Promise and Faith:  Soli Deo Gloria
Rev. Richard A. Bolland

Luke 5:1-11
(Feb. 8, 2004 Sermon Transcript)

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        Thus far the inspired and inerrant word of God.

        Dear people of God, dear baptized children of God, think back in your memories of your Old Testament learning, and remember that Naaman, the commander of the army of Syria, was a leper who had the promise of God. Given through the prophet, he was to go and be healed of his leprousy by going and dipping himself seven times in the river of Jordan. However, he did not like the news. Indeed, as he went along his way, he said, "Why should I dip myself in the Jordan River? Are not the rivers of Syria ever so much better?" And then he was prevailed upon by one of his servants to do exactly as the prophet had told him.. And he did. And he was healed.

        But I would submit that he had the promise of God! And what’s more, as he went along his way, he rejected that promise. That promise, therefore, did him absolutely no good whatsoever, until and unless he did what had been required of him.

        Likewise, when King Saul went to enquire of the witch of Endor as to God’s will, Saul focused where he had no promise from God. So regardless of his faith, there was no deliverance for him.

        In the Apology to the Augsburg Confession, we read about this in this very same way in these words. The confessions write:  It is by faith that God wants to be worshiped, namely that we receive from Him what He promises and offers.       

        In today’s Gospel reading, dear friends, that truth is proclaimed to us. Therefore, let us give heed to this word of God.

        In the beginning, was the Word. And the Word became flesh, and came to the people who stood at the lake of Gennesaret. And the Lord God incarnate got into one of the the boats, and then the Lord God Almighty sat down and taught multitudes who were on the shore. Although we were not given the text of this particular sermon in that particular spot in the scripture, in the parallel texts we know that He rightly divided law and gospel as He preached, setting the pattern, indeed, the template, for all preaching which was yet to come.

        For we need to hear both of those messages, as Jesus rightly expresses, in His sermon in the boat. Indeed, we find that it is the law that speaks to our old, sinful Adam. That says to us that we are indeed condemned, that we are indeed sinners lost without the grace of God.

        And it is indeed the gospel which comes as sweet news to the sinners ears, which indeed offers and promises God’s gracious gift of forgiveness, and eternal life, and salvation, for the sake of the sacrifice of Christ for the sacrifice of the world.

        We might point out that it is always, always true, that people who are changed by the power of God are brought to repentance by means of the law. But they are not saved by means of the law. Indeed, it is the gospel grace which comes to us through our Lord Jesus Christ, through the promise given through that word, the promise of the gospel through faith, and mercy and blessing of God which transforms stony hearts into believing hearts, and makes us one of God’s own.

        Promises are important. The promise of grace is, of course to us, the most precious and important of all. And in this text, God gives Peter a divine promise. He says, "Put out into deep water and let down the nets for a catch!" Now, having that promise was great! But at the moment it does Peter absolutely no good whatsoever! Because he has not done what is required of him. He has not acted on the faith that he has at this point in time. He does not yet have the fish!

        Now, you will notice that when this text begins, you will notice that the fishermen were washing their nets. Now, I must confess, I have never washed a net. I’ve always caught things with hook, line, and sinker. But I suspect that washing nets is a real pain. And I suspect that there’s not much there to catch the water, so how do you wash the nets? So my first thought, of course, is you take them to the car wash and spray them off with a power hose! That would be my guess. But, of course, that kind of remedy was not available.

        And so they were working hard. They had labored all the night and found themselves now cleaning up, having gained absolutely nothing from all their efforts. And so it comes that the first words our of Peter’s mouth at the promise that is given by Christ, are these. Simon answered, "Master, we've worked hard all night and haven't caught anything. Do you think there’s an implication there? Now, he’s not contradicting God. He’s not saying he won’t do what Jesus says, he’s just trying to inform Him, provide Him with information that he supposes, of course, that the Lord doesn’t know (which of course, He does!)

        But then please remember the rest of the sentence. But because you say so, I will let down the nets." Any you can almost hear the dialog. "OK boys, get the clean nets out, that we just finished washing, get out in the boats and go out to the deep water where there aren’t any fish normally, and let’s down the nets because Jesus said it would be OK". And the rest of the fisherman are sitting there going, "Yeah, right!"

        But he does it. He acts on the promise.

        Notice by the way that all the work of the fishermen the entire night before had come to absolutely nothing. Not one single fish had been caught, even though they were smart enough not to fish in the deep water, but rather in the shallow water where fish actually are. And of course, its now daylight, which is not the best time to go fishing. Nighttime is the best time to go fishing. But even though they had used all their skill as fishermen, and all their knowledge about fish, they had come away utterly empty-handed.

        May I suggest to you that it is so with every human endeavor to produce spiritual fruit. To produce salvation by our own work and our own hand. That seeking to be righteous in God’s sight apart from the promise of God is a futility exercise resulting in absolutely nothing. Even though most of the world believes that this is the way to know God, by calling out to Him. And by doing things that please Him so that they might find favor in His sight. But even this well-intended work of the fishermen to catch fish results in nothing.

        But moved by the word of the Lord, Peter believes the promise of God. Even though he is exuding doubt all the way, perhaps, Peter begrudgingly believes the promise, and gets out there and lowers the nets.

        Now human reason might intervene here, I suppose, and say, "Lord, couldn’t we do this in the shallow water? Couldn’t we wait until this evening when the fish are biting better? Couldn’t we do it some other way"?

        Please remember, it is not the deep water, indeed, that catches a yield of fish, but it is the word of God, which is in and with the water. The promise and the faith, to God alone comes the glory, and that is precisely what happens in this text.

