From Master to Lord (Luke 5:1-11)
Rev. David French
02/06/22

As we continue through this Season of Light, we consider Peter’s epiphany, the day he at least for a moment understood who it was he called his Master. 

As this chapter begins Luke paints for us a beautiful picture. As I read these words I can see Jesus in my mind’s eye peacefully walking along the shore until someone recognizes Him. Suddenly He’s surrounded by a large number of people. 

It seems clear that the people in that area are well aware of the reputation of this Jesus. He’s the “Miracle worker”. The One who leaves the Pharisees speechless. The One who cast out demons. The One who taught God’s Word with authority. 

As the crowd tries to get closer, they end up pushing Him back to the water’s edge where Jesus sees a couple of boats left by some fishermen and gets in the one belonging to Simon and asks him to put out a little from the shore and Jesus begins to teach. 

In John 1 we find Jesus during His early Judean ministry calling six of His disciples. In the fourth chapter of Matthew’s gospel during His Galilean ministry Jesus, calls Peter, Andrew, James and John. 

But while they were with Jesus, they don’t yet seem to have been with Him on a permanent basis. At least this text indicates they had left Him to go back to work and there’s nothing to suggest Jesus was there looking for Peter. Jesus was simply going about region teaching the Word of God. 

To be sure by this time Peter had already seen Jesus do many things he couldn’t explain. But up to this point in Luke’s gospel Peter always refers to Jesus as Master. It’s a term of respect to be sure, but also a term that will soon be insufficient.

After Jesus finished teaching, He asks Peter to put out into deep water and Peter says: Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. It kinda sounds like a stay in your own lane kind of thing. You know, Master we’ve already done what we can. We’ve followed the wisdom gained by years of experience and have worked hard, not for a shift but all night long and have nothing to show for it and we’re just really tired. 

Certainly, we can understand Peter’s words, whether at work, in the family or at church we also are tempted to allow our wisdom and experience alone to guide us but when we come up seemingly empty handed and we feel what we feel and that can indeed be 
 tiring. 

And yet Peter continues “But because you say so” or literally “at your word”, I will let down the nets. Against all wisdom and reason Peter humbles himself to the word of God and the result is clear. 

He was in the same lake using the same boats with the same people, the difference was not effort, the difference was the Word of God, the difference is always the Word of God. 

These men who spent a long night of hard work and then most of the morning listening to Jesus were willing but they certainly were not enthusiastic. As a servant obeys his or her Master Peter and crew followed Christ command, but their hearts were not in it and then it happened.

This great catch was immediate and it was effortless and it was unlike anything they had ever seen before. As Peter signals the others to come help or literally “to take hold with them, they together fill both boats just below the point of sinking.

But still that doesn’t seem like something that would strike the heart of Peter with such force. What then, what was it Peter saw that cause him to fall at the knees of Jesus, why then? 

As we think about that question and turn to the scriptures it becomes very clear that no other miracle of Jesus affected Peter the way this one did, not even when his mother-in-law had been healed. 

But then this one is different, this one was done not for Peter to see, but for Peter, in his boat, the boat in which he was in command.  In his profession Peter knew all the tricks of the trade, it’s here, where Peter feels completely in control, God opens his eyes with a catch of fish and Peter sees Jesus for the first time not as his master but as his Lord, the Holy one of God, the Savior of all mankind. 

Like Peter you also know who Christ is, you also have heard His call and have seen how His word can change lives, and you also like Peter know there are times where the idea of His “Word alone” just doesn’t make sense based on what you’ve seen and know to be true in your life? 

The temptation is great, so the question is: How much are we like Peter? The answer to that question is not found in our efforts but is seen in our willingness to serve not according to our wisdom or the tricks of the trade, but according to God’s Word.

Peter, had his eyes opened seeing God’s Word at work in the catch, and in himself as he stood before “The Light of the World” who is Christ, and it over whelmed him.

Go away from me Lord: I am a sinful man. But Jesus didn’t go away from Peter and He will never go away from you or me. No matter what we see when we look into our hearts, Christ is always there for you, to comfort and forgive you. 

What Peter saw in himself that day he didn’t need to share he needed to confess. He didn’t need a new way to think, he needed to be forgiven, He knew in his heart he had doubted Christ word and so God’s wisdom, he didn’t see any use in lowering his nets, he did it out of respect, he knew Jesus, he knew He was a good person, someone to admire and respect, but at that point he didn’t know Him as his Lord.

We also know Jesus as a good person, someone to be admired, even someone who helps others, but you confess Him as your Lord? To be sure we know the temptation to not see Jesus as He’s revealed in His Word but the way we want to see Him. Of course, we like the idea of a divine helper, a friend who’s always there, but a Savior, that’s one our sinful nature will always fight against. But according to the Scriptures that is what we need, a Savior. 

So, don’t be afraid of what you know to be true about yourself, remember God already knows. Don’t be afraid to seek His Word of love and forgiveness. Those blessings of the Lord are real and they are for you and they should humble and remind us that we are worthy of nothing and all our efforts gain nothing, for the catch that day as everyday was and is delivered to us and to all who believe through the Word of God made flesh our Savior and Lord Jesus, The true light who has come into the world for us all. 

In His name, Amen.