March 14th, 2021
Text: Luke 5:4-6 & 8
When [Jesus] had finished speaking, he said to Simon, ‘Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.’ Simon answered, ‘Master, we have worked all night long but have caught nothing. Yet if you say so, I will let down the nets.’ When they had done this, they caught so many fish that their nets were beginning to break. But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, ‘Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!’
I think I read this text a little differently than most. In speech, it really is what word you emphasize in a sentence that brings the meaning to the sentence. That is why it is so hard to communicate with a text message or even a letter. Most people read these verses and come away thinking that the reason Peter agreed to put down his nets at Jesus’ suggestion was because he had such great respect for Jesus. I believe that Peter agreed to put down his nets for Jesus because he was trying to show Jesus that, although Jesus may know more about God, he knew more about fishing.
Peter, who made his living fishing, had been fishing all night and had caught nothing. He knew the waters; he knew the best time of day to fish and he knew when it would be impossible to catch fish. Jesus, a traveling religious teacher, winds up preaching in his fishing boat and then begins to tell the expert fishermen where and how to fish; “Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.” I believe Peter answers Jesus with a slightly sarcastic tone; “Master, we have worked all night long but have caught nothing. Yet if you say so, I will let down the nets.”
I don’t think Peter thought there was any way in the world that they would catch even one fish let alone haul in a catch that threatened to break their nets. This is why when Peter sees the haul of fish, he falls face down in front of Jesus in awe and in fear saying, “Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!”
What about your life don’t you think Jesus understands? What don’t you even bother praying about because you think that God does not care about that part of your life? What is it that you think you are hiding from Jesus simply because you don’t talk to Jesus about it? What is it that you believe you know more about in your life than God, so you don’t even ask God for advice?
In the letter of James chapter 1 we read these words, “If any of you is lacking in wisdom, ask God, who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly, and it will be given you.”
Pray with me.
God of love and God of all wisdom remind me that you hold the knowledge of my life in the wisdom that is you. Speak your wisdom into my mind that I might make the choices in my life that bring honor and glory to you and fill me with your joy for life. AMEN.
When [Jesus] had finished speaking, he said to Simon, ‘Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.’ Simon answered, ‘Master, we have worked all night long but have caught nothing. Yet if you say so, I will let down the nets.’ When they had done this, they caught so many fish that their nets were beginning to break. But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, ‘Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!’
I think I read this text a little differently than most. In speech, it really is what word you emphasize in a sentence that brings the meaning to the sentence. That is why it is so hard to communicate with a text message or even a letter. Most people read these verses and come away thinking that the reason Peter agreed to put down his nets at Jesus’ suggestion was because he had such great respect for Jesus. I believe that Peter agreed to put down his nets for Jesus because he was trying to show Jesus that, although Jesus may know more about God, he knew more about fishing.
Peter, who made his living fishing, had been fishing all night and had caught nothing. He knew the waters; he knew the best time of day to fish and he knew when it would be impossible to catch fish. Jesus, a traveling religious teacher, winds up preaching in his fishing boat and then begins to tell the expert fishermen where and how to fish; “Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.” I believe Peter answers Jesus with a slightly sarcastic tone; “Master, we have worked all night long but have caught nothing. Yet if you say so, I will let down the nets.”
I don’t think Peter thought there was any way in the world that they would catch even one fish let alone haul in a catch that threatened to break their nets. This is why when Peter sees the haul of fish, he falls face down in front of Jesus in awe and in fear saying, “Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!”
What about your life don’t you think Jesus understands? What don’t you even bother praying about because you think that God does not care about that part of your life? What is it that you think you are hiding from Jesus simply because you don’t talk to Jesus about it? What is it that you believe you know more about in your life than God, so you don’t even ask God for advice?
In the letter of James chapter 1 we read these words, “If any of you is lacking in wisdom, ask God, who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly, and it will be given you.”
Pray with me.
God of love and God of all wisdom remind me that you hold the knowledge of my life in the wisdom that is you. Speak your wisdom into my mind that I might make the choices in my life that bring honor and glory to you and fill me with your joy for life. AMEN.
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