Goin’ Fishing with Simon
Luke 5:1-11
It feels peaceful to be by a lake early in the morning. In the dimness, as fog begins to lift, you may hear waves gently lap the shore. Galilee Lake is the setting for today’s story. It was large at 8 miles wide and 15 miles long, and it supported 6 good-sized, bustling cities.
I imagine today’s scene unfolding like this: Some fishermen could be seen in the distance cleaning their rough nets. They lifted their heads up when they heard noise coming from down the shore. Soon a mass of people could be seen walking straight toward the edge of the lake. A figure separated from the crowd, a man who walked out into the shallow waters.
It took just a moment to realize they knew him – it was rabbi Jesus! They hurried over, glad to see him again. They’d been at synagogue recently and had seen him heal a man during the service, then Simon had invited him for lunch. Jesus heard that his mother-in-law was ill, so he laid hands on her, and her health immediately returned.
As Simon and the other fishermen got closer, Jesus stepped into an empty boat and said, “Push me out from the shore a bit.” Simon stepped forward, pleased to help; it was his boat. And it did cross his mind that when word got out that Jesus had taught from his vessel, his reputation would rise in the community. Not an unwelcome thought!
Jesus taught for some while that morning; when he finished, he returned to shore. He came toward Simon, and with a grin he told him he should row out right now into deep water, toss in his nets and he’d catch some fine fish. Simon may not have spoken or moved at first. When he did, he resisted the idea, explaining how hard he and his friends had worked all night, but their nets came up empty. Jesus said nothing further, he simply waited.
This was a pivotal moment, but Simon couldn’t have known that at the time. He felt hesitant, but out of respect for the Master, rabbi Jesus, he agreed to gather his nets and head out with his fishing partner and brother Andrew. As the sun slowly rose over the horizon, his other fishing mates James and John decided to take their boat and joined them.
Anyone here have experience fishing on a large lake? You get the best results at night, when the water is cooler, and fish can’t easily see your boat. Conditions were not ideal at this hour. Meanwhile the crowd was still along the shoreline; they watched them row out some distance, then saw Simon expertly cast his big net. The men had just sat down for what they expected would be a long wait, when suddenly a great number of shimmering fish swam and leaped toward them from every direction - all of them headed right into their sturdy net. Simon and Andrew jumped up, laughed, and clapped each other on the back, then they got to work hauling in their enormous catch. Before long they began waving their arms and shouting for their friends to come help them. The catch was so heavy that the boat was almost starting to sink under the weight of it. It took the four men working together to deal with the abundance God had provided for them! Even then, both boats were perilously close to taking on water as they rowed back to shore.
That was a miracle; I wish I’d been in the crowd that day to see it. Do you know that this is the only miracle Jesus initiated himself? All the miracles that followed were in response to others’ requests. The miracle on the lake that day wasn’t just that fish were caught, mere human skill and perhaps some good luck could be credited for catching fish after the sun rose. It was the outrageous quantity of fish hauled in that was the true miracle. That sort of supernatural abundance could only come from God. In a pivotal moment, Simon made a choice. He thought, “Jesus said to do this. I believe in Him. I’m going to do what he says!”
Can you picture the fisherman reaching the shoreline and hauling out their nets bulging with fish? The men finished, then stood there breathing hard, catching their breath after their strenuous work. Everyone stared at the huge mounds of fish: Jesus, onlookers from the crowd, and some very proud fishermen.
Simon suddenly turned toward Jesus, his face filled with anguish, then he fell at the Master’s feet sobbing. He’d been thrilled by the huge catch, but now he grasped that it was a miracle of God, not something he’d done on his own. The good rabbi, Jesus of Nazareth, who taught with authority and healed the sick -- Simon had begun to think he might be a holy prophet. But now, with this display of power over the natural world, a miracle he’d witnessed, who was this Jesus? He felt exposed before him. “Please leave me, Lord,” begged Simon, “for I am a sinner.” He felt so unworthy before Jesus. It was as if his every sin and weakness was seen, and it shamed him. And did you notice how Simon called him “Lord” then, for the first time, not merely “teacher”?
This is, for me, one of the most captivating scenes that the gospel writer Luke has included in his gospel. With his attention to detail and gift for storytelling, we can quite easily imagine this day on the lake shore. The large crowd is amazed by the catch of fish; there’s murmuring and excitement as the sun rises. The three fishermen have an eager audience as they boast about their catch. But off to the side is this private moment. On the ground before Jesus is a grown man overcome with shame. He feels like Jesus can see all of him; every wrong choice he’s ever made is somehow exposed. He feels raw with regrets.
But pay close attention now to Jesus. Simon has begged him to leave him alone, but He has not moved. Jesus will not go. The man before him is held captive by the knowledge of his sins; he’s held fast in his sin just as the fish were held fast in his fishing net. Simon is certain there’s no way to be set free of them.
