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RETURN to Morris Fork Baptist Church Homepage The Miraculous Catch
of Fish by John A. Kohler, III
In this passage, the Lord Jesus Christ works a mighty miracle in order to call His first full-time disciples unto Himself. Their names are Andrew, Simon Peter, James, and John, all fishermen by trade. I. Simon Peter heard and obeyed Christ’s words (vv. 1-3). A. Jesus saw two small sailing vessels anchored along the shore of the Lake of Gennesaret. One of these ships belonged to Andrew and Simon Peter, and the other ship belonged to James and John, the sons of Zebedee. B. Jesus climbed aboard Simon Peter’s ship and asked him to launch it out into the shallow water near the shore. Whenever Jesus spoke, people heard God’s Word and words (v. 1). C. Simon Peter obeyed Jesus’ request, and Jesus then used this ship as a pulpit from which to catch fish. II. Simon Peter launched out into the deep by faith (vv. 4-5). A. After He was done teaching the people, Jesus told Simon Peter to launch his ship out into the deep waters and let down his nets for a big catch of fish. B. The usual custom was to fish at night in shallow waters, but Jesus told Simon Peter to fish during the day in deep waters. C. Simon Peter did exactly what Jesus said, even though he and his partners were totally-exhausted from fishing all night and discouraged because they had not caught a thing. Jesus’ instructions were also totally-contrary to everything Simon Peter knew about fishing and made no sense to him. D. Launching out into the deep in that situation is something like going into all the world by faith in our day. III. Simon Peter let down the net (v. 5). A. Simon Peter obeyed the Lord Jesus Christ and let down the net, even though it would mean that he would have to wash his net all over again. B. Letting down the net in that situation is something like preaching the gospel to every creature in our day, which is also an inconvenience and something we would rather not do. IV. Simon Peter and his partners drew in the net (vv. 6-7). A. When they drew in the net, they caught such a great multitude of fishes that their net broke loose and their two ships could hardly contain them all. B. Drawing in the net in that situation is something like commanding sinners to come to Christ in repentance and faith in our day. Just as the number of fish in the net was out of their hands, so, too, the number of sinners who repent and believe is beyond our control. V. Simon Peter worshipped the Lord (vv. 8-9). A. When Simon Peter saw the mighty miracle that Jesus had performed, he knew that he was in the immediate presence of Deity and prostrated Himself before the Lord Jesus Christ. B. Simon Peter then said, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord” (cf. Job 42:6; Isa. 6:5; I Tim. 1:15). C. It is interesting to notice that Simon Peter did not boast or brag about the great multitude of fishes he had caught, but instead gave Jesus all the glory. Neither did he hold an annual school to teach others how to be great fishermen like himself. VI. Simon Peter and his partners followed the Lord (vv. 10-11). A. From this time on, Andrew, Simon Peter, James, and John laid everything else aside to follow Jesus full-time and fish for the souls of men (Mat. 19:27-28; Lk. 14:33; 18:28-30; Phil. 3:7-8). B. They trusted Jesus to provide for all of their needs. C. About three years later, Jesus would provide them with another fishing lesson that they would never forget (Jn. 21:1-14).
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