Bible Study Series: Peter the Apostle
From Fisherman to Fisher of Men: The Call of Peter
by Fraser Gordon
In the Old Testament, one of my favourite character studies is Jacob. In the New Testament I've always wanted to do Peter because I feel that I can relate to him just as I can to Jacob. Today I want to look at the first two encounters Jesus had with Peter and his call to be a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ. In John we'll look at his first encounter and then we'll look at the second in Luke.
The first encounter
John 1.35, Again, the next day, John stood with two of his disciples. 36 And looking at Jesus as He walked, he said, "Behold the Lamb of God!" 37 The two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. 38 Then Jesus turned, and seeing them following, said to them, "What do you seek?"
Interesting question. The very first words of Jesus' ministry was “What do you seek?” A very important question. What is it in life that you seek? God asked in the garden of Eden, ‘Where are you?, and Jesus asks another question that should be asked of all humanity. ‘What is it that you seek, what do you want out of life?’
They said to Him, "Rabbi" (which is to say, when translated, Teacher), "where are You staying?" 39 He said to them, "Come and see." They came and saw where He was staying, and remained with Him that day (now it was about the tenth hour). 40 One of the two who heard John speak, and followed Him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. 41, He first found his own brother Simon, and said to him, "We have found the Messiah" (which is translated, the Christ).
When Andrew, a disciple of John the Baptist, heard John the Baptist say, “Behold the Lamb of God”, he followed after Jesus and stayed with Him. Jesus obviously had an impression on him. Andrew’s first concern was for that of his family. But it also shows that they were looking for the spiritual one of Israel, the Messiah. Andrew found his brother, a family member first. Isn't that true of all who come to the Lord Jesus Christ? We're instantly concerned about our brothers, sisters, and parents. We are first and foremost concerned about those who are in our immediate family. Andrew finds his brother Simon Peter and tells him they have found the Messiah.
A change of name
John 1.42, And he brought him to Jesus. Now when Jesus looked at him, He said, "You are Simon the son of Jonah. You shall be called Cephas" (which is translated, A Stone).
The word Simon means listener. And Jesus said You shall now be called Cephas, which is Aramaic but in Greek translates to Peter. Can you imagine being introduced to someone and they change your name? You would think, ‘What on earth is going on here?’ God is in the business of changing names and also destinies. He knew what Peter was like and He knows what we are like. Even though his original name was Simon meaning listener, Jesus was going to make him a rock, something that isn't moved easily, it’s immovable, steadfast, and people would build their lives on his example.
In the Old Testament God called Abram to be a father, even though he had no children. Through the promise God said to him, ‘I'm going to change your name from Abram to Abraham’, which means father of nations. He gave him that promise and changed his name before anything had happened. You see, God sees the end from the beginning. His wife, Sarai, was to be called Sarah through the promise of the seed that would be born through her. In Gen 32 Jacob, my favourite character in the Old Testament, wrestled with a Man all night. The Man said to him, ‘What is your name?’ Now, Jacob's name meant surplanter, conniver, and cheat. All the way up to this point, this is what Jacob’s character was like. He's the type of person that could follow you into a revolving door and come out first.
After a whole night of wrestling, the Man injured Jacob in the socket of his hip to stop him but Jacob would not let go until He blessed him. In Gen 32.28 And He said, "Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel; for you have struggled with God and with men, and have prevailed." Jacob went from a surplanter, a conniver, and a cheat, to Israel - often interpreted as a Prince with God or he struggles with God. From that point on when Jacob is living by the Spirit, the scripture refers to him as Israel, when he's in the flesh, the scripture refers to him as Jacob. You see, God knows us, He knows what we are, but He also knows what we can become with Him directing our lives. Simon Peter went from being a listener to God making him a rock. It must have really struck Peter to be introduced to the Messiah and for him to be told not only his name, but also be given a new name. We know that Peter was impulsive, afraid, and bold. Christ saw all this, but also saw what Peter could become if God filled the vessel and used him to be a blessing.
The second encounter
The second encounter is in Luke Chapter 5. The first encounter would have made a big impression on Peter but after being introduced to the Messiah, he goes back to his livelihood, fishing.
Luk 5:1 So it was, as the multitude pressed about Him to hear the word of God, that He stood by the Lake of Gennesaret, 2 and saw two boats standing by the lake; but the fishermen had gone from them and were washing their nets. 3 Then He got into one of the boats, which was Simon's, and asked him to put out a little from the land. And He sat down and taught the multitudes from the boat.
Of all the boats Jesus chose Simon's. Jesus had the ultimate pulpit, a boat. Such were the multitudes of people that Jesus had to get on the water so everyone could see Him and listen to his message.
