Luke 5:5 One day, as Yeshua was standing on the shore of Lake Kinneret, with the people pressing in around him in order to hear the word of God, 2 he noticed two boats pulled up on the beach, left there by the fishermen, who were cleaning their nets. 3 He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Shim‘on, and asked him to put out a little way from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat.
4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Shim‘on, “Put out into deep water, and let down your nets for a catch.” 5 Shim‘on answered, “We’ve worked hard all night long, Rabbi, and haven’t caught a thing! But if you say so, I’ll let down the nets.” 6 They did this and took in so many fish that their nets began to tear. 7 So they motioned to their partners in the other boat to come and help them; and they came and filled both boats to the point of sinking. 8 When he saw this, Shim‘on Kefa fell at Yeshua’s knees and said, “Get away from me, sir, because I’m a sinner!” 9 For astonishment had seized him and everyone with him at the catch of fish they had taken, 10 and likewise both Ya‘akov and Yochanan, Shim‘on’s partners. “Don’t be frightened,” Yeshua said to Shim‘on, “from now on you will be catching men — alive!” 11 And as soon as they had beached their boats, they left everything behind and followed him.
Is it really a miracle to catch fish? People do it all of the time.
I don’t think the fish was the true miracle. The miracle was the change in Peter.
Yeshua had been working on Peter for a while now. He was more than likely at that wedding with wine ordeal and walking with the group when they encountered the royal officer. Most certainly he was there in the synagogue and definitely was there in his own home.
But he still didn’t seem to trust. So now he gets to be embarrassed on a grand scale in front of a lot of people.
Peter was a professional fisherman. Yeshua was not.
After a long night out in the lake, Peter came in tired and likely discouraged. He was working out on the boat all night long and had nothing to show for it. Then he had to sit through a Bible lesson there on the shore.
Could you then believe the nerve of this Guy? He had a good night’s rest and was lounging on the beach explaining the ways of the Kingdom to all those that gathered there with Him. What does He know about hard work and disappointment?
Once the sermon was over, and instead of having a nice lunch, Yeshua tells Peter to go back out on the water and do some more of his job. The Bible teacher was telling the fisherman how to do his job -- seriously?!
Trying to be polite and not embarrass the great Rabbi, Peter casually dispels the suggestion as a waste of time. Then he follows up with a “but hey, you’re the ‘boss’ so I’d be happy to go out and prove you wrong.”
Imagine Peter’s thoughts right about now. He’s tired, unsuccessful, and just finished cleaning his nets. Now he’s being told by a Bible teacher, not a fisherman, to go back out and do it all again? Dirtying up his nets yet again, all to have the Rabbi use the empty nets as some sort of teaching point? Besides, doesn’t He know many fish species become more active during the night, increasing the chances of making a successful catch? Ridiculous. But hey, He’s not a fisherman so how would he know, right? “But I’ll play along, Bible Man.”
He complies and somewhat pompously drifts out into the deeper waters to help Yeshua make His point about the Kingdom being about “working without expecting” or “hard work is good even if there is no immediate reward” or “the world is like this empty net” or ”there are many fish in the sea but sometimes they hide” or some other “empty net” explanation. Peter knew what was coming. Unfortunately, he had no idea what was coming.
He even explains the truth to Yeshua but agrees to play along anyway:
Shim‘on answered, “We’ve worked hard all night long, Rabbi, and haven’t caught a thing! But if you say so, I’ll let down the nets.”
Then the unthinkable happens. There are so many fish that the nice clean nets start to break. And the boats start to sink! This was no lesson on an empty anything.
The literal embarrassment of riches brought Peter straight to his knees. He had worked long and hard and got nothing. Now, as he reluctantly agrees to do something crazy, prosperity beyond what he can support falls directly into his lap -- or boat.
While most of us would focus on the sudden windfall and ways to monetize it beyond our wildest dreams, Peter encounters something completely different. Himself.
He got what he worked so hard to secure. And that was enough to make him realize how much of a horrible person he really was. Arrogant, prideful, pompous. He thought He knew better but what he realized is that he knew nothing. A mountain of humility in equal weight and measure to the fish in his torn nets and sinking boat.
He was finally broken.
If Abba put riches like this at your feet, what would you do? Would you have the faith to walk away from it? If you’re like me, you’d try to hold it as long as you can. DO NOT upset the goose that lays that golden egg! Besides, this is God’s will for my life, right? I mean, He told me to drift out into that water and I did. I was obedient!! Well, I may have given Him the reasons I couldn’t do it at first, but ultimately I do exactly what He says. I am a good son and He has rewarded me for it. I’d praise Him and thank Him, of course. Then ask for more. Because He is a good Father…
Peter, on the other hand, saw what actually happened in that moment. Sure he was obedient. And the harvest was more than he could handle. But instead of doubling down on what he thought Abba had for him, he gave it all up.
He walked away. Actually, he didn’t walk away, he walked towards.
He let go of the thing that was his measuring stick of his worth and turned directly into the Man that told him his true worth. He was humbled in the arena of his expertise and it allowed him to see the real him. He was horrified. But he was finally free.
Sadly for us, we self-medicate to prevent that from ever happening to us. We put on a salve to help reduce the flare-ups called our own pride. Yeah, we know it isn’t good and it is robbing us from our life…but…it’s comfortable. Even if that clever, well-rested Bible teacher comes along and shares the truth, we stare down our nose at Him because what does He really know?
“Come on man, I’ve got to feed my family, right?”
Yeah, but how long would all that fish last before it rots? It isn’t just feeding you’re trying to do. You’re trying to be prosperous. Start with the truth before trying to lie about it.
It’s time. It’s time to drop everything and follow Him.