those days. How about you? When work is a grind, when burnout settles in, when you wrestle with the meaninglessness of the job, what do you do? How do you feel? What recourse do you have? Where do you go?

II. Jesus Arrives on the Scene (vs. 4-7)

After hearing Jesus preach and teach about the kingdom of God, the kingdom of heaven and the ethereal things of the Spirit, Jesus invites these tired fishermen to experience God in their lives. He asks them to go back into the deep water and go fishing. 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.”

Peter and his friends hear the word of God, trust in Jesus, and try what he says. What a great paradigm for you and me to follow. Listen to God’s word, trust in Jesus as Lord and Savior, try what he says to do, and see what happens.

“When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. They filled both boats so full that they began to sink.”

III. A Surprising, Important Reaction (vs. 8-10)

Then the Bible says that “when Simon Peter saw this, he said, ‘Let’s make Jesus a full partner in our firm; we’ll be the best, most profitable fishing company in all of Galilee. There’s got to be a way to parlay Jesus’ talent into a successful, big business!”

No, that’s not what happened. Having heard the word of God and experienced this miraculous catch, awe overwhelmed Peter and everyone with him. Peter fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord. I am a sinful man. I can’t handle this holiness. Leave me to myself.”

Back to John Calvin. Once we have caught even a glimpse of God, we also come to know ourselves. That knowledge will prove uncomfortable and it’s meant to drive us to our knees. “We cannot seriously aspire to God,” writes Calvin, “before we begin to become displeased with ourselves… For we always seem to ourselves righteous and upright and wise and holy – this pride is innate in all of us – unless by clear proofs we stand convinced of our own unrighteousness, foulness, folly, and impurity.”

There are two requirements for coming to God. Like Peter, we too must recognize our own sinfulness in its vast array. Then, like these fishermen, we realize that we cannot save ourselves. To know God is to know the need for help and accept Jesus as the only one who can help us.

In the terror of that moment, knowing God’s just and right judgment against us, Jesus says, “Don’t be afraid. From now on you’ll be fishing for men and women.” Then they pulled up their boats on the beach, and left them, nets and all, and followed Jesus.

Conclusion

One way you and I can know God is to look at ourselves and all the gifts God has given to us. What are the opportunities, experiences, personal qualities, skills, or relationships that you see as God’s gifts to you? In essence, what is your miraculous catch of fish? There is a marvelous wonder and goodness about being a human being.

But there is also a shame, a failure, the downside, the trouble of being human. How have you taken God’s gifts for granted? How are you misusing them, even abusing them? Much of today’s culture tells us that we ought to “feel good about ourselves.” In view of Peter’s (and Calvin’s) experience, we hear God’s word, we meet a perfect, holy, righteous God, and our first response should be to fall in fear at his feet because we know we don’t and can’t measure up to God’s standards for life.

Presbyterian-brand Christianity, based on the Bible, emphasized by Calvin and Reformers ever since offers this way of knowing God. 1) God is good and created us for his purposes and glory. 2) We rebel against God in willful, sinful selfishness in every aspect of our lives. 3) God still loves us and has provided a Savior in Jesus, the one who gave his life in our place of judgment. 4) When we realize that God is drawing us back to himself, we repent (admit our sin and need for Christ), and accept Jesus as Lord and Savior.

This is the disciples’ second call. Peter, Andrew, James and John had gone back to fishing. They continued to watch Jesus, however, as he established his authority in the synagogue, as he healed the sick, as he taught all about God’s kingdom rule. Here he establishes his authority in their lives – he met them on their level and helped them in their work. From this point on, they left their nets and remained with Jesus.

We too have boats and nets to leave behind to follow Jesus. We must leave our past behind and commit our future to him. It is this knowing God that is the best thing in life in a sovereign hope in Jesus Christ.

Let us pray together.