July 22, 2025
Fishing for Men - Part 2
Luke 5:4-7
07/22/2025
4 And when he had finished speaking, he said to
Simon, ``Put out into the deep and let down your
nets for a catch.''
5 And Simon answered, ``Master, we toiled all night
and took nothing! But at your word I will let down
the nets.''
6 And when they had done this, they enclosed a large
number of fish, and their nets were breaking.
7 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. (ESV)
Jesus, to better teach the crowds of people interested in
hearing God's Word, used Simon's boat as a pulpit. Everyone
could gather on the shore of the lake where they could both see
and hear Him teach.
Saint Luke continues the story of Simon Peter's call to be a
disciple:
And when he had finished speaking, he said to Simon,
``Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a
catch.'' And Simon answered, ``Master, we toiled all
night and took nothing! But at your word I will let
down the nets.'' And when they had done this, they
enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were
breaking. 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.
Consider Simon's reaction. He and his partners, James and
John, had been up all night trying to catch fish both for their
families and to sell in the marketplace. Their labors were in
vain. Tired, probably somewhat disgusted, all the fishermen
wanted to do was prepare their nets for the next evening's work,
go home, and get some sleep. Certainly Jesus using the boat as a
pulpit was somewhat inconvenient for Simon, but he agreed and
listened along with the crowd.
When Jesus suggested that Simon take the freshly cleaned and
repaired nets and go fishing, Simon agreed reluctantly. After
all, Jesus was not a fisherman, but a carpenter and a teacher.
What did He know about fishing? Simon soon found out that the
Word of God, the words spoken by Jesus, are more powerful than
the best practices of professional fishermen.
May our Lord grant that we hear Jesus' words and do as He
asks us to do. Amen.