2 He saw at the water’s edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets.
3 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.
4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.”
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.”
6 When they had done so, they caught such 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.
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 he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken,
10 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 fish for people.”
11 So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.
In today's passage, when Peter realised who Jesus truly was, he asked
Jesus to leave because Peter felt inadequate.
But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying,
“Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.”
Luke 5:8 ESV
This is very typical. Many people encounter God and realise how sinful
they are and want to flee from God. We feel guilty when we start to know who we
truly are after encountering God. Yet, it is not good to be stuck in our feelings of
guilt. We need to follow Christ.
You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should
go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask
the Father in my name, he may give it to you.
John 15:16 ESV
Jesus chose Peter's boat. There is no explanation why Jesus chose this
boat other than he chose the boat. We may feel inadequate that Jesus has chosen
us to do tasks and then make excuses about why we cannot be used by Jesus.
However, Jesus knew who we are with all our faults. He still chose us despite
our short comings.
We need to accept that Jesus chose us because he loves us. We are not
chosen because of our greatness, but our weakness.
Jesus does something unusual. He gets into a boat uninvited and asks
Peter to put out the boat.
and he saw two boats by the lake, but the fishermen had gone out of them
and were washing their nets. Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon’s,
he asked him to put out a little from the land. And he sat down and taught the
people from the boat.
Luke 5:2-3 ESV
Peter doubts Jesus, but he still obeys Jesus.
And Simon answered, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But
at your word I will let down the nets.”
Luke 5:5 ESV
Peter's obedience allows something to happen which Peter could never
imagine. Peter not only caught fish, but he also caught so many fish that he
could not contain it in one boat. His fellow fisherman had to bring another boat to hold all the fish. The same is when we obey God's word. The
mercy and blessings will be so abundant that your family, friends, and
neighbors will also be touched by God.
And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and
their nets were breaking. They signaled to their partners in the other boat to
come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began
to sink.
Luke 5:6-7 ESV
Becoming a Christian means to allow the love of God to fill you so that
you are transformed. God transforms you so that your mission will be
successful. That transformation from God requires humility. Simon with sincere humility confesses his sin to Jesus. More than
anything this is what we need to do when we encounter Jesus to allow a transformation in us to create a right
relationship with Jesus.
But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying,
“Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.”
Luke 5:8 ESV
To be
followers of Christ like Peter, we need to encounter Christ and see our faults,
but not become so overwhelmed that we flee from the truth or become paralyzed by
our flaws. We need to admit to Jesus that we are sinners and have a willingness
to obey even when our senses, experience and community might tell us to go a different
path. Then we can follow Jesus and God will produce an abundance of blessings
that we never imagined.
