Fishers of Men

Let’s get close to Jesus because that's where the fish are.

Luke’s account of the calling of the disciples, Simon, Andrew, James and John, has provided rich fodder for bible teachers. What I love about scripture is that every person can see and respond to a different aspect of the same account. Even the same person at another point in life is able to see something entirely new in the same passage.

As I was reflecting on the boats and the fish, I came away with a new understanding that I hadn’t grasped before. Here’s the passage from Luke:

3Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, he [Jesus] asked him to put out a little from the land. And he sat down and taught the people from the boat. 4And when he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” 5And Simon answered, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.” 6And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking. 7They signalled 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. 8But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” 9For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish that they had taken, 10and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.” 11And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him. (Luke 5:3-11)

When I think of this story, I envision hundreds of fish called out from their hiding places, being mysteriously drawn to Jesus. He was the beacon, drawing the fish. Because Jesus told Simon Peter that he would soon be catching men, we can confidently interpret this passage not only as a miracle of provision, but also as a metaphor for how the disciples would be bringing people to Christ.

But where are the fish? In this story the fish are coming to where Jesus is. If we are serious about sharing the good news, it has to start with our desire to be where Jesus is. If we are out in our own boat doing our own thing, ignoring Jesus, we will catch few if any fish.

When Jesus was physically walking on this earth, at least it was clear where he was. The disciples could literally be in the same boat. What about now? Where is Jesus?

After Jesus died, there is a curious account recorded at the end of John (21:1-14). These same fisherman, who had spent the last 3 years following Jesus as his disciples, were now at a loss of what to do after Jesus' death. They had seen the resurrected Jesus twice, but at the suggestion of Peter, they returned to what they knew best—fishing. Out they go. But that night, they catch nothing. As they return in the morning, a man on shore instructs them to throw their nets out on the right side of the boat. Sure enough, once again their nets are filled to the brim. And only then do they recognize that the man on the shore is Jesus. There were disciples, boats, similar instructions, but a very distinct difference. Do you see it?

This time Jesus was on the shore, outside the boat. There's got to be a reason for this distinction.

I believe this was Jesus' way of reminding them that their call to be fishers of men was still the same even though he was no longer going to be in the boat with them physically. Earlier in John 20:22, we read that Jesus breathed the Holy Spirit into the disciples when he appeared to them in the locked room after his death. We know that this is the spirit of God living in us-- made possible because of Jesus resurrection (John 16:7)

And now this Spirit, Christ in us, is also a beacon for the "fish". The fish came to the boat where the disciples were not to the shore where the physical Jesus was. It’s still all Jesus, but now it’s Him in us. When we let go of the ugly bits of ourselves and allow the Spirit to transform us, we become kinder and more patient. We love truer. We are better versions of ourselves--more like Christ. No, not perfect, but when we remain open to the work of the Holy Spirt we can't help but diffuse "the fragrance of His knowledge in every place" ( 2 Cor. 2:14).

14 Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. (2 Cor:14)

It's the fragrance of Christ in us. We need to be near Jesus so that we have his aroma.

COOL FACT:  Fish can smell underwater. They use their sense of smell to find food and identify each other. 

We need to draw close in whatever way we feel connected to Jesus—worship, prayer, reading the word, serving, etc. When we do so, we are transformed and diffuse His fragrance and can't help but attract others into relationship with Jesus. However, if we block off the Spirit’s work in us with walls of distraction and disobedience, then we’re going to attract very little.

I think the other remarkable similarity in both accounts is the fisherman’s obedience. It was only when they did what Jesus instructed that they caught fish. In the first account, Jesus asked the disciples to push out into deep water. In the next account, they were in shallow water and were asked to put their nets out on the right. I don’t know why deep or why on the right, but the key is that the disciples obeyed, and that’s where the fish were.

To be honest I don't know that I've ever had the privilege of being the person that walked someone directly into an encounter with Christ. I hope I've at least planted some seeds of faith and been part of people's journeys. As I've been immersing myself more in the word and healing from a few difficult years, there is an urgency building inside of me. It's hard to describe. I now find myself engaged in more spiritual conversations with my neighbours. Where these conversations will ultimately lead, I don't know. I'm leaving that up to God.

We are His workers doing His work, and thankfully it's usually with others. So let’s get close to Jesus, let’s get obedient, and let’s find some other people to do it with. I think we will be surprised at how Jesus ends up working through our everyday lives.

Lord Father, thank you for inviting us to be part of the exciting work of drawing hearts to you. Help us have hearts that seek you first and ones that are willing to obey, even when it costs us something. Lord, transform me to be more like you and show me today what you want me to do.