We Cannot Help But Follow Him
Commentary
All the lessons testify to how when confronted by God’s word, we cannot help but follow him, a theme about the Christian life especially relevant to the Epiphany season.
Isaiah 6:1-8 (9-13)
The First Reading is drawn from a Prophetic book which is really the product of two or three distinct literary traditions. The first 30 chapters are the work of the historical prophet who proclaimed a message to Jerusalem and the Southern Kingdom of Judah from 742 BC to 701 BC, a period during which the Northern Kingdom of Israel had been annexed by the Assyrian Empire. Chapters 40-66 emerged in a later period immediately before the fall of Babylon in 59 BC. This lesson is derived from the story of the call of the historical prophet.
We are told that the events described happened in the year King Uzziah died (742BC). The prophet reports that he saw Yahweh sitting on the throne and that the hem of his robe filled the Jerusalem Temple (v.1). He sees Seraphs (griffin-like creatures – mythical animals with the body and head of a lion but with wings of an eagle) serving God and they praised him three times for his holiness (vv.2-3). The Temple thresholds shook at these voices, and Isaiah in God’s presence confesses his sin and the sin of the people (vv.4-5). As God’s messengers, the seraphs touch the budding prophet’s mouth. It is said that he has been cleansed. Cleansed in this way, Yahweh looks for a messenger, and Isaiah volunteers (vv.6-8). What follows is a song purporting to be God’s words. Based on (or related to) Jeremiah 1:10,13-19, it is proclaimed that the people hear but do not understand, that their minds are dulled and they do not hear, that they must be sent far away by Yahweh, that the land will empty. Yet the promise is then made that if even a tenth of the people remain, they will be burned again, and yet a holy seed will remain (vv.9-13).
Isaiah knew he was a sinner, and yet God used him, just as God chooses not to give up on his sinful people. This is a message America is not inclined to want to hear. A 2016 LifeWay Research poll found that while most (65%) agree we sin a little, the majority of Americans (54%) think we are good! Not surprising, then, that a large majority (69%) believe that people have the ability to turn to God on their own initiative (only 9% of us strongly disagree with that claim). Obviously the American public needs lessons in and reminders of sin, that it is not our faith that gets things done, but that doing God’s thing is as function of God’s word and forgiveness. And for the 46% of Americans who do not think human beings are good, they need the reassurances which this lesson offers, an awareness that our sin and sense of inadequacy do not stop God from using and choosing us.
1 Corinthians 15:1-11
This reading is drawn from one of Paul’s authentic letters, written from Ephesus prior to his Epistle to the Romans. This letter was written to a church Paul had established (Acts 8:1-11), but had developed strained relations with the Apostle. Its overall agenda was to address some doctrinal and ethical problems disturbing the Corinthian church. This lesson is a proclamation of the Resurrection.
Paul seeks to remind the Corinthians of the good news through which they are being saved,
as they hold firmly to the message he proclaimed to them (vv.1-2). He claims to hand on to them for first importance what he had received, that Christ died for our sins in accord with scriptures, was buried, rose on the third day and appeared to Cephas [Peter] and the twelve (vv.3-5). Then he appeared to more than five hundred, most of whom are still alive, then to James and all the Apostles (vv.6-7). Finally, Paul claims the risen one appeared to him, the least of the Apostles, unfit to be called an Apostle due to having earlier persecuted the church (vv.-8-9). Then Paul adds that by the grace of God he is what he is, and God’s grace has not been in vain, for he has worked harder than anyone, though it was not he, but the grace of God with him and now the Corinthians have come to faith (vv.10-11).
The focus on Paul the great evangelist can lead preachers to deal with evangelism in a sermon on the text, especially how doing evangelism relates to Jesus’ resurrection. See the comments about the Gospel lesson below regarding the poor job American Christians are doing on evangelism. But this lesson gives us insights into resources for strengthening our efforts in evangelism. The grace of God uses the evangelist to bring others to faith. There seems to be some promising support for the validity of this message getting a hearing today. According to a 2016 LifeWay Research poll more than half of Americans (65%) agree with the claim that God has authority over all people because he created human beings. We can take comfort that evangelism is God’s work, not our own. With that insight the pressure is off evangelists, and that may help get us more recruits in the task of bringing people to Jesus.