If we’d been there to witness that moment, I think we’d have seen Jesus’ face filled with compassion. Before him was a repentant man, yes, but he was also a man who’d taken risks. Simon had gone out into deep water to fish after the sun had come up, which went against everything he knew. As he rowed out to fish, a large audience watched him from the beach - some were curious, others skeptical. A few no doubt called him an outright fool. But Jesus knew otherwise: this was an act of faith, and a bold one at that.
Did Jesus bend down and put his hand gently on Simon’s shoulder and tell him to stand up? I think he did. Then, what did Jesus say next? “There is nothing to be afraid of.” Can you imagine Jesus saying to you, “There is nothing to be afraid of”? That would stay fixed in my memory. How long did Simon look into Jesus’ eyes after he said that?
Meanwhile, the crowd began to disperse and people started walking back home. They liked listening to Jesus teach, but they all had responsibilities in life. Jesus knew that; he also knew the time had come for him to choose his disciples. He needed followers who’d remain by his side on the coming journey. Jesus might have gone searching at the holy temple in Jerusalem for good candidates, but we know that if he did, he didn’t find any of his followers there.
But that morning, he’d found a rugged working man, in the middle of the week. Jesus saw two important qualities in Simon: he was willing to trust and obey. So that day on the shore of a beautiful lake, Jesus said, “Simon, from now on you will be catching.... people!” There was a confused expression on his face, but then he grasped his meaning. Simon didn’t hesitate this time. He was thrilled - he got as loud and exuberant as he’d been earlier, when his net was filled with fine fish. The man who had caught fish was glad to now be caught himself, by Jesus. Simon would be a disciple who’d learn many things but also have to unlearn others. He'd be bold in his faith, but he’d also shrink back in fear. He’d leave all he knew but have no regrets in the end. And eventually Jesus would call him Peter, the Rock, but that wouldn’t happen for a while.
Andrew, James, and John came over to see what was getting Simon so excited. They soon heard, and then each man was asked by Jesus to be his disciple. There’s no mention of what came of all the fish that were caught, perhaps a good 200 pounds or more. I like to think that they went into nearby Capernaum and got word out to the poorest in the town that they could all go help themselves! Imagine their joy. As one crowd left filled with God’s word, another came later to be filled with fresh fish. I like to think it may have turned out that way. If it did, it would have been a perfect picture of Jesus’ coming ministry. In Word and through deeds, Jesus came to fill and feed those who were hungry and thirsty in their bodies and in their souls.
I encourage you to read Luke 5:1-11 again this week. Imagine you were there.
I imagine today’s scene unfolding like this: Some fishermen could be seen in the distance cleaning their rough nets. They lifted their heads up when they heard noise coming from down the shore. Soon a mass of people could be seen walking straight toward the edge of the lake. A figure separated from the crowd, a man who walked out into the shallow waters.
It took just a moment to realize they knew him – it was rabbi Jesus! They hurried over, glad to see him again. They’d been at synagogue recently and had seen him heal a man during the service, then Simon had invited him for lunch. Jesus heard that his mother-in-law was ill, so he laid hands on her, and her health immediately returned.
As Simon and the other fishermen got closer, Jesus stepped into an empty boat and said, “Push me out from the shore a bit.” Simon stepped forward, pleased to help; it was his boat. And it did cross his mind that when word got out that Jesus had taught from his vessel, his reputation would rise in the community. Not an unwelcome thought!
Jesus taught for some while that morning; when he finished, he returned to shore. He came toward Simon, and with a grin he told him he should row out right now into deep water, toss in his nets and he’d catch some fine fish. Simon may not have spoken or moved at first. When he did, he resisted the idea, explaining how hard he and his friends had worked all night, but their nets came up empty. Jesus said nothing further, he simply waited.
This was a pivotal moment, but Simon couldn’t have known that at the time. He felt hesitant, but out of respect for the Master, rabbi Jesus, he agreed to gather his nets and head out with his fishing partner and brother Andrew. As the sun slowly rose over the horizon, his other fishing mates James and John decided to take their boat and joined them.
Anyone here have experience fishing on a large lake? You get the best results at night, when the water is cooler, and fish can’t easily see your boat. Conditions were not ideal at this hour. Meanwhile the crowd was still along the shoreline; they watched them row out some distance, then saw Simon expertly cast his big net. The men had just sat down for what they expected would be a long wait, when suddenly a great number of shimmering fish swam and leaped toward them from every direction - all of them headed right into their sturdy net. Simon and Andrew jumped up, laughed, and clapped each other on the back, then they got to work hauling in their enormous catch. Before long they began waving their arms and shouting for their friends to come help them. The catch was so heavy that the boat was almost starting to sink under the weight of it. It took the four men working together to deal with the abundance God had provided for them! Even then, both boats were perilously close to taking on water as they rowed back to shore.
That was a miracle; I wish I’d been in the crowd that day to see it. Do you know that this is the only miracle Jesus initiated himself? All the miracles that followed were in response to others’ requests. The miracle on the lake that day wasn’t just that fish were caught, mere human skill and perhaps some good luck could be credited for catching fish after the sun rose. It was the outrageous quantity of fish hauled in that was the true miracle. That sort of supernatural abundance could only come from God. In a pivotal moment, Simon made a choice. He thought, “Jesus said to do this. I believe in Him. I’m going to do what he says!”
