In the preceding verses we see the miracle of fish. It wasn’t really a miracle at all. To Jesus it was the norm. He created the water for the fish, He created the fish for man, and He taught man how to catch the fish. He was just doing it at a more rapid pace. Just like when He quieted the storm. It wasn’t a miracle! Who is it that quiets every storm? It wasn’t a miracle to turn water to wine! How is wine made? However, the miracle was in the timing. Timing is a barrier that Jesus isn’t to familiar with. It was day, fishing is done at night. Jesus gives His command, (4). Peter replies (5) we have toiled. That word means to work until there is no more energy. Beyond exhaustion. Hear him say, “But Jesus, we have worked all night long. We are so tired. And to make matters worse, we caught nothing. I have not the energy to mend my nets. If it wasn’t for the responsibility of using them again tonight, I would be home asleep. The only thing driving me to mend these nets is the fact that if I don’t my business will perish, and my family will go hungry. But nevertheless, at your word I will do what you ask.” Ever been there?
If this wasn’t a miracle to Jesus, why didn’t He just tell the fish to jump in the boat? No doubt that Jesus had been teaching about the coming Messiah. He wanted to see if Peter believed. You see there is this word called faith that is very important in the vocabulary of God. Look at what happens, (6) “when they had done this”. After they responded Christ blessed. God blesses us in our faith. Then the bible teaches us that "11So when they had brought their boats to land, they forsook all and followed Him."
1. What does it mean to forsake all? In order for the disciples to be a blessing to their family, friends and in their finances, they had to turn away from them and to Christ. After spending time with Christ they could return and be the blessing God wanted them to be. But not until they had spent time with Christ. You see, Jesus said you can’t have two masters for you will love the one and hate the other. (Luke 16:13) We should take His words literally and seriously.
They forsook their:
a. Families and friends. Matthew 10:34-38. It is very simple to God. Whatever separates
you from Him, what ever comes between you and God, God hates. He will not tolerate it. So if your love for someone else is greater than your love for God, He does something about it. What God wants is simple. You spend time with Him, and He will love through you with love unthinkable to the ones you love. (i.e. Abraham) When the disciples returned from their three year adventure with Christ, can you imagine the difference they were to their family and friends. The purest love was extended from their Holy Spirit filled bodies! The discipline they had learned was now applied to their relationships with their loved ones. What a blessing they must have been. What a blessing they would have missed if they hadn’t followed Him.
b. Finances. Jesus says “You cannot serve God and mammon.” 1 Tim. 6:10 says, “For the
love of money is the root of all kinds of evil…” Notice it doesn’t say money is evil. To love money is evil. There is that word love again. To put anything between God and us is evil. It’s not evil to have money. As a matter of fact, God will bless us with money when we know how to use it. That is not saying that everyone who has it knows how to use it. But when we His Saints learn to keep money in perspective, He blesses us. (i.e. Joseph, Abraham, Job) We also forget that God has promised to provide all that we need. Why would He provide something evil? He wouldn’t! So money isn’t evil, but the love for it is!
Think how much freedom in this area of their lives these men had after returning from their journey with Christ. After returning from Christ, our business becomes a blessing to us, our families, and others. Our finances are seen as a means to perform miracles in others eyes. Jesus turned them from fishermen to fishers of men. He can do the same for us.
c. lives. Matthew 10:39
2. What does it mean to follow Him? Following Him through out the bible simply means to show with our faith that we make Him number One in our lives. Sometimes we have to do without certain things for a while. (i.e. fasting) Very rarely does God take things away permanently. He wants to transform us into blessings in our world. After transforming us, He sends us back into our world to transform it. He calls it “the salt, and the light”. He has given us the ability to change, impact our world. After the disciples had forsaken all and followed the One God blessed them by transforming them to where they could:
a. See Jesus. Polarized vision verses 20/20. There are
these glasses out there that improve vision. I have 20/20 vision. However there are things that I cannot see due to glare. When you have polarized sunglasses on, you can see certain things that you couldn’t before. Pride treats you the same way. You may say that you sight is perfectly clear. However due to your pride you cannot see your own mistakes. But your sure can see others. After seeing Jesus throughout the three years they learned His behavior patterns. I am sure that after Jesus had returned to the Father, that they recognized them in their day as well.
b. Hear Jesus. They new His voice. So many times
Jesus said things to them that were almost off the wall. Nevertheless His voice had a burning power that they had never experienced before. It created a hungering desire to hear more. They also realized that these were the words of eternal life that they needed so desperately. Which caused them to search more for His voice. Jesus said, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.” John 10:27. When we forsake all and follow One, we hear His voice and follow Him.
c. Know Jesus. The disciples experienced His miracles
in many ways. At first they watched Him perform them, then He sent them out and they performed them almost as an internship, and finally they had the responsibility of going out on their own and living as Christ had taught them. They were experiencing Jesus to the fullest. The fullest is when you lead others to experience the change that Christ has made in you. Then you truly start understanding just who Jesus really is! The promise is that you and I can know Jesus even more so that the disciples did.
d. Be filled with Jesus. After the day at Pentecost the
Holy Spirit made it’s home in their hearts. They were Jesus filled people. When we accept Christ into our hearts we become Jesus filled people.
Today, is God tugging at your heart asking you to forsake something and follow Him. You may simply need to let go of you past. Our past often holds us back. But God will forgive you of your sins, and cleanse you. It may be a material item. Don’t allow insignificant things keep you from the most Significant thing alive! It may be a family member or a job. Whatever it is could the God who made the world be trusted with such a valuable thing in you life? I think so. And you never know, He may make you such a blessing that He returns you there to do His work. Will you forsake all today and follow the One?
