Luke 5:4-11 (NKJV)
When He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon, “ Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.”
But Simon answered and said to Him, “Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net.” And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking. So they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. 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 and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish which they had taken; and so also were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “ Do not be afraid. From now on you will catch men.” So when they had brought their boats to land, they forsook all and followed Him
The picture is taken from a National Geographic magazine entiltled:
‘drawn to the sulphuric fire of a hand-lit acetylene torch, mackerel leap en masse into the nets pf a boat near New Taipei City. A few elderly fishermen working at night from May to September re the last practitioners of this fishing technique. PHOTO: Chang Ming Chih’
Peter’s revelation was of the holiness of Jesus and his shortcoming alongside him. Very much like Isaiah when he saw the Glory of the LORD in Isaiah 6. There is no doubt that the fish were drawn to the light of Jesus in the boat. Even if in the natural nothing changed Jesus allowed the ‘light of the world’, the ‘brilliance of the Son of God’ to be revealed and the fish responded. It was Peter’s revelation of Jesus that caused him to forsake all and follow with the image emblazoned in his mind of fish sinking his boat. Luke makes this experience of Peter the defining moment, his tipping point, in his discipleship.
The key to our effective discipleship is our ability to see Jesus’ glory. Peter declared who Jesus was in Matthew 16:16 and Jesus’ response was to commend the truth as the building block of the Father to establish the kingdom. I believe the Father continues to work at my revelation of Jesus in my heart. The deeper it goes the more it shows.
When Peter returned to the boat in John 21 he stood alone in the sea and the fish were drawn at Jesus’ command to him in the boat. The revelation of Jesus in Peter was enough to attract fish to him. It also served to remind Peter that Jesus still believed in him and affirmed the aim of discipleship that had grown dim through disappointment, hurt and failure. Jesus wants multitudes of fish. We were never made to be fishermen with rod and line catching ones or twos by still ponds. Were are commissioned by the Father to stand in the sea and reveal Jesus and watch fish jump at the light.
So my prayer is Jesus will you allow your light to penetrate me deeper. Let me see more of your brilliance. As this image of fish is similar to what Peter saw cause my faith to be discipled as you discipled Peter’s. Teach me to allow your light to freely penetrate me and set it visible to the world.
Mark 4:21-23 (NKJV)
Also He said to them, “ Is a lamp brought to be put under a basket or under a bed? Is it not to be set on a lampstand? For there is nothing hidden which will not be revealed, nor has anything been kept secret but that it should come to light. If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear
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