This morning I was reading in Luke 5 where Jesus calls his first disciples and I thought of some things I wanted to share on my blog.
Luke 5
1 One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, the people were crowding around him and listening to the word of God.
Jesus is out at the Sea of Galilee (the other more famous name for Lake of Gennesaret) which is at the closest about 15 miles from his home and He is just doing his normal thing which if you think about it really isn't that normal because He is Jesus and all.
2 He saw at the water's edge two boats, left there by fishermen, who were washing their nets. 3 He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon,
Coincidence? I think not.
and asked to be put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat.
Jesus has once again attracted a huge crowd with people wanting to hear His message. The crowd is so big that He has to get in a boat so everyone can see Him.
The thing that I find interesting about this little bit is that He asked random strangers to use their boat and they let Him. Also, if the crowd was so huge He had to get in a boat to speak how could they hear Him all especially if was out a little bit into the water. Maybe a little intervention by God on that piece? It doesn't say; it's not the main point anyways.
4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into the deep water, and let down the nets for a catch."
So, Jesus not only has taken over the boat to use as a podium, He is now asking for the men who have been fishing all night to try and catch some fish for Him. Also, I think they probably knew some things about Jesus. They probably knew He was a carpenter. They would have definitely known He was a speaker. Furthermore, even if He were a fisherman, He wasn't one from their area, so they might have been questioning His authority to boss them around on their lake.
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."
Simon makes sure to let Jesus know that the reason they didn't have any fish wasn't for lack of trying. They worked hard all night and had nothing to show for it. They were probably really peeved by this fact. Now, to have this stranger come and bring it up might have dinged on their pride some.
But for some reason it doesn't say they decide to do what Jesus says. Maybe they were being polite and didn't want to be rude to the stranger. He had been preaching to a large crowd who probably hadn't all left yet, so to refuse Him in front of them might reflect poorly. Apparently Jesus had some credibility and authority if all the people were willing to come listen to Him. Maybe they didn't have anything better to do. Maybe they harbored a sliver of hope that if they let the nets down just one more time they would hit the next big one. Perhaps God was just prompting them as He has me on many occasions and looking back I cannot explain any other way why I might have agreed. Nevertheless, they let down the nets.
6 When they had done so, they caught 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.
For whatever reason they decided to listen, their faithfulness and obedience was rewarded with abundance. God didn't just multiply the fish mysteriously as He could have and later did. He asked that the men follow His instructions. It wasn't until they did that they realized His full plan and blessing on their life. They had to trust Jesus knew what He was doing.
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 all he and his companions were astonished at the catch of the fish they had taken, 10 and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon's partners.
We know Simon Peter to be an emotional and passionate guy from passages across the New Testament. He always feels his emotions to the fullest. He is so overwhelmed with the disparity of his sin in contrast to the righteousness of Christ that he actually wishes for Jesus to leave. With the light of Christ in front of him, Simon Peter can see all that is wrong in his life. This is what the Law of God does for us; it shows us how we don't measure up to His standards. Jesus, because He is perfect, measured up to the Law. In fact in John it tells us He is the Word incarnate. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. John 1:1.
However, because Jesus also came to do for us what we cannot do for ourselves, we are not condemned for our sins. Therefore, there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives you life has set you free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful humanity to be a sin offering. Romans 8:1-3.
Simon Peter recognized his need for Christ and fell at Jesus' knees in desperation.
10 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.
Jesus met Simon Peter in his need and assured him. Jesus gave him a purpose. It wasn't just any purpose; it was personal. Simon Peter was a career fisherman. He knew it in and out. It was his life's calling up until that point. Jesus used this for His glory by making Simon Peter a Fisherman for people. He didn't use some grand, over-complicated analogy. He described His plan in such a way that Simon Peter would understand personally. Simon Peter did not have to be afraid that he couldn't fit into God's will. He could fulfill it as a fisherman by just adjusting his perspective and his purpose. Upon this assurance, he left behind his old life and follow wholeheartedly after Christ immediately.
Peter always jumped into things headlong. He messed up several times in a huge way but he also got to experience some of the more astounding things that the more cautious disciples did not. He had faith that surpassed understanding starting from his first call here in Luke all the way to his martyred death.
God loves each of in such a way that we shouldn't worry, because it's personal.
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