"PLENTY OF FISH"
a message by Rev. Dr. Bruce Havens
Coral Isles Church, U.C.C.
February 2, 2025
Luke 5: 1-11 NRSV
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.
Fishing and the Keys just go together don’t they? How many of you like to fish? Last week one of our members was showing me some of his fishing pictures from his work as a guide. Man, that was some amazing stuff! If any of you have a favorite fishing picture or two this week send them in to the church and we’ll run them on the PowerPoint next week. Now, don’t do a photo dump, just send one or two, ok?
I have to admit, when it comes to fishing my golf game looks pretty good, and I gave up golf a long time ago because I was so bad. My wife can outfish me any day of the week. Last time I went fishing, it was with a member of our church in Jacksonville. He was a great fisherman and a good friend. That whole day I caught one fish, and it was a Robin fish, at least that’s what he told me. I don’t know because I have never heard of that fish and I had never seen an uglier fish in my life. Yes, we threw it back! Some of you know that the first pastor of this church was a great fisherman. In fact, he was kind of part time pastor and part time fishing guide, or charter if I understand correctly. All that is to say this: my lack of fishing success was never because of a lack of fish in the sea. There are plenty of fish in God’s oceans. And that leads me to this morning’s Scripture.
I don’t need to tell the whole story again, you just heard it. Jesus is teaching on the banks of the lake. The crowds are so big he has nowhere to stand so he gets in the boat with these fishermen. When the sermon is done he has them put out, tells them to drop their nets, despite their reluctance they do so, and voila! - a record catch. The tag line to it is about those fishermen becoming “catchers of people.” Next week I will address that part of this story. This week I want to focus on the miraculous, net-breaking metaphor of this story.
I want to invite you to focus on this: there are plenty of fish in God’s oceans. I want to put this statement into the context of our sacrament this morning. Some churches restrict who gets to take communion. Only those “good” enough by their standards are allowed. They decide who qualifies. Their intentions aren’t bad, just misplaced. They are trying to protect God from sinners who don’t deserve a “holy” meal. I understand the theology, but I don’t agree with it, and I don’t believe it is God’s will. I believe God has plenty of love for those who hunger. I believe God has plenty of room at the table for those who hunger for God’s love. I don’t believe in a God who turns people away because they aren’t “holy” enough by some human definition. That seems to me to mock the other purpose of this passage that so many emphasize: the bringing in of “fish,” or more accurately, people.
So this morning I want to tell you not only does God have plenty of fish for everyone, but God has plenty of love too. In fact, God has a net-busting, boat-overflowing, mind-boggling, heart-blasting love for every, single person. So if you wonder why we invite everyone to this table, that’s why. If you wonder if you should feel welcome at this table, yes, you should and are. If you feel concerned that you have done something in your life that other churches tell you disqualifies you, welcome to the club, welcome to the table, welcome to the heart-healing, soul-satisfying, life-changing table of God’s love. There are plenty of fish in God’s ocean and there is plenty of love in God’s heart for you, my friend, and for me.
Let me point out one more reason I claim this as truth. Jesus didn’t wait til Peter was perfect to get in his boat. Jesus didn’t check Peter’s perfection to call him the Rock Jesus would build the church on. In fact, Jesus we might say “cussed” Peter out a time or two but still counted on Peter to carry on God’s mission. I trust that if Jesus can use a guy like Peter, Jesus is okay having a meal with any of us scalawags, or scoundrels like me, or even you perfect Paul’s or Pauline’s. There’s plenty of fish for us all.
This table is a sign of God’s overwhelming, net-overflowing love. Oh, I know we don’t come up here and gobble down a huge meal or chug a gallon of juice. This is a sign, a taste, of God’s promise of love. Signs, or miracles as we tend to call them, point toward a bigger truth. The small sample of bread and cup that we take at this time is a sign pointing us toward the fullness of God’s feast of love. This bread and this cup are simply a way for us to say yes we hunger and thirst for more of God’s love in our lives. So don’t be afraid to take part. Don’t believe anyone who tells you, you aren’t qualified. The only qualification is a hunger and thirst for God’s love, and this is a reminder that God gives it in amazing quantities.
This table is a sign of God’s love for you and for me. And the good news is we don’t even have to be a good fisherperson, so even I can come to this table! I hope to see you there. AMEN.
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