The Apostle Peter was not always the Apostle Peter. In the early years of his life, he was the humble fisherman Peter. A man who spent his days aboard a ship pulling in the nets time and time again. That is until he encounters a man named Jesus, who transforms Peter from a fisherman into a fisher of men. All in a few short years. Their first encounter was so impactful, it caused the future apostle to walk away from the most lucrative catch he ever caught on the spot.
Matthew 4:19 (ESV)
19 And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
Luke 5:11 (ESV)
11 And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him.
Fishermen are nothing, if not storytellers. Bragging of the large catches they have pulled in, the storms they have successfully navigated, and all they have witnessed on the water. I imagine that Peter had no idea the story he would one day be able to tell when a stranger asked to board his boat. One of a great catch but an even greater catch to come. One that didn’t end after the catch had been pulled in. One continued to grow throughout Peters’s entire life. Only becoming more and more impressive over time.
The Bible records that Peter had completed a night fishing and was cleaning his nets one morning. An act that was simply his normal routine. However, that morning things were about to become anything but normal. A man named Jesus asked to board Peters’s boat in order to teach those on the shore. Something that must have been a first for him but Peter was happy to oblige. In fact, he probably wanted to hear what the man had to say that was so important. So Jesus boarded and they shoved off a little ways from the shore.
Luke 5:1–3 (ESV)
1 On one occasion, while the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, he was standing by the lake of Gennesaret, 2 and he saw two boats by the lake, but the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. 3 Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, he asked him to put out a little from the land. And he sat down and taught the people from the boat.
Once He had finished speaking Jesus told Peter to drop his nets and catch some fish. Peter, being an experienced fisherman, says to the man he had already fished all night in the area and not caught anything. Dropping the nets would also mean they would need to wash the nets again a task they would have only just completed moments before Jesus boarded their boats.
Yet, with all this Peter still decided to do what Jesus had said and let down the nets for a catch. It is possible he chose to go against his instincts because of everything he had just heard the man say to the crowds gathered on the shore. Looking for a way to test who the man really was and what He knew. To Peters’s amazement, the nets became so full of fish the nets started to tear. They called for the assistance of a nearby ship but the catch was so large both boats began to sink.
Luke 5:4–7 (ESV)
4 And when he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” 5 And Simon answered, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.” 6 And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking. 7 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.
This catch was greater than anything Peter had seen or even heard of before. Not to mention it was caught in an area that only hours before had yielded nothing. Peter quickly realized that the man on his boat was no ordinary man. He fell to his knees before Jesus calling Him Lord and asking Him to leave him since he was such a sinful man.
Luke 5:8–9 (ESV)
8 But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” 9 For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish that they had taken,
Jesus told Peter to not be afraid and told Him that he would no longer be just a humble fisherman. But would instead be a fisher of men. Once they made it to land Peter walked away from everything to follow after Jesus. Including the biggest payday he would have ever received as a fisherman. Leaving it all behind on the shore for someone else to collect as he went after soothing better.
Luke 5:10–11 (ESV)
10 and 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.” 11 And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him.
Peter had finally done what every fisherman dreams of doing. Something he most likely would often wish for as he started to pull the nets in. A record catch that would result in extra money and possibly a few days off. But when it finally happened he chooses to walk away from it all to follow something much better. Leaving behind the fame, great story, and even the large sum of money a large catch would yield.
Because he was willing to leave all that, he would go on to experience things and even become someone he never dreamed of. From seeing water turned to wine, the sick healed, and even the dead raised. His own prayers would result in others receiving the healing they desperately needed. He would even become one of the greatest preachers to ever live and pen some of the Scripture. But greatest of all he would receive forgiveness and salvation a gift that no amount of money could ever buy.
Some of us will have to be like Peter and leave some things behind in order to become who God wants us to be. Even if it means walking away from the thing we have dreamed of and even our greatest payday we could have ever received. If following the Lord means leaving it all behind it is the best thing we’ll ever choose to do. Just imagine what Peter would say if you could ask Him about his decision. I’m sure He would say it was the greatest choice He ever made.
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