Can you picture the fisherman reaching the shoreline and hauling out their nets bulging with fish? The men finished, then stood there breathing hard, catching their breath after their strenuous work. Everyone stared at the huge mounds of fish: Jesus, onlookers from the crowd, and some very proud fishermen.
Simon suddenly turned toward Jesus, his face filled with anguish, then he fell at the Master’s feet sobbing. He’d been thrilled by the huge catch, but now he grasped that it was a miracle of God, not something he’d done on his own. The good rabbi, Jesus of Nazareth, who taught with authority and healed the sick -- Simon had begun to think he might be a holy prophet. But now, with this display of power over the natural world, a miracle he’d witnessed, who was this Jesus? He felt exposed before him. “Please leave me, Lord,” begged Simon, “for I am a sinner.” He felt so unworthy before Jesus. It was as if his every sin and weakness was seen, and it shamed him. And did you notice how Simon called him “Lord” then, for the first time, not merely “teacher”?
This is, for me, one of the most captivating scenes that the gospel writer Luke has included in his gospel. With his attention to detail and gift for storytelling, we can quite easily imagine this day on the lake shore. The large crowd is amazed by the catch of fish; there’s murmuring and excitement as the sun rises. The three fishermen have an eager audience as they boast about their catch. But off to the side is this private moment. On the ground before Jesus is a grown man overcome with shame. He feels like Jesus can see all of him; every wrong choice he’s ever made is somehow exposed. He feels raw with regrets.
But pay close attention now to Jesus. Simon has begged him to leave him alone, but He has not moved. Jesus will not go. The man before him is held captive by the knowledge of his sins; he’s held fast in his sin just as the fish were held fast in his fishing net. Simon is certain there’s no way to be set free of them.
If we’d been there to witness that moment, I think we’d have seen Jesus’ face filled with compassion. Before him was a repentant man, yes, but he was also a man who’d taken risks. Simon had gone out into deep water to fish after the sun had come up, which went against everything he knew. As he rowed out to fish, a large audience watched him from the beach - some were curious, others skeptical. A few no doubt called him an outright fool. But Jesus knew otherwise: this was an act of faith, and a bold one at that.
Did Jesus bend down and put his hand gently on Simon’s shoulder and tell him to stand up? I think he did. Then, what did Jesus say next? “There is nothing to be afraid of.” Can you imagine Jesus saying to you, “There is nothing to be afraid of”? That would stay fixed in my memory. How long did Simon look into Jesus’ eyes after he said that?
Meanwhile, the crowd began to disperse and people started walking back home. They liked listening to Jesus teach, but they all had responsibilities in life. Jesus knew that; he also knew the time had come for him to choose his disciples. He needed followers who’d remain by his side on the coming journey. Jesus might have gone searching at the holy temple in Jerusalem for good candidates, but we know that if he did, he didn’t find any of his followers there.
But that morning, he’d found a rugged working man, in the middle of the week. Jesus saw two important qualities in Simon: he was willing to trust and obey. So that day on the shore of a beautiful lake, Jesus said, “Simon, from now on you will be catching.... people!” There was a confused expression on his face, but then he grasped his meaning. Simon didn’t hesitate this time. He was thrilled - he got as loud and exuberant as he’d been earlier, when his net was filled with fine fish. The man who had caught fish was glad to now be caught himself, by Jesus. Simon would be a disciple who’d learn many things but also have to unlearn others. He'd be bold in his faith, but he’d also shrink back in fear. He’d leave all he knew but have no regrets in the end. And eventually Jesus would call him Peter, the Rock, but that wouldn’t happen for a while.
Andrew, James, and John came over to see what was getting Simon so excited. They soon heard, and then each man was asked by Jesus to be his disciple. There’s no mention of what came of all the fish that were caught, perhaps a good 200 pounds or more. I like to think that they went into nearby Capernaum and got word out to the poorest in the town that they could all go help themselves! Imagine their joy. As one crowd left filled with God’s word, another came later to be filled with fresh fish. I like to think it may have turned out that way. If it did, it would have been a perfect picture of Jesus’ coming ministry. In Word and through deeds, Jesus came to fill and feed those who were hungry and thirsty in their bodies and in their souls.
I encourage you to read Luke 5:1-11 again this week. Imagine you were there.
- Think about a time you were feeling discouraged (an “empty net” period of time), but later on you had much to celebrate. Thank God!
- In the middle of this week, stay alert to any interesting opportunities God might put before you.
- Remember that it took four men working together to deal with the abundance God had provided for them! And that it all started with one man having faith and obeying Jesus.
- Do you believe that God will always forgive your sins, if you confess them to Him?
- Imagine Jesus’ hand resting on your shoulder, as he looks you in the eyes and says “There is nothing to be afraid of…”