Maestro, en Tu Palabra, Echaremos la Red - Master at Your Word We Will Let Down the Nets

Quinto Domingo después de Trinidad, Lucas 5:1-11

Fifth Sunday after Trinity, Luke 5:1-11

Maestro, en tu palabra echaré la red. 

Master, at your word I will let down the net.

Algunos días antes, Pedro hubo visto un milagro pequeño, cuando Jesús reprendió la gran fiebre de su suegra.   Probablemente, Pedro también vio a Jesús echando a un demonio afligiendo a un hombre en la sinagoga en Capernaum.  Además, Pedro oyó el sermón de Jesús, predicado desde su propio barco. 

Some days before, Peter had seen a small miracle when Jesus rebuked the great fever of his mother-in-law. Peter probably also saw Jesus casting out a demon afflicting a man in the synagogue in Capernaum. In addition, Peter heard Jesus' sermon preached from his own boat.

Después de todo esto, cuando el Señor le dijo a Simón: “Boga mar adentro, y echad vuestras redes para pescar,” Pedro le respondió "sí." Aunque toda la noche Pedro y sus compañeros habían estado trabajando, sin pescar nada, por lo que habían visto y oído desde Jesús, los pescadores acordaron intentar lo que Jesús dijo.   Maestro, en tu palabra, echaremos la red.

After all this, when the Lord said to Simon into the deep and let down your nets for a catch, Peter answered "yes." Although all night Peter and his companions had been working without catching anything, so they had seen and heard from Jesus, the fishermen agreed to try what Jesus said. Master, at your word we will let down the net.

Deberíamos intentar hacer todo lo que Jesús nos dice.  Aunque nos parece locura, la palabra de Jesús es siempre un guía fiel.  

Por ejemplo, el mundo dice que cualquier relación sexual entre adultos es buena y sin consecuencia.  Pero Jesús nos enseña que el sexo es un regalo dado por Dios para el uso dentro del matrimonio, el matrimonio que es un varón y una mujer comprometidos en fidelidad hasta la muerte. Y como siempre, este camino dado por Dios es también muchísimo mejor que el camino de mentiras sobre el tema ofrecida por el mundo. 

We should try to do everything Jesus tells us. Though it seems crazy, the word of Jesus is always a faithful guide. The world says that any sex between adults is good and inconsequential, but Jesus teaches us that sex is a God-given gift for the use of married couples, a man and a woman committed to fidelity until death. And as always, the way given by God is far better than the way lies offered by the world on this subject.

El mundo dice que trabajamos para nuestros intereses solo, sin un pensamiento para los demás.  Pero la Palabra nos enseña que nuestro trabajo es un medio principal por cual podemos amar a nuestros vecinos y dar gloria a Dios.   Siguiendo las ideas del mundo hace una aflicción de nuestros trabajos.  Pero cuando trabajamos como Jesús nos dice trabajar, encontremos gozo cada día, y descansemos en paz por la noche. 

The world says we work for our interests alone, without a thought for others. But the Word teaches us that our work is a primary means by which we can love our neighbors and give glory to God. Following the ideas of the world makes an affliction of our work. But when we work as Jesus tells us to work, we find joy each day, and we rest in peace at night.

El diablo nos dice que podemos encontrar alegría en el dinero.  Jesús nos dice que Él es nuestra alegría, porque Él es nuestra creador y proveedor.  Además, Él es nuestra justicia y vida y salvación.  ¿Qué más pueden ofrecernos las riquezas del mundo, cuando tenemos a Jesús? 

The devil tells us we can find joy in money. Jesus tells us that He is our joy, for He is our creator and supplier. Moreover, He is our righteousness and life and salvation. What more can the riches of the world offer to us, when we have Jesus?

A veces, nuestros familiares y amigos nos sugieren que es mejor ser popular que ser cristiano.  La Palabra nos ofrece la aceptación de Dios, que dura eternamente, en vez de la duración corta de la popularidad humana.

Sometimes our family and friends suggest that it is better to be popular than to be Christian. The Word gives us the acceptance of God that lasts forever, instead of the short duration of human popularity.

Nuestra carne orgullosa dice que podemos ganar paz para con Dios por vivir una vida buena.  Pero no podemos vivir la vida perfecta, que es el estándar de la ley de Dios.  Jesús cumplió la ley, en nuestro lugar, y nos ofrece paz, paz verdadera y eterna, en su propio ser, la única paz con Dios que existe en el perdón de pecados.  Esta paz es la que necesitamos.  Y la tenemos, en Cristo. 

Our proud flesh says we can win peace with God by living a good life. But Jesus offers us peace, true peace and eternal in his own being, the only peace with God exists, in the forgiveness of sins.  This peace is what we need, and this is what we have, in Christ.

Deberíamos ignorar al diablo, al mundo y a nuestra naturaleza pecaminosa.  Deberíamos siempre recordar e intentar guardar y hacer todo lo que Jesús nos dice.  Pero no lo hacemos.  De verdad, no somos capaces. Nuestro espíritu quiere hacerlo, pero nuestra carne es débil, y no hacemos lo que Jesús nos dice.

We should ignore the devil, the world and our sinful nature. We should always remember and try to keep and do all that Jesus tells us. But we are not capable. Really, we are not capable. Our spirit wants to do what Jesus says, but our flesh is weak, and we do not do what Jesus tells us.

Por eso, hoy demos gracias y alabanzas a Dios por la gran cantidad de peces que encierran Pedro, Juan y Jacobo, porque a través de este milagro, Jesús reveló su identidad, y también el propósito de su ministerio.  Jesucristo, eterno Hijo de Dios, entró en carne humana y anduvo en la tierra, viviendo en medio de pecadores agonizantes, no principalmente para declarar otra vez los requisitos de la ley de Dios, sino más bien para revelar la paz de Dios para con pecadores, y también usar a sus elegidos, elegidos de los mismos pecadores, para encerrar aún más pecadores en la red de su iglesia. 

So today we give thanks and praise to God for the great number of fish that Peter, John and James captured, because through this miracle Jesus revealed His identity, and the purpose of His ministry. Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, entered into human flesh and walked the earth, living among sinners dying, not primarily to declare again the requirements of the law of God, rather to reveal the peace of God for sinners, and also use his elect, chosen from the same sinners, to capture even more sinners in the net of His Church.

El plan y el propósito de Jesús son difícil creer.  Es mucho más fácil intentar hacer lo que dice Jesús, aunque nunca tenemos éxito en esto.  Pero, ¿creer que Dios ha sido hecho hombre para entrar en mi vida, para rescatarme y entonces usarme en su misión?  Esto es temeroso.  Cuando nos damos cuenta que el Santo de Dios está aquí, en medio de nosotros, entonces recordamos nuestras vidas malgastadas, nuestros momentos peores, y, con Simón Pedro, caemos de rodillas ante Jesús, diciendo: Apártate de mí, Señor, porque soy hombre pecador.  

The plan and purpose of Jesus is hard to believe. It is much easier to try to do what Jesus says, although we never got. But, to believe that God has been made man to come into my life, to rescue and then use me in their mission? This is fearful. When we realize that the Holy One of God is here, among us, we remember our wasted lives, our worst moments, and, with Simon Peter, we fall at Jesus' knees, saying, “Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man.”

Nuestro auto juicio de nuestra falta de santidad es justo.  Pero Jesús no quiere dejarte.  Él te ha elegido, y Él se ha unido contigo, en tu bautismo.  Jesús te ha hecho un hijo favorecido de su Padre, y el Padre nunca abandona a sus hijos.  En el lavamiento del agua y la Palabra, has recibido el Espíritu Santo, un regalo inestimable, quien vive dentro de ti para mantener tu fe viva. 

Our self judgement of our lack of holiness is just. But Jesus does not want to leave you. He has chosen you, and he joined himself to you, in your baptism. Jesus has made you a favored child of his Father, and the Father never abandons his children. In the washing of the water and the Word, you have received the Holy Spirit, an inestimable gift, who lives within you to keep your faith alive.

Existe todavía una posibilidad temerosa que podemos rechazar los dones de Cristo, dado a nosotros a través de nuestros bautismos.  Pero Dios no reniegue de sus promesas, y hasta el último día de nuestra vida, tenemos tiempo para arrepentirnos y volver a las promesas bautismales, para beneficiar del perdón y vida nueva, una vez dado en el bautismo.         

There exists a fearful possibility that we could reject the gifts of Christ, given to us through our baptisms. But God does not renege on his promises, and until the last day of our life, we have time to repent and return to the baptismal promises, to benefit from the forgiveness and life once given in baptism.

La vida de un discípulo, un seguidor de Cristo, está llena de desafíos y a veces miedo.  Por eso, nuestro Señor nunca deja a su pueblo de fe.  Lo que Cristo hizo para Pedro, también ha hecho y está haciendo para ti.  Durante tres años, Jesús enseñó a Pedro, a todos los apóstoles, y a la gente que seguía a Jesús.  Les dijo muchas cosas, incluyendo recordatorios de lo que debemos hacer.  Esta enseñanza está escrita para nosotros en la Biblia.  Deberíamos hacer todo que nos dice Jesús. 

The life of a disciple, a follower of Christ, is full of challenges and sometimes fear. Therefore, our Lord never leaves his people of faith. What Christ did for Peter, he has also done and is doing for you. For three years, Jesus taught Peter and all the apostles, and the people who followed Jesus. He said many things to them, including reminders of what we must do. This teaching is written for us in the Bible. We should do everything that Jesus tells us.

Pero aún más, durante su ministerio, Jesús revelaba quien es, y lo que iba a hacer para salvar al mundo:  hacer paz entre Dios y la humanidad, a través de la sangre de su cruz.  Finalmente, la cruz y la resurrección son el contenido de la palabra del Maestro.  La cruz y la resurrección son la palabra final de Jesús, y por eso también forman la red que los Apóstoles, los pastores, y toda la Iglesia usan para pescar, para buscar a más hombres y mujeres pecadores para darles la Paz de Cristo. 

But even more, through His ministry, Jesus revealed he is, what he would do to save the world: to make peace between God and humanity, through the blood of his cross. Finally, the cross and the resurrection are the content of the Master's word. The cross and resurrection are the final word of Jesus, and therefore also form the net that the apostles, pastors, and the whole Church more used to fish, seeking more sinful men and women, in order to give them the Peace of Christ.

Demos gracias a Dios que hemos sido encerrado en la Red de Jesús, que es la Santa Iglesia.  Imploramos al Espíritu que nos mantenga dentro de ella, y esperamos con gozo las oportunidades de ser útil en la misión de Cristo, todavía desarrollando, aquí en España, y en todos los lugares del mundo. 

Thank God we have been captured in the net of Jesus, which is the Holy Church. We implore the Spirit to keep us in it, and look forward with joy to be useful opportunities in the mission of Christ, still developing, here in Spain, and in all parts of the world.

 

Maestro, en tu palabra, con tu palabra, y por el poder de tu Espíritu, echaremos la red.  Fortalecidos por el cuerpo y la sangre de Jesús, dado y derramada en la cruz y recibido aquí en este altar, amaremos a nuestros prójimos y confesaremos todo lo que Cristo nos ha hecho, confiando que la Palabra de Dios nunca volverá vacía, sin realizando lo que Dios desea, y logrando el propósito para el cual la envió.

Master, at your word, with your word, and by the power of your Spirit, we will let down the net. Empowered by the body and blood of Jesus, given and shed on the cross and received here at this altar, we will love our neighbors and confess all that Christ has done for us, trusting that God's Word will never return to God empty, without accomplishing what God wants, and achieving the purpose for which He sent it.

En estas promesas, vivimos en paz, la Paz de Cristo, que sobrepuja todo entendimiento, y que guarda y protege nuestros corazones y mentes, en Cristo Jesús, hasta la vida eterna, Amén.  

In these promises, we live in peace, the peace of Christ, which passes all understanding, and that guards and protects our minds and hearts, through Jesus Christ to eternal life, Amen.

Jesus Does It All

Twelfth Sunday after Trinity, September 7^th, Year of Our + Lord 2014

Grace and Holy Trinity Lutheran Churches, Three Forks and Belgrade, Montana

Jesus Does It All  – Mark 7:31 – 37

     When the Lord called this sinner to be a pastor, He knew what He was dealing with.  So God didn’t stretch me too far, because He knew I couldn’t handle very much.  He didn’t send me to some strange place, like Maryland, or Texas.  He more or less sent me home.  I was born in Roundup, and grew up in Forsyth.  So when I served my vicarage in Billings, at Mt Olive, and then was called and ordained in Sidney, it was almost like serving in my home town, without all the difficulties of actually serving in my home town.  I didn’t have a bunch of members who remembered my childhood.  But, as we drove around Sidney and Fairview upon our arrival, I was amazed to see many houses that were identical to houses in Forsyth, even down to the same paint scheme.  Apparently, back in the day, builders must have moved up and down the Yellowstone River, building the same houses over and over again.  Even more, Sidney, Fairview and Forsyth share much the same economy, culture, and way of speaking.  Ranchers, beet farmers, railroaders, oil workers instead of coal miners, but still, very much the same.  The quirks and values and ways of life in Sidney and Fairview were all recognizable.  Beginning my ministry in Richland County was an easy fit, meaning there were less challenges for our Lord to have to overcome as He sought to serve His people there. 

     When the Lord issued His second call to this sinner, this time to be an overseas missionary, once again, He didn’t stretch me too far.  A bit farther, perhaps, but not too far.  Some of my fellow missionaries in the orientation at St Louis are going to strange and difficult places, like Indonesia, and Hong Kong, Kenya, and Papua New Guinea.  Not me.  When the Lord decided He wanted to use me in overseas missions, He chose Spain.  Where Shelee and I have lived before.  In fact Sevilla, the city where we are to locate, is only about 80 miles from the town we lived in the 1990s.  On top of that, Sevilla is a beautiful city, a place we know and love.  Do I have to learn a new language?  Well, no, I just have to get better at a language I have spoken off and on for 30 years.  Not a huge stretch, which is good, because I need all the help I can get. 

     Kind of like the deaf and mute man that Jesus healed in our Gospel today.  Jesus had to do everything, even to the point of getting involved in ways you might find, well, gross.  I always hated it when my mother would spit on a tissue and spin around in the station wagon to clean my face right before we arrived to visit someone in their home.  But Jesus has no qualms about putting His fingers in this deaf man’s ears, spitting and touching His mute tongue.  The text doesn’t exactly say, but it sounds like Jesus spit on His fingers, then touched the man’s tongue.  Ephphatha, be opened, Jesus sighs, calling to heaven.  The Word and the actions together make the miracle.  Our Lord does it all, whatever it takes, to unstop this man’s ears and give him a tongue capable of speaking properly.  Which is the point.  You and I can do nothing on our own.  We are weak.  Our ears are stopped up with the lies of the satan and the world, as well as with the self-aggrandizing thoughts we love to proclaim about ourselves.  Self-esteem is the byword of pop psychology, but wholly unfitting to followers of Jesus who know that no one is good, but God alone. 

     We are not good; we do not do things well.  Now, we may be good earthly neighbors, and we may even be able to do a few things of earthly value, like cooking a meal or doing a job or changing a tire.  But we cannot do anything of heavenly value, not by our own powers.  We couldn’t save ourselves if all it took was one pure thought, for we are sinners, through and through. 

     That’s why the crowds were so amazed at the Ephphatha miracle, of the opened ears and the loosed tongue.  Jesus did something uniquely good.  In fact, as bad as the English would be, I would prefer if we translated the crowds exclamation this way:  He has done all things good.  The Greek word for “well” is kalon, the adverbial form of the adjective kalos, which means good.  “Well” is the proper English translation, but I prefer good, because it reminds me of what Jesus, along with His Father and the Spirit, saw in the first light, and in the first separated land and seas, and in the plants and the birds and sea creatures and the animals.  God created these things, and saw that they were good.  Tov in the Hebrew.  Kalos in Greek.  God did good, and then smiled to see His good creation, very good, even, when the man and the woman were added. 

     Jesus, in restoring the broken bit of creation in this man’s ears and tongue, also did good.  Something new was breaking into this fallen world, so the crowds were amazed, because they knew no mere man could do all things well.   

     But Jesus could.  Jesus can.  Jesus has and He still does.  Jesus does it all.  This is the importance of the Incarnation, of the Son of God becoming a human being, becoming the one good man, come to live the full life of good deeds that God demands.  That work is, in Jesus, done.  Finished.  Good.  Jesus is the one sinless man come to make payment for sin, come to face the full wrath of God against all human sin, dying the eternal death we deserve, all packed into a few horrific hours on a Cross.  That work is done.  Finished.  Good. 

     And Jesus didn’t stop working at the Resurrection, nor even after His Ascension, when He sat down at God’s right hand.  Jesus is still doing it all, through the power of His Word. 

     The intimacy, the uncomfortable earthiness of this miracle is no doubt part of why the Church has always associated it with Baptism, where Christ joined you to His Cross, His death, and His New Resurrected Life.  Drowning is even more uncomfortable to consider than having somebody touch your tongue, but that is exactly what God has done to you in the waters of Holy Baptism, drowning your sinful nature, your Old Adam, in order that a New Man, a new creature, a redeemed child of God, might rise to live in righteousness before God, forever.  Baptism, like this deaf-mute’s healing, is a personal, uncomfortable miracle. 