Luk 5:4 When He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon, "Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch." 5 But Simon answered and said to Him, "Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net."
In other words Peter is saying, ‘master it's a complete waste of time’. Here is a carpenter telling a fisherman where to fish. Peter knew how to fish. This is what I love about Peter because he says whatever he's thinking. Jesus tells him to launch out into the deep and let down their nets for a catch but Peter says the most obvious thing, We have toiled all night and caught nothing. Peter knew all about fishing and here you have this rabbi telling Peter where to cast the nets out.
It's daytime and apparently in that culture a lot of fishing was done at night because it was easier. I don’t know about you but whatever profession you're in there always seems to be someone trying to tell you how to do your job. I'm a greenkeeper at a golf course and we've got about 1,000 members. I would say there's 1,000 experts that know how to grow grass. We get it on a daily basis. You should be doing this or that. Everyone's an expert, I wonder whether this was in the back of Peter's mind. ‘We know what we're doing. We've been out all night and caught nothing. What's the point in trying in the daytime?’ Nevertheless, he says and it's beautiful, Nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net. Jesus must have made quite an impression on Peter for him to even contemplate doing it. Remember this is the second encounter he's had with Jesus. In the first encounter Jesus knew his name and He prophetically said what his new name was going to be. But he also had been sitting there in his boat while listening to this rabbi teach.
Obedience
Peter is willing to be obedient to the word of Jesus. This is the first thing that we need to do. There's three things in this passage in Luke that are required to be followers of Christ. The first is obedience. The only basis for Peter responding to Jesus was the fact that He had said it. The rest was foolishness. They had been out all night and caught nothing. The teaching Peter had listened to and his first encounter with Jesus had all had an impression on him. So he said nevertheless at Your word, I will let down the net. He was willing to be obedient to the word of Jesus. He was called to do something that he was not sure of but he was willing to do it anyway. If Peter hadn't obeyed, he would have missed the miracle of God that was about to happen.
Peter could have come up with many excuses and naturally we do this all the time. He could have said, ‘We've been up all night and we're tired. We've just spent all day cleaning our nets and now they're nice and clean, we don't want to go and dirty them again. You can only fish at night Jesus, everyone knows you can't catch fish in the daytime. Jesus, we are the fishermen, you're a carpenter, you should stick to the things you know.’ Little did Peter know that he was taking lessons from the creator of all things. If Peter had put his foot down and claimed his own rights, he would have missed the miracle of God which was about to happen. We also, in the same sense, need to be obedient to the leading of Jesus. Sometimes He will ask us to do things that don't seem right and we could put our foot down and say, ‘Nah, that doesn't seem right’. Peter's response here is nevertheless at Your word. Because you said it, I will let down the net. Obedience was the first thing Peter had to follow through with. He had to follow instructions and it is the same with us.
Even though it’s not our main topic today, whenever you see fishing in the scriptures it’s always a picture of evangelism. Just like Peter we need the direction of Christ and to follow His will to fill our nets. Empty nets without His blessing and direction, full nets with his blessing and instruction. That was what was needed, for these disciples would become fishers of men.
Acknowledge our condition
Luk 5:6 And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking. 7 So they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink.
Saints, we are in this as a whole body, the business of preaching the gospel and winning souls is a churchwide programme. We all need each other to be involved.
Luk 5:8 When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!"
Instantly he was aware of two things. Firstly, when he saw the miracle, he was suddenly aware of his own condition. He saw his own sin, his failure, and his own wretched condition. He's confronted by someone holy. Peter is judging himself for the sinner that he is. This is a work of God which is needed on all of God's children before we can be used and called to follow the Lord Jesus Christ. We need to realise what we are compared to Jesus, the righteous one. Isaiah said this very same thing Isa 6:5 So I said: "Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, The Lord of hosts." Isaiah was instantly aware of his unclean lips and his sinful condition, as well as the sinful condition of the people all around him when he saw the King, the Lord of hosts.
Peter is a fisherman and he knows how many fish you should normally catch and none in the daytime. They needed two boats, because such is the multitude of fish they caught and the fish are flowing out over the sides back into the water. The boats are so full that they're about to sink. This can only be the work of God, there is no other explanation for it. Because of that, Peter is instantly aware of his own sinful condition. That is vital for us too. We need to realise our condition before we become a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ. We need to see that we have fallen short of the glory of God, that we've broken all God's laws, and we fall short of the holiness of God. Then we need a saviour. Only the sick need a doctor and we are sick.
The second thing he's aware of is the man. In Luke 5.5 Peter addresses him as master but by verse eight he addresses him as Lord. He realises there's something special about this man. No one can produce a miracle like that unless God is in action and this is God in action.
