From that first day when we believed, confessed our sin and received Christ as our savior we started on a lifelong journey of maturing in our relationship with Jesus. Our faith as well started to grow as we became more familiar with and believing God’s Word as we apply it to our lives. Our faith in God should also become more evident to others as we begin acting on it. In James 2:14-18 teaches us that faith is more than just a word in our vocabulary but is also exemplified by a Christian’s actions. “14 What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? 15 Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 If one of you says to him, “Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. 18 But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.
For many Christians it is easy to say “I have faith in God” but it is not that easy to act in faith to the many opportunities the Lord gives us to express our faith. Why is it hard for some Christian’s to act on their faith? What could be some hindrances? Pride, not wanting to look like a fool to others if it does not work out as I believed and said it would. Logic, thinking and or being convinced, “it doesn’t happen that way”. Believing others in what they say, especially the experts more than God. Confidence in personal practical experience and knowledge about an issue which says, ” I know how it is to be done, it’s not done that way.”
When the Apostle Peter first meet Jesus he had to put his long time practical experience, knowledge and logic of fishing aside, and be obedient and act in faith to what Jesus told him to do. As a result he experienced an outcome that his long time practical experience, knowledge and logic of how to fish could never produce. Luke 5:1-7, 5 One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, with the people crowding around him and listening to the word of God, 2 he saw at the water’s edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who 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 from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat. 4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.” 5 Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.” 6 When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began 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 full that they began to sink.
Was Peter a realist or a pessimist? Can a Christian who says they have faith in God and what His Word says, be a realist or a pessimist? Only a Christian without faith would consider themselves a realist or pessimist.
Realist (pragmatist) – One who is inclined to literal truth and pragmatism. pragmatism – A practical, matter-of-fact way of approaching or assessing situations or of solving problems.
Pessimist – A tendency to stress the negative or unfavorable or to take the gloomiest possible view.
A realist or a pessimist might possibly answer Jesus’ request the way Peter did in verse five. “Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything.” Peter knew from his professional experience that fishing was done only at night and it was hard work. He possibly could have thought to himself, “if Jesus knew anything about fishing He would realize this”. He also could have possibly thought, “Jesus should have seen and realized what was going on in front of him when He asked to get into my boat. Verse two, “he saw at the water’s edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets.” Peter and his fishing partners were finished fishing and “were washing their nets” preparing to go home. Peter was neither a realist or a pessimist, but he did after the miracle catch of fish, truthfully admit to Jesus who he was, “I am a sinful man!” (Luke 5:8).
When Peter said in verse 5b, “But because you say so, I will let down the nets.” Did he say this to Jesus because he wanted to show this carpenter-teacher how much he did not know about fishing? I do not think Peter was being sarcastic or disrespectful to Jesus. Note how Peter respectfully addresses Jesus as “Master” in verse five and how he humbly complies to Jesus’ request. “Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.”
There were also possibly others in the boat with Peter and Jesus, note verses six and seven the words “they“, “them” and “their” 6 When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. 7 So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them…” If Peter was not the only one in the boat with Jesus, as a result of his humility, obedience and acting in faith, the others who were in the boat also experienced the miracle. Many times when we believe God and His word and obey in faith, others are also participants and get to experience the results and our obedience of our actions of faith.
Luke does not tell us who was possibly in the boat with Peter, nor does he tell us who were “their partners in the other boat” (ver. 7) that had to come to help haul in the miraculous catch of fish. When our situations do not turn out the way we expect them to or the way they are suppose to, this can be a difficult and trying situation with harsh results. These men along with Peter faced the difficult trial of not catching any fish after fishing all night, “we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything”. As a result they would have to deal with the consequences of the lack of income for the various needs they and their families might have had. But that night, the period of failure, was what God had planned for them. He knew that morning Jesus was going to ask Peter for the use of his boat. God knew that Jesus was going to ask Peter to, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.” God also knew that Peter would humbly obey and experience what would happen when he trusted Jesus even though common sense and experience told him the opposite. God knew that Peter would have faith and act in what Jesus told him and others would also benefit the results.
The next time Jesus asks us to do something that is not done “that way” or is opposite to common sense and our experience, would we have the faith in what He tells us and obey?
Pastor John
