Slices
Prepare
‘May I know thee more clearly, love thee more dearly, and follow thee more nearly, day by day’ (Richard of Chichester).*
Bible passage
Jesus calls his first disciples
5 One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, the people were crowding round him and listening to the word of God. 2 He saw at the water’s edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. 3 He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from the 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 signalled to 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.
Explore
Jesus was no stranger to Simon. When Andrew introduced them, Jesus gave Simon a new name: Cephas or Peter (John 1:41,42). Simon had already answered the call to ‘follow’ Jesus (Mark 1:16–18) and experienced Jesus’ power up close and personal when his own mother-in-law was healed (Luke 4:38,39). Simon accompanied Jesus as he preached the good news throughout Judea (Mark 1:35–39) and their base for this Galilean ministry was probably Simon’s house in Capernaum.
Discipleship is a relationship in which Jesus keeps calling us to deeper levels of intimacy, trust, and commitment. But it seems that Simon is still splashing around in shallow waters! While Jesus teaches the crowds, Simon is busy with his nets (vs 1,2). Although he readily permits his boat to be used as a pulpit, when Jesus tells him to cast his nets in deep waters, Simon is sceptical. Despite saying ‘Master’, his obedience seems half-hearted (vs 4,5).
The breakthrough comes with a net- breaking catch of fish (v 6). It brings Simon to his knees. Now he addresses Jesus as ‘Lord’. This glorious glimpse of who Jesus really is has Simon confessing that he ‘can’t handle this holiness’, which exposes the depths of his own sinfulness (v 8, The Message; compare Isaiah 6:1–8). Simon Peter is finally going deeper (vs 10,11).
Respond
‘Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders…/Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander/And my faith will be made stronger.’*
**Hillsong, ‘Oceans (Where feet may fail)’. See www.hillsong.com/lyrics/oceans-where-feet-may-fail/
Deeper Bible study
Lord of the harvest, open our eyes to see that the fields are ripe for harvest. Give us faith to partner with you in bringing the harvest in.
Jesus now begins to assemble his ministry team. It is important that he meets these fishermen right where they are: they have seen healings and other miracles, but this miraculous catch of fish speaks their language. Luke highlights their impotence to produce such results on their own – and the incredible results of their obedience (vs 5–7): a catch so abundant that they need help to bring it in. Peter is clearly astounded, not just by Jesus’ power, but by his interest in his day-to-day activities and more mundane needs (vs 8,9).
As he often does, Jesus takes this common fishing scene and amplifies its meaning. He reassures Peter and tells him that now he will ‘fish for people’ (v 10). At this, the fishermen immediately leave their boats on shore and follow him. Jesus has entered their world and now he is drawing them into his world – and they are eager to follow. He has met them on their level and helped them in their work, and now he is inviting them into a different kind of work, catching a different kind of fish. Leaving their past and means of living behind to follow Jesus is a significant and costly act of discipleship.
This story prefigures the drawing in of large numbers of people through the apostolic mission. The image of the overwhelming catch, so large that the disciples can hardly reel it in, hints at the exponential growth of the church which begins a short time later.1 This ingathering of Christ-followers continues to this day, and Luke is implicitly urging his readers to join the great missional catch of people. Sometimes God’s mission feels overwhelming, and the first disciples could surely relate to this. Yet he calls us to join in, all the same.
How is God challenging you to leave everything and follow him (v 11)? What do you need to let go of to take hold of this significant calling today?
1 Described in the book of Acts
Bible in a year
Read the Bible in a year: Esther 1–3; Psalm 79
Pray for Scripture Union
Pray for growth in engagement in the Faith Guide Community. Pray that Faith Guides will share their stories, encourage one another, celebrate achievements and support one another in prayer.
