Luke Bible Study, Day 11
Today’s passage: Luke 5:1–11
Focus verse:“Don’t be afraid, from now on you will fish for people.” (Luke 5:10)
At this time in our story, Jesus and Simon (as in Simon Peter or just Peter) have already met. Remember, Jesus went to Simon’s home, healed his mother-in-law, and stayed for dinner. However, Jesus hasn’t yet picked his main twelve disciples.
The next time we see Jesus and Simon together, Jesus stands at the edge of a lake, instructing the people. Anxious to hear better and be closer to him, they crowd in. This threatens to push Jesus into the water.
There are a couple of boats nearby and Jesus climbs into one of them. He asks the owner, Simon, to push out into the lake.
Sound carries well across water, so with Jesus speaking from a boat, the people can hear him better. When Jesus finishes teaching, he turns to Simon and says, “Push out further. Drop your nets, and let’s catch some fish.”
Though Simon may assume Jesus is hungry and wants fish for lunch, Jesus has something else in mind.
Simon tells Jesus that they fished all night and didn’t catch a thing.
Simon knows how to fish. This is his trade, his livelihood. When it comes to fishing, he’s an expert. Jesus, however, isn’t a fisherman. He’s a carpenter. He knows how to make things with his hands. He’s an expert at woodworking.
So when the professional fisherman hasn’t caught a thing, it seems strange for the experienced carpenter to offer fishing tips. But that’s exactly what Jesus does to Simon. The novice tells the expert what to do.
Logically, it would have been reasonable for Simon to ignore Jesus’s rookie advice. After all, Simon has been fishing his entire life. Jesus hasn’t.
Yet Simon sets aside his pride and disregards his experience. He agrees to do what Jesus asked, “just because you say so.”
The results astound Simon. His nets fill with fish; they’re about to break. He calls his partners in the other boat to help. Soon both boats are full of fish, so full that they could sink. This huge catch astonishes the fishermen.
It also defies logic and all that Simon knows is true. The only explanation is that he’s seen a miracle. He falls before Jesus and says, “I’m a sinful man. I don’t deserve to be in your presence.”
Jesus doesn’t leave, however. Instead he says, “Don’t be afraid.” Jesus prepares to change Simon’s life forever. “From now on you will fish for people.”
Simon and his fishing partners bring their boats to shore and leave everything behind to follow Jesus.
Questions:
When has God told us to do something that seems foolish?
Do we think we know better and ignore him or do we obey anyway?
[Discover more about the disciples fishing in Luke 5:4–11 and John 21:3–14.]
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Read more about the book of Luke in Dear Theophilus: A 40-Day Devotional Exploring the Life of Jesus through the Gospel of Luke, now available in ebook, paperback, and hardcover.
Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront a status quo faith and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.
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