In today’s text, we see the people in Jesus’ day were starving. They were starving because there was a famine in the land. They weren’t necessarily starving for food. The physical food was plentiful. But they were starving for the Word of God. Though there were synagogues everywhere in Israel and “the scriptures” were being read, it was mostly done in a ritualistic way. It was often “custom”, “religious rote” and “liturgical”. The people weren’t hearing the living word of God in such a way that lives were being changed. But Jesus changed all that. When Jesus spoke, the people recognized that God was speaking. Jesus’ words were truly, “The word of God”. The very first verse of today’s text reveals that people were following Jesus out of their hunger to hear from God. “So it was, as the multitude pressed about Him to hear the word of God…” (Luke 5:1a)

May God’s people today hunger for God’s word above church programs, special music, church buildings and religious entertainment. May we hunger for the pure word of God and seek to hear from God above all our other hungers. Today’s text…

So it was, as the multitude pressed about Him to hear the word of God, that He stood by the Lake of Gennesaret, and saw two boats standing by the lake; but the fishermen had gone from them and were washing their nets. Then He got into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, and asked him to put out a little from the land. And He sat down and taught the multitudes from the boat. When He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon, “Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” But Simon answered and said to Him, “Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless, at Your word I will let down the net.” And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking. So, they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!” For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish which they had taken; 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.” So, when they had brought their boats to land, they forsook all and followed Him.” (Luke 5:1–11, NKJV)

It moves me to see how Peter’s life was changed forever by this incident. This was the day Peter forsook his past life and forever followed Jesus. This was the day Peter went from simply being a “believer” in Christ to being a “disciple”. This was the day Peter changed his address of Jesus from “master (V:5) to “Lord” (V:8) This is the day Peter went from being a “fisherman” to being a “fisher of men”. 

May we all continue our forward motion in Christ to be all we can be for Him!

Pastor Mike