Luke 5:1-11
The Gospel is drawn from the first part of a two-part history of the church, traditionally attributed to Luke, a physician and Gentile associate of Paul (Colossians 4:14; 2 Timothy 4:11; Philemon). Along with Acts, the author’s intention was to stress the universal mission of the church (Acts 1:8). This lesson is the story of the unexpected catch of fish. Parallel accounts of a call to the first disciples are found in Mark 1:16-20 and Matthew 4:18-22, but these texts do not include a role of this miracle in the call to the Disciples.
The story begins with Jesus at the Lake of Gennesaret [the Sea of Galilee] with a crowd pressing on him to hear God’s word (v.1). He sees two boats where the fishermen were washing their nets, and he got into the boat belonging to Simon, asking him to take the boat into the lake. From there Jesus began to teach the crowds (vv.2-4). Next he asks Simon to take the boat into the deep, but Simon indicates (addressing Jesus as Master) earlier efforts to fish had been fruitless. Yet he agrees to follow Jesus’ instructions. The result is that they caught so many fish, their nets were beginning to break (vv.5-6). Simon signaled his partners in the other boat to aid them, and the number of fish filled both boats so that they began to sink (v.7). When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, urging him to go away, for Peter says he himself is sinful (v.8). He and all with him were filled with wonder [thambos], including James and John, sons of Zebedee. Jesus assured them not to fear, for they would be catching people. As a result, when their boats were brought to shore they left everything and followed Jesus (vv.9-11).
Jesus calls us to be fishers of other human beings, and the Disciples followed. American Christians are not doing a very good job on that score. If our churches are shrinking, not growing, it may have to do with the fact that according to a 2017 poll conducted by the American Culture & Faith Institute only about 2 in 5 American Christians (39%) believe that they should share the importance of their reliance upon Christ with others. We are not doing evangelism! But not only do we have Jesus’ commission to do the work, in this lesson, like in the second lesson, we have that assurance that God will provide (evidenced in this text in the miraculous catch of fish that Jesus makes happen). This is a lesson for talking about the importance of evangelism and the good news that God will get the job done, even if the chances for success do not seem good.
All the lessons put before us show God’s compelling word which can only help to drive us to respond. Overcome by the power of his word, nothing, not even our own inhibitions and sense of shortcomings, will stop God from using us. Sermons assuring the faithful of God’s plans to use them are precisely what these texts direct.
Isaiah 6:1-8 (9-13)
The First Reading is drawn from a Prophetic book which is really the product of two or three distinct literary traditions. The first 30 chapters are the work of the historical prophet who proclaimed a message to Jerusalem and the Southern Kingdom of Judah from 742 BC to 701 BC, a period during which the Northern Kingdom of Israel had been annexed by the Assyrian Empire. Chapters 40-66 emerged in a later period immediately before the fall of Babylon in 59 BC. This lesson is derived from the story of the call of the historical prophet.
We are told that the events described happened in the year King Uzziah died (742BC). The prophet reports that he saw Yahweh sitting on the throne and that the hem of his robe filled the Jerusalem Temple (v.1). He sees Seraphs (griffin-like creatures – mythical animals with the body and head of a lion but with wings of an eagle) serving God and they praised him three times for his holiness (vv.2-3). The Temple thresholds shook at these voices, and Isaiah in God’s presence confesses his sin and the sin of the people (vv.4-5). As God’s messengers, the seraphs touch the budding prophet’s mouth. It is said that he has been cleansed. Cleansed in this way, Yahweh looks for a messenger, and Isaiah volunteers (vv.6-8). What follows is a song purporting to be God’s words. Based on (or related to) Jeremiah 1:10,13-19, it is proclaimed that the people hear but do not understand, that their minds are dulled and they do not hear, that they must be sent far away by Yahweh, that the land will empty. Yet the promise is then made that if even a tenth of the people remain, they will be burned again, and yet a holy seed will remain (vv.9-13).
Isaiah knew he was a sinner, and yet God used him, just as God chooses not to give up on his sinful people. This is a message America is not inclined to want to hear. A 2016 LifeWay Research poll found that while most (65%) agree we sin a little, the majority of Americans (54%) think we are good! Not surprising, then, that a large majority (69%) believe that people have the ability to turn to God on their own initiative (only 9% of us strongly disagree with that claim). Obviously the American public needs lessons in and reminders of sin, that it is not our faith that gets things done, but that doing God’s thing is as function of God’s word and forgiveness. And for the 46% of Americans who do not think human beings are good, they need the reassurances which this lesson offers, an awareness that our sin and sense of inadequacy do not stop God from using and choosing us.
