An Amazing Catch!

"Master, we have worked all night long but have caught nothing. Yet if you say so, I will let down the nets." 6 When they had done this, they caught so many fish that their nets were beginning to break.

They caught so many fish that it took two boat to get them all to shore. And even then the boats were in danger of sinking.  

It was billed on the local news as the biggest catch in history. A life time worth of fishing trips all in one day.  

Just imagine the excitement!

In order to get the full impact of what this kind of catch really represents; we need to put the story into todays world.  Lets say that Peter and his friends just won a six million dollar lottery.

Now that is something we can understand.  Isn’t it?

So here is how the story is told today:  This new guy in town, his name was Jesus, had been teaching a lot about God in the last few weeks. Just happened to be among the men during the lunch break.  When he heard Peter and his friends talking about the probabilities of winning the lottery.  Peter decided that it was a useless, impossible, game.  He had played all the odds with no luck!

Thats when the new guy interrupted the conversation.  He suggested that Peter try one more time.  He even gave Peter the numbers to play.  Told him he had an inside source!  And to trust him!

Now Peter, and his buddies, knew about this guy before this particular conversation took place.  As a matter of fact, he had been a guest in Peter’s home, just a few nights before, when Peter witnessed one of Jesus’ healings.  Peter’s mother-in-law was very sick that night.  Jesus healed her.  He had stood over her and told the fever to leave her alone.  And immediately she got up and made them dinner. (Lk. 4:38-39)

 Now, healing is one thing!  But Peter questioned  Jesus’ ability to play the numbers in the lottery game.  However, after some hesitation, Peter agreed.  He took one last try and played the numbers Jesus had given him.  And, Peter won so much money he didn’t know where to put it all. 

An unbelievable six million dollar!  WOW!

Who was this guy anyway???  First he come to town telling them that he is here to fulfill some ancient promise from God. Then he heals Peter’s mother-in-law.  Then gives Peter all the right numbers for the lottery. Peter is beside himself.  His mind went crazy with questions.  

He found himself awestruck!  Dropping to his knees before Jesus!  Worshiping him with total gratitude!

Something amazing came over Peter.  A drastic, almost visible change! This bold and muscular young fisherman, seemed somehow not so bold!  He seemed almost gentled.

And the strangest thing of all was that Peter seemed to have forgotten all about his newly acquired fortune.

It says he just left it! Left the millions, he was so extremely grateful for.  And followed, this new guy, Jesus around from town to town.  

A most amazing story!

He left everything!  Every single dollar!  Just to be with Jesus.

“Why in the world would he do that?  He must have lost his mind!”

A most difficult story for we American Capitalists to understand.  No man leaves the biggest catch of his life!  What he worked for so long!  A dream to any one!  Left it!  Left it to be one of Jesus’s students!

No one knows who benefited by Peter’s lack of logic.  In any language, any culture, that was a radically--dumb thing to do!  Makes no sense ate all!

End of Parable!

I am going to take a huge theological leap here.  I am going to say that Peter had a realization.  An Epiphany!  An exceptional awareness of God!  An awareness of something so very crucial that everything in his life got redefined in its presence.  His worldview was, in that moment, greatly  altered!  Gave Peter another perspective.

I can’t help but wonder why God just doesn’t do that for all of us.  

Oh, I don’t mean God should give all of us a big catch amounting to six million dollars.  But why doesn’t God just snap his fingers and help us believe like that?  Just snap, and we live and think better — differently!  Snap and we leave everything to follow Jesus!

Why doesn’t God just take us by the scruff of our necks and shake us until we see the light?  

Like he did at Pentecost!

Or!  Or maybe he does!

Remember, Peter was not always so convinced about Jesus' decisions.  Peter did after all deny knowing Jesus in the courtyard the night of his arrest.

All through the Gospels Jesus sends out the challenge for us to catch!  The challenge to put ourselves in Peter’s place.

You see!  We, like Peter before his big catch, busy ourselves with the various tasked of our livelihood, our lives.  Instead of stopping to listen, we stay in our boats, cleaning our nets.  Consumed with responsibility!  Seeing no other possibilities for our life.

Stories like this one are there to open our eyes!

Scripture is full of stories to help us redefine our living.  Our existence!  Our thinking and behavior!

1 Once while Jesus was standing beside the lake of Gennesaret, and the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, 2 he saw two boats there at the shore of the lake; the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. 3 He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little way from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat. 4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch." 5 Simon answered, "Master, we have worked all night long but have caught nothing. Yet if you say so, I will let down the nets." 6 When they had done this, they caught so many fish that their nets were beginning to break. 7 So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both boats, so that they began to sink. 8 But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, "Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!" 9 For he and all who were with him were amazed at the catch of fish that they had taken; 10 and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. Then Jesus said to Simon, "Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people." 11 When they had brought their boats to shore, they left everything and followed him.(Lk. 5:1-11)