"When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, 'Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.' "

         When I was a child, I had some problems with this story, some of which I have carried with me into adulthood. I learned this story largely through the action song "I will make you fishers of men if you follow me." The motions have to do with holding an imaginary fishing pole, and casting into the imaginary water, and then reeling in the imaginary fish. I am thankful that the motions did not include cleaning the fish.

         I come from a non-fishing family. I had very limited experience with a pole. What I do know about fishing is that you sit for a very long time and nothing happens. Then when you catch a fish, you have to bonk it on the head with a stick, try to get the hook out, and when you get to shore, make sure you have cleaned it before you give it to your mother, or your wife if she is from Kansas.

         If you use a net, like they do in this story, you end up with a pile of dead fish. The "fishers of men" image just took me in a lot of wrong directions.

         The other problem I had with it as a child is that it seemed like the people I knew of who actually became fishers of men went to Alaska as missionaries and served in that land of unrelenting cold and darkness.

         And, to be honest, I have never had much luck in reeling people in to become Christians.

         I invite us today to a closer reading of this text. C.S. Lewis says that in Christian discipleship we need to learn to "read the Bible like grownups." I would like you to think more about the experience of Peter, and see how it is that he comes to be a follower of Jesus. I would like you to put yourself into his place. We want to explore the question: "What does it mean to become a follower of Jesus?"

         Peter becomes a follower of Jesus when Jesus steps into his world. In chapter 4 we read that Jesus goes to Peter's house and heals his mother-in-law, who has a high fever. That must have made quite an impression on Peter.

         Now he sees Jesus teaching a crowd, right in the location where he keeps his boats. It says in verse 1 that the people were listening to the Word of God. Actually it says that they were "hearing" the Word of God. The thought here is that Peter, while washing his nets, was doing more than listening to Jesus, he was hearing the Word of God. Listening is a way to gain information. Hearing has to do with obedience.

         Peter seems happy to share his boat with Jesus, and does not mind the interruption to his work. But then, after Jesus has finished teaching, he asks Peter to take the boat into the deep water. The "deep water" is not here an image for something risky or frightening; it is simply the place where the fish are, except that Peter knows they are not there. Not only are they not there, but Peter the fisherman knows that the reason they fish at night is that the fish can see the type of nets they use when there is light. So, it was pointless to go fishing in the deep water on that day.

         So Peter explains to Jesus the carpenter why it is pointless to go into the deep for a catch with the newly washed nets; and then he says "but at your word I will let down the nets." Peter has been hearing the word of Jesus all morning, and now he is obedient to the word. He is not being polite or condescending; he is in fact obeying the word of Jesus, who he knows is one with authority.

         The obedience of Peter does not seem to make sense, at least to him. He was a proud man, skilled in his trade. His experience in life tells him to keep the nets rolled up on the decks. But to be a follower of Jesus means to move from listening to Jesus to obeying or hearing Jesus, becoming a doer of the Word. Often obedience to Jesus runs counter to our will, or our perception of life. But Peter does not insist on his way based on his knowledge of fishing, nor does he protect his washed nets.

         So when we begin to follow Jesus, we will encounter situations in which the word of Jesus will run counter to what we have come to believe in our experience. For example, many people have problems with anger or with pride in their lives. So their experience tells them to hang on to these things, and not to acknowledge or find help for their anger or pride. It seems to an angry person that if other people would only behave differently then they would not need to be angry. The proud person will insist on his way, because it is the only way that makes sense to him. When we do not acknowledge or find help to deal with our anger or pride, then they shape our discipleship. I believe that the word of Jesus always will come to us in our developing discipleship to confront things like anger and worry and pride and greed. If we will hear that word, it is humbling, but it leads to life. Peter obeys the word of Jesus that runs counter to his perception, that runs counter to his pride. He lowers the nets at Jesus' word.

         Then Jesus reveals to Peter his identity, his glory, in the miraculous catch of fish. This is much like the water turned to a great quantity of wine in John chapter 2. It caused the disciples to believe. So this is more than a school of fish; it is the presence of God, of the holy. It is not a coincidence, a big school of fish just happens by at that moment; it is an epiphany, they saw his glory.

The word for "deep water" can also mean "abundance" or "fullness." Peter lowers his nets into God's abundant and full provision and is overwhelmed with this catch. This is a profound experience of grace for Peter.

         In that experience of grace, Peter becomes aware of his sin. That is interesting. Whenever we encounter the holy, whenever we are surprised by grace, we become aware of our sin, our smallness, our failure. But it is not a defeating or condemning awareness of sin. It always comes with the deep love of God.

         Joel Green points out that in the Gospels it is sinful and diseased people who tend to respond to Jesus with faith, and it is religious people, people who see themselves as good, who tend to respond to Jesus with suspicion and hostility.

         We do not know anything about Peter's sin. But here Peter identifies himself as a sinner, he identifies himself with others we meet in the Gospels: Levi and Zacchaeus the tax collectors, the Samaritan woman at the well, the paralytic lowered to Jesus for healing, and is first forgiven of his sins. Peter becomes aware that he is a sinner, like them.

         Peter, before he leaves everything and follows Jesus, hears the Word of Jesus, sees Jesus heal, obeys his command, experiences his grace and confesses his sin. The more we are convinced of our goodness and feel the need to defend it, the less likely it is that we will follow Jesus. Jesus is the friend of sinners.

         Then Jesus tells Peter that he will "catch people." It is in fact quite some time before Peter begins to do that, but Jesus puts it into his heart at the beginning of Peter's discipleship. The song said "I will make you fishers of men." The fisher becomes a fisher of men. But the word translated here as "catch" in verse 10, is really quite rich. It says "From now on you will catch men." Literally, it means "to capture alive." This word belongs to the vocabulary of war. It is what you do to the enemy when you do not kill him. You capture him. You give him life, but it is captive life.

This word can also be used to mean "the sparing of life." In the book of Joshua, Rahab talks to the Hebrew spies when they come through the land. She has heard of the power of God, and so she agrees to hide them, but she says "spare the lives of my father and mother, my brothers and sisters, and all who belong to them, and promise that you will save us from death." So in Luke, this word "catch" or "capture alive" is a word of salvation, a word of sparing life, of giving hope, of liberation. Green writes, "The disciples will no longer catch fish that die and are sold at market, they will catch people, giving them life."

         So Peter is now "caught" by Jesus. He now lives in Jesus, and so he is free to leave everything behind. That is how Peter came to be a follower of Jesus.

Have you been "caught" by Jesus? Has your life been "spared" by him?

         Have you experienced his healing love?

Does he have your attention, not just listening to his word, but hearing it?

         Have you been touched by his abundant grace?

         Have you heard his call to follow?

         What does it mean for you to respond in faith to Jesus today?

         Amen.