The crowd was pushing to get closer and Jesus’ noticed he was standing in wet sand and soon his feet would be in the water as he kept stepping back while the crowd pushed toward him. “He saw at water’s edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. 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.” Luke 5:2-3 I wonder why people kept gathering around Jesus. It seemed there were often crowds. He started in the synagogues, but it seems the synagogues were no longer big enough. So we find them gathering at the shore on the beach.
Was it an accident that he happened to be standing next to Simon’s boat as the crowds pushed? Or was it something God ordained to happen? It sure was handy to have a place to stand where the crowd couldn’t push up against him and he could project his voice out over the crowd as he taught them. The wind off of the water likely carried his voice so he could be heard even in the back of the crowd.
“When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, ‘Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.’ 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.’” Luke 5:4-5 Simon Peter had just got done cleaning up the nets. He was discouraged – they had been out all night (prime fishing time) and hadn’t caught anything. Yet, something about Jesus compelled him to not argue too loudly. He didn’t say, “Hey, I’m the fisherman here and if there was something to be caught, I would have caught it. Who do you think you are telling me to go back out? Don’t you know it is too late in the day to fish now? The fish won’t be biting.” But rather, he addressed Jesus as ‘Master’ and said he would do what Jesus had asked.
Peter strikes me as a guy who learns best by experience. So maybe he thought he was going to teach Jesus something. And what would it hurt to go out in the boat. On the water was one of his favorite places to be. And it would give him some time with Jesus without a crowd pushing in demanding his attention. He could ask more of his own questions. Sure, he would take Jesus out if that’s what Jesus wanted to do. But he was pretty sure that there would be no fish today.
“When they had done so, [let down the nets] they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. 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.” Luke 5:6-7 It seems that Jesus knew something about fishing after all. But he wasn’t fishing for fish. This catch was the lure – to get the attention of certain young men. Two boatloads of fish after a fishless night had their attention!
“When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, ‘Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!’ For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, 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 catch men.’ So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.” Luke 5:8-11 Peter knew enough about fishing to know that he was seeing a miracle. Fish don’t just appear – especially this time of day. Yet their boats were filled to overflowing. Peter knew he was standing in the presence of someone much greater than himself.
Fishing was Peter’s livelihood. It was how he provided for himself and his family. To walk away from that was a significant act of trust. Yet, he couldn’t not follow this Jesus. Like a fish following a lure, he had to check it out. And sure enough, he got caught! Not only that, but there were several of his friends that got caught as well.
I am wondering about what God has used in my past to get my attention so I would follow him. He has taken things that I am passionate about and used them as lures and then my passion changed from being focused on those things to being focused on him. And the more I am caught up with him, the more I share his passion for others. I will never be a Peter. God didn’t make me or call me to be a Peter. But I have been caught in the same net. Praise God!
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