Epiphany 5 Luke 5:1-11 Jesus the King
Isaiah 6:1-8 (9-13) 1 Corinthians 14:12-20 Luke 5:1-11
In chapter 3rd and 4th chapters of Exodus, God used a burning bush to get the attention of Moses. While Moses stood before the burning bush, God said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.” Upon hearing this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God. God continued to speak, “the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them. So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.”
But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?” And God said, “I will be with you. Moses answered, “What if they do not believe me or listen to me?” (Ex 4:10).
And later in the conversation, Moses said to the LORD, “O Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue.” The LORD said to him, “Who gave man his mouth? Who makes him unable to hear or unable to speak? Who gives him sight or makes him blind? Is it not I, the LORD? Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.” In spite of all the reassurance that God had given, Moses still replied, “O Lord, please send someone else to do it.”
In the first chapter of Jeremiah, the word of the LORD came to him, saying, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” “Ah, Sovereign LORD,” Jeremiah said, “I do not know how to speak; I am only a child.” The Lord replied, “Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you.”
In the second chapter of Ezekiel, God spoke to him saying, “Son of man, I am sending you to the Israelites, to a rebellious nation that has rebelled against me; they and their fathers have been in revolt against me to this very day.”
“The people to whom I am sending you are obstinate and stubborn. Say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says.’ You must speak my words to them, whether they listen or fail to listen, for they are rebellious. But you, son of man, listen to what I say to you. Do not rebel like that rebellious house; open your mouth and eat what I give you.”
Do you see a pattern developing here? Our God is very familiar with the excuses of sinful man who are disinclined to do what He has asked. Over the centuries, God has heard every reason under the sun. In our lessons for today we hear Isaiah and Simon give their own reasons.
Isaiah was already a prophet of God when his vision occurred. He had already prophesied destruction and judgment upon Jerusalem and Judah. One day however, the vision came to Isaiah whereby he witnessed God’s glory. The prophet stood before the King of kings and was overwhelmed by the power and grandeur he saw. Isaiah responded with fear because of his own sinfulness. “Woe is me!” he said. “I am a man of unclean lips and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips.” ‘Unclean lips’ is an understatement. Isaiah was downright vulgar in his words.
And among the people of his time, vulgarity, rudeness, profanity and offensiveness was pretty much accepted as no big deal. Isaiah’s sin looked especially dark against the brilliant background of God’s magnificence. When Isaiah stood in the pure presence of Almighty God, he saw just how sinful he and the people truly were. Isaiah, with much fear and trembling felt unworthy; unqualified to do the Lord’s work.
As Isaiah’s vision continued, God qualified Isaiah for His work by having an angel pick up a live coal from the altar with tongs. He touched Isaiah’s mouth and said, “Behold your guilt is taken away, and your sin is atoned for.” God immediately called out for someone to go and proclaim His word. Having been cleansed by God we hear Isaiah’s quick reply: “Here am I! Send me.” God’s forgiveness is powerfully effective when it is apprehended in faith.
Several hundred years later as we read in our gospel lesson we hear not of a dreamlike vision of God’s glory but of a physical realization by Simon of the divine power and glory contained in the person of Jesus Christ. Simon was with Jesus when he cast the demon out of the man in the synagogue and he was there when Jesus had taken the fever out of his mother. So Simon had a good indication that Jesus was the Messiah. So Simon did not hesitate when Jesus wanted his fishing boat to preach to the people.
And yet when Jesus told Simon to put out into deep water and let down your nets for a catch, Simon did hesitate. As an experienced fisherman, Simon knew that fish feed in shallow water at night. During the heat and brightness of the day, fish go into deep water far beyond the reach of nets.
No fisherman in his right mind would fish at this time of day. Simon wanted to go home and get some rest, because he needed to work even harder that night because he had caught nothing last night. You can hear the frustration, doubt and reluctance in Simon’s words; “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.” (Luke 5:5)
So Simon and his crew set out into deep water, threw their nets in and caught a record catch of fish. Simon was overwhelmed at the power of Jesus and at the same time, because of his doubt and reluctance to obey Jesus, he was filled with shame. He fell down at Jesus’ knees saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man.”
