“The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light on them light has shined.”  I don’t know about you but these words found in Isaiah’s prophesy, repeated in today in Matthew’s gospel, really speak to me right now.  I used to like cold weather but I think I have had enough now.  Perhaps it is just my human nature, the grass is greener syndrome, but I am ready for a change in the weather.  I am waiting with anticipation for the light to come and the darkness to give way; for the days to get longer and warmer.  I look forward to the warmer temperatures and the longer daylight hours so that I may enjoy certain activities chief among them fishing.  I can’t wait for the water and the outside air temperature to warm up enough to dawn my hip waders and get into a stream.  Right now the rod and reel and all the other gear sits in the corner of the garage looking oh so lonely.  Every time I go outside I look at the lonely fishing gear, it calls to me, and for a moment I am captured by a daydream of a 16 inch smallmouth bass on the line.  Then the smack in the face of a subzero-chill brings me back to reality as the garage door opens. 

            I long for the light to push back the darkness, for the days to get longer and warmer so that I can go fishing but as the passage we read from the gospel according to Matthew says there is plenty of fishing to be done right now.  Indeed the light of the Messiah, the Christ had come and it was time for the people who were sitting in darkness to see it.  It was here by the sea of Galilee that Jesus ministry begins, that Jesus begins to preach about God’s kingdom being near and people’s need to turn around and move toward that kingdom.   According to Matthew it is along this Sea of Galilee that Jesus picks up his first followers Peter and Andrew.  These two were fishermen who apparently were about their business casting their nets into the sea when Jesus calls to them and invites them to come along to fish for people.  The way Matthew makes it sound they simply drop everything and follow.  Then Jesus comes upon James and John the sons of Zebedee who are also fishermen.  Sitting with their father mending their nets Jesus invites a second pair of fishing brothers to come and follow him; they too drop their nets and follow.  I think it is interesting to note that according to Matthew one third of Jesus disciples, his closest students and followers, were fishermen and it is this third of the disciples he recruits first.  Jesus goes on from there spreading the good news and making people well and continuing his ministry a large part of which is to gain followers; to bring people into the net of God’s kingdom.  Jesus mission is to fish for people so it is no wonder first and foremost he enlists the help of some professional fishermen. 

            There are several conclusions I think we can draw from this passage.  First I think it is clear that the kingdom of God Jesus says has come near is an active rather than passive place.  This is not simply a retirement home in the sky for all of God’s faithful it is instead a powerful, table-turning, world changing, grace filled, and love outpouring manifestation of God’s desire to live in relationship with the human beings God has created.  There is nothing passive about the kingdom.  In fact that is what Jesus is all about; no longer is God going to pave the way and hope people will make their way to God, instead God is going on the offensive.  In Jesus God is going to earth to seek people out and bring them to God’s self.  In other words the people who have sat in darkness have not only had light shine on them but through the saving power of Christ God is dragging them out of the darkness.  Second it seems clear that being a disciple is also a very active commitment.  Discipleship at least for these four begins with a serous commitment.  There are things each of these four leaves behind, livelihood, equipment, and family in order that they might follow.  Then there is the following, to be a disciple implies action, motion, and faithful following. 

            Each of us is called to be a disciple and part of that call includes being fishers of people or evangelists.  This means that part of living out our faith includes sharing it with others and there is plenty of fishing to be done.  The question is how do we get the word out.  First I think we need to be where the fish are at least our chances are much better that way.  It has been my experience that fishing where the fish are is much more productive than making them come to you.  I am not aware of a spiritual fish finder but I am sure if we never reach out in search of them we are not likely to encounter many others with whom we can share the good news of God’s redeeming love and coming kingdom.  Second I think it is important to be familiar with our equipment.  You can have the best rod and reel combo with the best lure tied on and it won’t work if you don’t know how to use it.  We have certain tools at our disposal to help us fish for people.  Most importantly we have scripture and we have prayer and we would do well to become more familiar with them before we go out and try to use them to fish for people.  Finally there is the issue of what we will do to draw people in.  In fishing for fish I have had the most success using the real thing and have yet to catch anything on a plastic lure.  Likewise when fishing for people I have found it best to be genuine.  In my opinion gimmicks don’t work.  So we need to share the love of God with others showing genuine concern for them.  Some times this takes a lot more work but the results are better. 

