Fishers of Men — TDW Kids

Hungry to hear. “The multitude pressed about Him to hear the word of God” (5:1). The people did not come only to see miracles. They wanted God's word, and Jesus gave it to them. An ordinary place. Jesus stood “by the Lake of Gennesaret” (5:1). Gennesaret is another name for the Sea of Galilee. Jesus taught on a beach, where people lived and worked. Tired fishermen. “The fishermen had gone from them and were washing their nets” (5:2). They had worked all night. Now they were cleaning up before going home. Simon's boat. Jesus “got into one of the boats, which was Simon's” (5:3). He chose a working man's boat to teach from. A small yes. Jesus “asked him to put out a little from the land” (5:3). Simon said yes to a small request. Soon Jesus would ask him for much more. Seated to teach. “He sat down and taught the multitudes from the boat” (5:3). Teachers in Israel often sat down when they taught. The boat became Jesus' teaching seat. Jesus comes close. Jesus did not wait for Simon to come to a special building. He stepped into Simon's everyday world. For you. Jesus still meets people in ordinary places. When you give Him what you have, even something small like your time, He can use it for His work.

Hearing God (5:1). The crowd pressed in “to hear the word of God.” Jesus' teaching was not one more rabbi's opinion. It was God's own message, spoken by the One who is Himself the Word: “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:14). Gennesaret (5:1). The Lake of Gennesaret is the Sea of Galilee, a freshwater lake about thirteen miles long. Towns like Capernaum and Bethsaida stood on its shore, and fishing was one of the main ways people earned a living there. Night work (5:2, 5). Fishermen on Galilee usually worked at night with large nets. Washing the nets meant the night was over. These men were finished and ready to sleep. Simon already knew Jesus. His brother Andrew had brought him to Jesus (John 1:40-42), and Jesus had healed Simon's mother-in-law in his own house (Luke 4:38-39). Simon had seen Jesus' power, but he had not yet left everything to follow Him. A borrowed pulpit (5:3). A pulpit is the place a preacher stands to teach. Jesus borrowed Simon's boat for one. Jewish teachers usually sat to teach (Luke 4:20), so Jesus sat in the boat and taught the crowd on the shore. Step by step. Jesus first asked Simon for his boat, then for his obedience, and then for his whole life. Jesus often leads us the same way, one step of trust at a time. Why it matters. Jesus stepped into Simon's workplace before He called Simon's heart. He still meets people in ordinary places: a classroom, a kitchen, a ball field. Wherever you are, He is ready to speak to you through His word.

The people pushed close to Jesus by the lake. They wanted to hear the word of God. God's word is His message to us. It tells us who God is and how much He loves us. Jesus taught people wherever they were. That day He taught them on a beach. The fishermen had worked hard all night. They were tired and ready to go home. Jesus climbed right into Simon's work boat. Simon pushed the boat out a little way. Now everyone on the shore could hear Jesus. Simon gave Jesus his boat to use. Jesus can use the everyday things we give Him too.

Many people wanted to hear God's word. Jesus taught them from Simon's boat. Jesus can use what we give Him.

Into the deep. “Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch” (5:4). Jesus spoke of a catch before a single fish was in the net. An honest answer. “Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing” (5:5). Toiled means worked very hard. Simon told Jesus how tired and empty-handed he felt. You can be honest with Jesus too. Nevertheless. “Nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net” (5:5). Nevertheless means even so. Simon did not feel like it, and it did not make sense, but he obeyed because Jesus said so. Faith that obeys. Faith is more than a feeling. It is trusting Jesus enough to do what He says, even when you cannot see how it will work. A great catch. “They caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking” (5:6). In a few minutes Jesus did what a whole night of hard work could not do. More than enough. “They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them” (5:7). Both boats filled up “so that they began to sink.” Jesus gave more than they could hold. Lord of creation. “All things were made through Him” (John 1:3). The fish in the lake obeyed their Maker. For you. When Jesus' word and your feelings do not agree, trust His word. He is wiser than we are, and He is good.

Two commands (5:4). In Greek, “launch out” is spoken to Simon alone, but “let down your nets” is spoken to the whole crew. Simon would lead, and the others would follow his obedience. Toiled (5:5). Toiled means worked until you are worn out. Jesus uses the same word in Greek when He says, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). Master (5:5). The word Simon uses for Master means a boss or an overseer. It shows respect, but after the catch Simon will call Him something greater. At Your word (5:5). The Greek rhēma (say: RAY-mah) means a spoken word. Simon's obedience rested on what Jesus had said, not on what Simon knew about fishing. “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17). Proverbs 3:5-6. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding.” Simon's experience said no. Jesus' word said yes. Simon chose the word. Breaking nets (5:6-7). The nets were breaking and the boats were sinking. The gift was bigger than the fishermen could manage, and they had to call for help. Jesus did it again. After His resurrection, Jesus gave Peter another great catch on the same lake, right before He restored Peter (John 21:1-17). Why it matters. Faith is not believing that something will happen because you want it. Faith is trusting the Person who has spoken. When you open your Bible, you are hearing that same voice.

Jesus told Simon to go out into deep water. He told him to let down the nets. Simon knew a lot about fishing. He had fished all night and caught nothing. Fishing in the daytime did not make sense to him. But Simon trusted Jesus more than his own ideas. He said he would do what Jesus said. That is what faith looks like. Faith means trusting Jesus and doing what He says. Then the nets filled with so many fish they began to break! Jesus is Lord over the fish and the sea. When Jesus tells us something, we can trust Him.

Jesus said to go into deep water. Simon was tired, but he obeyed. Then the nets filled with fish! Jesus is Lord of the sea.

