Humility – Simon Peter And The Fish

If you read my post Humility – Jesus In The Wilderness, then you know I have been studying the Gospels and Andrew Murray’s book, Humility. These are a few notes I made while in Luke 5. 🙂

Luke 5:1-7: 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.

Now when He had left speaking, He said unto Simon, “Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught.”

Okay, so put yourself in Simon Peter’s place. They have already fished the whole night and caught absolutely nothing, and then Jesus comes along, preaches, and then tells them to launch the nets. “Why, Lord? We’ve already done that without results. Why do You want us to do that again? There can’t be any fish there.”

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.”

I love this response. Basically, “We’ve tried that and caught nothing; but because You asked, we will do it anyway.” Acknowledging that they tried and failed (with their own power), yet, also acknowledging that He is superior and they listen. The fish weren’t there earlier, but they are now!

And when they had this done, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake.

They caught nothing all night on their own, but when Jesus says “Fish, and here’s where to do it,” they catch so many that their nets broke. XD He can give more than anyone ever asks for, in His perfect timing.

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.

Then they call for help and there are so many fish, their ships start to sink! That’s a lot of fish.

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.
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 says they will from now on catch men instead of fish. And then they trusted Him and left the boats and fish to follow Him.

It is really interesting to read this and then read John 21:1-6: After these things Jesus shewed Himself again to the disciples at the sea of Tiberias; and on this wise shewed He Himself. There were together Simon Peter, and Thomas called Didymus, and Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two other of His disciples.
Simon Peter saith unto them, “I go a fishing.”
They say unto him, “We also go with thee.”
They went forth, and entered into a ship immediately; and that night they caught nothing. But when the morning was now come, Jesus stood on the shore: but the disciples knew not that it was Jesus.
Then Jesus saith unto them, “Children, have ye any meat?”
They answered Him, “No.”
And He said unto them, “Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find.” They cast therefore, and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes.

They cast the net this time without the “Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing…” comment. They had been through this before. I assume that as soon as He told them to fish out of the right side of the boat, they knew it was Him, and they knew to follow His leading and just do it. Humility – knowing that He is God and that we are not. (That line about Him being God and we are not came from a song called Thy Will by Hillary Scott & Family. My Internet connection isn’t good enough to load YouTube videos, but I think this is it.)

Even if it doesn’t make sense to us at the time, His way is the best way!

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