3rd Sunday after the Epiphany Matthew 4:12-25 Following Means Fishing In our gospel reading, Jesus is calling

people to leave their jobs as fishermen and to follow him, to become his disciples, to become fishermen of people. Fishing for people? Something about that doesnt sound quite right. Maybe its because Im not really that into fishing. My Grandpa Harbaugh had a house on the lake. I remember as a kid sitting on the dock for hours. Impaling slimy wiggly worms on sharp little hooks. Waiting and waiting and waiting for the fish to bite. Then the carnage of gutting the fish. Picking bones out of your teeth as you ate the fish. I didnt enjoy any of this. I dont really like fishing all that much, which is why Im such a good Lutheran. It seems to me that most Lutherans dont like fishing at least the kind of fishing Jesus is talking about. The kind where you fish for people. Sure some Lutherans, the frozen chosen, our Scandinavian brethen up in Minnesota or the Dakota are probably sitting out on a frozen pond right now, staring down at a little hole theyve cut in the ice and actually calling that funbut ask us Lutherans to be disciples like Simon Peter and Andrew and be fishermen of people Well, wed just as soon go back to the ice shack on the pond and take our chances with the polar vortex. Talking about our faith, sharing our own experience of Gods grace, telling others about Jesus, inviting folks to church that just doesnt seem to be the Lutheran cup of tea or even the little white syrofoam Lutheran cup of coffee. What Lutherans Dont Like About Fishing Why is it that we Lutherans are so uncomfortable with evangelism? Weve got the good news of Jesus! In our gospel lesson, Jesus is talking about fishing for people, right? Why is it that the only kind of fishing for people that Lutherans seem to like, is the kind where we just sit in the boat of the church, and wait for the fish to jump in? Fishing is about Good News Were Lutherans. We dont talk to anybody about our faith. We keep Jesus and Gods Grace completely to ourselves. Yeah. Thats a big problem. Where are people going to hear about Jesus? Because if you havent noticed, nobody goes to church anymore. Theres a real need in our community. Barely 40% of people in Franklin county are affiliated with a church in anyway. And that number just goes down for all the surrounding counties. By affliated, I mean have any sort of connection, so the 40% is generous. But at very least, 60% of your neighbors are unchurched. If you want to see the need, as you are driving home through your neighborbood, look for tire tracks in your neighbors driveway. Or the lack of tire tracks. There is a need.

But listen, Im not going give you a laundry list of all the things you need to do to be a fisher of men. Thats not evangelism. Evangelism is not a law or a demand. Evangelism - fishing for people - is about the good news of Jesus. Its about what Jesus has done for you. Jesus said I will make youfishers of men. Its all about what Jesus has made you to be. So Evangelism is really just living and speaking as a forgiven child of God. Brothers and Sisters, thats our life in Jesus. Thats who we are graciously called in be. Not slaves to sin and darkness, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. What has Jesus done for you? Has Jesus had an impact on the dark places of your life? If you are, right now, consumed by darkness, lift your eyes and behold the true light, the cross of Christ. You are forgiven through his blood. You have new life through the good news of Jesus. And Evangelism is all about the Good news. The word evangelism comes from the root word evangel which is translated good news. And Evangelism? Its in our DNA. Consider the official name of our Church - Concordia Evangelical Lutheran Church. Evangelical- meaning were a church that speaks the good news, and shares it with others. The founders of our congregation cared so much about spreading the good news of Jesus, they included in the name of our church. Good news. We learn in our Gospel reading for today that Jesus came to fulfill the good news spoken of though the prophet Isaiah who said The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death, light has dawned. Matthew is quoting from our first lesson, where Isaiah tells of the coming of the Messiah saying that when this Anointed One comes, there will be no gloom for those who were in anguish: Isaiah says that the people who walked in darkness have seen a great light, on them light has shined they rejoice before you as with joy at the harvest, for the yoke of their burden, the bar across their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor, You have broken. The Good News of Light in Darkness Jesus came to be Light for those living in darkness. Jesus died on the cross to break the yoke the burden of sin - under which people struggle. Jesus came to set humanity free from whatever sin oppresses them. And because Jesus died and rose again, light has now dawned in our world the light that can never be overcome or diminished or extinguished. This light shines on you. This light shines from you. And this Light of Jesus is not just for Lutherans but for all people especially those who are living in some darkness. These people are your neighbors, your co-workers, your family members, and thousands of people within walking distance of this church. Jesus is Light for these people who are living in the darkness of fear the fear of losing a job, the fear of losing a family member, the fear of family stress and conflict, the fear of illness and death. Jesus is Light for those living in the darkness of alcoholism and drug abuse. Jesus is Light for those who are struggling to emerge from the darkness of physical or sexual abuse. Jesus is light for those who live in shadows of sexual promiscuity and adulterous affairs, and other immoral behavior. Jesus

is light for those who are afraid of the past, afraid of the present and afraid of the future. Jesus is Light for those who live in the gray areas of uncertainty between, just-barely-making-endsmeet and being homeless and hungry and desperate. As you go out from here, the Lord will put these people in your path at work, at the grocery store, at the bank, at school. The Lord will give you strength to live and speak as a forgiven child of God. Thats who God made you to be. God has graciously chosen you to be the hands and feet and mouth of Jesus in this world. God uses you as his fisherman to proclaim that Jesus Christ is the light of the world, that we have life in him. That good news does its work in our lives. It transforms us so that we actually care about people around us so much that we want them to have light in the darkness of their own lives. The love of Jesus causes us to love our neighbors and coworkers and family so much, that we actually want His light to shine in their lives as well. Evangelism is sharing the Light of Christ Evangelism - fishing for people - is not about just getting some folks to come to our church. Evangelism is about the good news of Jesus. We want people to come to our church because Jesus is here. In Word and Sacrament. We believe that the light of Jesus has come into the world, that this is the light which enlightens and guides us. Its my prayer that his light shines every more brightly through us. Amen. In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit.