Finally! What a privilege it is to begin posting on this new website thanks to the labors of two of our members at Westminster, Jeremy Snyder (one of our deacons) and Jon McCluskey.
It is our hope that here we will not only inform others of our church but also point them to Christ as their only hope whether as believers or unbelievers.
It is fitting, then, to begin with a story I shared this past Lord’s Day as I preached on Luke 5:1-11. When I was 8 or 9 years old, I was on a fishing trip with my stepdad, mom, and older brother. While my brother and dad went out to fish in a row boat, I was left to fish on the shore with my mom close by my side. With my starter Zebco rod and reel, I flung my rod back eager to cast out as far as I could. I suddenly heard a scream, “Bobby!!!” As I started to cast out I had caught her neck with the hook. In a panic, I yanked as hard as I could. You guessed it. I drove that hook deep into my mother’s neck and then my not-too-pleased (to say the least) dad drove her to the emergency room where they had to push the hook through so they could cut off the barb to remove the hook. In my zeal to catch a fish, I had caught my mother! This was definitely not a good thing.
However, Jesus came along with skill as a carpenter (not as a fisherman!) to show us, through an astounding catch of fish, that catching men was good. We can be certain that he did not have in mind my catch above. Yet, this display in the end was not about the fish but the fishermen and what they were now being called to do in following him.
When Peter fell down in the smelly slimy catch of the century at the knees of Jesus with awareness of sin and the power and grace of Christ little did he realize that he truly was part of the catch. Caught alive, he would now leave all to follow Jesus and “catch men.” Keep in mind that he and the others with him left both the amazing catch of fish and the fishing behind to follow Jesus and spread the good news. We are called to do the same. This does not mean leaving all behind to become penniless, shave our heads and join a commune. Yet, it does mean that the pursuit of Jesus is what is most important above all else in this world.
I improperly hooked my mother. Friend, have you on the other hand been rightly hooked by Jesus? Does he have you? Are you aware, like Peter, of your sin to the point that you fall down amazed at his grace and power? If so, you will leave all in the dust to follow him, even your greatest worldly “catch” and delight. Having been caught may he use you to catch others.