Luke 5:1-16

5:1-5 | Luke recounts the preparation for Peter’s call. The people had come in droves to hear Jesus but could not easily hear Him where He was. Realizing this, Jesus stepped into one of the boats belonging to Simon (Peter) to preach from just offshore.

5:1-3 | The Lake of Gennesaret (also called the Sea of Galilee or the Lake of Tiberius) is about 700 feet below sea level and serves as the main source of water for the Galilean region. Jesus chose this place to teach. The shore served as the pews, the boat as the pulpit, and Jesus as the preacher. Sitting down to teach was standard practice in those days.

5:4-11 | Earlier (John 1:40-42) Jesus had called Simon and Andrew to follow Him, but apparently they had gotten distracted and returned to their business. In order to get their full attention, He performed a miracle they would never forget.

5:4-5 | Jesus’ command to let down the nets in deep water made no sense to the fishermen. When God asks His followers to do something that makes no sense, they are on the verge of experiencing Him in powerful and awe-inspiring ways – far more so than if they relied solely on their own strength and ability (Eph. 3:20).

5:9 | The quantity of fish astonished the men as well as the fact that they caught the fish in daytime (fish were normally caught at night). They recognized that no one but the Creator could have commanded the fish into the nets.

5:10 | Simon was called to serve as a fisher of people. The work of God in Peter’s life did not take place in one day. His journey to become a full-fledged ministry of the gospel extended over several years and involved many encounters with the Messiah. This is true of all of God’s servants. The more time they spend with the Master, the more they will become like Him.

5:11 | When Simon and his friends saw the power of Jesus at work in their lives, everything else – their nets, their boats, their livelihoods – became less important.

5:16 | Jesus often withdrew from the crowds to get alone with His Father. He never sacrificed this discipline in order to meet the never-ending demands of ministry, and it resulted in extraordinary power. If Jesus needed times of solitude and prayer, how much more do His follower!