            Phillip Gulley a Quaker Minister and author from Danville, IN writes fictional stories about a pastor named Sam Gardner who is the pastor at Harmony Friends Meeting in the fictional town of Harmony Indiana.  One of the central and most notable characters in his books is Dale Hinshaw whose self description is that he has a true servant’s heart and is likely the only true evangelist among the Harmony Friends Meeting.  It was Dale who convinced the church to paint “Jesus Saves” on the roof of the church because “when you’re up there in a plain bouncing around in the turbulence your mind is open to receiving the Lord.”  Dale also was the leader of the scripture eggs project.  You see he read an article about a chicken that had swallowed a piece of phone book and the phone number had been preserved in the egg of that chicken.  When the consumer of the egg discovered it he called the number and eventually married the woman who answered the call.  Dale concludes “If that isn’t the Lord at work I don’t know what is.”  So Dale sets about feeding chickens little slips of paper with verses of scripture, short verses of scripture, written on them so the verses will be preserved in the eggs of these chickens.  “Just think when someone is making breakfast and they crack open one of my scripture eggs their heart will be open to receiving the Lord”  As if this evangelistic effort wasn’t bad enough, those targeted by Dale to receive the scripture eggs are the Catholics and the Episcopalians and other Christians Dale does not consider to be true believers.  Among Dale’s other evangelistic efforts he uses the computer program he received from the “Might Men Of God” to have his computer dial every phone in town at a pre-determined hour and play a message inviting them to worship at Harmony Friends meeting and sort of suggests that if they don’t they are in danger of going to hell.  Again as if this wasn’t bad enough he meant to program the computer to make the calls at noon but got confused and instead had the town irate with him when everyone received this call at midnight.  All of us are called to be fishers of people but we are called to do it a little more skillfully, a little more delicately, a little more gracefully, and a little more lovingly than Dale Hinshaw.  However for all of Dale’s misguided attempts I have to give him credit for one thing he tried.  His actions may not have been all that successful or even all that helpful but he, as we are all called to, actively tried to get the word out to others and in that way even Dale can be a positive example for us all.  I suggest we like Dale try to be fishers for people but that we do it in a manner that is a little more genuine. 

            Fishing for people doesn’t have to be as hard or complex as Dale made it out.  Likely there is person very near to you who’s heart is already open to the Lord and wants to hear your faith story.  Chances are this person already knows you go to church and maybe just maybe they are waiting, hoping you will invite them to join you for worship some Sunday.  There is no need to go out on a street corner with bible in hand to bring the heathens to salvation.  Instead we need only share the real thing with others wherever we may encounter them.  Theresa Purser is not bashful about talking about God.  She is 10 years old and has been at it for a while.  She attends a Korean Presbyterian Church in California and has been known to tell others stories about Jesus any time or anywhere.  “She is very natural about it” says Jong Kim her pastor.  “Talking about Jesus and evangelizing is, for her, like eating food.  It is just a part of her life.” 

            Being Jesus’ disciple requires action of us, among other things it requires that we be fishers for people.  In order to carry out this calling we don’t have to have elaborate plans like Dale’s scripture eggs we need only share our story and talk about God the way 10 year old Theresa does.  It is helpful if we do this where the fish are, if we go out to where the people are.  It is helpful also if we familiarize our self with the fishing for people tackle such as scripture and prayer.  Finally our fishing for people efforts will be most effective when we share the real thing with people instead of catchy gimmicks.  May we all live out our calling to be fishers of people.  Amen.