Word and Signs Change Hearts and Minds

Then, when Simon Peter saw it, he fell toward the knees of Jesus, saying, Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, Lord. For upon the catch of fish which they received, amazement seized him and all the ones with him (vv 8-9).

Like last week, I invite you now to open your service book to page 324, to fix your eyes on the second petition of the Lord’s Prayer, and join me in confessing our faithful doctrine.

What is the second petition? Thy kingdom come.

What does this mean? The kingdom of God certainly comes by itself, but we pray in this petition that it may come to us also.

How does God’s kingdom come? God’s kingdom comes when our heavenly Father gives us his Holy Spirit, so that by his grace we believe his holy Word and lead godly lives here in time and there in eternity (SC III).

Brothers and sisters in Christ ...

THE WORD AND SIGNS OF JESUS CHANGE HEARTS AND MINDS, LEADING MEN TO FOLLOW HIM INTO EVERLASTING LIFE

This is our theme.

There’s a quote of Luther that you will sometimes see on social media. It goes like this: When I look at myself, I don’t see how I can be saved. But when I look at Christ, I don’t see how I can be lost. That quote is an excellent Law-Gospel summary for today’s Gospel reading. Both aspects of that quote ... When I look at myself, I don’t see how I can be saved ... but when I look at Christ, I don’t see how I can be lost ... both reveal the righteousness of God.

So Peter was right to fall to his knees in the boat before Jesus, declaring and confessing: Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, Lord (v 8b). He had worked all night, trying to better himself. He looked at himself and didn’t see how he could be saved. But when he listened to the Word of God, he looked to Christ and knew he would never be lost again. God’s Word changed the minds of Peter, James, and John in amazing ways.

The Kingdom of God came to them and led them to true repentance: contrition and faith. They were given saving faith. They were led to turn away from themselves ... and abandon everything they thought they knew ... and begin following the Lord for the rest of their lives, listening to all that Jesus commanded.

I. Hear the Word: It will change your mind, too (vv 1-4)

We would be remiss if we didn’t include the end of Luke chapter 4 in our study today. Luke 4 provides us with important context for understanding what is happening in our Gospel reading. Immediately after facing temptation in the wilderness, Jesus began his ministry, going from town to town, preaching in the synagogues (4:15-44), healing many along the way (4:40). Along the way, he said to the people, I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God ... for I was sent for this purpose (4:43). That is where our Gospel reading for today picks up.

Then it happened, while the crowd was pressing upon him and hearing the word of God, he was standing by Lake Gennesaret, which we can also call this the Sea of Galilee. And [Jesus] saw two boats by the lake, but the fishermen, having walked away from them, were washing the nets. Then, getting into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, [Jesus] asked him to go out a little from the land. Then having sat down, he began teaching the crowd from the boat (vv 1-3).

Brothers and sisters in Christ, you can’t hear the Word of God often enough ... we need the Law and the Gospel.

The law is good. It is good because it shows us the righteousness of God. It exposes our sins to our conscience, and it rightfully frightens us. It calls on us to stop idolizing ourselves ... to stop worshiping our thoughts and feelings. It convinces us that we can’t better ourselves. It calls us to stop hating each other. It calls us to forgive and be forgiven as we recognize our sin and our need for a savior.

So it is no wonder to me that it is here we see the first sign in the Gospel of Luke of true repentance among the disciples. Ultimately, it prompted Saint Peter to declare to us in our epistle that Whoever desires to love life and see good days, should keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit; let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous.

And this leads us right to the Gospel. When we hear the Gospel, it leaves us in amazement, so much so that we want to hear more. The people following Jesus marveled at his words (4:22). They were astonished at his teaching because his word came with authority (4:32) ... his word gave them faith ... and they then apprehended the signs that the kingdom of God really had drawn near.

II. This led them to see the signs changed their heart and nourished their faith (vv 5-10).]

Simon, go out into the deep and drop your nets for a catch, Jesus said after he finished teaching the crowd. It was a command to which Peter groaned. Listen to Peter’s answer: Master, we were laboring through the whole night, and we received nothing. But upon your word, I will drop the nets.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, press in and listen: Look for the signs of the Lord’s presence. Set aside your thoughts of how things should be done around here ... and like Peter ... listen to the words of Jesus. Your thoughts, words, and deeds will leave you wanting something other than what God longs to give you. Your thoughts, words, and deeds teach you only to listen to your heart, to follow your desires, and to do things your way ... the way you think you have always done it.

Trust the Word of Christ that amazes us. Trust the Word of Christ that cleanses our guilty conscience. Trust the Word of Christ that delivers the gifts of heaven, nourishing and nurturing your faith. Have faith in his Word and sacraments.

And repent every one of you in the name of Jesus! It’s for your good and our Lord’s glory.

When Peter did what the Lord commanded, they caught a great many fish, and their net [was so full, it] was tearing. So they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, with the result being that they were sinking. Then, when Simon Peter saw it, he fell toward the knees of Jesus, saying, ‘Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, Lord.’ (vv 6-8).

It’s true that this great sign of a miraculous catch of fish had a profound effect on saints Peter, James, and John. They not only recognized their sin and need for a savior, they recognized that Jesus was not just a fabulous teacher of God’s Word. Instead, they recognized he was in fact the Word of God incarnate ... that is, in the flesh ... that he is not just master, but the Lord ... and that we should actually listen to him and follow him ... and him alone.

III. We can now stop being afraid and actually follow Jesus (v 11).

As the Psalmist said, He is making known to us the path of life. In his presence there is fullness of joy ... that is, forgiveness. In him, we face no condemnation ... nor judgment ... just the grace of God overflowing through his Word and sacraments.

When the Holy Spirit makes a person a Christian, all the thoughts, desires, words, and actions of that person are centered in Christ, and Christ alone. A Christian’s faith at first may be weak, yet his whole attitude and life becomes new. Suddenly, we realize Jesus provides all we need in abundance. This is why we long to hear and receive the Gospel ... to hear Jesus, to listen to Jesus, to receive from Jesus the gifts of the kingdom of God that come to us only through Word and sacraments.

It is in this way that God’s kingdom comes. ... It comes when our heavenly Father gives us his Holy Spirit, so that by his grace we believe his holy Word and lead godly lives here in time and there in eternity. God’s kingdom came first in the person of Christ. Jesus was born without sin, lived without sin, and died for your sin ... he was sent for this purpose. If it had not been for his suffering and death on a cross, we would still be dead in our trespasses and sins. But thanks be to God, the blood of Jesus has atoned for all your sin ... yesterday’s, today’s, and tomorrow’s. God poured out all of his wrath for your sin upon Jesus.

In the same way, God poured out all of the water of holy baptism upon you. This baptism is still cleansing you. More than that, the Lord’s supper is still nourishing and nurturing our saving faith, too. Thanks be to God, he saves us through that faith. This word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved, it is the power of God (1 Cor 1:18). This word is indeed so powerful that the disciples abandoned everything they had for the purpose of following Jesus, and allowing Jesus to feed them his body and blood for the forgiveness of their sins.

So now let us always fix our eyes upon Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the love of God gave us his Word and sacraments so that we could receive and possess the treasures of heaven even while we are living here on earth. Let us always press in and receive these signs of God’s Word that change hearts and minds. The Lord’s means of grace lead men and women alike to follow Christ into everlasting life ... in Jesus’ name.

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