Walking in Truth on Pentecost

Fishing + Pentecost + Amazing Grace *

* Yes, I realize that we observed Pentecost last SUN 5/15.

Today's Scriptural Truths

[The Calling of Peter & Andrew] "As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, He saw two brothers, Simon called Peter & his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 'Come, follow me,' Jesus said, 'and I will make you fishers of men.' At once they left their nets & followed him." Matthew 4:18-20

[Jesus Appears to the Disciples] "Afterward Jesus appeared again to His disciples, by the Sea of Tiberias. It happened this way:  Simon Peter, Thomas (called Didymus), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the Sons of Zebedee, & two other disciples were together. 'I'm going out to fish,' Simon Peter told them, & they said, 'We'll go with you.' So they went out & got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.
      "Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus. He called out to them, 'Friends, haven't you any fish?'
      "'No,' they answered. He said, 'Throw your net on the right side of the boat & you will find some.' When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish.
      "Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, 'It is the Lord! As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, 'It is the Lord,' he wrapped his outer garment around him(for he had taken it off) & jumped into the water . . . " John 21:1-7

[The Day of Pentecost]"When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven & filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated & came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit & began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them . . . 
      "Peter replied, 'Repent & be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you & your children & for all who are far off--for all whom the Lord our God will call' . . . Those who accepted his message were baptized, & about 3,000 were added to their number that day." Acts 2:1-4, 38-39, 41

Today's Devotional Thoughts, Part I

I confess to being just a little anxious last Thursday morning. I had volunteered to help with the 1st grade outing at Skyview Lake, & I was not expecting a "Sea of Tiberias moment."

Why did I let myself get talked into a fishing expedition with 1st graders? Good question . . . I've grown fond of the little critters this year, as I've visited my wife's classroom at CLS in Norfolk off & on throughout the school year. I've tutored a little girl who struggles to read, but the additional benefits for me has been joining these little disciples right after they returned from recess . . . joining with them as they prayed "O Give Thanks" [because they went to recess right after lunch], then reciting the Apostles' Creed with them . . . Just think! For the better part of the year I was allowed to confess my faith with little children, you know, the kind whom Jesus told His disciples to let come unto Him & forbid them not? [I'm feeling a little sluggish this morning, so you'll have to dig for that Bible reference yourself.]

In any case, I was more than a little anxious as I spent the days preceding this event mentally [always an adventure for me] putting together my To-Do list . . . get a fishing license . . . restock my tackle box w/hooks & bobbers . . . remind Lois to put out a call for fishing poles . . . make sure I had my own fishing poles rigged & ready for action . . . soliciting more volunteers . . . buying worms . . . fretting over the weather report [like, that EVER does any good].

The big day came . . . and it came after over 2" of rain having fallen the previous few days . . . & the wind was gusting north, northwesterly. ["If the wind is blowing north, don't even bother going forth." Hezekiah 18:4?] Six groups of six kids each . . . No idea how much help I would be getting . . . No idea how many of these kids had fished before . . . A GREAT idea of how exciting the kids would be . . . Visions of hectic activity on my part, baiting hooks, throwing out lines, clearing off lake scum, weeds, other debris . . . pretty much everything but catching fish . . . meaning . . . lots of disappointed children.

Devotional Thoughts, Part 2

We'e not given a lengthy exposition of the conversation between our Savior & the two Galileans, who were surely resigned to a lifetime's vocation of back-breaking labor with hand-to-mouth reward, wondering every day if they would bring in enough fish to feed their families & sustain their livelihood. A stranger shows up . . . Tells them to follow Him with the intriguing incentive that He will make them "fishers of men" . . . and they listen! What faith! Certainly more faith than a fisher standing next to Skyview Lake with a bunch of 7-8 year-olds on a blustery day in Norfolk.

Part 3

It was pretty much as I imagined it to be . . . I spent my time in hectic activity [If any video shows up on You Tube, I'm the guy in a old, stained, red, Bass Pro Shops cap, frantically moving back & forth across a line of little kids, putting worms on hooks, readjusting bobbers, casting lines "out to sea," untangling, lines, explaining what to do when they see their bobbers start to bounce & move from side to side] . . . and . . . 

. . . Wonder of wonders! Rejoicing with them as most of them catch fish! Our fishing expedition had turned into a CATCHING expedition! The excited looks on their faces as they reeled in their trophies were indescribable! And praise God . . . I started out with one parent-helper . . . was soon joined by someone's grand-father . . . & by the last of the 6 groups, there were at least 4 more dads helping to bait hooks, cast lines out, remove fish, remove weeds [lake scum!], untangle lines, replace hooks . . . 

