For the week of February 9 – 5th Sunday after Epiphany
Morning Prayer: Loving God, You have called forth disciples and prophets to live and speak Your word. Give us ears to hear, lives to respond, and voices to proclaim the good news of salvation, which we know in our Savior Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. (Lectionary Prayers)
Opening Hymn: #176 Majesty, Worship His Majesty
Majesty, worship His majesty; unto Jesus be all glory, honor, and praise.
Majesty, kingdom authority, flow from His throne unto His own, His anthem raise.
So exalt, lift up on high the name of Jesus.
Magnify, come glorify Christ Jesus, the King.
Majesty, worship His majesty, Jesus who died, now glorified, King of all kings.
Psalm 138:4-6, 8b (CEB)
Let all the earth’s rulers give thanks to You, Lord,
when they hear what You say.
Let them sing about the Lord’s ways
because the Lord’s glory is so great!
Even though the Lord is high,
He can still see the lowly,
but God keeps His distance from the arrogant.
Your faithful love lasts forever, Lord!
Don’t let go of what Your hands
have made.
Prayers of Intercession: Thank You, Lord, for hearing our prayers for those dear to our hearts. We now pray as You have taught us: 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 sins, as we forgive those who sin against us. Lead us, not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.
Offering spotlight: Soup-er Bowl of Caring tackled hunger last week. Thank you for your donations to supply the Blessings Box. You gave 167 items, some of which will be divided into multiple blessings; plus $155 for additional supplies.
Offering prayer: Ever-faithful God, who calls us into the deep waters of faith and trust, we offer these gifts with open hearts. Transform our offerings into acts of love and service, so that we may catch glimpses of Your kingdom and draw others into Your embrace. Guide us to live deeply and follow Christ's call to be fishers of people in Your abundant grace. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen. (Discipleship Ministries)
Hymn of preparation: #344 Lord, You Have Come to the Lakeshore
- Lord, You have come to the lakeshore looking neither for wealthy nor wise ones;
You only asked me to follow humbly.
Refrain: O Lord, with Your eyes You have searched me,
and while smiling have spoken my name;
Now my boat’s left on the lakeshore behind me; by Your side I will seek other seas.
- You know so well my possessions; my boat carries no gold and no weapons;
You will find there my nets and labor. Refrain:
- You need my hands, full of caring through my labors to give others rest,
And constant love that keeps on loving. Refrain:
- You, who have fished other oceans, ever longed for by souls who are waiting,
My loving friend, as thus You call me. Refrain:
Scripture: Luke 5:1-11 (CEB)
5 One day Jesus was standing beside Lake Gennesaret when the crowd pressed in around Him to hear God’s word. 2 Jesus saw two boats sitting by the lake. The fishermen had gone ashore and were washing their nets. 3 Jesus boarded one of the boats, the one that belonged to Simon, then asked him to row out a little distance from the shore. Jesus sat down and taught the crowds from the boat. 4 When He finished speaking to the crowds, He said to Simon, “Row out farther, into the deep water, and drop your nets for a catch.”
5 Simon replied, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and caught nothing. But because you say so, I’ll drop the nets.”
6 So they dropped the nets and their catch was so huge that their nets were splitting. 7 They signaled for their partners in the other boat to come and help them. They filled both boats so full that they were about to sink. 8 When Simon Peter saw the catch, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Leave me, Lord, for I’m a sinner!” 9 Peter and those with him were overcome with amazement because of the number of fish they caught. 10 James and John, Zebedee’s sons, were Simon’s partners and they were amazed too.
Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid. From now on, you will be fishing for people.” 11 As soon as they brought the boats to the shore, they left everything and followed Jesus.
Message: Pastor Becky
The calling of Peter, James, and John as disciples isn’t necessarily one of my favorite accounts – mostly because of the boat. Peter, James, and John make their living by fishing by boat. Jesus teaches from the boat. My heart pounds with anxiety just thinking about the boat.
I don’t think it is a secret that I am not a fan of boats. I believe the ocean, rivers, and lakes look much more beautiful from the shoreline. I prefer to have my feet firmly planted on the sand, amongst the rocks, surrounded by seashells, or stuck in the mud, alongside the water.
