You’ve probably heard all the fishing stories like I have, of the huge fish that a fisherman hooked and fought him for hours, only to have him get away. It’s all that anticipation, all that excitement, and then…..empty. It is amazing how much Jesus was involved in fishing and fishing stories. Like when Jesus called Peter and other fishermen to come and follow Him and they were told they would be catching men, instead of fish. Jesus was quizzed about paying taxes and he sent Peter to go catch a fish and take a shekel out of the fish’s mouth to pay the temple tax that was due. In Luke 5: the fish story goes like this 1 Now it happened that while the crowd was pressing around Him and listening to the word of God, He was standing by the lake of Gennesaret;2 and He saw two boats lying at the edge of the lake; but the fishermen had gotten out of them and were washing their nets. 3 And He got into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, and asked him to put out a little way from the land. And He sat down and began teaching the people from the boat.4 When He had finished speaking, He said to Simon, “Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.” 5 Simon answered and said, “Master, we worked hard all night and caught nothing, but I will do as You say and let down the nets.” 6 When they had done this, they enclosed a great quantity of fish, and their nets began to break; 7 so they signaled to their partners in the other boat for them to come and help them. And they came and filled both of the boats, so that they began to sink. 8 But when Simon Peter saw that, he fell down at Jesus’ feet, saying, “Go away from me Lord, for I am a sinful man!” 9 For amazement had seized him and all his companions because of the catch of fish which they had taken; 10 and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not fear, from now on you will be catching men.” 11 When they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed Him.
Jesus made the fish available for the nets to scoop up the fish to the point that one boat’s nets would not hold them. So they called for another boat. By the way, I believe this story is literal, and not just a Bible story. There are many literal things that Jesus can still do today if we will ask and believe. His power is very literal and the power of God is still evident and still accessible to His people. I’m sure that these ole salty fishermen had this tale ready to go at the end of the day, but it was not just a fish story. It was a huge change in those men’s lives, to the point that verse 11 says When they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed Him. The ending of this story is not an anticlimactic event, but an ever surging change of direction for these men and everyone they would meet from there on. The BIG POINT of this whole story is the affect of the miracle of Jesus on these men, because these men became his apostles and Jesus revealed things to them things He didn’t reveal to anyone else.
What is the story of your conversion and what was the result of God performing the miracle of salvation in your life? This is what should happen. When they came to Jesus and realized their new life they, like the fishermen, left everything and followed Him. What have you held onto in your life that hinders you giving up everything and following Him? Get those things out of the way, and get with it. Then you will be telling true fish stories of changed lives and how the Big one didn’t get away because Jesus opened up His nets and they swam right in. We have plenty of “deep water” and we need to be fishing out there, where others have given up and don’t think you can catch anything anymore. Jesus will send them our way if we will just keep fishing.
The Pilgrimage continues…..
David Warren