The First Disciples

I think by now you can already be in agreement that the heart of Jesus ministry is to share the heart of the Father and the kingdom of God with people.

While we have seen the masses already, Jesus is concerned about the individuals. The messages to the masses was to be accepted by the person.

This section, this event, IS NOT a parallel to what you read in (Mt4:18-22, Mk1:16-20)

Jesus had already met and used our fishermen before (ref. Mk1:21-39)

Jesus had been teaching, healing, went into Peter’s home and healed his Mother in Law

Jesus mission, share the kingdom, and transform people to share the message of the kingdom, of the forgiveness of sins with others.

Another interesting fact, is it is said that it could have been that seven of the disciples were fishermen

John 21:1–3 NASB95

1 After these things Jesus manifested Himself again to the disciples at the Sea of Tiberias, and He manifested Himself in this way. 2 Simon Peter, and Thomas called Didymus, and Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two others of His disciples were together. 3 Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We will also come with you.” They went out and got into the boat; and that night they caught nothing.

Wiersbe in his commentary made this remark

“Fishermen generally have the qualities that make for success in serving the Lord. It takes courage and daring, patience and determination to work on the seas; and it also takes a great deal of faith. Fishermen must be willing to work together (they used nets, not hooks) and help one another. They must develop the skills necessary to get the job done quickly and efficiently.”

Our Study Passage

Luke 5:1–2 NASB95

1 Now it happened that while the crowd was pressing around Him and listening to the word of God, He was standing by the lake of Gennesaret; 2 and He saw two boats lying at the edge of the lake; but the fishermen had gotten out of them and were washing their nets.

Luke 5:3–4 NASB95

3 And He got into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, and asked him to put out a little way from the land. And He sat down and began teaching the people from the boat. 4 When He had finished speaking, He said to Simon, “Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.”

Luke 5:5–6 NASB95

5 Simon answered and said, “Master, we worked hard all night and caught nothing, but I will do as You say and let down the nets.” 6 When they had done this, they enclosed a great quantity of fish, and their nets began to break;

Luke 5:7–8 NASB95

7 so they signaled to their partners in the other boat for them to come and help them. And they came and filled both of the boats, so that they began to sink. 8 But when Simon Peter saw that, he fell down at Jesus’ feet, saying, “Go away from me Lord, for I am a sinful man!”

Luke 5:9–10 NASB95

9 For amazement had seized him and all his companions because of the catch of fish which they had taken; 10 and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not fear, from now on you will be catching men.”

Luke 5:11 NASB95

11 When they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed Him.

What sticks out to you in this passage?

What was the crowd doing, what was Jesus doing (v.1)?

Crowd pressing in and listening.

Jesus was preaching the word of God

What were the fishermen doing (v.2)?

Washing their nets

Looking at (vv.3-4), what facts can you pull from these verses?

Jesus got in the boat of Simon

Asked Simon to “push out a little way”

Jesus sat and taught

When done, He told peter to put out “into the deep water” and let down his net for catch.

What was Peter’s response to Jesus request (v.5)? and what were the results (v.6)?

At Your word I will do it

There was a great quantity of fish, nets began to break

What did Peter do next in (vv.7-8)?

Called for help

Fell at Jesus feet and acknowledged he was a sinful man

What is Jesus claim to the fishermen (Peter, James, and John, Andrew (implied)) (v.10)?

You will be catching men.

What did the fishermen do when they got back to land (v.11)?

They left everything and followed Him.

Jesus pulpit

Luke 5:1–3 NKJV

1 So it was, as the multitude pressed about Him to hear the word of God, that He stood by the Lake of Gennesaret, 2 and saw two boats standing by the lake; but the fishermen had gone from them and were washing their nets. 3 Then He got into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, and asked him to put out a little from the land. And He sat down and taught the multitudes from the boat.

J. Vernon McGee a preacher from many years ago speaking of pulpits said this.

“Every pulpit is a fishing boat, a place to give out the Word of God and attempt to catch fish.”

Jesus enters Peter’s boat and invites him to push out a little bit.

Back up- Lake Gennesaret, is also known as the Sea of Galilee or some know it as the Sea of Tiberius. They are all one in the same.

Let this think in, here is Peter now in a boat with the Lord, he was a captive audience. Hearing the word of God, the word that brings faith, for there was to be a faith test coming up.

A long fruitless night of fishing, nothing to show for it, washing and stretching nets and here Jesus gets in the boat and wants to use him. He does it.

Peter’s faithful choice

Luke 5:4–5 NKJV

4 When He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon, “Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” 5 But Simon answered and said to Him, “Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net.”

Peter had been obedient and now the Lord is about to bless him, but Peter must believe and respond, participate to receive the blessing.

Peter calls Jesus “Master” - this is him acknowledging Jesus as one with authority and we see Peter’s willingness to submit to the authority and let down his nets in the deep.

Speaking of deep. Fishing on Sea of Galilee happens at night, not during the day. Fishing on the Sea is in the shallow waters with the net’s they were using, not the deep. Jesus, a carpenter, it telling a fisherman how to do his job.

Yet by faith, Peter did what Jesus told him to do. Something that made no logical sense, Peter did!

Oh there could have been all sorts of excuses, but Peter acted by faith, had faith in the words of Christ.

Courson in speaking on this passage says this:

“Peter is an example for me that just because, like him, I may come up empty in ministry, empty in what I put my hand to do… I am not to give up, turn back, for I don’t know what is around the corner. Peter was washing his nets to preserve his nets, just as we as fishers of men need to be continually washed by the water of the Word and be stretched by the Holy Spirit of God if we are to be useful for the kingdom of God.”

Wiersbe says: “When Jesus directs our work, it makes all the difference. We can work, even work hard, for a long time and make no results. But when Jesus directs our work, we see results; and we always miss something great when we make excuses instead of allowing Jesus to direct our work.”

Help!

Luke 5:6–7 NKJV

6 And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking. 7 So 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.

How often do we try to go at things alone and not ask for help? Peter knew he needed help and asked for help.

As fishers of men, we are to be in it together. It is not to be done alone.

Clarke: “Some will rather leave souls to perish than admit of partners in the sacred work. It is an intolerable pride to think nothing done well but what we do ourselves; and a diabolic envy to be afraid lest others should be more successful than we are.”

Help, be willing to ask for help

Be willing to give help

The reaction, the call

Luke 5:8–11 NASB95

8 But when Simon Peter saw that, he fell down at Jesus’ feet, saying, “Go away from me Lord, for I am a sinful man!” 9 For amazement had seized him and all his companions because of the catch of fish which they had taken; 10 and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not fear, from now on you will be catching men.” 11 When they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed Him.

Jesus had previously touched Peter’s mother in law (Lk4:38-39) now Peter is personally impacted by Jesus and brings humility and acknowledgement to Him.

What did Peter know at this time?

He knew Jesus is Lord

He knew he was a sinful man

He let this knowledge make him a humble man.

He then became a following man. Along with the others.

Notice what the disciples did, did not do (v.11)

They left everything and followed

They did not even take the catch that was boat breaking just a few minutes before.

In closing, since out of time, Wiersbe said this.

“How people respond to success is one indication of true character. Instead of claiming the valuable catch for themselves. Peter and Andrew called for their partners to share it. We are not reservoirs, but channels of blessing, to share with others what God has graciously given to us.”