Morsels 10

 

Morsels 10 All at Sea

Scripture

Luke 5 : 3-11New International Version

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.

Thoughts

Fishermen are an important part of the community where I live. I would not dare tell them where to fish. But the Lord did. There are times when the Lord leads us to ways we would not think of.

I find Peter’s reaction to Jesus instructive. He does not confess sins but admits to being a sinful man. It’s not only the sinful things we have done that need forgiving but what we are by nature that needs redeeming and transforming.

Jesus’ response is to promise to change peter from sinner to a fisher of men. The old translations say “ I will make you fishers of men,” It tells us that Jesus is in the people changing business and that we should be okay about it. The emphasis in evangelical witness has changed in my life time In the twentieth century the call of the Gospel was to repent and believe. The concern was the inquires eternal destiny. Now there is a mention of transforming the community. “Thy kingdom come.” The two emphases are opposites of the same coin.

When Peter met the son of God Peter discovered things about himself, things that horrified him and made him want to get away from Jesus immediately tried to calm him. Once again Jesus issues us His often repeated instruction,”Don’t be afraid”. Let’s not panic but yield to the Saviour’s transforming work.