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Time to lower the nets once more

Reflections on Luke 5: 1-11

Here's the background of the story: Jesus had announced to the congregation at Nazareth that he was the fulfillment of the prophecy from Isaiah and tells them off because they had rejected him; 'no prophet is ever accepted in his own home town etc'. He then went down to Capernaum where he preached and healed a man of an unclean spirit. He then came to the side of the lake with a whole crowd following him, and asked this small group of fishermen to take their boat a little way out from the shore. From that vantage point he preached to the crowd. After he had finished he told the fishermen to lower their nets. Now they were reluctant because they had already cleaned their nets from a fruitless night of fishing in the same area and so they said to him: 'Master, we have already fished all night and caught nothing; but, if you say so, we'll do it'! When they began to pull in the nets they found that there were so many fish within them that the nets were at breaking point.

Realising that some miracle had occurred, Simon (Peter) fell down at Jesus feet and said: 'Lord, depart from me for I am a sinful man'! i.e. I am unworthy of all this. Yet I can imagine Jesus laughing and saying to him: 'Simon, don't be afraid, because from now on..... I've got something better for you to do..... from now on you will catch men'!

There are many wonderful truths from this passage, but I'd like us to focus just on one: God brings blessings in his time at the most unlikely places. In our context it might well be that we have tried particular outreach ministries in the past and they have proven ineffective. We've wound up the activity; put away the books, dusted and stored away the equipment.... and Jesus comes to us through someone and says: 'drop down the nets'! It may not make sense, but if Christ is calling us to do it, we'd better obey him; and then expect a great blessing after we've done it.

 Love & prayers, Rev. Dave. 

Thought for today: 'I will make you fishers of men, if you follow me!'