4th Sunday before Lent

Readings: Isaiah 6v1-end; Psalm 138; 1 Corinthians 15v1-11; Luke 5v1-11.

Let us pray: May the words of my mouth and the thoughts and meditations of all our hearts be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, our strength and our redeemer.

A Word: In the psalm we hear that people bow before God in praise and thanksgiving when they become aware of God’s love and faithfulness. For God watches over us and is present with us in our troubles. For we have a God who saves and preserves us. A God who hears and answers our desperate calls. A God who the kings of the earth will one day praise. A God who watches over the modest, the deprived and the meek. A God who will stretch out his hand against the enemies and make good his holy purposes. But how will people become aware of God’s love and faithfulness?

In Isaiah’s vision of heaven, Isaiah sees God sitting on his throne in his holy temple, with six winged angels called Seraphs attending to him and singing words of praise. At this awesome sight, Isaiah is overwhelmed with his sinfulness and how much God’s people have fallen short of the holiness of God. Yet even though he knows himself to be a sinner, Isaiah has looked upon the face of God and lived. As a repentant sinner, Isaiah is cleansed of his sins and invited to become God’s messenger to take the word of God to a people who the angel warns will not listen until God’s holy seed breaks forth into the world. I believe that this prophecy tells us that if we are called to take God’s message to his people that we must take the message, even if those we are sent to do not listen, because one day they will.

In Luke we hear Jesus calling messengers for his time. First Jesus commandeering a fishing boat belonging to local fishermen, Simon, who would be renamed Simon Peter, James and John. Jesus asked them to take him out onto the water so he could teach the crowd who were following him. After teaching the crowd, Jesus guided the fishermen to go out into the deeper water where they caught a huge number of fish, a number so numerous that the nets threatened to break, with the weight so great the boat was beginning to sink. This was such an extraordinary occurrence that Simon knew he was in the presence of someone holy so he fell on his knees before Jesus and like Isaiah, acknowledged his own sinfulness. In response Jesus told Simon, James and John that from that day forward they would be catching people. And, once back on land, the fishermen left everything behind and followed Jesus.

What we learn from these readings is that God speaks to us in all sorts of ways: through visions, through what we hear in the scriptures, through the word of God’s messengers, through the teaching we receive and through what we ourselves witness. What we learn though our lives is that God helps and saves us then calls us to serve him in the world in which we are placed. Like Isaiah who was sent to take God’s message to his people; like the psalmist King David, who shared his witness testimony through the many psalms he wrote; and like the fishermen that Jesus called.

Now, in our generation, God needs messengers, people who will take God’s word into the world. For all of us are called too – even if we think we are not worthy enough, or too sinful, or not clever enough, or too ordinary – for God has a part for us to play in his salvation plan. And the message we are called to share is what we hear in Corinthians, which is that we are saved from our sins because Christ died for our sins, was buried and rose back to life again. A miracle that was foretold through the scriptures and witnessed by: Simon Peter (also known as Cephas - the Rock), James, all of the apostles on more than one occasion, five hundred followers of Jesus, and even Paul himself on his road to Damascus. For Jesus came into the world so all people can come to him and be saved.

Let us Pray: Almighty and ever-living God, you know that in the dangers and temptations of life we need your help. We pray you will strengthen us to stand up when we fall down; to protect us during times of danger; and lead us away from all that tempts us away from your ways. Merciful and loving God, go before us to guide us in all the works you call us to do, so we may glorify you and receive the gift of everlasting life. Amen

Thanks for joining us today.