Fishermen, Fishing for Men!
Scripture reading for March 21st: Luke 4:31-5:11
I like to fish when the fish are biting! I hate fishing when all I do is set there and wait with no results! It seems like a waste of time! I have gone fishing numbers of times and caught nothing! I must be God’s gift to fish! However, there is another kind of fishing that never gets boring! This kind of fishing involves the biggest catch of all! Jesus recruited three of His original disciples from the ranks of fishermen to become fishers of men!
In today’s reading, Luke tells the story of Jesus using Simon Peter’s fishing boat as a platform to preach and teach from. The fishermen had toiled all night and were washing their nets as Jesus asked to use their boat. When Jesus was finished teaching, He said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.” (Luke 5:4-9) These seasoned fishermen did not think that Jesus knew what He was talking about because they had worked all night and caught nothing! But because He asked them to, they obeyed and were overwhelmed with a net-bursting catch! They filled both boats so full that they began to sink!
When Peter saw the miraculous catch, he fell at Jesus’ feet and was apologetic for his unbelief! “Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will catch men.”” (Luke 5:10b-11) The three fishermen dropped everything and left it all to follow Jesus!
Jesus had a plan to catch men for the kingdom of Heaven. He would find men and women who would be willing to follow Him by faith and learn of Him. His ways were different from the world. He took a simple fishing boat and made it a place to preach from. He took simple fishermen and taught them to fish for men! They must be willing to leave their ways and work and follow Him in His way and work! He calls, and they must decide to follow!
Have you heard the call of the Master Fisher of Men? Have you given Him your ‘boat’ to use? Have you come humbly to Him and confessed your sinfulness? Are you willing to leave all to follow Him and learn how to fish for men? The path to the biggest catch of your life will be determined by your response!
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