From
Shallows to Depths
In Luke 5:1-11, scripture records for
us the calling of Jesus’ first disciples—Peter, James and John. These
three would eventually become his inner circle. The occasion was Jesus
teaching “the Word of God”
(5:1) on the shores of Galilee, a Word the people “pressed upon him”
to hear. Would to God a revival of such an interest in TRUTH might
infect modern-day America.
Jesus took the occasion of two ships
nearby to create a buffer zone between himself and the crowd. He asked
Peter to “thrust out a
little from the land” (5:3) and continued teaching. You
can see the practicality of such a request. Peter accommodated our
Lord and kept on washing his nets.
When the preaching was done, Jesus
made another request of Peter: “Launch out into the deep, and
let down your nets for a draught” (5:4). Three
observations are in order.
First, Jesus was about to reward a
PRACTICAL kindness shown to him with a SUPERNATURAL kindness. I believe
Jesus demonstrated such kindness throughout his entire ministry. Jesus
would later teach his disciples that giving so much as a “cup of cold
water” in the name of a disciple would entail a reward (Matthew 10:42).
It turns out that Peter giving the courtesy of a little preaching room
to Jesus carried a reward of its own. Kindness and gentleness are core
characteristics of Christ. Peter discovered that truth early on. If
you're a disciple of Jesus, you’ve no doubt discovered he ALWAYS
returns kindness for a kindness shown.
Secondly, Jesus typically requests of
a disciple that they “thrust out a LITTLE from the land” (5:3) BEFORE
asking them to “launch out into the DEEP” (5:4). The first is
often preparation for the second. A reasonable act of obedience with a
PRACTICAL result can prepare the way for an unreasonable act of
obedience with SUPERNATURAL results.
Thirdly, there is NO SECURITY, there
are NO GUARANTEES for a child of God outside the will of God.
After a night of fishing with empty nets, one act of obedience
literally broke their nets. God is STILL in the business of filling the
nets of the obedient. These three men “forsook all” (5:11) to follow
Christ. There is no greater security to be found in this life than
operating under the Lordship of Christ.
The joy of the journey consists in
knowing that what begins in the SHALLOW waters of the practical can
lead to the DEEP waters of the supernatural.
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