The Joshua Victor Theory

  In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen. Looking around I see that you are all land-dwellers…no fish here…but in the Gospel Jesus invites us to imagine catching fish out of the water. Jesus called His disciples “fishers of men.” Enter Jesus’ metaphor for a minute; imagine ourselves as fish happily swimming in our familiar home, an ocean or lake, like the Sea of Galilee. If we put the Sea of Galilee here on Maui, I estimate it would stretch roughly from the base of West Maui mountains up to Makawao, and from Kahului Harbor to Maalaea Harbor—13 miles by 8 miles. Small, but big enough to get caught in a storm. Imagine happily swimming in your watery home when a net encircles you and pulls you out of the water. Panic fills your gills as you gasp and gawk at the frightening fisherman looming over you! I’m dead meat! This guy’s gonna make poke outta me! Peter tasted this fear once or twice in his fishing boat on the Sea of Galilee, looking up at Jesus....

Into a Net that Christ Prepares Text: Joshua V. Schneider Meter: CM (86 86) Melody: MCKEE (LSB 653 In Christ there is No East or West) 1. Into a Net that Christ Prepares A world of sinners swim His Gospel promises He shares And whole, encircles them. 2. Though nets may strain, they will not break His church, it firm shall stand, For this confession it shall make: “Christ is Living God and Man!” 3. Before His holiness we cry: “Have mercy, Lord, on me!” And on our knees hear His reply, “From all your sins be free!” 4. “Caught live for purposes my own, Gifts I bestow on you; Are to be used as I have shown, Serve them as I have you.” 5. Beholding Christ with unveiled face, His image we will take; Drawn on our service He will trace, To live for other’s sake. 6. Into the world the Gospel casts The joy of Christ’s new life! Releases us from dreadful blasts, Of sin and bitter strife. 7. God’s kingdom prospers by His grace ...

**See also in the following post my new hymn composition to match this text: "Into a Net that Christ Prepares"** In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen. After a long night of fishing in the Lake of Genessaret, or Galilee, and with nothing to show for it, Peter was likely ready for a good nap. But Jesus was pressed by the crowds nearby and needed a place to teach them from. Jesus was new to Peter—He had just healed Peter’s mother-in-law and other sick people in the neighborhood, shortly before this. No doubt Peter was thankful. So when Jesus hops into the fishing boat and asks for a short row away from shore, so Jesus has room to teach the gathered crowd from Peter’s fishing boat, Peter willingly accepts. But when the sermon is over, Jesus asks something that is sure to make Peter look ridiculous to the other fisherman. Put out into the deep, and let down your nets for a catch. It’s against all fisherman’s logic; and perhaps feeling a lit...