The Fifth Sunday after Trinity.
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The Collect.
RANT, O Lord, we beseech thee, that the course of this world may be so peaceably ordered by thy governance, that thy Church may joyfully serve thee in all godly quietness; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
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ND it came to pass, that, as the people pressed upon him to hear the word of God, he stood by the lake of Gennesaret, 2 And saw two ships standing by the lake: but the fishermen were gone out of them, and were washing their nets. 3 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. 4 Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught. 5 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. 6 And when they had this done, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake. 7 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. 8 When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord. 9 For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the draught of the fishes which they had taken: 10 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.11 And when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all, and followed him. (Luke 5:1-11)
Jesus stands by the lake of Gennesaret and is urged by the people to speak to them the Word of God. Every Word that Jesus spoke was the Word of God for Christ is God also.
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ND it came to pass, that, as the people pressed upon him to hear the word of God, he stood by the lake of Gennesaret
Why would so many people follow every move of Christ and seek to hear Him?
1. Christ did not differentiate between Prince and Pauper. He treated all men alike with respect and dignity as human beings only.
2. Though Christ, was sinless, He was kind to all sinners except the hypocrites (Pharisees and Sadduccees).
3. He cared most for those who were oppressed and poor.
4. He recognized the needs of men and women.
5. Jesus taught the pure Word and not the diffused and diluted Word taught in many churches of our day.
And saw two ships standing by the lake: but the fishermen were gone out of them, and were washing their nets. 3 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.
These two ships had finished the day’s work. The fisherman were washing their nets which suggests that they had caught no bounty of fish else they would have first taken the fish to the market before they spoiled.
Christ decides to make a separation of Himself from the people during His preaching. This is a concern to every minister. We, too, must separate ourselves, not only from the world when we preach, but even from our own selfish desires. So Jesus makes a distance from the people to better assess them and conduct His teaching. The boat He commandeers to accomplish this belongs to Simon Peter.
And he sat down, and taught the people out of the ship.
Jesus was the Teacher. The people were the students. Jesus sat down to teach because He taught with Authority. The people, as students, stood to receive the Word eagerly.
He spoke from the waters to the land. Just as the refreshing showers of blessing are drawn up from the sea into the air masses and move landward, so were the Words of Truth dispensed from the very Water of Life.
Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught.
Christ was never guilty of any lapse in courtesy or failure to reciprocate a favor. He had used Simon’s ship, now He will recompense Simon therefor.
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.
Again, proof that all the labors of the day had failed to get any fish. The sea may not give up its bounty to man, but it certainly will give up its bounty to its Maker. In fact, the day will come when all the dead even who have perished in the sea will come up out of the sea and even from Hell itself! And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. (Rev 20:13)
The Creator of all Creation exercises power over it.
Though Simon doubts of the result, he will nevertheless let down the net at the command of Christ. To Simon, this is a waste of time. That which makes no sense to man makes an abundance of sense to God.
And when they had this done, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake. 7 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.
Please note that this was no ordinary fishing expedition. These fishermen had never caught so many fish as to sink their boats. Look at how profusely Christ repays those who are gracious and who obey His Word even when they doubt the result somewhat. We, too, must obey the Word of God even if we cannot imagine any benefit to ourselves.
When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord. 9 For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the draught of the fishes which they had taken:
We are not worthy to be in God’s presence; however, He has allowed us to come to Him. Our being in the presence of God requires reverence, unlike the screaming and shouting we observe in many churches. God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be had in reverence of all them that are about him. (Psalm 89:7)
Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: 29 For our God is a consuming fire. (Heb 12:28-29)
The miraculous catch of fish was adequate proof to Simon of who Christ was coupled with all else he had witnessed. He knew himself to be unworthy of Christ. Do we so recognize that we are not worthy either – that it is simply by God’s grace that we are made worthy.
So were the other two called apostles: And so was also James, and John, the sons of Zebedee, which were partners with Simon.
If they believed catching such a tremendous number of fish was exceptional, Christ will further make them fishers of men so that their nets will be overloaded - And Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men.
Fisherman are persistent in their labors.
· They know WHERE to fish, and for how long.
· They know what will attract fish to their nets.
· They know the TIME to fish.
· These fish were taken alive just as men must be taken alive. Once dead, they are of no account to God or the Church.
This is a progressive call to Peter, James, and John.
The First Call
35 Again the next day after John stood, and two of his disciples; 36 And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God!
37 And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. 38 Then Jesus turned, and saw them following, and saith unto them, What seek ye? They said unto him, Rabbi, (which is to say, being interpreted, Master,) where dwellest thou? 39 He saith unto them, Come and see. They came and saw where he dwelt, and abode with him that day: for it was about the tenth hour. 40 One of the two which heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. 41 He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ. 42 And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone. (John 1:35-42)
The Second Call
18 And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. 19 And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. 20 And they straightway left their nets, and followed him. 21 And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them.
The Third Call
22 And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him. (Matt 4:18-22)
We see a progressive role being established here:
1st, a stone.
2nd, fishers of men
3rd, not only fishing for men, but catching them in abundance.
Each of us has been called of Christ to a mission with a specific role. Are we still at the point of loitering by the sea, working to convert souls, or have we arrived at the point where our efforts are so credible that men will follow?
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