Reading:
Mark 1:14-28
"the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe the Gospel"
Jesus is beginning to call His disciples. These men that He chose were not men of stature within the Jewish life. They were not the teachers and scribes or priests that were always in and around the Temple. Rather Jesus begins this Apostolic ministry with choosing some brothers that were fishermen.
Notice that the disciples did not choose Jesus. He first calls them. This is how it is for each and everyone of us. God's Word calls us to faith by a work of the Holy Spirit. I do not choose God, but He chose me. He chose me because He loves me and He sent His Son to die for my sins and the sin of the whole world. You and I do not have to try to muster up the faith to be able to come to Jesus. Rather He has done it all and then out of His grace and mercy calls you to Himself. This is grace. The response to this graciousness of God is one of love and adoration. We should want to immediately leave the other stuff behind and follow after Jesus. He has called us and allowed us to share in His ministry.
So we go out into the world like fishermen. We cast out the nets into the world. Our nets are made up of the two chords of Law and Gospel. One without the other makes a net that does not stay together. The Law sends up an S.O.S. - show our sins. It shows our short comings and how we are not perfect nor are we ever going to be good enough for God. The Gospel sends up another S.O.S.- show our Savior. This is where we preach that you don't have to be good enough because God already forgave you when His Son died on the cross for you. Just accept the gift that Jesus did it all and paid it all. Many fish (men) will fall through our net because they will still cling to trying to be righteous on their own, or they will negate the Law fully and believe it does not matter how you live. Either way they fall out of the net and back into the cesspool of despair.
May as we continue our Lenten journey, may we bold in proclaiming the Law and Gospel to a lost world in need of the only Savior Jesus Christ.
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