FLABBERGASTED
FISHERMEN
FORSAKE
ALL TO FOLLOW JESUS
Luke 5:1-11
Luke
5:1 And it came to pass, that, as the people pressed upon him to hear the word
of God, he stood by the lake of Gennesaret,
Susie: Jesus
was teaching on the shore of Lake Gennesaret, also called Lake Tiberius or the
Sea of Galilee. It was a large freshwater lake.
Susan: The
multitude that came with eager anticipation to hear Jesus speak the word of God
were crowding in so close it was almost claustrophobic.
Susie: Jesus
was looking for a platform from which to teach.
Luke
5:2 And saw two ships standing by the lake: but the fishermen were gone out of
them, and were washing their nets.
Susie: Jesus
noticed a couple of empty boats pulled up on shore. The owners had finished
fishing for the night and were cleaning and mending their nets to go back out
that evening.
Luke
5:3 And he entered into one of the ships, which was Simon's, and prayed him
that he would thrust out a little from the land. And he sat down, and taught
the people out of the ship.
Susan: Jesus
proceeded to borrow Simon’s boat in order to get out of the press of the crowd
and employ the boat as a floating platform.
Susie: He
asked Simon to push off the beach and anchor close enough for Him to be heard
by the people on the shore. Then Jesus sat down to teach. Did He sit just
because it was safer than standing in the boat.
Susan: It was
customary that after the reading of the Scripture, for the Rabbi to sit down to
wax eloquent on the explanation of the truth therein.
Luke
5:4 Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the
deep, and let down your nets for a draught.
Susan: When
Jesus had finished teaching the people, He told Simon to pull up anchor and row
out to deeper waters and toss his nets to catch some fish.
Susie: Simon
realized that Jesus was not an experienced fisherman because nets are used in
shallow waters, and the best time to fish is at night. The fish move into
waters too deep for nets during the heat of the day.
Luke
5:5 And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night,
and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net.
Susan: Simon
told Jesus, “I’ve been fishing here all night and didn’t catch a single fish,
but because You have said to try again, I will do it.” Note that Simon obeyed
Jesus even though it made no sense to him.
Luke
5:6-7 And when they had this done, they enclosed a great multitude of fishes:
and their net brake. And they beckoned
unto their partners, which were in the other ship, that they should come and
help them. And they came, and filled both the ships, so that they began to sink.
Susan: Amazingly,
the catch of fish was a net-breaking, boat-sinking load! What a reward for
Simon’s obedience to a command that made no sense to him at all!
Susie: Simon
and Andrew had to call James and John to help haul all the fish into the boats.
One boat could not hold the tremendous amount of fish.
Luke
5:8 When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, Depart from
me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord.
Susan: When
Simon Peter realized the catch was a miracle, he felt overwhelmed by his sin, exposed,
and not worthy to be in the presence of Jesus.
Susie: This
was one of those moments when Simon Peter caught of glimpse of the fact that
Jesus was the Son of God. He appropriately prostrated himself before Him.
Luke
5:9-10 For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the draught of the
fishes which they had taken: And so was also James, and John, the sons of
Zebedee, which were partners with Simon. And Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not;
from henceforth thou shalt catch men.
Susan: All
the fishermen were flabbergasted at the fantastic catch of fish. Jesus
addressed Simon letting him know that he would still be fishing, but instead
drawing in nets full of fish, he would be drawing in souls hungry to hear and
obey the message of God.
Luke
5:11 And when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all, and
followed him.
Susie: When
they beached the boats back on shore. Simon Peter, Andrew his brother, and
brothers James and John, the sons of Zebedee, left everything to do with their
fishing business and followed Jesus. To follow a teacher was to dedicate
oneself to learning from Him constantly. They abandoned what had been their
livelihood and moved forward with complete trust in Jesus. The song “For the
Sake of the Call” by Stephen Curtis Chapman expresses the abandonment with
which the early disciples followed Jesus and the abandonment we need to
experience as well:
Ponder
this: Are you living your life in total abandonment to Jesus,
forsaking your right to yourself and seeking His will first? (Matthew 6:33)
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