These Old Fishing Nets

I'll never forget hearing from CU's president, Joe Stowell, a sermon on the last part of the Gospel of John. I say that b/c I wanna give thanks to God for the men and women He uses to shape my life. Any ways, here's what comes back to me months later in light of recent run-in's with relationships, good n easy things I used to do, and not-bad but not-the-best activities God called me out of to pursue His call on my life in serving the Church...

"Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We will go with you.” They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing." (John 21:3 ESV)

Fishing was where Jesus called Peter from to "become a fisher of men" (Mark 1:17) Fishing was not a bad thing by any means. No doubt, it was good! It brought home the bacon...the lamb chops in the disciples case b/c they were Jews and didn't eat pork... it provided a service for the community as a grocery item, it was what their fathers did as a little boys and taught them how to do when they were little boys and that they too were to eventually pass on as the family trade... it was their element! They could catch fish in their sleep if they wanted to! But not this time.

God did not call them to be fishers of fish but fishers of men...to catch people into God's Kingdom, God's reign in their lives, awe, faith and trust in God's consuming grace and mercy and forgiveness! Though they had saw Jesus already crucified and had seen Him already gloriously resurrected from that horrifying death, something kept them from believing they were called any more.

Peter had denied his association with Jesus 3 times while Jesus was still on trial to get crucified. Add to it that Peter in his youthful passion vowed to Jesus, “Lord…I will lay down my life for you” (John 13:37) makes one guilt-heavy young man. Ever been there?

Yet, because God made clear that He was well-pleased with only Jesus and called only Jesus His beloved Son (John 16:5) He punished Him through humans as if He was a stench of sin, unpleasing and hated in our place so we could now be forgiven for all we have done against God, are doing against God, and will do against God. Peter didn't get this until later on. Jesus asked Peter 3 times (coincidence? no!) "Do you love me?...Feed/tend my sheep/lambs." Peter caught His drift so much that he broke down sobbing, and he was forgiven and charged with an even greater calling!

The comfortable, seemingly secure, and easy "old fishing nets" you once tossed out with your dad at work as a kid seem to be a perfect place to retreat to when you've denied Christ, when the cross He calls you to carry makes you trip, when you run in to your old buddies you once used to toss it out with. But like Peter, Christ has restored you at His own expense.

Rather than taking up our “old fishing nets,” God help us when we hear you say, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?" (Matthew 16:24-26, ESV)