This is a translation of the outline for the sermon preached by Rev. Musubi Tabuchi to the congregations of Ashiya Christian Church and Unfinished Community on Sunday, February 9, 2025, and draws from Luke 5:1-11.
Today's reading from the Gospel of Luke is one which is particularly memorable to me. When I was studying for my Theology degree, I had the opportunity to do an educational internship at Hokusei Gakuen Girls' Junior and Senior High School in Sapporo, and I still have a strong memory of one of the first-year junior high school girls who spoke these words to me from the Bible. In our Bible - taught by Mr. Masaru Shibata, a graduate of Ohmi Brother's School - we were asked to draw a picture of this Bible verse. What kind of picture would you draw?
She drew Simon Peter, who was supposed to be on a small boat next to Jesus as he talked to the crowds on the shore. As she drew him though, he was sitting next to Jesus as he was speaking, but half-awake. It was really interesting for me to see how she paid such close attention to the scene, while Simon himself probably had very little interest in what Jesus was saying at the time, only hoping that Jesus would pay him for the use of the boat in order to make up for his poor catch the night before.
He might even have been a little offended, and perhaps even wondered what was the point of doing all this. But he did as Jesus said, and his nets caught so many fish that the boat almost sank! It's easy to think that the message of Jesus sounds irrelevant or meaningless to us in our daily lives, but when we listen and follow his words the truth is that we find results far beyond our thoughts or imaginings. What makes the Bible difficult for us isn't necessarily Jesus' teachings, but our own thoughts that interfere, and try to convince us that these words are irrelevant and meaningless; but even in the midst of our own doubts, Jesus continues to speak the gospel.
Let us pray.
God, open our hearts and thoughts to You. May You soften our stubbornness, and help us to truly listen to you. We pray this in the name of Christ Jesus our Lord,
Amen
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