Take a moment to read the passage right now if you're not familiar with it. Go ahead...I'll wait. Done? Good.
There are a couple of things that God has shown me in this passage. Can you just imagine the scene? Jesus is on the beach and there are so many people that they're pressing in to hear Him. He gets into Simon's boat and asks him to put out a little from the shore. Imagine Jesus in the boat, standing there teaching as the shore is literally filled with people. Love that image.
Then, when He's done, the carpenter tells the fisherman to go out into deep water and let the nets down for a catch. Now, common sense and experience tell Simon that they're not going to catch anything. This is the wrong time to fish; they've been at it all night with no luck; they've already put into shore and washed the boats and the nets. We've already done it that way and it didn't work. Don't you know, Lord, that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over expecting different results? But Simon says, "At Your word, we will put down the nets." Jesus called, Simon did regardless of how impossible it sounded.
When they put the nets down, they pulled in such a great number of fish that the nets began to break, they had to call their partners in to help, and both boats began to sink.
Simon falls at Jesus' knees and says "Go away from me for I am a sinful man". Simon's afraid, we know that because Jesus says "Do not be afraid, from now on you'll fish men." He's been given a visual representation of the greatness of Christ and he's overwhelmed by it. Simon isn't focusing on his sin in this passage, he's focusing on the awesome power of Christ.
Here's what God has shown me:
1. Do what the Lord tells you to do, even if it doesn't make sense. If you've done something 9,999,999 times and you know He's telling you to do it again, do it the 10 millionth time and watch Him show Himself strong.
2. Expect the Lord to show up. When we walk in relationship with Christ, as Simon did although this was very early for them, we should expect the Glory of God to be manifested in all that He calls us to do. He's going to do that which He said He would do because He's Faithful and True and He will not go against His very nature.
3. Focus on the Lord. Simon wasn't focused on his sin although that's what it seems like. He's making an appropriate response to the sovereignty of Christ. When the Lord shows up, give Him the glory.
It's about the furthering of the Kingdom of the Lord. It's about telling people the Way to Christ. It's about giving people and opportunity to come into relationship with Christ so that none would perish.
That's the call of every believer. Is it yours?
Blessings to all of you.
Mike and Tina Hook
Missionaries to the children of Scotland
