Home Group Study

Opening Discussion: Some people say that men are more prone to get lost because they are too stubborn to ask for directions. Is this your experience? Share your story. 

Summary:

In our passage we see the Lord Jesus helping some fishermen get their lives aimed in the right direction. There are a number of callings of the disciples which reflect several stages of commitment, in the Gospels. One of the keys to understand the events in Luke chapter five is to recognize that there is a progressive drawing of the disciples.

Norval Geldenhuys, in his Commentary on the Gospel of Luke says that’ “from the data of the other Gospels it appears that it [the calling of the disciples in Luke 5:1-11] was probably quite early during the Galilean ministry, but after the Lord’s first meeting with Peter, John, Andrew and others (John 1:35-52). It was also after the first call of Peter and the others to be disciples of Jesus (Matt. 4:18ff, Mark 1:16ff.). From this it becomes clear that, although they had followed Jesus at the first call, they did not yet follow Him in a complete and unconditional manner. They were still, at least for part of the time, engaged in their trade as fishermen until the final choice was made to leave all and follow Jesus (v. 11).”

Jesus was standing by the Sea of Galilee, which Luke calls the “lake of Gennesaret” (v. 1). Around Him a crowd had gathered, listening to Him proclaim the word of God. Beyond the crowd of those who were pressing in on the Lord Jesus, there was the sea of Galilee, and two ships were pulled up on the shore. One ship belonged to Peter (v. 3), and the other belonged to James and John (vv. 7, 10). These four fishermen were not among the crowd. Instead, they were off washing their nets (v. 2). They had spent a long and fruitless night fishing (5).

In the opening verses (1-3), Jesus is teaching God’s Word, but Peter is working at his fishing business. By verse 11, Peter has left his business to follow Jesus in catching men, not fish. Jesus’ words in verse 10 are the key for understanding and applying this story: “Do not fear, from now on you will be catching men.” The word “catch” literally means “to capture alive.” Although in their vocation, the fish they caught would die, in their new focus, dead men would be caught and come alive for Jesus. The story shows us how Jesus transforms everyday people (even sinful people, like Peter) into His servants, involved in His great cause of catching people for God. This story teaches us that the greatest purpose we can have in life is to follow Jesus in catching men for Him.

Investigation & Interpretation:

• Read: Luke 5:1-11

1. Verses 1-3, Jesus is preaching the word of God to the crowd. What message is he preaching? (c.f. 4:43)
2. What do you notice in Simon Peter’s response in verse 5? What feelings and conflicts is Peter expressing?
3. What words and phrases in verse 6-7 indicate the size of the catch? Why is the size of the catch significant?
4. What is Simon’s reaction in verse 8? 
5. Notice the way Jesus responds to Simon in verse 10. Why does Jesus say this to Simon now, rather than saying it earlier?

Application - How must I change?

•  Is there a Truth to be believed?

Should every Christian have the purpose of reaching the lost or is this only the job of some? Defend your answer biblically.

• Is there an Attitude to be fostered?

Peter was not willing to “let down the nets” because he thought he knew better than Jesus. Anxiety, fear and doubts can overcome us when we are not willing to submit to the all-sufficient Saviour. Jesus tells us in Matthew 6:25, “do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on…” because He cares for us. What attitudes can you relate to that keep people from “letting down their nets”?

• Is there a Behavior to be changed?

What are some ways if we are not careful and if we do not press in on Jesus to hear his word preached (like the crowd did on the shore of Lake Gannesaret), can we become spiritually lethargic and distant from God?

Conclusion:

It is no coincidence that before the successful catch of that morning, at the command of Jesus, there was a long, frustrating night of “fishing failure” the night before. The one area in which Peter felt confident and capable was as an expert in fishing. I don’t know what your economic situation looks like at the moment. But maybe just maybe, the Lord is allowing us all to go through this crisis to realize how inadequate we really are to look after ourselves, to look after our loved ones.

Jesus sovereignly designed a night of failure, followed by a morning of unparalleled success. Peter failed on his own, but was abundantly successful in obedience to Christ’s command. Those who follow Jesus are those who have found themselves to fail on their own. The call to follow Jesus is a call to recognize that nothing else can compare with Jesus, that everything else does not equal to Jesus, and that Jesus is greater than everything else; and, therefore, He is worth leaving everything else behind to follow Him.

Have you come before Jesus and seen Him as He is and said, “My God how great You are!” and then realized that everything else that we are so caught up in does not compare in the least to Him? If you have, you have taken the first step of a disciple. It is the call of Jesus to every disciple.

“He is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep to gain that what he cannot lose.”

– Jim Elliot