Leave Your Nets Behind
First Sunday of Christmas - Narrative Lectionary 2
December 27, 2015
Mr. John Odegard, Minister for Discipleship and Faith Formation
Grace, Mankato, MN
Mark 1.1-20
Greetings Brothers and Sisters in Christ, I am so glad to be here with you today to celebrate all that we have through Jesus.
This is a crazy time of year. Many of us are still recovering from the wild ride that is known as Christmas. There is much joy, but also much stress. Everything can feel like a rush, and sometimes we forget to sit back and enjoy the moment. We are in a hurry to buy presents for those we love, but sometimes forget how fortunate we are to have loved ones, and to have the means to buy them a present. There is a sense of urgency that can overtake our common sense as we rush through what should be a time of peace and thankfulness. That sense of urgency is unsettling at times, and keeps us from truly enjoying this magical time of year to the fullest extent. It invades many parts of our lives and eats away at the precious time we have. It makes us miss that first snowman of the year because we are too worried about getting the snow-blower running.
Any parent can tell you this feeling overtakes you when your child is up screaming in the night. Nothing can stop you from going to them immediately. But in those moments of frantic urgency, we miss the silver lining, often until it is too late. Our child needs us, and only we have the power to soothe them. We are blind to that beautiful truth.
There is a different kind of urgency though, and it appears in the Gospel today. The urgency of the good news of Christ. It calls to you the same way, but it fills you up when you follow it, rather than tearing you down. This calling does not make you miss the better side of things, it is the better side of things.
You may have noticed that the Gospel of Mark skips the Christmas story. It begins by saying “The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.” And then it seems to skip the actual beginning of the story. It jumps right in 30 years later.
Sometime after his baptism, Jesus is taking a walk and he comes across some people going about their lives. There are some fishermen along the shore, as would be a common sight, and they are fishing and cleaning their nets. If you asked the fishermen if they thought today would be any different they would have expected nothing out of the ordinary. Catch some fish and help the crew clean the nets after the catch. That’s what they were doing when Jesus came to them.
In the time of Jesus, and actually, still today, commercial fishing in the Sea of Galilee used a type a net called the trammel net. It is made up of a series of nets that get smaller as you go further in. The way it works is the net is thrown out away from the boat parallel with the shore, into the deeper water. The fishermen would then make as much noise as they possibly could to scare fish towards the net. This was probably very well received by those who lived along the shore, especially in the early hours of the morning. The fish would try to swim away from the noise into deeper water and would easily pass through the largest holes in the net, and just barely through the second set of holes and find the third set was too small. When they tried to turn around they would get tangled and trapped in the net. The fishermen would then haul the net ashore and painstakingly pick the fish out one at a time. But, this was the best way to catch a lot of fish, and so they did it. When they were done, each day the net had to be repaired and then hung out to dry completely. This was how you took care of the tools, and if you were the owner of said net, you were doubly invested in making sure it was taken care of because the owner of the net and boat received a larger portion of the day’s profit.
These men did not wake up expecting to become the first followers of a man that would change the world forever. They had a comfortable life as fishermen, probably made a good living, and expected nothing to change. But that is how Jesus works. He takes us out of our comfort zones, because that is where growth happens.
The first two guys Jesus comes upon are Simon and Andrew, and they are casting their nets into the water. Then this Jesus, a travelling preacher, walks up and asks them to follow him, and they leave everything behind, immediately. The passage says “at once they left their nets and followed him. Jesus called and at once they left. I was a carpenter for 10 years and not once did I ever see someone in such a hurry to do anything that they left their personal tools, the things that made their livelihood possible, just sitting out on the sidewalk of the building they were working on that day.
Next Jesus comes upon two more, James and John who, when called by Jesus, left their father in the boat with the hired men and followed Jesus.
Based on the discovery of an ancient fishing boat near Magdala, the place Mary Magdalene gets her name from, the boats they used were fairly small and usually had a crew of about 4 people. This means they left dad shorthanded that day. Something more important came up.
We know from later stories, that they probably didn’t leave it all behind forever. After all, they crossed the sea numerous times in boats throughout the New Testament. These were most likely the Disciples boats. The fishing business would wait while they followed Jesus.
It doesn’t say they sat and thought about it a while and got up reluctantly, or waited until a day they had more time. Without question, when Jesus called, they followed Immediately. They left the comfort of their everyday routine, not knowing if they would come back to it, not knowing where Jesus would take them, and followed immediately. Unlike you and I, they had not yet heard Jesus was the Son of God. They followed Him immediately, because He spoke the Truth.
You have all heard the term Safety Net. We have our own nets that we bring along with us in everyday life, the things that protect us, keep our life “normal” and give us comfort. This could be our job, and the prestige it may bring. It may be the pride we have in our craftsmanship if we work a trade. It may be the tools of your trade, or any number of other things. Your safety net may be your business itself, as it keeps you from leaving your comfort zone. You may be too busy to stop and help a stranger, but that is not your fault, you really are busy. Even today, you may have already constructed a few new safety nets. You came into church this morning with certain expectations. You planned to sit in your favorite pew, and maybe hear a good sermon. I hope that at least one of those comes true, but
The problem is, all of these things are safety nets.
In order to serve others you have to forget what you know and treat everyone without any of the thoughts you previously had about being too busy. You have to ignore what the media says and your preconceived notions about people who are Muslim or immigrants, poor, or gay. and instead remember what Jesus taught, that we should see them as nothing other than Human, as your Neighbor, your brother or sister. You must treat them just as you want to be treated. Remember, the birth of this Savior we just celebrated was followed by his family becoming refugees in Egypt, fleeing Herod’s persecution. Thank goodness they did not close the borders then.
It sounds crazy, and hard, and changing a habit always is. Jesus asked his Disciples to leave their nets on the beach, and so He is also asking you to do the same. But really, they did not give up nearly as much as they gained. Jesus provided them the opportunity to live a full and abundant life in a way they did not see coming.
Jesus did not randomly choose these men. He knew everything about them, including their faults. He knew their gifts as well. He knew, that as fishermen these men would be able to speak several languages commonly used in the area for trade. He knew they would be strong, and willing to work hard. He also knew they probably swore when they pricked a finger. But they, like you have the promise that God has laid out good works for us in advance. The harvest is plenty. Whatever your skills and gifts, whatever your faults, Jesus knows you, and He has work for you to do.
I’m not saying you should quit your job or neglect your duties. But do stop and help someone up when they fall, or have too many groceries to carry alone. Do welcome the stranger, the immigrant, the refugee. Take the time to really learn what Jesus would expect of you before you decide what it means to act in a Christian manner. Be ready to follow Him and leave your busy schedule behind for a few minutes or hours. Be willing to step into the unknown for Jesus’ sake. Be the city on a hill. Be a light in the darkness. In a world where many people are asking, where is God now? Be the answer to that question. As a child of God, as a follower of Christ, it is your responsibility to step forward and say here am I Lord, send me. Let your will be done, my comfort can take a back seat. Let me show the world that you are a God of Love, and that you love Everyone. That truly, all are welcome.
The question is not, whether or not Jesus can use me too. It is simply; can I leave my nets behind? Amen.
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