Luke 5:1-11
Sunday, February 9, 2025
Fifth Sunday after Epiphany
Confession and Forgiveness
Blessed be the holy Trinity, ☩ one God,
our creator, our protector, our wellspring of life.
Amen.
Trusting that God receives our words and the meditations of our hearts, let us confess our sin.
Silence is kept for reflection.
Merciful God,
you speak blessing and compassion into the world.
Forgive us for the ways we act
with judgment, cruelty, or indifference.
We ignore the needs of our neighbors.
We resist your call to oppose injustice.
We give in to scarcity and fear.
We assume the worst about one another.
Cleanse us from our faults and release us from their grasp.
Show us your loving kindness.
Restore our hearts and repair your world, that we may live in Christ’s ways.
Amen.
God proclaims these words of assurance:
“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you.
I have called you by name. You are mine.”
In ☩ Christ, we are forgiven.
In the Spirit, we are made free.
Refreshed by the waters of mercy, live anew as beloved children of God.
Amen.
Gathering Hymn:
Let the Whole Creation Cry
Prayer of the Day
Most holy God, the earth is filled with your glory, and before you angels and saints stand in awe. Enlarge our vision to see your power at work in the world, and by your grace make us heralds of your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.
Amen.
First Reading: Isaiah 6:1-8 9-13
1 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lofty; and the hem of his robe filled the temple. 2 Seraphs were in attendance above him; each had six wings: with two they covered their faces, and with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew. 3 And one called to another and said:
“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts;
the whole earth is full of his glory.”
4 The pivots on the thresholds shook at the voices of those who called, and the house filled with smoke. 5 And I said: “Woe is me! I am lost, for I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips; yet my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!”
6 Then one of the seraphs flew to me, holding a live coal that had been taken from the altar with a pair of tongs. 7 The seraph touched my mouth with it and said: “Now that this has touched your lips, your guilt has departed and your sin is blotted out.” 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!”
Word of God. Word of Life.
Thanks be to God.
Psalm: 138
1 I will give thanks to you, O Lord, with my whole heart;
before the gods I will sing your praise.
2 I will bow down toward your holy temple and praise your name, because of your steadfast love and faithfulness;
for you have glorified your name and your word above all things.
3 When I called, you answered me;
you increased my strength within me.
4 All the rulers of the earth will praise you, O Lord,
when they have heard the words of your mouth.
5 They will sing of the ways of the Lord,
that great is the glory of the Lord.
6 The Lord is high, yet cares for the lowly,
perceiving the haughty from afar.
7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you keep me safe;
you stretch forth your hand against the fury of my enemies; your right hand shall save me.
8 You will make good your purpose for me;
O Lord, your steadfast love endures forever; do not abandon the works of your hands.
Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 15:1-11
1 Now I would remind you, brothers and sisters, of the good news that I proclaimed to you, which you in turn received, in which also you stand, 2 through which also you are being saved, if you hold firmly to the message that I proclaimed to you—unless you have come to believe in vain.
3 For I handed on to you as of first importance what I in turn had received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures, 4 and that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. 6 Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers and sisters at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. 8 Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. 9 For I am the least of the apostles, unfit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me has not been in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them—though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. 11 Whether then it was I or they, so we proclaim and so you have come to believe.
Word of God. Word of Life.
Thanks be to God.
Gospel Acclamation
Alleluia. Jesus says, Follow me, and I will make you fish for people. Alleluia. (Matt. 4:19)
The Holy Gospel according to Luke
Glory to You O Lord
Gospel: Luke 5:1-11
1
Once while Jesus was standing beside the lake of Gennesaret, and the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, 2 he saw two boats there at the shore of the lake; the fishermen had gone out of them and 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 way from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat. 4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.” 5 Simon answered, “Master, we have worked all night long but have caught nothing. Yet if you say so, I will let down the nets.” 6 When they had done this, they caught so many fish that their nets were beginning to break. 7 So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both boats, so that they began to sink. 8 But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!” 9 For he and all who were with him were amazed at the catch of fish that they had taken; 10 and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. Then Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people.” 11 When they had brought their boats to shore, they left everything and followed him.
The Gospel of the Lord
Praise to You O Christ
This week I admired Peter’s faith.
- Why? Because he was honest.
- …he said to Simon: “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” Simon answered: “Master… we have worked all night long but have caught nothing.
Here is what I mean: If he was cleaning his nets…he was done. He was almost home for the night…
- Putting on his sweatpants and pouring himself a drink.
- He was DONE.
- And…he was exhausted.
- Exhausted by prolonged effort met only with failure.
- We have been fishing all night and caught nothing: he says to Jesus.
The Lord be with you
Well…think of the times you have been totally exhausted.
- Here is one of many that I will share.
- It had been a busy day at the church along with home and hospital visits.
- And it was one of those rare evenings when I was home.
- And so…Susan and I…following supper…gathered ourselves in the family room…
- Both of us with a glass of wine…
- To watch a movie.
- And then midway through the movie my beeper went off.
- No cell phones…yet…back then.
- The caller was the dispatcher from the local State Police barracks…
- The dispatcher asked me to come to a particular location a few miles out of town to Baker Act (302) an individual who was threatening himself and others with a handgun.
- At that time…in my ministry…I was one of two country delegates that worked with ER doctors at our local hospital…
- To process and evaluate petitioners who found it necessary to involuntarily commit those who were a danger to themselves or others.
- So…I went and returned several hours later…exhausted.
- You know the feeling.
So…Peter is totally exhausted…and this is what Jesus says to Peter:
- “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” Simon answered: “Master…we have worked all night long but have caught nothing.
I am exhausted and if I am honest…I do not want to go into the deep…thank you very much.
- I want to stay near the comfort of the shore.