It’s the unknown or my control issues – probably mostly my control issues that make boats unappealing to me. I don’t know anything about how to navigate them. I don’t understand how the wind works in bringing back to where I started. Plus, why do they float? I have more questions than workable knowledge regarding boats. Yet, I enjoy the water. I find comfort and peace in drawing near to it. I love how the ocean waves are louder than the noise inside my head. I love to see the sun sparkle on the ripples of a lake, dancing like unobtainable jewels and my heart seems to be at peace as I allow my whole body to take on the gentle flow of the river. But I also recognize the power of water when it rages and the very things that draw me to it, terrify me.
Yet, all the while, in order to follow Jesus, Peter, James, and John got into their boats.
They didn’t question it, it is part of them. They are fishermen. They were raised to be fishermen. The boats don’t scare them; the boats are mere vehicles of navigation – a way to get from here to there.
The depth of the water has no effect on them. They know the fishing is different in the shallows and are comfortable in the deep waters. They have mastered both. Years of learning and listening to the older fishermen have given them confidence in their trade. Only by learning are they going to sustain their families. Not every day will be successful, but they possess the skills and perseverance to go out the next day.
They care for their tools, they can mend their own nets and know how to store them. Their nets are valuable, both as a physical asset and as a time saver. They know they can secure more fish with the nets than acquiring them one at a time with their hands. They clean and repair their boats and keep them in good condition. There is no such thing as a small leak. Every breech is attended to with care.
Jesus knew all of this when He came to the lakeshore. Jesus wasn’t looking for those whose knowledge was confined strictly to their minds. He was coming to those with deep muscle memory of what it meant to work in tandem with another. One who could anticipate their partner’s next move. He was looking for those who could work together without explanation. Jesus was relying on folks that know what it was like to hold another’s physical life in their hands, knowing that one false move could be life ending. It was this deep faith in each other that drew Jesus to the fishermen on the lakeshore.
These fishermen already demonstrated faith in each other. They already knew the importance of working together toward a common goal, holding each other up because they don’t succeed without each other. While one may have more skills or better skills, the fishing would only happen together. They are dependent on each other. They have learned to work together because there are but two goals – catch fish and make it home.
These men embodied what was needed to begin building the Church, to spread the message of the good news of Jesus Christ. Their all-in mentality and physicality become the foundation of our relationship with Jesus. It gives us hope that Jesus comes to where we are and calls us. Jesus sees us and what we already possess and uses us to build the Church, the manifestation of the Kingdom of God on earth.
We can draw on the strength of their stories, the strength of all those who have responded to Jesus’s call. We only know of Jesus because of the faith these first disciples placed in Jesus and their faithfulness to share their stories. We get to know Jesus when we respond to the Jesus we have heard about and surrender all that and who we are to the calling of discipleship.
This is why our stories are so important. Others don’t casually find out about Jesus. Jesus doesn’t brush off onto us. We have to embrace Him and that happens in relationship with one another and sharing those stories. This is the way of discipleship and it hasn't changed since the day Jesus appeared on the lakeshore and called Peter, James, and John. The life Jesus offered Peter, James, and John is the life we have been offered and we are to be offering to the world Jesus came and redeemed.
So, the boat I loathe and fear is the only vessel. It is the beginning of discipleship and a life with Jesus. It is scary, yet, discipleship requires me to get in the boat, place my life in the hands of Jesus and other disciples, because we don’t do this alone. Ahoy! Amen!
Closing Hymn: #389 Freely, Freely
- God forgave my sin in Jesus’ name, I’ve been born again in Jesus’ name,
and in Jesus’s name I come to you, to share His love as He told me to.
Refrain: He said, “Freely, freely you have received, freely, freely give.
Go in My name and because you believe, others will know that I live.
- All power is given in Jesus’ name, in earth and heaven in Jesus’ name,
and in Jesus’ name I come to you, to share His power as He told me to.
The blessing: May the Lord bless you and keep you and make His face shine upon you this week.
