GOD’S WORD FOR  NOVEMBER 3

Our  book excerpt today, and ongoing,  is from “Chiseled by the Master’s Hand”  Lessons from the Life of Peter, by Erwin  Lutzer.  Dr. Lutzer is  Canadian-born and served as Senior Pastor of the Moody Church in Chicago for 36 years, until his retirement in 2016.   He now serves as Pastor Emeritus of Moody Church.  He’s written many books and has radio and internet teaching programs.

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Still on Luke 5:1-11

Standing in a boat hardly qualified one to be known as an expert fisherman!  Peter and his companions had had a difficult night, for though they cast their net many times, they caught nothing.  Without a word they finished cleaning their nets and were putting them away for the day.  That’s why they felt so surprised when they heard Christ say, “Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.”

There were some rather well-known rules about fishing in Galilee.  For years Peter and his friends had observed the habits of fish, the hours and places most likely to yield a catch.  If his peers would have given him advice, he would have resented it.  But now Peter was confronted with the command of a Man whom he had recently come to respect;  a Man he was convinced was the promised Messiah.  How should he respond to this request, since it seemed so obviously wrong?

Peter was exhausted and frustrated from the failure of the past night, his nets were already cleaned,  and he wanted to make the point that they had already tried their best:

“Master, we worked hard all night and caught nothing, but at Your bidding I will let down the nets” (vs. 5).   We can almost hear a sigh of hopelessness in his voice.  If they didn’t catch fish at the best time, how could he expect to catch any now?  But whether the command was wise or not, to his everlasting credit,  PETER OBEYED.

  There were two reasons why Christ’s command would have appeared foolish.  First, this was the WRONG TIME.  In Galilee the best time to fish was during the night and the early morning.  This explains why they had been out all night.  Even though they had caught nothing, there always was a much better chance of catching fish during the night than during the day.  On this particular night, the fish were not hungry and were not attracted to the movements of the nets in the water.  If none were caught at night, there would certainly be none in the heat of the day.

Second, this was the WRONG PLACE.  Every fisherman knew that the best place to catch fish was along the shore, NOT in the deep water.  To put out into the deep with a boat laden with nets would bring ridicule from those who lingered along the shore.  It would be humiliating!  Only a carpenter would not know these time-honored rules of fishing!

Foolish or not, Peter could not escape this clear command.  If Christ was to be his master, His authority would extend to Peter’s fishing business.  There cannot be two captains on the same boat.  Dutifully, he let down the nets for a catch.

To his surprise, we read:

“And when they had done this, they enclosed a great quantity of fish; and their nets began to break’;  and they signaled to their partners in the other boat for them to come and help them.  They came and filled both of the boats, so that they began to sink.” (vs 6-7).

Peter left with one boat but returned with two – both filled with fish!  Along with Christ’s command to fish had come a miracle!  Though it was the worst time and the worst place, the nets were filled with a catch.

The lesson was becoming clear:  IF PETER COULD  BE SUCCESSFUL AT CATCHING FISH AT CHRIST’S COMMAND, MAYBE HE COULD BE SUCCESSFUL AT CATCHING MEN.

We often need to fish (witness) again where we have failed before.  Sometimes we must fish the same waters, reaffirming that our ship is under the complete control of our new captain.

I do not mean to imply that we should witness (“fish for men”) indiscriminately.  There is a time to be silent and a time to speak;  there are circumstances where Christ is best served by our lives rather than our tongues.  But many believers multiply excuses for not sharing their faith when the real reason is a lack of faith, a deep-seated skepticism about Christ’s ability to save sinners.  All of us must be reminded that when we cast our net, Christ is able to fill it.

This miracle was a learning experience.  The Divine Sculptor was shaping the lives of Peter and his companions.

If Simon had to become a rock, his obedience would have to be tested and the chisel put to his soul.

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1 Peter 3:15

    “But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.”

Romans 1:16

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.”

Psalm 107:2

“Let the redeemed of the Lord say so,   whom He has redeemed from the hand of the enemy,”

Matthew 28:19-20

    “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Mark 16:15

    “He said to them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.’”

Luke 24:47

    “and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.”

John 20:21

    “Again Jesus said, ‘Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.’”

Acts 1:8

    “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

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