Though we all differ in age and family and occupation, we all alike share a wonderful Christian pattern of resting and working.
The work may slightly differ, because our daily life and calling, who we are to serve and love in close proximity in daily living are slightly different. But the rest is the same. It’s rest in Christ, in the forgiveness of sins, in the promises of God given in Baptism.
The only true rest
Come to me all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
I want you to understand how wonderful and necessary this pattern is of resting and working, resting and working.
Without rest, we live of life of heavy burdens. We soon wear out and grow weary of doing good. We might despair of seeing no results.
Without the command to work, we are tempted to think that we can say, “I love God,” while not loving our neighbor. We are tempted to love only the promises of God, while despising the commandments of God.
This commandment we have from God: whoever loves God must also love His neighbor [1 John 4:21].
Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by works [James 2:18].
This pattern of rest and works is found in our Gospel text.
It begins with rest, and resting in the only true and peaceful rest we have in this life – hearing the Word of God.
On one occasion, while the crowd was pressing in on Jesus to hear the word of God.
It will then move to work for Simon Peter and James and John
And when He had finished speaking, He said to Simon, “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.”
And Simon responds in a way we are tempted to respond, “I’ve been working, and it’s done no good.”
Master, we toiled all night and took nothing.
But in the end, Simon does what we Christians do. If Jesus says do it, say it, think it – we try to do it, say it, and think it.
But at Your Word I will let down the nets.
Then, the most amazing thing happens. Simon discover that it is not he alone who is working. Simon went out into the deep and let down the nets, but then it became obvious that Jesus was working all along.
But a life of working, especially when you know that God is working with you, and that you also are answerable to God for your works of love when you know you haven’t loved either God with your whole heart or you neighbor as yourself, leads a recognition of unworthiness and fear.
But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.”
Which then leads back into this pattern, And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid.”
That is an absolving word. It’s a forgiving word. It’s a rest in Him word.
Do not be afraid.
From now on, you, as in “you and me,” as in “me working with you and in you,” you will be catching men.
Peter and James and John’s call was to leave everything and follow Jesus.
Our call is stay here and follow Jesus, while He works with us.
Peter, after this, will fail Jesus and not work with Jesus, but work against Jesus a number of times.
He will rebuke Jesus after Jesus said He will suffer and be killed, Far be it from you, Lord.
He will fall asleep after Jesus said, “Stay awake and pray,” Could you not watch with me one hour?
He will deny he ever knew Jesus’ three times.
Peter will always need Jesus to be near to forgive.
He will always need the bloody sweat of Jesus and Jesus’ prayer, “Father, take this cup from me, nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.”
He will always need Jesus to drink the cup of wrath that he deserved, so that he might always receive the cup of forgiveness and mercy and life.
Peter will always need Jesus’ completed, “It is finished work,” on the cross and the resurrection Word that He has defeated sin, death and devil, “Go and tell my disciples and Peter.”
But Jesus will use Peter to bring many into the boat of His church and still does.
Dear co-workers with Christ, Jesus’ work of forgiving your sin, defeating your death, and promising that you always, always have access to His rest, is His work alone, and it is finished – but always present for you.
But He also gives you a family, a church, a job, a community to cast your nets of love and mercy and prayers,
who knows what you might catch?
Perhaps, it will seem thankless, and pointless because it seems like your works did nothing. So what? You didn’t do it to be thanked or praised or because there was a promise of success. You did it because your master told you to and you said, Master, at your Word, I will. Be patient. Your work is not in vain, because it’s not you alone who is working.
Perhaps, you have your doubts as to why you should keep loving them. The place where Peter was told to go cast his nets was the deep, a very unlikely place to catch fish. A place of chaos and disorder.
But Jesus caught you and you’re now safe and secure in the boat with Him. Who’s a more unlikely follower of Jesus than you?
Or perhaps you experience some success. God’s Word catches some men or women or children through you. They know you are a Christian by your love. Perhaps they will see your good works as light in the world of darkness and then give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
Any success isn’t credited to you. Some plant. Some water. But God gives the growth. We are nothing. God grows. We are blessed that He works with us.
And so this pattern of rest and works blesses us. Rest has the first say.
Before we even begin work, we receive His rest and refreshment, are reminded that we are sons and daughters – that we don’t earn His love by our works, but are loved because of the work of Jesus. But being loved and renewed, we then work with Him in a chaotic and disordered world.
And thank God rest then also has the final say. We’re forgiven. We’re cleansed. We’re promised and told, Do not fear.
daily pattern, constant reminders, new creation, nearer presence (come not to condemn, but make new; brought fish into the brings them into Himself, drawn out of water, plunged into the water; holiness is location; Peter’s shadow heals, Peter is nothing, brought to nothing Jesus is everything, Hymn come unto me…