- I just finished cleaning my nets and am ready for my pajamas and Netflix.
- I want to stay close to the shore Jesus…
- Because I know that in the Hebrew scriptures…
- The Deep is where chaos and the unknown reside.
So…that long ago Sunday evening I was Peter.
- Somewhere between exhaustion and the deep.
- Trying to still have faith while…
- I am worn out…weary…and drained.
So here…today…in this place between exhaustion and the deep…
- Coffee mug faith is not going to cut it for Peter.
- Faith that is just a cheerful outlook sprinkled on top of an already good life.
- Maybe it helped Peter in the past.
- But now it is useless.
- For it to be of any real help…
- Faith cannot be the decorations and furniture.
- It must be the load bearing structure that can withstand floods and fires and plane crashes and global pandemics.
Because here’s the thing.
- Faith does not go away first when a crisis happens.
- It is what is left after a crisis happens.
- When the power of positive thinking fails us.
- When the insurance companies and governmental agencies have failed us.
- When our attempts to change ourselves and others have failed us.
- When our vision for what our lives would look like has failed us.
- When our bodies and dreams have failed us.
- Simple faith remains.
Peter teaches us that.
- Because Peter’s faith is the kind that is honest about exhaustion and failure.
- Honest about what life really feels like and then still says…AND YET.
- Jesus said to Peter: “Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.” Simon answered: “Master…we have worked all night long but have caught nothing. And yet…if you say so…I will let down the nets.”
Peter was indeed in the space between exhaustion and the deep.
- And facing the deep can be terrifying.
- The Greek word for the deep…BATHOS…shows up somewhere else.
- It shows up in Romans 8:
- For I am convinced that neither death…nor life…nor angels…nor rulers…nor things present…nor things to come…nor powers…nor height…nor (bathos) the deep…nor anything else in all creation…will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
So…Peter can admit he was exhausted and did not wish to go out into the deep.
- And yet he came to know that even here…
- He would not be separated from the protective love of God.
- It does not fit on a coffee mug…but it does not need to.
The Netflix movie Don’t Look Up.
- The movie is about a meteor which is moments away from destroying the earth.
- The characters are in the deepest part of the deep.
- And when putting faith in political solutions and big tech has failed them…
- They face their last moments by gathering for a thanksgiving style meal.
- A fishing net-straining feast of gladness and gratitude.
- But they know something else is needed.
- And that something is prayer.
- Amid the world quite literally ending…
- No one was practicing self-improvement…or attempting to “manifest” some kind of excellence…
- What they did was…they prayed.
The skate-board punk character proceeds to pray.
- The world was about to be destroyed AND YET he prayed.
- “Dearest Father and Almighty Creator…we ask for your grace tonight…despite our pride…your forgiveness…despite our doubt. Most of all…Lord…we ask for your love to soothe us through these dark times. May we face whatever is to come in your divine will with courage and open hearts of acceptance.”
Peter was exhausted.
- AND YET…despite his pride…there is grace in the deep.
- Despite his doubt…there is forgiveness in the deep.
- Not to mention…yes…a whole lot of fish.
- So…with the simple…AND YET faith of Peter we can say:
Song of the Day:
Will You Come and Follow Me
Prayers of Intercession
With the Spirit of Christ shining upon us, let us boldly pray for the church, the world, and all of creation.
A brief silence.
God of surprising abundance, you call your people to enter deeply into the world. Equip us to respond to your call, gather up what we have, and offer it to all. God of grace,
hear our prayer.
God of creation, provide protection from the elements and other hazards to all whose work brings them outside: for fishers, ranchers, line workers, and construction crews. Guide us to live carefully alongside the wonders of the land and waters. God of grace,
hear our prayer.
Open the hearts of all leaders, especially those who serve in the armed forces, that they respond to their commission with wisdom and patience. Ensure that all who serve are kept safe in body, mind, and spirit. We pray for an end to all war and armed conflict. God of grace,
hear our prayer.
Fill with your compassionate presence all who are suffering from addiction, mental illness, injury, or illness of any kind especially: John & Lisa Mountain, Terry Vernon, David & Carol Beazley, Margaret Miller, Bill Treichler, Shirley Treichler, Hope Garrett, Julia Busby-Morgan, Lisa (Bob & Doris’s daughter. Chad Rudzik, June Gust, Vicki Salzgeber, John Satino (June’s son’s dad), David Wilfong (Esther Gustason’s son-in-law), Clinton Nelson, Clementine, Stacey Bryant, Pam Hendry, Betty Hurley, Erin Shayota, Michael Bender, the family of Andrea Shultz, Don Bevers Draw helpers to their side so that they find relief from their burdens. God of grace,
hear our prayer.
Call our faith communities to do marvelous things. Bless the labor and efforts of this congregation, that we may be a sign of your presence in the world. God of grace,
hear our prayer.
Spirit of peace…we pray for neighboring congregations and ministry sites especially: Church of God – Pastor Troy…SDA – Pastor Ralph…Bay Point Christian – Pastor Randall…St. Barts – Father Ethan… Blessed Trinity…St. Matthew…DayStar Life Center…Canguros Day School. Nurture our shared commitment to embody Jesus’ love. God of grace,
hear our prayer.
We thank you for those who have courageously gone before us in the faith. May we too show a deep trust in you throughout our lives. God of grace,
hear our prayer.
We entrust our prayers to you, O God, in the sure and certain hope that your promise is revealed among the people.
Amen.
Pray with me:
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy Name,
thy kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those
who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
and the power, and the glory,
for ever and ever.
Amen.
Blessing
The Spirit of the triune God
☩ bless you with joy,
anoint you with compassion,
and send you in love.
Amen.
Sending Song:
How Clear is Our Vocation Lord
Dismissal
Go in peace. Live in hope.
Thanks be to God.