Focal Passage: Luke 5:1-11
Hearing God’s Word. In Luke 5:1-3 we find Jesus on the shore of Lake Gennesaret or the Sea of Galilee. I live on Fort Loudon Lake, but it is often called the Tennessee River, Ish Creek, or just Loudon. Sometimes theologians and historians get caught up with details, but the simple truth is that different bodies of water were given different names depending on what person or people group was giving the name.
Luke tells us the people were crowding Jesus and he asked Simon Peter to pull him back so everyone could hear his teaching. This speaks to the inclusivity of the gospel.
How important is the Word of God? Well, Jesus Christ was the Word made flesh, yet He came to preach the Good News. (Luke 4:43) Jesus Himself knew that the proclaimed Word was powerful to change lives.
Paul declared in Romans 1:15-16, “So, as much as is in me, I am ready to preach the gospel to you who are in Rome also. For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.”
Paul knew that his very life was at risk to preach the gospel, but he had a clear understanding about the Good News of Jesus Christ. It is not man’s ability to wax eloquent or to impress someone with wise words, the power to transform people’s lives resides within the gospel.
Simple faith and obedience. Faith is often a difficult journey. It is such an awesome thing to watch someone step out on faith and watch what God does in their life. I am not speaking of health and wealth faith, but a faith that simply leads someone to a deeper trust in Jesus. Simon Peter was pretty clear that he did not understand why Jesus was asking him to cast his net, but he simply acted in obedience.
Sometimes we need to just say, “If you say so, I’ll let down the nets.” His simple faith might be a connection to later getting to “step out of the boat” in a much greater experience of faith. It is important to remember that your faith touches others. God filled up the nets and suddenly Peter’s friends were experiencing the miracle of the “catch” that Peter had made. Everyone that was gathered by that shore was touched by one man’s obedience to the Lord.
Experiencing God’s presence. Big surprise. It wasn’t about the great catch. God miraculously fills up the net with fish, and the attention turns from fishing to the presence of God. These men were professionals and had experienced a big catch before, but obviously this catch was supernatural.
I love raw worship and I have seen it many times on the mission field. Peter had no response except to fall to his knees and say, ‘Go away from me, because I am a sinful man, Lord.”
When we recognize that we are in the presence of God it brings on a reverent humility that is life changing. You notice that Peter doesn’t look around and say, “Lord, look at all these sinners on this shore.”
Peter humbles himself and his focus turns to following Jesus.
The moment is beautifully wrapped up in the last part of verse 11, “they left everything and followed Him.” B&R