Today we are going to be looking at how to be successful by using God’s ways. In all three scripture readings for today, we are presented human negative viewpoints versus God’s positive perspective. Yet, through the grace of God in all three cases, God’s abundance is shown. In fact, it is the undeserving abundance of God that changes the negative circumstances into a positive success story for the work of the Kingdom of God.

In the first story, which is from the Old Testament, we are presented with a man named Gideon living in about 1200 BC in the town of Ophrah, the location of which is unknown to Biblical scholars. The first description we are given about Gideon is that he is “beating out wheat in the wine press, to hide it from the Midianites”.  In order to survive the cruel raids of the Midianites, the Israelites had to hide even their grain from them. Just who were these violent invaders?

The Midianites were a confederation of desert peoples or nomads who saw the Israelites as their enemy. There was no peace between the people of Israel and the Midianites who were continually warring with one another over land disputes. The Midianites’ swift camels and their military alliance with the Amalekites helped them in oppressing the Israelites of Palestine for seven years. It was during this time of oppression that the Angel of the Lord came to Gideon.

Now the Angel of the Lord tells Gideon that God has chosen Gideon to deliver the Israelites from the Midianites. Instead of saying yes to God, Gideon comes up with several excuses as to why God should not choose him to do this job. Gideon’s excuses are (1) the present occupation of the Midianites is proof that the Lord has deserted the Israelites; (2) Gideon belongs to the weakest clan of Manasseh, who was Joseph’s oldest son, but who’s younger brother Ephraim received the greater blessing from their grandfather Jacob; and (3) Gideon claims to be the least of his own family. In other words, God no longer cares about Israel and Gideon is the least of the least; an unworthy choice for such a huge task.

The Angel of the Lord refuses to give up so Gideon puts the angel to a test to prove he is the Angel of God. The Angel of the Lord not only passes Gideon’s test, but also puts the fear of God in Gideon. Suddenly Gideon has a change in attitude and is more than willing to be obedient to the Lord’s bidding. Because Gideon places his trust in the Lord and not in himself, the Israelites are successful in defeating their enemy.

Now before we go and judge Gideon for being so difficult, we need to first evaluate our own lives.  Has there ever been a time in our lives when the Lord asked us to do something to further His kingdom and we responded with a list of excuses just like Gideon did? Perhaps we used the excuse of not being worthy enough to serve the Lord.

In St. Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonians, he writes, “The one who calls you is faithful.”  Those who are called by the Lord; the Lord is faithful in helping them to succeed in what He has called them to do. So although we may see ourselves as unworthy for the task, the Lord God who created us sees us in a different light. To Him, who is always faithful and true to us, the Lord sees our weakness as His strength. If we believe that we do not need the Lord’s help to do the task set before us, then we will probably not choose to give the Lord the glory. It is in our weaknesses, our frailties, wherein the Lord is glorified. As the psalmist proclaims, “Truly, his salvation is very near to those who fear him, that his glory may dwell in our land.”

In St. Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians, he too describes himself as unworthy to be chosen as one of the Lord’s apostles and with good reason. Paul writes, “I am the least of the apostles, unfit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.”  Remember Stephen, the first martyr of the church? It was Paul, then known as Saul, who was present and approved of Stephen being stoned to death. In Acts chapter 7 & 8, we read these words about Stephen’s martyrdom, “Then they dragged him out of the city and began to stone him; and the witnesses laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul. While they were stoning Stephen, he prayed, “Lord Jesus receive my spirit.” Then he knelt down and cried out in a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” When he had said this, he died. And Saul approved of their killing him.”

Saul was later sent by the high priest to capture and imprison the followers of Christ. It was when he was on this mission of persecution that he came face to face with Jesus Christ on the road to Damascus. But that is another story. I hope you are getting the gist of the matter that Saul was an ardent enemy of Christ; who later repented, and was called by Christ to serve the Lord Jesus. This is why Paul describes himself as the least of the apostles. Yet, it is Paul’s prolific writings of encouragement to the churches which comprise most of the New Testament. Paul is a witness to all of us that there is no one whom the Lord cannot use in furthering the Kingdom of God.

Finally, we have the gospel story for today from Luke. In this story, the Lord Jesus steps into a fishing boat to move away from the pressing crowd so that he could better teach the people who were thronging around him. The fishermen accommodate the Lord’s request. When the Lord finished His teaching, he tells Simon, the owner of the boat, to go out into the deep water and let down their nets for their reward.

Simon’s response is so typical of how we as Christians respond to the Lord. When we have been faithful in serving Him and the Lord tells us to do one more thing so we can see His glory, too often our response is just like Simon’s. “Master, we have worked all night long but have caught nothing.” Or in our words, ‘But we already tried that program and it didn’t work! No one came! Why waste our time trying it again?” Does any of this sound familiar? You see we think we are the ones who bring in the harvest, but it is the Lord God who is the owner. We are just the laborers.

At least Simon had the good sense to tell Jesus, “Yet if you say so, I will let down the nets.” What happened when Simon obeyed the Lord? The nets became so full of fish that the nets began to break. What a catch! The Lord who created the sea and all the creatures that live in it, called in such a huge catch of fish that not only were the nets breaking, but the boat began to sink from the weight of all the fish. You see, when the Lord is involved, He rewards with great abundance.

There were so many fish that Simon’s men called out to their partners in the other boat to come and help bring in the huge haul. The scripture reads, “And they came and filled both boats, so that they began to sink.” Folks, when the blessing of the Lord falls, it is beyond our greatest expectations. It is more than we could ever hope or ask. The Lord gives in abundance, His grace knows no limits!

Today, the Lord is calling the people of St. Raphael’s to become fishers’ of people. The Lord is calling us to bring the people of this island and beyond to come and hear the Word of the Lord and to be a part of His community here. Each member here whether you are seasonal or are here all year round have been given an assignment to invite your friends, family and strangers to St. Raphael’s. You have even been given beautiful invitations to hand out. Maybe you passed the invitations out and no one you invited came. Well, as Jesus told Simon Peter, we need to go back and do it again.

It is the Lord who brings in the harvest of people, but He needs us to be His hands and feet. He needs us to be the ones to do the inviting. People of St. Raphael’s the time has come for the harvest! Let us not be slack in obeying the Lord. Instead, let us become known as the Church of Hospitality for Christ on this island. In the words of the writer of Hebrews, “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it." There are angels out there just waiting for our invitation to come and be a part of St. Raphael’s. All we have to do is share the joy of the Lord with them and invite them to come and see; then the Lord, who is faithful, will pour out His abundant blessings on St. Raphael’s.