In this Bible story, on the Sea of Galilee, Jesus calls upon the First Disciples as he performs a miraculous catch of fish after the fishermen had been unsuccessful. The fishers were astonished by the miracle as a demonstration of the presence of God, which was the first step in understanding who Jesus is. Jesus calls the common fishermen to leave everything and become his disciples as "Fishers of Men."
In Luke 5:10, Jesus tells Simon, "Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men." Catching men as "Fishers of men" builds on the analogy of catching fish. It means bringing people into the kingdom of God, and into a relationship with Jesus.
These first disciples of Jesus had already heard the preaching of John the Baptist and were prepared to accept Christ immediately. Though illiterate and unlearned in religion, these "people of the land" whom Jesus called will be revealed at Pentecost to be the wisest of all.
The following is an excerpt from the Matthew Henry Commentary on Matthew 4:
"When Christ began to preach, he began to gather disciples, who should be hearers, and afterward preachers of his doctrine, who should be witnesses of his miracles, and afterward testify concerning them. He went not to Herod's court, not to Jerusalem, among the chief priests and the elders, but to the sea of Galilee, among the fishermen. The same power which called Peter and Andrew could have wrought upon Annas and Caiaphas, for with God nothing is impossible. But Christ chooses the foolish things of the world to confound the wise.
Diligence in an honest calling is pleasing to Christ, and it is no hindrance to a holy life. Idle people are more open to the temptations of Satan than to the calls of God. It is a happy and hopeful thing to see children careful of their parents, and dutiful. When Christ comes, it is good to be found doing. Am I in Christ? is a very needful question to ask ourselves; and, next to that, Am I in my calling? They had followed Christ before, as common disciples, (John 1:37); now they must leave their calling. Those who would follow Christ aright, must, at his command, leave all things to follow him, must be ready to part with them. This instance of the power of the Lord Jesus encourages us to depend upon his grace. He speaks, and it is done."
1One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, the people were crowding around him and listening to the word of God.
2He saw at the water’s edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets.
3He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat.
4When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.”
5Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.”
6When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break.
7So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.
8When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!”
9For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken,
10and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners. Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.”
11So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.
18As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen.
19“Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.”
20At once they left their nets and followed him.
21Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them,
22and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.
23Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people.
24News about him spread all over Syria, and people brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed; and he healed them.
25Large crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea and the region across the Jordan followed him.
1Afterward Jesus appeared again to his disciples, by the Sea of Galilee. It happened this way:
2Simon Peter, Thomas (also known as Didymus ), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together.
3“I’m going out to fish,” Simon Peter told them, and they said, “We’ll go with you.” So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.
4Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus.
5He called out to them, “Friends, haven’t you any fish?”“No,” they answered.
6He said, “Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.” When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish.
7Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, “It is the Lord,” he wrapped his outer garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water.
8The other disciples followed in the boat, towing the net full of fish, for they were not far from shore, about a hundred yards.
9When they landed, they saw a fire of burning coals there with fish on it, and some bread.
10Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish you have just caught.”
11So Simon Peter climbed back into the boat and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many the net was not torn.
12Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” None of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord.
13Jesus came, took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish.
14This was now the third time Jesus appeared to his disciples after he was raised from the dead.
15When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?”“Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”
16Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.”
17The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my sheep.
18Very truly I tell you, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.”
19Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, “Follow me!”
He is a cross pendant.
He is engraved with a unique Number.
He will mail it out from Jerusalem.
He will be sent to your Side.
Emmanuel
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