Part 4

I've fished for many years, & I'll always be grateful to my dad for introducing me to the sport. I've lost more big fish than I've landed . . . that's another story for another time. No way that I come close to putting myself in the same category as those seasoned fishers on the Sea of Tiberias in the 1st century. Men of little faith? Then why had they heeded their rabbi's call to meet Him in Galilee?

And what led Peter--the denier of His rabbi--to go fishing? I suspect it was nervous energy as much as anything . . . and I also suspect there were disciples in that boat who were NOT seasoned fishers . . . & Peter & his able companions had to spend time seriously helping them out at the expense of their own quality fishing time.

Then a stranger calls out to them & gives them . . . logical advice? "Throw your net on the right side . . . " "What? You talkin' to us? We aren't even sure who you are, but we're sure who WE are, & WE are professional fishers!" Whatever . . . let's do it . . . and they were "unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish."

NOW we know who it is . . . It's NOT  stranger . . . It's a professional fishing guide! It's the one who told us that He would make us fishers of men! " . . . and Peter wrapped his outer garment around him & jumped into the water." [Do you remember the last time this happened?]

Part 5

So there we stood on the banks of Skyview Lake . . . a poor substitute for the Sea of Galilee, I'll admit . . . & I was overjoyed as I watched these young disciples . . . the ones whom I had been privileged to pray with . . . to confess my adult faith alongside their child-like faith with . . . reel in little [trust me, little] bluegills, sunfish, & an occasional bass . . . & by little I mean anywhere from 3" to maybe 5", 6" . . . & it made them very, very happy . . . especially because for some of them it was the first time that they had ever gone fishing!

Part 6

Now go back & read about the 1st Christian Pentecost in Acts chapter 2 above. Can you feel the excitement as the Holy Spirit rushed upon the disciples with a mighty roar? Can you sense their excitement as they rushed outside & spoke the Good News of God's grace to a crowd of thousands . . . THOUSANDS . . . with a mighty roar in a plethora of foreign tongues so that each heard the Gospel of forgiveness & salvation through Jesus Christ in his own language?

And finally, speaking of grace . . . 

Amazing Grace!

Six groups of six 1st graders each . . . About 15 minutes per group . . . I gotta tell you . . . I was about played out . . . but I also gotta tell you . . . my worries were long gone . . . I was having the time of my life . . . 

And as I was on the far end of the last group, helping a little boy--a little boy on his first fishing expedition--by removing a little sunfish from his hook--I heard a "mighty roar." I glanced down to the east end of the line and . . . wonder of wonders! 

A little girl named Grace was pulling a 16" bass out of Skyview Lake . . . Let me repeat that . . . A 16" BASS! Caught by a little girl named Grace! The very last fish of the day!

We documented it for posterity! Pictures were taken! I pulled my tape measure out of my tackle box & measured it . . . 16"! The legal limit to KEEP a bass from this lake is 15"! [Being the responsible bass fisher-people we were, we carefully tossed it back when we were finished.]

Today's Prayer Thoughts

• Give thanks for the child-like faith that comes by the Holy Spirit through God's grace as a free gift to all who believe, whether little 1st graders or 63-year-old "doubters."
• Give thanks for "fishers of men," like CLS 1st grade teachers Nancy & Lois & so many other teachers in Lutheran schools, as well as parents & grand-parents who look after the Christian education of their children & grand-children.
• Pray that the faith we're given as a free gift blossoms & grows as we continue to nurture it through God's Word & Sacrament.
• Pray that the Holy Spirit would give each of us opportunities to "fish," as we share the love of Christ with others.

Marvelous Grace *

(St. 1) "Marvelous grace of our loving Lord, 

Grace that exceeds our sin & our guilt!

Yonder on Calvary's mount outpoured, 

There where the blood of the Lamb was spilled.

Grace, grace, God's grace, Grace that will pardon & cleanse within;

Grace, grace, God's grace, Grace that is greater than all our sin!

(St. 4) "Marvelous, infinite, matchless grace,

Freely bestowed on all who believe!

You that are longing to see His face,

Will you this moment His grace received?

Grace, grace, God's grace, Grace that will pardon & cleanse within;

Grace, grace, God's grace, Grace that is greater than all our sin!"

* Unfortunately, I lost the reference to this spiritual song, so I cannot attribute it.

ADDENDUM

Unless there's been an adjustment since the last time I checked, it's possible that if you are reading this blog entry via the link from the Norfolk Daily News web site, you are reading the "no frills" version, which means you are getting the simple text with no distinctive headings, font changes, font sizes, colors, bullets, or links. I am having lunch w/someone today who may be able to provide some help.

      If you read this entry via my Facebook link, you should be getting all the features. Whether this is to your advantage or not remains to be seen.