     Of course, another connection between Baptism and the Ephphatha miracle is the unplugging of ears and the loosing of tongues.  God does this work in Baptism as well, by using His Word of Promise to create faith, faith which makes alive because it trusts and receives the Living One, Jesus Christ, faith which naturally speaks the praises of our Savior. 

     Usually people don’t stand around astonished at a Baptism, but we should.  I argue that the miracles of Jesus today are even more awesome than those of Biblical times.  Today, in His Church, Jesus rolls a mystery and an awesome privilege all into one.  Because, although our Lord doesn’t appear visibly at Baptisms anymore, nor at Lord’s Suppers, He is truly present.  And mystery of mysteries, He chooses to work His good through the words and actions of sinners.  Like me.  Like Pastor Lehmann.  And, as God moves you to speak His Name and do His Mercy in your daily life, Jesus also speaks and does good through you.  Today, even though on our own, we are incapable of doing any truly good thing, God chooses to work His greatest good, re-creating the fallen world, through our words.  Well, actually through His words, which He puts in our mouths.  Jesus does it all.    

     And so I stand before you today to speak to you about supporting me as I go off to Spain.  Our Lutheran Mission in Spain needs more preachers.  I have been called to go and preach there, and I am very eager to go.  To make that possible, God is sending me around to find the partners who will support this work, partners who will love the Lutherans in Spain, and all the people in Spain who so desperately need to hear the pure Lutheran Gospel.  So, for Spain, you could say this sermon is kind of important. 

     And so, since this is kind of important, I could get all bound up, and nervous, because I need to do it right.  I could stand here and think about how I need to be persuasive and winsome and convince you that this cause is worth supporting, with your prayers, and with your dollars.  I could get all bound up… except that it isn’t true.  If the work that needs to be done is truly good and important, I don’t need to do it.  Jesus will do what needs to be done. 

     It’s kind of like our singing in Church.  We try to sing well.  Because of the who and what we are singing about, because of the words we are given to sing, because of the message, we try to sing well.  Because the people of God are gathered here in His Name, that means Jesus is here too.  For this reason also, we try to sing well.  It’s important.  To fail to try to sing well would be wrong.  We truly want to sing well.  But the value of our singing to teach and uplift and console does not depend on our musical quality, but rather on the Spirit of Christ, who works through the words we sing, whether we sound like a meadowlark, or more like an old crow. 

     In a similar way, I, like every pastor, have a call to preach well, truly, faithfully, in a way you can hear.  And I want to do this.  But the creating of cheerful hearts is up to God.  That you should desire to not only support the ministry of Holy Trinity/Grace and Pastor Lehman, and the mercy work needed here, and also to cheerfully become a part of the effort to send me to Spain, that’s only gonna happen if Jesus does it.  I pray that it does.  I would be honored to go to Spain as your missionary.  But I know that Jesus will do the good thing that needs to be done.  He is the one that overcomes the frailties and weaknesses of every man called to preach.  He is the Preacher we hear, the Preacher faith hears, the Preacher who will deliver His gifts to His people, whatever it takes, just like He did in the Ephphatha Miracle.  Of this, you can be certain. 

     God will do all things well, in regards to my new call in Spain, as well as in regards to the ministry of your congregation here in Belgrade/Three Forks.  Maybe you can only pray, or give just a little.  Or maybe you can contribute a significant amount of time and labor, and a larger amount of money.  Maybe you can support your church every week, and my work in Spain every month.  Whatever God enables you to do, a little or a lot, when you focus on Christ and what He has done for you, when you are filled with His gift of forgiveness and new life, then whatever you do will be perfect, for Jesus will be working through you. 

     Your works will not yet be perfect in the sense that you won’t sin.  Jesus will have to come to us again, and again, to unstop our ears and open up our hearts with His Word of Law and Gospel.  That happy state of affairs when we won’t need to be corrected by the Law, the Day when we will need no more forgiveness, that Day will not come until the New Creation.  We will need to daily confess our sins and hear the word of forgiveness, until we die, or until we see Jesus riding the clouds, flanked by the heavenly host, ushering in the New Heavens and the New Earth. 

     Nevertheless, right now, today, by faith in Jesus, your works are perfect, because you are caught up in Jesus’ Mission, and He does all things well.  He has, is and will do everything well, everything needed, to deliver you into His Good Kingdom, in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.