Simon's Fabulous Fishing Trip Series

Last week we began to look at and understand the process of transformation that Jesus cultivated in a strong healthy fisherman named Simon.

Simon was a business owner. He ran a fishing enterprise on the Lake called Gennesaret, the Sea of Tiberias and the Sea of Galilee are three names used for one of the most famous bodies of water in the world. Situated 680 feet below sea level, it is called Lake Kinneret by the Israelis today.

He had a home in Capernaum which was likely the site where Jesus forgave the sins of and healed a paralyzed man who what dropped through a hole made in the roof during a teaching session.

It was here that the people were amazed – not by the miracle of healing but by the mercy of forgiveness given.

It is this amazement that is the beginning of Simon’s transformation into Peter; from an ordinary man into an extraordinary servant.

I want to encourage you to pick up one of the booklets “from Ordinary to Extraordinary” that goes along with this series of messages in the foyer. It’s written so that you can read a chapter a week and get more information about the process of transformation in your life. The booklets are free and you can also download them by going to the church’s website – www.meridianchristian.org.

For today you’ll want to turn to look at Luke 5:1-11. Here we see an important and critical step in the process of transformation that only Luke tells us about.

It all began with another session of Jesus teaching – this time on the shoreline of the lake… Follow along with me as I read the account.

Simon’s Fabulous Fishing Trip

Luke 5:1-11

One day while Jesus was standing beside Lake Galilee, many people were pressing all around him to hear the word of God. 2 Jesus saw two boats at the shore of the lake. The fishermen had left them and were washing their nets. 3 Jesus got into one of the boats, the one that belonged to Simon, and asked him to push off a little from the land. Then Jesus sat down and continued to teach the people from the boat.

4 When Jesus had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Take the boat into deep water, and put your nets in the water to catch some fish.”

5 Simon answered, “Master, we worked hard all night trying to catch fish, and we caught nothing. But you say to put the nets in the water, so I will.” 6 When the fishermen did as Jesus told them, they caught so many fish that the nets began to break. 7 They called to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. They came and filled both boats so full that they were almost sinking.

8 When Simon Simon saw what had happened, he bowed down before Jesus and said, “Go away from me, Lord. I am a sinful man!” 9 He and the other fishermen were amazed at the many fish they caught, as were 10 James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners.

Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid. From now on you will fish for people.” 11 When the men brought their boats to the shore, they left everything and followed Jesus.

The Jesus Boat Picture

During the mid-eighties a severe drought drained the lake to its lowest level ever. During that time a boat dating back to the first century was discovered. After years of careful restoration, the boat is now on display at the Kibbutz. It is dubbed “the Jesus boat” because it dates to the time period of His ministry. Jesus could very well have sailed in a boat of similar size to the one pictured above.

When the Word of God is spoken with clarity, passion and conviction, it always draws a crowd. Jesus always drew a crowd.

When he came to the shore of the lake the people followed. Jesus noticed two boats along the seashore.

Luke used the word ploiarion, meaning “a little boat” which certainly fits the picture of this boat.

Here is where the fishermen would washing out and repair their nets after an excursion on the lake.

They would wash out the lake grass and an odd sandal or two that they had drug up while fishing!

So here was Simon after a tough night of fishing cleaning up his boat, setting up the nets to dry in the sun and along comes Jesus who picks his boat and asks for it to be pushed just off shore to serve as a floating platform. This would have been an ideal way for Jesus’ voice to carry across the water to the maximum amount of the people – and the water keep the crowds back so that more could hear.