        Likewise, in Holy Baptism, God has promised forgiveness of sins, deliverance from death and the devil, and grants to us eternal life for all who believe in His word and His promise, given us through Christ’s suffering and death and resurrection.

        And what’s more, the faith to believe God’s word itself, and the faith to believe the promises He gives us, is also likewise a free gift. It’s not something we choose to do, but rather it’s something God gives to us. Were it not so, then it would not be by grace that we are saved, but rather by the action of man, and the cooperation of human will.

        So it was for Peter the fisherman. He had nothing to do with the catch of fish, except that he acted on the promise. So it is for us, in our baptism. We had nothing to do with the salvation which was obtained at that holy and blessed washing in your life and in mine. But rather, it is fully and completely the act of God, who cleanses us from all sin and calls us His own and gives us His name.

        And what’s more, without the word of God, the water is deep water only, if you will. But with the word of God, they have the promise and they have the fish. To God alone be the glory! Or as it says in the Latin, Soli Deo Gloria! It is the promise, and it is the faith.

        And if you would indulge me just a little bit, let’s look at a second example. Not only is baptism like this, but also so is the Lord’s Supper. It has to do with the promise and the faith in the promise. Listen to the words of the promise as they are recorded in the words of institution as they are recorded in Matthew 26. While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, "Take and eat; this is my body." Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. We are promised the remission of sins. We are promised eternal life. We are promised salvation also through this sacred sacrament that God has established.

        And therefore we welcome to this sacred table, believing in these promises because the word of God offers them to us. This is, by the way, the very reason why we practice close or closed communion at this altar. Let me explain. To be a worthy communicant is to have faith in the promises given. When someone does not believe in the remission of sins connected with the Lord’s Supper, there is no faith in the promises given. And therefore the ancient and apostolic church has chosen, and we do the same, to be giving them not the opportunity to come and receive upon themselves, instead of blessing, the very judgment of God promised in I Corinthians 11.

        Likewise, the promise is given that in,with, and under the bread and wine, are the very body and blood of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and all that that precious gift brings to us. To be a worthy communicant is to have faith that the promises of God regarding the presence of His body and blood are true. Therefore, someone who does not believe in the real presence of Christ’s body and blood, in, with, and under the bread and wine, should not attend this supper since there is no faith in the promise. To do otherwise would be unloving, uncaring, unscriptural, unchristian, and bring great spiritual harm to our friends who we do not wish to harm.

        To fearful sinners, who come forward and kneel in our sins before the altar of God and to receive there the very body and blood of Christ is tantamount, in many ways, to what happened to Isaiah the prophet in our Old Testament lesson today, who, being in the very presence of God in His Holy Temple, seeing the Seraphim fly, and respectfully covering their eyes with their wings and their feet with another while flying with a third set, and singing "Holy Holy Holy is the Lord God Almighty!" That knowing that they are in the presence of God, Isaiah says, "Woe to me!" ... For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and then notice the response of God. The angels come to the altar, remove one of the burning coals set thereon, and with tongs, brings it and purifies the sinful lips of the prophet, and says to him, "Your sins are forgiven".

        In essence, He says to Isaiah, you need not be afraid to be in the presence of God! For that which prohibits your presence has been taken away.

        Likewise notice what happens to Peter. Following the catch of fish, when Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ feet and said, "Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!" For he and his companions were all astonished at the catch of fish which were taken. He realized he was in the presence of God. That this was YHWH. That this was "Very God of Very God in human flesh, and that he was a sinful man. And the natural reaction of sinful man in the presence of the Almighty and living God is to hide or to run, or to seek some way to get out of His presence, for He is holy! And we are not.

        Listen to the promise, dear people, that Jesus gives St. Peter. Do not be afraid.

        That promise is for you, and is for every one of God’s people.

        Let it be known that there were animal skins for Adam and Eve. And God said to them, Do not be afraid!

        And there was the burning coal for the lips of the prophet, and God was ushering in his lack of fear for this one who was a sinner, and whose sin was taken away.

        The angel said, "Mary the Lord is with you. Do not be afraid!" And as a response, she uttered the words of the Magnificat. The shepherds out watching their flocks by night, saw the glory of God and of His holy angels and were afraid. But the word came to them, "Do not be afraid. For to you this day in the city of David is born a Savior who is Christ the Lord."

        Believe, dear friends, these words of grace, purchased by the blood of Christ for you, and for me. Don’t be afraid! You are welcome at this altar. You are welcome at the font of Holy Baptism! You are welcome in this place where God speaks through His word and His sacraments. He will never leave you. He will never forsake you. He will never abandon you. He will never walk away from you.

        You are welcome in His presence.

        Therefore, without fear, we are called to do His bidding. Verse 11. Don't be afraid; from now on you will catch men. So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him. Everything! Their very means of making a living were abandoned. And they walked away from them, not regretfully, but with anxious anticipation, for they had seen the Lord, and wanted only to serve Him.

        To Peter the Lord says, "Greater things you will catch than fish. From now on, you will catch men!" And as is were, they cast their nets out into the world, as God’s pastors and God’s people do to this very day, and we catch in them, by God’s grace and by God’s powerful word and sacraments, infants, and children, and adults, and the elderly, all coming in to be in the boat of God, loaded as treasures for His kingdom. That we might know and be with God in His presence, not just for now, but forever.

        The promise, if it’s accepted by faith, the fact that it is free absolutely excludes our merits, shows that the blessing is offered only by mercy, only by the merits of Christ, and they are the price that was paid for our salvation. For there is a certain propitiation for our sins, that was utterly needed, and willingly given.

        Dear baptized children of God, listen to the words of our Lutheran Confessions again. I quote.

        This is the greatest consolation in all afflictions. It is the promise. It is the faith. To God alone be the glory. Indeed, Soli Deo Gloria! Amen.