Dear Friends in Christ, grace and peace to you from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

The votive ship hanging over the baptismal fount is a copy of the 1825 Restauration that brought the first Norwegian emigrants to America from Stavanger. On July 4^th, a replica of that original wooden sailing began its 98- day crossing of the Atlantic Ocean to commemorate the 200^th anniversary of that historic event. This past week the ship left Cornwall and is on course for Madeira.  The new Restauration is scheduled to arrive in New York on October 9^th.

It shouldn’t be any surprise that a ship was one of the earliest symbols of the Christian Church.  As many as 7 of Jesus 12 disciples were fishermen who worked and sailed on the Sea of Galilee, and many of the most memorable stories of Jesus take place on or near that body of water. In spite of its name, the Sea of Galilee, is actually a freshwater lake about 13 miles long from North to South and 8 miles across from East to West.  It is fed by underground springs but primarily it waters flow from the upper Jordan River, whose headwaters are found in Mount Hermon in the Golan Heights.

In the winter of 1986, after the region had experienced several years of severe drought, the waterline of the Sea of Galilee had dropped drastically. As a consequence, the shoreline receded further than any local fisherman could remember. Two fishermen, who were also amateur archaeologists, Yuval and Moshe Lopen, examined the newly exposed lakebed looking for treasures.   One day they noticed a large oval indentation poking up through the mud. They recognized the shape immediately as a buried boat. The boat had settled in thick silt that had hardened and protected the vessel for centuries, but now exposed to the fresh air again, the wooden structure would deteriorate quickly. To prevent decomposition the boat was coated in a thick layer of polyurethane foam and floated ashore. There the foam was stripped away and the boat began a 14-year process of cleansing, preserving and strengthening. Finally the boat was ready for display. Carbon dating, as well as coins found within the boat, led the archeologists to date the vessel between 40 BC and 50 AD.. This placed the boat to the time of Christ, which led people to call it the Jesus’ Boat. A more accurate name for this 27-foot long, 7 ½ foot wide and 4 foot deep boat would be “the Sea of Galilee boat.” It was outfitted with a sail as well as four oars and a hold for stowing nets or fish. Peter and Andrew, as well as that of James and John, would have sailed such boats, together with a crew of five men: four to row and one to steer and supervise the catch. Interestingly, the late Pope Francis was so taken by the discovery of this Galilean fishing boat that he commissioned a copy of the ship be made and permanently be displayed in the Vatican Museum.  The replica was installed in the main entryway of the museum in the fall of 2023.

In Biblical times, the fishing industry on the Sea of Galilee was highly profitable, but it was also strenuous work and required major organizational skills. The majority of the fish caught in the lake were tilapia, carp and catfish, which were either sold locally, or salted and preserved to be marketed in places like Jerusalem and even Greece.  Since catfish were considered unclean for Jews, they were regularly sold to the large Gentile, Greek-speaking population that lived in the regions surrounding Judea particularly in the Decapolis, a district of large Greek cities on the eastern shore of the Galilee. As for the fish that were too small to prepare and eat were processed into a sauce that was used in almost every meal in the Roman Empire.

At that time, the fishermen used nets made of flax or linen. Most fishing was done at night so that fish would not see and swim around the nets. In deep water fishing, two or three boats would work together to set up a net between them and chase fish into the net. This would be done seven or eight times during the night and by morning the fishermen could bring in a half ton of fish. During the day the men were busy as well. The fish had to be sorted for sale, the nets had to be washed in the lake to remove any silt, and tears in the nets had to be mended. The nets were then hung out to dry and folded for the next catch.

Now you might think that Jesus could have done better in choosing his first disciples. After all, at least in Northern Minnesota, you can find plenty of telling welcome signs, “Headquarters for Hunters, Fishermen, Golfers, and other Liars.” It’s never been confirmed, but I strongly suspect this “artwork” was hung by someone who didn’t hunt, fish, or golf.  Yes, it is said that the only time a fisherman tells the truth is when he calls another fisherman a liar.  Uneducated fishermen, lacking in the social graces and smelling of sweat and labor, are not exactly the candidates that seminaries are seeking today. So what exactly did Jesus see in these four fishermen that convinced him that they could do it?  It may be the same question that you are wondering yourself?  What does God see in you that is so important to the work of his kingdom at this time, and in this place?  I rather suspect that for the first four disciples, Jesus could see in them the attributes needed for mission- courage, curiosity and confidence.

The ancient Jewish historian Josephus writes there the 230 similar wooden boats plying the waters of the Galilee. Storms and waves were frequent, but they always understood that  if they were going to make a living they needed to work courageously together to move out into deep water.  Deep water is where God’s abundance is. Of course, it’s easier and safer to stay along the shore.  Shallow water is pleasant.  It is safe. You can see all the way to the bottom in shallow water, and so staying there is a great temptation.  But Jesus could see in these four fishermen the courage and willingness to take a chance.  They were ready to move beyond the safety of the Sea of Galilee.  It’s where they could make a bold new, living.  Perhaps that’s what God sees in you.

Second, Jesus could see in these fishermen a sense of curiosity.  Certainly, the four men knew the fishing community along the Sea of Galilee, they knew the languages spoken in the different towns and villages, they built lifelong friendships and partnerships that served them well, but they were also curious about what was beyond the shore.  The were mot anxious about the world beyond their corner of the Galilee. Indeed, when they sailed across the Galilee to the Greek speaking cities, they expected things to be different.  After all, who travels to a new place hoping that it will be same?  They were curious men with an openness to learning and sharing. They had an openness and a curiosity to listening to how their neighbor thinks and ticks. It is essential to true discipleship.  Perhaps God sees a confidence in you.

Finally, Jesus saw in these four fishermen a sense of confidence.  After all these four men could have dismissed Jesus’ invitation to become fishers of men as simple folly.  They knew fish and the art of fishing better than any man from Nazareth. They knew their business plan for life as well, but these four fisherman who were confident in themselves, were also confident and trusting in God’s entrance into their lives.  Confident Christians don’t have to their own way.  They don’t have to have everyone agree with them- right now.  They can allow God’s word to do its work in them and through them.  Perhaps, that is you gift as well.

Unfortunately, saying yes to Jesus’s invitation to follow is not always our natural response. We whisper beneath our breath. “Thanks for the invitation Jesus, but no thanks. Not this time. I’m keeping to my own little corner of the sea and my favorite fishing spots.”  The four fishermen on the Sea of Galilee, however, were courageous, curious and confident and were open to discovering something new about themselves, about their neighbor and about Jesus. For that reason, when Jesus invited them to follow, they were ready to leave their nets and work all behind. My friends, is that what God sees in you?

200 years ago, the 52 Norwegian emigrants who boarded the Restauration understood the meaning of God’s call in their lives. They were seeking religious tolerance and a safe home in a new land where they could live life faithfully. They trusted the one who called them and they left their homes, their nets and everything that was a part of their old life and followed Jesus. Amen.

May the peace of God which passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.