Most people speak of their own goodness but Peter says, depart from me - he wants Jesus to leave but Jesus will never leave us. Isa 57:15 For thus says the High and Lofty One Who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: "I dwell in the high and holy place, With him who has a contrite and humble spirit, To revive the spirit of the humble, And to revive the heart of the contrite ones. 16 For I will not contend forever, Nor will I always be angry; For the spirit would fail before Me, And the souls which I have made. Peter asks Jesus to depart, but as Isaiah says, Jesus never departs from a humble heart. This is what He is looking for, a humble and contrite heart, one who recognises his own true condition. He will never despise that person and will never separate from them. Jesus’ reason for coming is that He might lift up those that are bought down low. Those who see and acknowledge their own condition.
In Luke 5.9 it says, For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish which they had taken.
Everybody saw it, but it's interesting that only one person is recorded as falling at the feet of Jesus. Only Peter came and confessed that his condition was wrong. He saw something in the Lord Jesus Christ that was different, and he came and fell at his knees. This is why I love Peter because he wears his heart on his sleeve. He's always the first to say something or to act. Here he acts in a really good way. Convicted of sin, he falls at Jesus' knees.
Luk 5:10 and so also were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, "Do not be afraid. From now on you will catch men."
Jesus was going to turn Peter from a fisherman to a soul catcher. This is God's work. Peter had been a fisherman all his life, now Jesus was giving him a higher calling - to send him out on Jesus’ behalf to catch and win souls for Christ. He told Peter, Do not be afraid, ‘look at the miracle that I have just done and learn that all you need is me. You need my direction, my power, my equipping for the task’. This is so true for all of us.
Forsake all and follow
Luk 5:11 So when they had brought their boats to land, they forsook all and followed Him.
There are three essential things required to be a disciple of Jesus; the first is obedience to God's word, second is the conviction of our sinful state, and the third is the willingness to forsake all and follow Him. Peter and the others left their nets, their livelihoods and followed this teacher. They've only just met Him, but from what they've seen, they were pretty convinced He could be the promised Messiah. Peter was married and he would have gone home and told his wife. I don't know how this would have gone down because fishing is his profession. He would have said something like ‘look honey, I'm not fishing anymore, I'm going to leave the boats and the nets to become a disciple of the Rabbi Jesus (it would end up being a three year apprenticeship). What do you think she might have said? If it was my wife, she would probably have said, ‘Well, you go out all night and normally catch nothing anyway, you might as well go and do something productive’.
This was a calling from Jesus and Peter left his fishing profession. We all must forsake everything and put Jesus first but not everyone is called to leave their profession to follow Him. Some of us will have a divine call to leave our jobs and enter the Master's service, but not all. Still we must forsake all to place Jesus first. Many, when they come to Christ, they leave friends, and sometimes family, such is the call to follow the Lord Jesus Christ.
It was a common Jewish tradition to attach yourself to a rabbi and become his disciple. A disciple sought to become like their teacher which has parallels with us as well. Our teacher is the Lord Jesus Christ and we also seek to become like Him. They absorbed their rabbi's interpretation of scripture. They memorised the rabbi’s teachings and followed them everywhere, quite often walking in their dust. A disciple was expected to honour their teacher more than their parents. This is how devoted they became to following a rabbi. Didn't Jesus say something about that? That our love for Him must exceed the love we naturally have for our parents? The rabbi was seen as a spiritual father and the disciples were meant to serve their teacher; prepare all his food, carry anything he needed, and protect him. Interestingly, in the Garden of Gethsemane, who is it that drew the sword to protect the Lord Jesus Christ? Peter. Once a disciple had finished their apprenticeship and was fully trained they would become a teacher and raise up disciples of their own. The difference here is that Jesus' disciples would not raise up followers of themselves, but followers of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Conclusion
We've had two encounters. One where Jesus changes Peter’s name which must have made quite an impression on him. Then the second down at the lake. What I love about Peter is his willingness to be obedient to what Jesus says even though it doesn't make sense. Peter is convinced he has a fallen sinful nature and says, ‘I need to be separate from you, there's something different about you, Lord Jesus. In the end, they chose to forsake all and follow Him. All these three things are needed to become followers of the Lord Jesus Christ. We will carry on with the life of Peter next time and see what more we can glean from his life.
Father, we thank you for your word. We thank you that it is alive and real. We thank you for the Apostle Peter and we pray that you would teach us many things through your servant. All things in scripture are God-breathed and we ask that you open it up to us and bless your word in Jesus' name and for Jesus' sake. Amen.