"And He said to them, 'Follow Me and I will make you fishers of men.'"(St. Matthew 4:19)
In the name of Jesus. Amen. Jesus called Andrew. Andrew was numbered with the Twelve, sent to be a fisher of men--to catch men with the Lord's Words as a fisherman catches fish. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of Christ (Rom. 10:17).
The Lord Jesus has called you too. Your sins were washed away in the waters of your Baptism where you were caught by another fisherman, like Andrew, sent by the Lord.
That makes you a fish, but does that make you a fisher of men too? If everyone is a fisher of men, then who are the fish? If everyone is catching fish, who is left to be caught?
The Church is where there are fisherman fishing with the Lord's Words and where fish are being caught! Jesus' words do the catching, delivering what Jesus achieved for you on the Cross with His perfect life and innocent suffering and death. He does the catching through His fisherman He has sent--through Andrew, through the twelve, and today through your pastor.
How wonderful it is to be a fish and be on the receiving end of His gifts! That's the way of faith, isn't it? Faith is always receiving more from the Lord.
Who wouldn't want to be caught by Fisherman Jesus? Who wouldn't want to be caught in Jesus' net with water and His Name? Who wouldn't want to be caught with His Cross-delivering words? Who wouldn't want to be netted by the Body and Blood of Jesus shed for you for the remission of all your sins?
Not me and not you! It's great being a fish and receiving what Jesus did through the fisher of men, your pastor, sent to be catching you. In the name of Jesus. Amen.
"All praise, O Lord, for Andrew The first to welcome you, Whose witness to his brother Named you Messiah true. May we, with hearts kept open To you throughout the year Confess to friend and neighbor Your advent ever near" (LW #193, v. 5)
NT Lesson: St. Matthew 4:8-22 Epistle: Rom. 10:8-18
Higher Things would like to thank the Rev. George F. Borghardt III (Assistant Pastor, St. Mark Lutheran Church, Conroe, TX) for writing this season's Reflections.
Visit our website at www.higherthings.org to read Reflections online each day. Or sign up to receive daily Reflections in your e-mail Inbox by sending any message to: Reflections-subscribe@lists.higherthings.org.
Higher Things exists and grows on the basis of donations and free-will offerings from congregations and individuals. All donations are tax-deductible. If you wish to contribute to the work of Higher Things, Please send your donation to:Higher Things, Inc.
PO Box 82
Hamel, MN 55340
(Donations are also accepted at www.higherthings.org via credit card or PayPal.)