Following the Lord Jesus Christ: #23 Let Down Your Nets!

Phew! That wonderful day (Following the Lord Jesus Christ: #22) ended rather late, and I was so thankful to let my head hit the pillow. But wait—what? We have to get up very early now to follow Jesus. Let’s go!

First Galilean Itinerary

Mark 1:35-37:
And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.
And Simon and they that were with him followed after him.
And when they had found him, they said unto him, All men seek for thee.

Luke 4:42:
And when it was day, he departed and went into a desert place: and the people sought him, and came unto him, and stayed him, that he should not depart from them.

In the gospels, we often find Jesus praying. The first instance that comes to my mind is the forty days and forty nights in the wilderness, when he most certainly would have needed constant communion with his Father. And once again, here in Capernaum at the beginning of his ministry, he sought the Father’s will in prayer.

Simon and those with him (presumably Andrew, John, and James) found Jesus and told him that everyone was looking for him. Then, a local crowd of people caught up to him and pleaded with him not to leave them. Let’s see if they talked him into staying.

Preaching and Teaching in the Synagogues of Galilee

I’d like to note for you a few words that will continue to come up to describe Jesus’ ministry. First, the word kērussō means to proclaim and herald forth with volume and boldness, as a news broadcaster for God might do. The word euangelizō focuses more on the content than the style of delivery: it is sharing the good news. The word didaskō simply means to teach or instruct. Let’s see how Jesus did all three.

Mark 1:38,39:
And he said unto them, Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach (kērussō) there also: for therefore came I forth.
And he preached (kērussō) in their synagogues throughout all Galilee, and cast out devils.

Luke 4:43,44:
And he said unto them, I must preach (euangelizō) the kingdom of God to other cities also: for therefore am I sent.
And he preached (kērussō) in the synagogues of Galilee.

It was time for Jesus to move on and proclaim the glorious good news that Israel’s Savior (the one they had anticipated for hundreds, even thousands of years) had finally come!  Matthew’s record elaborates on his journey through the synagogues of Galilee.

Matthew 4:23-25:
And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching (didaskō) in their synagogues, and preaching (kērussō) the gospel (euangelion, good news) of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.
And his fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatick, and those that had the palsy; and he healed them.
And there followed him great multitudes of people from Galilee, and from Decapolis, and from Jerusalem, and from Judaea, and from beyond Jordan.

Jesus went about all Galilee heralding the good news of his arrival, and the people came from far and wide. What a blessed relief his ministry must have been to the “common” people, what joy and deliverance they experienced when so many sick, diseased, and possessed were healed! One man was beginning to turn the tide of history away from the curse of mankind, toward the complete saving grace of a loving God.

The gospel of Luke then relates this unusual story of how Jesus had to teach from a ship because there were so many people desiring to hear the Word of God.

Luke 5:1-3:
And it came to pass, that, as the people pressed upon him to hear the word of God, he stood by the lake of Gennesaret,
And saw two ships standing by the lake: but the fishermen were gone out of them, and were washing their nets.
And he entered into one of the ships, which was Simon’s, and prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the land. And he sat down, and taught the people out of the ship.

Afterward, Jesus directly gave Simon specific instructions to go out fishing.

Luke 5:4,5:
Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught.
And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net.

Apparently, Simon must not have been very impressed by Jesus’ credentials as a fisherman, because he only grudgingly let down one net to humor Jesus’ request. (You may remember from Following the Lord Jesus Christ: #9 that Peter was called “Simon” when he was acting out as his natural self—brash, impetuous, giving up too easily, or at times even fearful.)

Luke 5:6,7:
And when they had this done, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake.
And they beckoned unto their partners, which were in the other ship, that they should come and help them. And they came, and filled both the ships, so that they began to sink.

The one net Simon had let down broke! That’s where half-hearted faith gets us many times—the miracle happens but we can hardly receive the blessings, if any at all! Peter fell swiftly into self-condemnation.

Luke 5:8-10:
When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord.
For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the draught of the fishes which they had taken:
And so was also James, and John, the sons of Zebedee, which were partners with Simon.

Notice that he is called “Simon Peter” at this point. The “Peter” is added to show that he is beginning to take on his true calling of God as a rock-solid leader, speaking boldly the Word of God, or standing against evil. Specifically here, Simon Peter is recognizing Jesus’ authority as the Son of God to speak forth the revelation that his Father gave him.

Luke 5:10,11:
…and Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men.
And when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all, and followed him.

Jesus’ love, forgiveness, and exhortation to think higher thoughts, to fulfill the great calling of the Father, helped Simon Peter to once again rise up to new heights of believing in following his Lord, Jesus Christ. We, too, can learn from Peter’s mistake of trusting his own “expertise” rather than obeying God’s direction spoken by His Son.

But Peter responded to the encouragement from Jesus to “fear not,” and he grew bigger in his capacity to believe the Word of God and act accordingly. He, as well as James and John, once again chose to “forsake all, and follow him”. Let’s all continue to do the same!

NEXT: Following the Lord Jesus Christ: #24 Heralding the Kingdom of God

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