But did Jesus chastise Simon for his doubts? No. Rather than being angry with Simon for his reluctance and doubt, Jesus gave Simon an absolution--and an assignment. Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.” So Simon and all those in the boats left everything and followed Jesus.
What lessons can we learn from all of these men? Well, we see that we all make excuses for the times when we do not want to obey God. When we look at our qualifications we find ourselves woefully inadequate to work for God.
Surely there are others who are smarter, who are more eloquent in their speaking, who know the scriptures better than we, who have more love for their fellow man, and who are more holy in their love for God.
Besides that, there is so much to do in this world and so little time to accomplish it. We all have to work hard just to provide enough to get by each day that we have little time, talents and money to give to God. Isn’t that the same thing Simon was trying to say to Jesus? Master we toiled all night and have nothing to show for it. Oh, you of little faith! Look what happens when you obey the Lord. Does not God tell you, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” (Luke 11:9)
Or perhaps God has already given you so much that you feel guilt over what you have because you know the uncleanness of your mouth. Perhaps you doubt that Jesus’ death on the cross was not enough to pay for all of your sins or perhaps that Jesus will not forgive you because your sins are just too terrible for God to ever pronounce a blessing upon you let alone an absolution forgiving you of all your sins.
Well, I have good news for you! God understands the feelings and emotions you have. God gave us the scriptures to show that ever since mankind fell into sin; we have been fearful and reluctant to do His will. Yet God has made many, many promises that He will be with us, He will watch over us, He will protect us and He will provide for us abundantly. Besides making these promises He sent Jesus into the world to give us a visible and tangible promise of our salvation brought about by our Savior’s death on the cross and accomplished with His resurrection to eternal life.
Even so, the nearer God comes to you with all of His love, power and glory, the more you can feel your own sinfulness and unworthiness. So what does God do to give you assurance that you have been made worthy to do His work? He washes you clean at baptism and marks you as one of His own.
Then rather than an angel touching your lips with a burning coal, Jesus touches your lips with His very body and blood purifying your whole body and soul, setting you apart for work in His kingdom. “See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for” Cleansed mouths are ready to praise God beautifully and to share his word truthfully.
Through God’s free forgiveness of your sins and the cleansing of your mouth, you are enabled and commissioned to “speak His truth in love,” that is, to praise God for what He has done and speak on His behalf to others.
God graciously gave Isaiah the gift of cleansing; he forgave the sins of his tongue and gave him a sense of purpose. God is the powerful creator of the universe and His glory is incomprehensible, yet He dwells in the heart of the humblest believer in Christ. He is almighty, transcendent, and all knowing. Yet God loves you just as you are, despite your sinfulness. He sent his Son Jesus to atone for your sin, thus opening your heart to believe and giving your tongue the ability to gladly praise and witness for Him.
Like Moses, you may hesitate to share a word of witness to others because you think you are not trained or you are afraid you might say the wrong thing. God told Moses and he tells you, “Go, I will help you speak and will teach you what to say” (Ex 4:11–12).
When God called him, Jeremiah claimed “I do not know how to speak.” God replied, “Do not say, ‘I am only a child.’ Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you,” (Jeremiah 1:6–8).
God cleanses our mouths, changing our words from worthless to worthwhile; words fit for the King of Kings and Lord of Lord’s.
We know that God had cleansed not only Isaiah’s mouth but also his heart, because the Holy Spirit empowered Isaiah with immediate willingness as he said ‘Here I am. Send me.’” No more excuses about his lack of ability. He was ready to go. Forgiveness erases the barriers to becoming what God wants you and I to be…and do.
Simon and Isaiah went on their way--or shall I say they went on God’s way, to a lifetime of sharing God’s message of law and gospel with people, enabling them to confront their sins, believe, and have eternal life.
And so we come to worship to strengthen our faith, to receive the assurance of our salvation and as forgiven sinners to go confidently out into the world as His ambassadors, proclaiming the good news of salvation through faith in the work of Jesus Christ. That is our assignment, our commission—to go out and catch men.
It is not easy to catch those who are accustomed to living in darkness with the bright light of the Gospel, but with God, all things are possible. (Matthew 19:26) In Jesus name, Amen.