We’ve reviewed twenty miracles recorded in the Gospel of Mark and five additional miracles unique to John. Today let’s consider a miracle that is only recorded by Luke.
Imagine this scene: “After (Jesus) left the synagogue, he entered Simon’s house. Simon’s mother-in-law was suffering from a high fever, and they asked him about her. So he stood over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her. She got up immediately and began to serve them. When the sun was setting, all those who had anyone sick with various diseases brought them to him. As he laid his hands on each one of them, he healed them” (Luke 4:38–40). Jesus healed Peter’s mother-in-law and then He lovingly touched everyone who was sick. They were lined up. Some were carried on stretchers. Others walked with the assistance of family members or friends. Some were bandaged. All were broken. One-by-one Jesus patiently met their needs. Face-to-face, eye-to-eye, He spoke with a tender voice, touching them compassionately, and with Divine power, He healed each completely.
It’s no wonder that the following day, “the crowd was pressing in on Jesus to hear God’s word” (Luke 5:1). Everyone wanted to be near Jesus, to hear His teaching and to understand His Heaven-sent message. So, Jesus got into a fishing boat, took a seat on the bow, and then asked Peter, the boat’s owner, to push out into Galilee’s waters. From His floating pulpit, Jesus taught them.
“When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, ‘Put out into deep water and let down your nets for a catch’ ” (Luke 5:4). Peter was a fisherman. Jesus wasn’t. Peter may have bristled a bit when the Carpenter gave him advice about fishing. “Master... we’ve worked hard all night long and caught nothing. But if you say so, I’ll let down the nets” (Luke 5:5). Peter knew how and when he was most likely to catch fish. It wasn’t here. It wasn’t now! But because Jesus had repeatedly demonstrated His power, Peter was willing to submit.
“When they did this, they caught a great number of fish, and their nets began to tear. So they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them; they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink” (Luke 5:6-7).
I’m not a great fisherman. I promise you; I’ve never been in danger of sinking the boat because I caught too many fish! Peter’s nets were so full that he almost sank two boats. I can almost hear Peter and John giggling like schoolboys. They’d never seen anything like it. They were amazed. The guys back in Capernaum would never believe this fishing story!
And then Peter realized the magnitude of God’s grace! “When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’s knees and said, ‘Go away from me, because I’m a sinful man’ ” (John 5:8).
Jesus said to the humble fisherman, “Don’t be afraid... From now on you will be catching people” (Luke 5:10). Peter didn’t suddenly become a better fisherman. He simply submitted to Jesus’ direction. He obediently and humbly “put out into deep water and let down his nets.” At Pentecost, Peter did the same thing. He humbly and obediently followed the Lord’s direction and preached the simple Gospel truth saying, “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Acts 2:21). As three thousand people submitted their lives to Christ in believing faith (Acts 2:41), Peter’s boat was filled with another miraculous catch!
So, I ask, are we ready to do whatever Jesus commands? Are you ready to push out into the deep?
All Scripture quotations, except as otherwise noted, are from
Holman Bible Publishers’ Christian Standard Bible.