1 Corinthians 15:1-11
This reading is drawn from one of Paul’s authentic letters, written from Ephesus prior to his Epistle to the Romans. This letter was written to a church Paul had established (Acts 8:1-11), but had developed strained relations with the Apostle. Its overall agenda was to address some doctrinal and ethical problems disturbing the Corinthian church. This lesson is a proclamation of the Resurrection.
Paul seeks to remind the Corinthians of the good news through which they are being saved,
as they hold firmly to the message he proclaimed to them (vv.1-2). He claims to hand on to them for first importance what he had received, that Christ died for our sins in accord with scriptures, was buried, rose on the third day and appeared to Cephas [Peter] and the twelve (vv.3-5). Then he appeared to more than five hundred, most of whom are still alive, then to James and all the Apostles (vv.6-7). Finally, Paul claims the risen one appeared to him, the least of the Apostles, unfit to be called an Apostle due to having earlier persecuted the church (vv.-8-9). Then Paul adds that by the grace of God he is what he is, and God’s grace has not been in vain, for he has worked harder than anyone, though it was not he, but the grace of God with him and now the Corinthians have come to faith (vv.10-11).
The focus on Paul the great evangelist can lead preachers to deal with evangelism in a sermon on the text, especially how doing evangelism relates to Jesus’ resurrection. See the comments about the Gospel lesson below regarding the poor job American Christians are doing on evangelism. But this lesson gives us insights into resources for strengthening our efforts in evangelism. The grace of God uses the evangelist to bring others to faith. There seems to be some promising support for the validity of this message getting a hearing today. According to a 2016 LifeWay Research poll more than half of Americans (65%) agree with the claim that God has authority over all people because he created human beings. We can take comfort that evangelism is God’s work, not our own. With that insight the pressure is off evangelists, and that may help get us more recruits in the task of bringing people to Jesus.
Luke 5:1-11
The Gospel is drawn from the first part of a two-part history of the church, traditionally attributed to Luke, a physician and Gentile associate of Paul (Colossians 4:14; 2 Timothy 4:11; Philemon). Along with Acts, the author’s intention was to stress the universal mission of the church (Acts 1:8). This lesson is the story of the unexpected catch of fish. Parallel accounts of a call to the first disciples are found in Mark 1:16-20 and Matthew 4:18-22, but these texts do not include a role of this miracle in the call to the Disciples.
The story begins with Jesus at the Lake of Gennesaret [the Sea of Galilee] with a crowd pressing on him to hear God’s word (v.1). He sees two boats where the fishermen were washing their nets, and he got into the boat belonging to Simon, asking him to take the boat into the lake. From there Jesus began to teach the crowds (vv.2-4). Next he asks Simon to take the boat into the deep, but Simon indicates (addressing Jesus as Master) earlier efforts to fish had been fruitless. Yet he agrees to follow Jesus’ instructions. The result is that they caught so many fish, their nets were beginning to break (vv.5-6). Simon signaled his partners in the other boat to aid them, and the number of fish filled both boats so that they began to sink (v.7). When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, urging him to go away, for Peter says he himself is sinful (v.8). He and all with him were filled with wonder [thambos], including James and John, sons of Zebedee. Jesus assured them not to fear, for they would be catching people. As a result, when their boats were brought to shore they left everything and followed Jesus (vv.9-11).
Jesus calls us to be fishers of other human beings, and the Disciples followed. American Christians are not doing a very good job on that score. If our churches are shrinking, not growing, it may have to do with the fact that according to a 2017 poll conducted by the American Culture & Faith Institute only about 2 in 5 American Christians (39%) believe that they should share the importance of their reliance upon Christ with others. We are not doing evangelism! But not only do we have Jesus’ commission to do the work, in this lesson, like in the second lesson, we have that assurance that God will provide (evidenced in this text in the miraculous catch of fish that Jesus makes happen). This is a lesson for talking about the importance of evangelism and the good news that God will get the job done, even if the chances for success do not seem good.
All the lessons put before us show God’s compelling word which can only help to drive us to respond. Overcome by the power of his word, nothing, not even our own inhibitions and sense of shortcomings, will stop God from using us. Sermons assuring the faithful of God’s plans to use them are precisely what these texts direct.
