Sermon for Feb. 7

Here is what I would have shared with you Sunday morning if we were allowed to gather for worship.

Epiphany 5
Feb. 7, 2010
1 Corinthians 14:12b-20; Luke 5:1-11
Sinners served, Saints sent

In the name of Jesus, amen. Within our Epistle and Gospel lessons we find an acknowledgement of a ‘modern’ question, and this modern question likely dates back several decades. The question is, “What’s in it for me?” Being in a church, that question is especially important from a spiritual viewpoint.

What in the church, in this particular worshiping community, is for me? I’ve asked a bad question, because my supposition is that I, and you, are in the center of the thought. And what is something that has been expressed about our church but that we are Christ-centered, cross-focused. Asking what is in it for me starts to push God away from the center, perhaps even out of the picture.

That might not have been the malady of this congregation. That might not have been the problem, but it has been revealed to us that there is a goal for this gathering. There is a goal for worship.

In our past worship was regarded through this German word: Gottesdienst. It is important to know our historical past so that we can live toward our realistic future. That German word from our past is the word for worship. Literally, Gottesdienst is God’s service. Jesus, our God, in worship serves us.

God serves us. He presses on our hearts His Word of forgiveness. He lays on us the knowledge of how Jesus served us by dying for us. God serves us as He gives new life, new birth in baptism. God serves us, feeding us with the very real nourishment of His own body and blood for the good of our spiritual lives. God serves us, loving us. God serves us, setting us free to love him, setting us free to love and serve those who are in our lives.

What is in worship for me? Is worship for God, or for me? When we examine other religions around us, worshipers gather to serve their gods. In Christian worship, the true God gathers. The true God stoops down to serve. As we gather together, sinners come and uncover the glorious beauty that they are served. More than being served, sinners are saved. The eye of sinful humanity, my eyes, your eyes, are drawn to the cross, are fixed upon the empty tomb, and the reality of forgiveness is lifted up for all to see. It is not a phony forgiveness or mere happy talk that God’s love is waiting for you to do what is right, that God is waiting to lavish such love upon you if you only will do what you know to do. That is not forgiveness. That’s bribery!

In God’s service, in our weekly times of Gottesdienst, full forgiveness is offered and full forgiveness is grasped, clutched, cherished, and celebrated.

What’s in it for me? for us? In worship Jesus comes to us, giving us his Good News. That is nurture. Jesus comes to us, proclaiming the Father’s gift of life. That is outreach. Jesus comes with his love for us all. That is fellowship. Jesus comes with his caring for all of our needs. That is service. Worship, nurture, outreach, fellowship, service- God’s service is the beating heart of our life.
This beautiful idea is no high-minded, ivory-towered concept. It is foundational and it is concrete. We were given a beautiful image in our Gospel lesson this morning. It is a remarkable story, yet also a common story.

First off, Jesus is teaching. He is talking. Here Jesus is the great role model for pastors. The tremendous hope that so many people would come to listen and discuss that more room was needed. Jesus got into Simon Peter’s skipjack and put off a little bit from shore. So we have the example of teaching and conversation and fellowship. Even nurture as Jesus feeds the crowd with his gracious words. And when the lesson was concluded, Jesus wanted to do some fishing.

Peter is honest, yet quite polite: “Sir, it’s not the best time to go fishing. Fish bite best at night and now it is daytime. We spent our nighttime trying to catch the rascals and they outsmarted us. We’d just like to clean and mend our nets and then rest a bit before trying again. But…at your word I’ll try again.”

And there was a miraculous catch of fish. With Jesus, miracles are always happening, aren’t they? Now if Simon Peter was simply thinking about his business as a commercial fisherman, the miraculous bounty of fish would have been amazing enough. This haul would mean new nets, perhaps a new boat, perhaps more boats to catch more fish. The great number of fish would mean that Simon Peter could afford to put his children into private school, could pay for a new gym membership, could buy his wife a new car or that his kitchen could have granite countertops with stainless steel appliances. This amazing catch could change Simon’s life.

Certainly Simon Peter’s life was changed. When Simon Peter saw it, the miraculous catch of fish, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” In this gracious miracle, Peter saw who he was and who Jesus was. What was in the miracle for Peter, but the knowledge that God was serving him. God in the flesh was standing before Peter and Peter knew how dirty, how grimy, how messy he was and that he didn’t want his mess to get on Jesus. Depart from me. I’m not good enough for you.

But it is Gottesdienst. It is God serving us. Sinners are served. “Do not be afraid. From now on you will be catching men.” Jesus came for Peter. Jesus came to serve Peter, to save Peter, to use Peter.

Peter the sinner was served. Peter was called to follow. Peter the saint was sent to do what had been done to him. And so were James and John the sons of Zebedee. So was Andrew and Matthew, Bartholomew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeusa nd the rest of the twelve. There were others. God has been gathering and serving His people. God has been saving His people. And God has been sending his people.

In worship, we can ask what is in it for us. We are served. We are sinners called to acknowledge our sin and grasp God’s forgiveness. And we are sent. We are sent to our families. We are sent to our coworkers. We are sent to our schools. We are sent into our daily lives to reflect the love of the God who serves and saves. SDG