He fell down. “When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees” (5:8). A moment before, Simon called Jesus Master. Now he bowed before Him. A sinful man. “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!” (5:8). Depart means go away. Being near Jesus made Peter see his own sin clearly. Amazed. “He and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish” (5:9). Astonished means shocked and amazed. James and John felt it too (5:10). Jesus stayed. Jesus answered, “Do not be afraid” (5:10). He did not leave. He came closer to a sinner who knew he needed Him. Why Jesus came. Later Jesus said, “I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance” (5:32). Repentance means turning from sin to God. A new job. “From now on you will catch men” (5:10). Peter used to catch fish. Now he would bring people to Jesus. All in. “They forsook all and followed Him” (5:11). Forsook means left behind. They walked away from the biggest catch of their lives. For you. You do not have to clean yourself up before you come to Jesus. Come as you are, tell Him the truth about your sin, and follow Him.

Master to Lord (5:5, 8). In verse 5 Simon called Jesus Master, a boss. In verse 8 he says kyrios (say: KOO-ree-os), Lord. The Greek Old Testament used kyrios for God's own name. Simon now sees that he is kneeling before more than a teacher. Isaiah's cry. When Isaiah saw the Lord, he cried, “Woe is me, for I am undone!” (Isaiah 6:5). Then God cleansed him: “Your iniquity is taken away, And your sin purged” (Isaiah 6:7). Then God sent him. Peter's morning has the same order: he sees the Lord, sees his sin, receives mercy and is sent. A sinner (5:8). Peter does not confess one bad deed. He confesses what he is: a sinner, someone who misses the mark God has set. Stop being afraid (5:10). Jesus' words mean do not keep on being afraid. Jesus answers Peter's fear with His own presence. Catch alive (5:10). The Greek zōgreō (say: zoh-GREH-oh) means to catch alive. Fish were caught to die. People Peter brought to Jesus would be caught for life. The call by the sea. Jesus said to these fishermen, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men” (Matthew 4:19). Jesus makes the fisher. Peter's part was to follow. Forsook all (5:11). They left boats, nets and a record catch. Jesus later said, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me” (Luke 9:23). The fisherman fishing. On the day of Pentecost Peter preached, and “that day about three thousand souls were added to them” (Acts 2:41).

Peter looked at the boats full of fish. He knew Jesus was no ordinary man. Peter fell down at Jesus' knees. He saw how holy Jesus is. He also saw his own sin. Peter said, “Go away from me, Lord.” But Jesus did not go away. Jesus said, “Don’t be afraid.” He came to save sinners, not to push them away. Then Jesus gave Peter a new job. Peter would help people come to God. Peter, James and John left everything behind. They followed Jesus with all their hearts.

Peter saw how great Jesus is. Peter knew he was a sinner. Jesus loved him and called him.

Alone with the Father. “He went out to the mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God” (6:12). Prayer first. Jesus was about to choose the men who would carry His message to the world. Before that big choice, He spent the whole night talking with His Father. A morning choice. “When it was day, He called His disciples to Himself; and from them He chose twelve” (6:13). A disciple is a learner who follows a teacher. Jesus had many disciples, but He chose twelve for a special job. Apostles. He chose twelve “whom He also named apostles” (6:13). An apostle is a messenger who is sent out. A new name. “Simon, whom He also named Peter” (6:14). The name Peter means rock. Ordinary men. Peter, Andrew, James and John were fishermen. Matthew had collected taxes. “Simon called the Zealot” (6:15) was known for being full of zeal, or strong eagerness. A sad warning. “Judas Iscariot who also became a traitor” (6:16). A traitor turns against a friend. Judas was close to Jesus but did not truly trust Him. For you. Talk to God before big choices, the way Jesus did. Jesus loves to use ordinary people who follow Him.

All night (6:12). “Continued all night” means Jesus stayed awake and kept praying through the whole night. Prayer was Jesus' habit: He prayed at His baptism (Luke 3:21), and “He Himself often withdrew into the wilderness and prayed” (Luke 5:16). Before daylight. “Having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed” (Mark 1:35). The Son of God chose to depend on His Father. If He needed time alone with the Father, so do we. Disciples and apostles (6:13). A disciple is a learner who follows a teacher. An apostle, apostolos (say: ah-POSS-toh-loss), is one sent out with a message and with the sender's authority. Every apostle was a disciple first. A mixed group (6:14-16). The list includes two pairs of brothers: Peter and Andrew, and James and John. Matthew is the tax collector called Levi in Luke 5:27. Simon is called the Zealot, one full of zeal. Only Jesus could make brothers of such different men. Judas (6:16). He “also became a traitor.” Judas walked with Jesus, heard His teaching and saw His miracles, and still betrayed Him. Being near Jesus is not the same as trusting Him. Jesus prays for His people. Jesus later told Peter, “I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail” (Luke 22:32). Today “He always lives to make intercession for them” (Hebrews 7:25). Why it matters. Jesus also prayed, “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word” (John 17:20). If you believe in Jesus through the apostles' message, Jesus prayed for you.

Jesus had a big choice to make. First He went up a mountain to pray. He prayed to His Father all night long. Jesus is God's Son, and He still prayed. That shows us how important prayer is. In the morning Jesus called His followers. He chose twelve of them to be apostles. An apostle is someone Jesus sends with His message. They were not rich or famous men. Some were fishermen, and one collected taxes. Judas Iscariot later handed Jesus over to His enemies. Jesus uses ordinary people like you and me.

Jesus prayed all night. Then He chose twelve helpers. You can talk to God too.