Worship - 9 February 2025

Summary of this week's theme

The Wrecking Crew was a group of session musicians in LA who played on many classic songs from the 1960s and 70s. Their contributions, though unseen, shaped the music industry. Ironically, despite their name, they didn’t wreck songs - they enhanced them. Sometimes, what seems destructive actually builds something better.

In Luke’s Gospel, Jesus’ miraculous catch of fish left nets breaking and boats sinking. He gave abundance but also disrupted the lives of Simon and his fellow fishermen. They were called to leave everything behind - boats, nets, and livelihood - to follow Jesus. Did he wreck their lives? At first glance, yes. Their expectations, security, and understanding of the world were upended. But ultimately, they found something greater.

I have felt this kind of disruption in my own life - losing a spouse, remarrying, taking on a family, shifting careers. Plans were overturned, but each apparent wrecking led to something new and meaningful. The disciples, too, saw their expectations shattered, especially at the crucifixion. Yet, in the resurrection, they found new purpose and hope.

Peter’s first response to Jesus’ miracle was fear: ‘Go away from me, for I am a sinful man.’ But Jesus didn’t leave. Instead, he called Peter to a greater purpose: fishing for people. That, in itself, was daunting. People are far more unpredictable than fish. No wonder Jesus repeatedly told his followers, ‘Do not be afraid.’

C.S. Lewis captures this in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, when Lucy asks if Aslan is safe. The reply? ‘Safe? Who said anything about safe? But he’s good.’ Jesus isn’t safe. He challenges, disrupts, and calls us beyond our comfort zones. But he is good.

Discipleship isn’t about security; it is about trust. Like Isaiah, who trembled before God yet was sent anyway, we are called despite our fears. Jesus urges us to cast our nets deeper, to embrace the unknown, and to open our hearts to people and opportunities we might otherwise overlook.

Did Jesus wreck his disciples’ lives? Perhaps. But they wouldn’t have said so. Because Jesus, the ultimate Wrecking Crew, transforms destruction into grace, creating a life richer and fuller than we ever imagined.