Last Wednesday, in the NHYG Talk Night class, we considered when Jesus called his disciples, Peter, James, and John. In Luke 5:1-11 we see a direct example of how obedience and faith come into action. In the text, Simon Peter is an experienced fisherman and has spent an exhausting night catching nothing. It seems illogical to the professional fisherman and crew when Jesus tells them to put out into deeper water and let down the nets. After all, Simon knows the sea and the best time to catch fish. But even with his doubts, Simon says, “But because you say so, I will let down the nets.” What happens next is amazing. The men begin to catch a miraculous amount of fish that is so abundant that it starts to break the nets, and the boats begin to sink.
Jesus performing this miracle was not about catching fish. It was about trusting and obeying. Simon, James, and John knew what they were doing. They had every reason to trust their expertise over what Jesus told them. Yet, they chose to obey Jesus. I wonder why. Maybe hearing Jesus teach the crowd from the boat with great authority just earlier had sparked enough faith for him to obey, even if it seemed illogical. Their obedience revealed their willingness to trust and obey even when it defied logic.
What about when Jesus calls us to obey Him in illogical or inconvenient ways? It might be forgiving someone who does not deserve it. It might be giving generously when our money is tight. It might be stepping out in faith to share the gospel even though we fear rejection. It might be having our sins washed away in baptism and obeying the gospel. When we obey Jesus, even if it does not make sense to us, we allow ourselves to be a testimony to His power and faithfulness.
The text from Luke 5 concludes with Jesus telling Simon, Peter, James, and John that they will be fishers of men from now on. What Jesus says here changes their perspective and moves them from doing what they have always done and what they are comfortable with to leading a life of trusting and obeying.
Think about how you respond to Jesus when He asks you to do what seems odd. Trust and obey, for there’s no other way. It might be illogical, yet it will undoubtedly be fascinating.
In Christ, alone.
Alex Mills