Pastor Barry's  "Chapter & Verse"  Day 99

April 9;      Luke 5:10;       49/260(IV);      ‘Catching Men’

Luke 5:10 and so also were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, "Do not be afraid. From now on you will catch men."

There was such a large multitude that Jesus, standing by the shore, was literally being pushed out into the water.  Jesus got into a boat, owned by Simon Peter (Peter), asked him to move the boat out into the water a little and then Jesus sat down and taught the people.  When Jesus had finished ministering to the people, He told Peter to launch the boat into the deep waters and let down the nets for a catch of fish.  Peter told Jesus that they had fished all night and caught no fish, but because Jesus told him to do this Peter obeyed. When Peter dropped the nets he caught a huge number of fish, so many that Peter signaled to his partners in another boat to come and help him with the catch.  When Peter realized what had happened, he fell at Jesus’ feet and asked Jesus to leave him because he was a sinful man.  They were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken.  Jesus then told Peter not to be afraid, that from then on he would be catching men.  What did Jesus mean?  Peter was being called into the ministry as a disciple of Jesus.  He would spend time with Jesus, teach the Word and heal the sick.  Peter would become a full time minister and do the Lord’s work.  We all are called by Jesus to catch men.  You may not be called into the full time ministry, but once you become a Christian, you are called to spend time with Jesus in the Word and prayer, share the Word and empowered by the Holy Spirit pray for the sick. Catch men, that is what the Lord Jesus told Peter and we all have the same responsibility to catch men too.