To Follow and to Serve

One day Jesus was standing on the shore of Lake Gennesaret while the people pushed their way up to him to listen to the word of God. He saw two boats pulled up on the beach; the fishermen had left them and were washing the nets. Jesus got into one of the boats—it belonged to Simon—and asked him to push off a little from the shore. Jesus sat in the boat and taught the crowd.  When he finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Push the boat out further to the deep water, and you and your partners let down your nets for a catch.”   “Master,” Simon answered, “we worked hard all night long and caught nothing. But if you say so, I will let down the nets.” They let them down and caught such a large number of fish that the nets were about to break. So they motioned to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. They came and filled both boats so full of fish that the boats were about to sink. He and the others with him were all amazed at the large number of fish they had caught. The same was true of Simon’s partners, James and John, the sons of Zebedee. Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will be catching people.”  They pulled the boats up on the beach, left everything, and followed Jesus.  Luke 5:1-7, 9-11 GNTD

Isn’t it ironic, that the Scripture says here, the people pushed their way up to Jesus to listen to the Word of God.  Indeed!  They had the Word of God standing there before them, and they Pressed in to listen.

So when Jesus says to Simon Peter, “Put out to deep water, and let down the nets,” Simon’s response initially is more of a “but,” and then a listening or yielding to the Master.

“Master,” Simon answered, “we worked hard all night long and caught nothing. But if you say so, I will let down the nets.”

For, they were on the Sea of Galilee.  Storms can come up quickly.  Symbolically, the sea was thought of as chaos and attached to the underworld and danger.  They had worked hard and caught nothing.  They were tired.   Jesus was asking them to expend more energy and take a risk.

By listening and yielding, Simon Peter was placing himself in a position of service to Jesus.

When Jesus speaks, we listen, we yield, we follow His instructions, for, He is our King.

And, then when we listen and obey, we yield a harvest.

“They came and filled both boats so full of fish that the boats were about to sink. He and the others with him were all amazed at the large number of fish they had caught.”

I love in medieval movies, where the Sword is raised, and a shout is made… For the King, or For the Kingdom, or For Freedom!!!

Whom then will you serve?

For even the Son of Man did not come to be served; he came to serve and to give his life to redeem many people.”  Mark 10:45 GNTD

and if one of you wants to be first, you must be the slave of the others— Matthew 20:27 GNTD

So then, as often as we have the chance, we should do good to everyone, and especially to those who belong to our family in the faith.  Galatians 6:10 GNTD

Remember that the Lord will reward each of us, whether slave or free, for the good work we do.  Ephesians 6:8 GNTD

So,

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as though you were working for the Lord and not for people.  Colossians 3:23 GNTD

For you are,

… the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do men light a lamp and put it under a peck measure, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. Let your light so shine before men that they may see your moral excellence and your praiseworthy, noble, and good deeds and recognize and honor and praise and glorify your Father Who is in heaven.  Matthew 5:14-16 AMPC

For the King then!

The king commanded, and they hewed and brought out great, costly stones in order to lay the foundation of the house with dressed stone.  1 Kings 5:17 AMPC