Luke 5:8-11

Luke 5:8-11 When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners. Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will catch men.” So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.

Acts 4:8-12 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: “Rulers and elders of the people! If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a cripple and are asked how he was healed, then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. He is “‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the capstone.’ Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.”

Simon Peter on that day at the Lake of Gennesaret left his boat and nets and began fishing in the lake of humans. He began fishing for the catch that God desired: people who would love him forever, people who would put their faith in Jesus Christ as their Lord. In Acts 4, we see Peter the fisherman casting his net of the Spirit into a dark and dying world. For Christians, that is what life is about; we are fishermen. All other lifestyles pretty much add up to pure vanity. King Solomon lived a very prosperous life; he tasted of the best of life. Nevertheless, he counted up all his experiences, all of his possessions, all of his fleshly interactions as nothing more than vanity, meaninglessness. He realized if this is all that life is, it has not much to offer, for it will soon pass away. Every experience will someday be forgotten; every possession will turn to dust; every relationship will fade into eternity. ALL WILL BE LOST EVENTUALLY. Solomon realized if there is not something more meaningful that just living, our lives have been lived in vain.

Jesus wowed Peter with the miracle of the abundant catch of fish. On that day at the lake, Peter the fisherman, realized Jesus was truly divine. He became fearful because he knew Jesus was something different from him, a sinful man. But Jesus said, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will catch men.” Jesus was saying, From now on you are going to function in the eternal world of the Spirit. From now on you are going to do God's work. You are going to do work that never PASSES AWAY. Peter left all to follow Jesus, for he knew he had a bigger commission than just living this mundane, purposeless life. He knew he had to fulfill the life Jesus had prepared for him.

Today we Christians need to see that reality clearly, to have our focus on eternity rather than on the mundaneness of this world. Sometimes we get so wrapped up in this temporal world that we do not appreciate the eternal purposes for our lives. We become more concerned with catching and eating fish than knowing God and his perfect will. Our lives and lifestyles should never be so removed from God that we cannot hear his voice and do his will. We should never be so involved with the details of life that we cannot change course if God wants us to. Peter heard Jesus talking to him directly that day. From that day on, Peter knew his plans and his directions for his life would be the Master's plans and directions. He had found the Master, and he would follow him all the way to death. Peter chose an eternal existence with God; he chose the role of fisherman for God. Let us fulfill our roles also, individually and collectively, for we are his workmanship, even his fishermen, created for good works that He ordained.