Obey God's Call
The context of this mini lesson starts in in the first four verses of Luke Chapter 5. Jesus in on the shores of the Sea of Galilee, pressed by a large crowd eager to hear His teaching. Jesus sees two boats and asks Simon, called Peter, to push to boat out into water, where he could teach. This is where our lesson picks up in Luke 5:5-11.
Jesus tells Simon to go out into deeper water and cast out his nets. Simon informs Jesus of the terrible fishing conditions, as the previous night's venture had left them empty handed, still Simon recognizes the authority of Jesus as a Holy Teacher, a Man of God, and obeys.
Simon's obedience reaps a reward that is above and beyond what he or his partners could fathom. They know this is no accident. Immediately, Simon recognizes that God has done something extraordinary here. He falls to his knees before Jesus and cries out "Oh Lord, please leave me- I am too much of a sinner to be around you." Simon knows who he is, and that his sin separates him from God, and believes that God could want nothing to do with a simple, sinful, fisherman. Yet Jesus calmly responds to Simon's act of faith, his confession, with "Don't be afraid." The saving grace of God is at work, and ever present in the lives of the disciples throughout the gospels as they walk with Jesus and learn from Him.
We can confidently speak of the missional message in this passage. It is clear as day. Yet beneath the surface, I am struck by Simon's unwavering obedience. Jesus telling Simon where to fish would be like a factory floor employee telling the CEO how to design a smart phone. Yet, Simon obeyed. He rowed out deeper. He hauled in more fish than he could have ever imagined.
When God calls, we obey. We obey willingly. We obey unquestioningly with the Simon attitude of "we tried it already, but if you say so, we will go." Our immediate obedience reaps blessings from our Heavenly Father which are beyond our imagination. Looking further, into the passage, we see Christ declare that Simon would no longer be a fishing for fish, but fishing for men. So too are we. Where ever we are called, whatever we are called to do, our obedience matters in the lives of those who surround us and those we encounter, and the results of our obedience stretch farther than our lives here on Earth.
Are we willing to be like Simon? Are we willing to obey the call of God, even if we felt like we have "tried that already"?
Jesus tells Simon to go out into deeper water and cast out his nets. Simon informs Jesus of the terrible fishing conditions, as the previous night's venture had left them empty handed, still Simon recognizes the authority of Jesus as a Holy Teacher, a Man of God, and obeys.
Simon's obedience reaps a reward that is above and beyond what he or his partners could fathom. They know this is no accident. Immediately, Simon recognizes that God has done something extraordinary here. He falls to his knees before Jesus and cries out "Oh Lord, please leave me- I am too much of a sinner to be around you." Simon knows who he is, and that his sin separates him from God, and believes that God could want nothing to do with a simple, sinful, fisherman. Yet Jesus calmly responds to Simon's act of faith, his confession, with "Don't be afraid." The saving grace of God is at work, and ever present in the lives of the disciples throughout the gospels as they walk with Jesus and learn from Him.
We can confidently speak of the missional message in this passage. It is clear as day. Yet beneath the surface, I am struck by Simon's unwavering obedience. Jesus telling Simon where to fish would be like a factory floor employee telling the CEO how to design a smart phone. Yet, Simon obeyed. He rowed out deeper. He hauled in more fish than he could have ever imagined.
When God calls, we obey. We obey willingly. We obey unquestioningly with the Simon attitude of "we tried it already, but if you say so, we will go." Our immediate obedience reaps blessings from our Heavenly Father which are beyond our imagination. Looking further, into the passage, we see Christ declare that Simon would no longer be a fishing for fish, but fishing for men. So too are we. Where ever we are called, whatever we are called to do, our obedience matters in the lives of those who surround us and those we encounter, and the results of our obedience stretch farther than our lives here on Earth.
Are we willing to be like Simon? Are we willing to obey the call of God, even if we felt like we have "tried that already"?
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