Luke 5:3-7
Then He got into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, and asked him to put out a little from the land. And He sat down and taught the multitudes from the boat. When He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon, “Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” But Simon answered and said to Him, “Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net.” And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking. So 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.
I have an insane proposition to make this morning. How about we forget all what we know about reaching out (fishing) for souls, and follow the instructions of Jesus instead? I’m serious. What if we just start all over again, and listen for his voice? No preconceived notions, no preconceived plans. Just the voice of Christ leading our hearts. Because honestly, if not, I would only ask, ‘how’s doing things are own way been working for us’?
Peter was asked to be obedient to an order, that to him, made no sense. He was instructed to blindly follow a command that went against all his training, experience, knowledge and understanding. Peter tried to explain to Jesus that the best fishing is done at night. You can’t get the best results during the daytime. The water is too clear. The fish will see the nets and avoid being caught. So, Peter didn’t agree. Peter didn’t believe. But, Peter obeyed.
This story is extraordinary for it’s simplicity and it’s power. This minor miracle was made extraordinary because Simon Peter did the two things that are seldom done in Christendom. He abandoned his tradition and obeyed instruction, and then called others to share his blessings. These two traits are almost nonexistent in church today.
Obedience is not about agreement, understanding or knowledge. Obedience is simply about compliance. Peter still didn’t agree. He probably never completely understood what happened, but his obedience lead him into relationship with Jesus. Peter wasn’t wrong in his assertions. His training and experience were valid. But what he didn’t know at the time was the power of Jesus to accomplish what worldly knowledge only hopes to achieve. There’s no way to truly please the Lord without blind obedience to his will, word and way. Once we retake control of the reins of our lives, we negate the power of his guidance, and blessedness of his presence in our affairs.
Peter obeyed, and received a multiplicity of blessings; enough to share with others. And therein is the second miracle in this glorious account. I often wondered exactly what Jesus saw in Peter. He was impulsive, brash, a show off, disloyal and headstrong. Yet he was named the head of the Church! His response to the command of Christ has to be key. Not only did he blindly obey, but as the opportunity arose, he immediately called on those nearby to share in his good fortune. If there are two traits that every disciple needs, Peter displayed them both.
Earlier this month at a prayer event, we made some new acquaintances that I believe could someday become good friends. And I left that encounter with a profound desire to thank God for more people to love. More people to care about. More people to share with. I don’t believe I’ve ever done that before. I guess I never really thought about the blessedness of Christlike unity.
For me, it was an overwhelming sensation of grace and love. So I started asking myself, What would it look like if we just started promoting each other, serving one another, and supporting every ministry we possibly could? What changes in the world would occur if we actually prioritized celebrating unity? Can you imagine how disruptive to Satan’s kingdom our love for each other would be? Undoubtedly, it would cause powerful alliances and unimaginable growth within the Body of Christ. Ultimately, the world as we know it would be flipped on its head. And it dawned on me that all we need to do to make this become a reality, is to what Jesus is telling us to.
God Bless
