Focus

Stop and thank God for being present with you today. Ask for God’s guidance as you hear God’s voice through scripture and the writer.

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Read

Luke 5:1-11 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

Once while Jesus was standing beside the lake of Gennesaret, and the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, he saw two boats there at the shore of the lake; the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little way from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat. When he 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. So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both boats, so that they began to sink. But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!” For he and all who were with him were amazed at the catch of fish that they had taken; and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. Then Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people.” When they had brought their boats to shore, they left everything and followed him.

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Reflect

Jeremy Myers said, Luke 5:1-11 is about “Fishing with Jesus”. Although casual, this core theme by this gentleman paints a very tender, jovial, relational, and encouraging image.

As has been the character, or nature of Jesus, He is always in a teaching mode. The Disciples, and others, did call Him Rabbi, which means Teacher, and Jesus lived up to the needs and hopes of these men. As He spoke/taught God’s word to people by the Lake of Gennesaret, He continued to live out the evidence of His Father’s plan and assignment.

The teaching opportunity encompasses an unfruitful day in the lives of the fishermen. Like us, they were particularly discouraged. Jesus didn’t judge nor condemn them…in no way did Jesus express negativity…no Unconstructive criticism. He approached them and their circumstances with the method that we need from leaders and would-be leaders in our society’s myriad of organizations and environments…Jesus sat with them and taught them.
From a very young age, I can still clearly recall every time I became frustrated, each time I became angry and gave up. I still clearly recall each time I had no problem working long and hard, but I did not have the wisdom to ‘work smart’.

You and I need every leader to use what I have taught over the decades, the “Jesus method”. Jesus ALWAYS taught, instructed, and revealed saturated in tenderness even when He was firm, encouraging even when He admonished, and unconditionally loving even when feeling unloveable.

After Jesus poured into the men, Simon resolved his obedience when he told Jesus, ‘…but because you say so I will’…and that sincere resolution and act of obedience resonates with me today. Simon learned, as I learned, that obedience equates with abundance in various ways. When Jesus had them to signal their partners to receive such abundance that they could not hold with their own nets, I see how Jesus meant for them, and us, to pour into the lives of others. Not only are we abundantly blessed through obedience, many are blessed for generations to come through our acts of obedience, as fishers of men, having taken up our nets to follow Jesus.

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Pray

Father God, you are my God and the rightfully celebrated God of obedient men and women. Thank you for Jesus. Jesus, thank you for your perfect example of obedience. May we all resolve to follow Christ, and lead men and women, boys and girls, to Christ Jesus. Amen.

Go with God!