(parallel passages Mark 1:14-20, John 1:35-42)
(Also see Jesus calls more disciples)
(Also see Jesus' calling of Matthew the disciple - Jesus has authority to forgive sin and love sinners)
Matthew 4:18-22 (NIV)
18 As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 19 “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” 20 At once they left their nets and followed him.
21 Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, 22 and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.
Luke 5:1-11 (NIV)
1 One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, the people were crowding around him and listening to the word of God. 2 He saw at the water’s edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. 3 He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat.
4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.”
5 Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.”
6 When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. 7 So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.
8 When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” 9 For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, 10 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 fish for people.” 11 So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.
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My Notes:
Simon knew how to fish. God gave him the ability to catch them.
This reminds me of the verse from Deuteronomy a few days ago:
"I give you the power to obtain wealth."
We don't have that power in ourselves. Everything we have is a gift of God. Whatever power we may think we have can be taken. This is why Moses warns the people in Deuteronomy to always remember that everything they have comes from God, so that they do not become prideful and forget him.
But God is generous. Simon couldn't catch that many fish in that much time on his own, no matter what kind of fisher he was. With Jesus, he filled nets to breaking.
Which reminds me of that passage from Ephesians that I still keep thinking of almost every day.
Ephesians 3:20-21
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
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Jesus called the fishers from their nets to join him in fishing for people.
First he took the nets they already had, and then filled them to the greatest degree that they could be filled.
Then he tells them to follow him, and says that he's going to teach them to use their God given talents to their greatest effectiveness.
But first they had to leave what they knew to follow this man who would teach them what they didn't know.
Father,
Take this world from my heart, and give me you.
As I was thinking about this passage, something else came to me as well.
ReplyDeleteJesus called fishers to be a new kind of fisher - of men.
So, when he called Matthew, did he use something of his old life and talents for his kingdom?
How about this - Matthew was a tax collector, which means he had education as a scribe. He could read and write, something that not everyone could do. He probably was educated to be a scribe for a Rabbi or Pharisee, following them around and writing down what they say. But he could make more money as a tax collector.
So he left tax collecting to follow Jesus, and then what did he do?
He wrote this book. I think that's cool.
This is part of another reading I did today, right after this first one. I think it is very appropriate, and shows more of why Simon (Peter) would leave fishing, Matthew would leave tax collecting, and how it is both valuable and necessary:
ReplyDeleteMatthew 19:16-30 (NIV)
16 Just then a man came up to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?”
17 “Why do you ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, keep the commandments.”
18 “Which ones?” he inquired.
Jesus replied, “‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, 19 honor your father and mother,’ and ‘love your neighbor as yourself.’”
20 “All these I have kept,” the young man said. “What do I still lack?”
21 Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
22 When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.
23 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”
25 When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, “Who then can be saved?”
26 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
27 Peter answered him, “We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?”
28 Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life. 30 But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first.
Am I willing to give everything, to walk away from the things by which I define my life, to follow Jesus?
ReplyDeleteWhat comforts, people, relationships, freedoms am I unwilling to sacrifice?