How we are all in the boat as kingdom travellers

06 February 2022 is the Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany and the main scripture today is from Luke’s Gospel (Luke 5:1-11). Jesus calls his first disciples – fishermen at the Sea of Galilee – to become “fishers of men”.

Below, you’ll find the main scripture reading in full, the order of Service, the video of the service conducted by Rev. Geoff McKee, and a musical selection from Kath, our Musical Director.

Principal Bible reading for today

Luke 5:1-11 (New International Version)
Jesus Calls His First Disciples
5 One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, the people were crowding around him and listening to the word of God. 2 He saw at the water’s edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. 3 He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat.

4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.”

5 Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.”

6 When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. 7 So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.

8 When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” 9 For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, 10 and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners.

Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.” 11 So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.

Waves and Rainbow at Lossiemouth West Beach

Order of Service

Welcome and Intimations
Call to Worship
Praise: MP564 Praise to the Lord, the Almighty
Prayers of Adoration and Confession
Children’s Address
Praise: JP329 Did you ever talk to God above
MP128 Father God, I wonder
Readings: Isaiah 6:1-8 and Psalm 138
Praise: CH4 532 Lord, you have come to the seashore
Readings: 1 Corinthians 15:1-11 and Luke 5:1-11
Sermon
Praise: MP499 O happy day
Prayers of Thanksgiving and Intercession
Praise: MP862 I’ll go in the strength of the Lord
Benediction & Threefold Amen

Video Service

The church, the nave, at sea. A gathering of the imperfect, drawn together by a willingness to embark on Christ’s journey, is what distinguishes us. We are not a gathering of the spiritually proud who weekly toast our favour in God’s eyes… That’s not what the Church is about.
REV. GEOFF MCKEE

Musical Selection

“He will hold me fast” by Keith and Kirstyn Getty.

When I fear my faith will fail, Christ will hold me fast;
When the tempter would prevail, He will hold me fast.
I could never keep my hold through life’s fearful path;
For my love is often cold; He must hold me fast.

Matt Merker wrote the melody to this hymn and added lyrics to it. Here is the story behind the song, in his words.

“Throughout my life as a Christian, I have wrestled with hard questions — ones that I cannot fully answer. That is why I am so thankful for the hymns of Ada Habershon (1861-1918). She learned of a young man who had put his trust in Christ, but who feared that his faith might fail. He was concerned that one day he might wake up to discover he no longer believed in Jesus. Perhaps you have thought that too.

She wrote a song to remind him—and all those like him—that when God saves someone, He keeps us forever. We might begin to think we need to rely on all our own strength to do it, but it is who we are trusting in that is the most important: the Lord Jesus Christ, who is our great Saviour and will never let us go.

In 2012, a friend in my church sent me Ada Habershon’s hymn text, asking if we could sing it in our congregation. That inspired me to write a new melody and a third verse to this song because I knew it was something that my heart needed to sing. As Jesus said, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand” (John 10:27-28).