Sermon - 2015-01-25

Just a few weeks ago, we were reminded of our own Baptism.  The day in which Jesus Christ called us by name and declared that we were called, claimed, loved, and sent as Disciples of Jesus Christ.  Today, we bear witness to Jesus calling his own disciples.  I want you to stop and think about that.  How does it feel when you are called by name and are told that we need you to be a part of something bigger?  You feel empowered; you feel needed; and you feel important to the cause.  Now remember, the disciples were fishermen, common ordinary people, like you and me. They were not expecting to be called out of the work that they were doing, but God had something in mind for them to do that would change the world.  

However, since the disciples were fishermen, they knew some very important things that would be so useful in being a disciple of Jesus Christ and sharing that word later.  

1. People who fish, go to where the fish are. If you are looking for fish, you have to go to them, or you have to have some really great way to get them to where you are.
2. They had to get up before everyone else and prepare.  Making sure the nets were ready to go, that they had a place to take the fish, and that there was a need in the market.
3. They had to know when to stop fishing and when to take the fish they had into the market so that they could be shared with others.
4. Prepare for the next time, whether they caught a lot of fish or whether they only caught a few.

All of this work with fish made fishermen necessary in society but also they smelled, “a little fishy”.  So, it was not a job into which people desired or truly wanted to go.  It took a lot of labor.  Some days were good and some days were really hard.  

What can we learn from them:

1. We go where the fish are or we go where the people are.  This is something that for many churches, we need to work on.  Going to where people are and inviting them.  Most people know where our church is, but they are not sure if they are welcome.  So, we need to show them that they are needed, and that we want them here with us.
2. We need to work together to truly prepare for other disciples, to work together in what God is calling us to do, and be within this community and world.  
3. We sometimes do the same thing over and over again.  Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t. Regardless, we work together to figure out how we can care for each other, and others in the community.  
4. When the time is right, we bring in the fish, the people, to the place that they need to go and be.  This is related to the previous lesson.  Sometimes, we need to figure out what it is people need or want to help them grow in their faith and life together.  Sometimes, we need to figure out which ministry to utilize in order to meet their needs.  

God calls us to use our gifts.  God uses common ordinary people to do some extraordinary things within the community.  No one is better than the other, but everyone needs each other.  The gifts that God has given to us should be shared for the betterment of all the disciples.  This is only achieved when we stop and listen, share who we are, and be able to all work together in the ministries that God has called us to do.  So, now that Jesus Christ has called, claimed, and gathered us together, let us strive to work together. We need to share the love that God has given to each of us.