Jesus
Calls Peter
According to
the account in the Gospel of Luke, Jesus’ ministry can be divided into three
parts: healing and casting out demons, preaching and teaching, and calling
disciples. Luke 5:1-11 records Jesus calling Peter to be among His first
disciple.
Let us
reflect on Peter’s calling and see what precious lessons it offers.
Let Jesus
Get Into Your Boat
Jesus was
preaching around the Sea of Galilee, and the crowds pressed in on Him to hear
His message. The crowd was so large and space was limited — how could Jesus
respond to this constraint?
He saw two
boats by the lakeshore; fishermen were washing their nets. Jesus got into Simon
Peter’s boat and told him to put out a little from shore. Jesus sat down in the
boat and preached to the crowds on the shore.
Jesus
demonstrated great creativity. By sitting on boat, Jesus showed the posture of
a fisherman catching fish — but truly was catching people’s hearts!
Today, crowds
of people with various needs press toward us. Jesus wants to get into your boat
— into your life and resources (time, money, and talent) — so He can help meet
the needs of others through you. Are you willing to let Jesus get into your
boat and use you?
If we’ve
passed the midpoint of life, we should wake up and not remain trapped in
self-centeredness — always focused on personal enjoyment or endlessly
complaining, “I’m hurt!” That only drains and depletes our lives.
Let us
welcome Jesus onto the boat now. He will lead us into a wondrous new world and
teach us to live for others, and to experience aa abundant, breakthrough life.
Peter was a
fisherman washing his nets, not fishing. The night before, he had fished all
night and caught nothing — representing life faced with many frustrations.
Washing nets symbolizes repetitive, tedious, meaningless life. Is this what
your life feels like now? Are you facing helplessness, boredom,
meaninglessness, or loss of direction?
Jesus wants
to get into your boat, guide you, work with you, help you find direction, and
experience breakthroughs. He wants to help you overcome the helplessness and
frustration of “washing nets,” and solve the dilemma of unfruitful efforts.
Quickly let Jesus onboard!
Those Who
Follow the Lord Must First Acknowledge Their Inability
After
teaching, Jesus told Peter to put the boat into deep water and, together with
his partners, let down their nets. A mere carpenter leading a group of
fishermen to cast their nets is ironic!
Peter had
already worked all night and caught nothing. If you were Peter, would you obey
Jesus and go out again?
Reluctantly,
Peter obeyed and put the boat into deep waters. And what happened? Wow —
Peter’s net caught such a huge amount of fish that the nets were about to
break! The harvest was so abundant it brought trouble.
Peter called
his partners in the other boat to help. They came and filled both boats with
fish, and the boats nearly sank (v. 7). God’s grace and blessing poured out so
much He filled their boats and brought blessings that caused “trouble”!
When Peter
saw this miraculous abundance of fish, he knelt before Jesus and said, “Lord,
depart from me — for I am a sinful man!” (v. 8).
Peter
experienced Jesus’ display of power and holiness and felt conviction of sin. He
bowed down, admitting his weakness and sinfulness. Peter knew Jesus had
performed healing and deliverance miracles, but now he personally experienced
that Jesus cared even for his everyday livelihood. This touched him deeply, so
he naturally knelt before Jesus.
This kind of
response is the first requirement for those called to serve: only such a person
will truly humble themselves before God, rely on Him, and serve Him. Peter
understood that people need God, not the other way around. People need God to
intervene to reverse their lives.
Jesus not
only redeems us from sin and heals our wounds — He also cares for our everyday
needs. His caring actions make us impossible not to submit to Him.
Jesus
remarkably entered Peter’s life and helped him experience change, surpass
obstacles, and catch many fish. Jesus also promised Peter that in the future he
would be fishers of men. In fact, Jesus sitting in the boat and speaking to the
crowds on the shore had already demonstrated this — catching people like
catching fish.
We might
forget that we are extremely incapable and need God to intervene to transform
our lives. Today, Jesus enters each of our lives unexpectedly too. Let us bow
before the Lord, confess we are humble sinners, and accept Him as Lord of our
lives. We must obey His commands and follow His footsteps.
Those Who
Follow the Lord Experience Reversal and Transcendence
Jesus was
originally a carpenter but came out to preach, even leading the way in fishing!
Jesus first transcended Himself, and then helped the disciples experience
change and transcendence. Jesus protected Peter’s casting of nets and brought
abundant harvest, foreshadowing the future fulfillment of Peter’s being
“fishers of men.”
Earlier,
Peter said, “Lord, depart from me — I am a sinful man!” (v. 8). Now he and his
companions left everything to follow Jesus (v. 11).
From then on,
Peter’s tools were no longer fishing boats and nets, but the Word of God and
the power of the Spirit. Fishing was to kill and consume fish; catching people
is to lead them into life. From catching fish to catching people — from killing
to giving life — from boat and net to God’s Word and power — this highlights
profound transcendence.
Peter’s
decision reversed him from being weak and sinful to someone no longer useless.
From then on, he could work with God and accomplish entirely new work. Peter
and his companions were no longer ordinary fishermen.
Do you long
for your life to be reversed like Peter’s? Do you want to experience change,
reversal, and transcendence?
If we rely on
our own strength and boast in our own abilities, we will only end up
self-pitying, abandoning our original purpose, or achieving small results. But
let us respond to Christ’s call, walk with Him, and faithfully do His work — we
will break through limits and achieve unexpected results!
Conclusion
Jesus said,
“Do not fear; from now on you will catch men.” (v. 10).
The Lord
Jesus invites believers to partake in His identity and ministry. This is more
than merely encountering God or experiencing His goodness.
We are to
share in the work and mission of the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus is the Lord of
life — not just a servant who specializes in answering prayers or meeting
needs. He is the one who sends us!
Today Jesus
wants to reorder your time, money, and talents — shifting from self-centered
satisfaction to kingdom-centered living. Then we can become true disciples of
the Lord. Our lives will never be the same — they will be turned over, break
through the old, and enter into greater abundance.
Jesus said to Peter and his companions, “Do not be afraid!” Indeed, we have nothing to fear. Let us not remain crowds on the shore. Come — let us get into the boat with Jesus, be His disciples, head into deep waters, and cast our nets as fishers of men…
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