March 2, 2026

GOD’S WORD FOR TODAY:

“Then Jesus said to Simon, ‘Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.^‘  So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed Him.“

(Luke 5.10b-11)

TODAY’S REFLECTION ON GOD’S WORD:

Only in the gospels of Luke and John do we have recorded the miraculous catches of fish. In Luke, it happens when Jesus is teaching at the seashore. We do not know what the teaching was in specific terms so it would seem that Jesus had another purpose in mind. Was it to call Simon, Andrew, James and John to be His disciples and had nothing to do with the crowd or what He was teaching them? Was the catch brought about as an object lesson for the crowd which included the “four men for men“? In John, the catch comes at the end of the gospel story (with a specific number of fish) and inspires Peter to believe he has been reconciled. In both stories, we hear the frustration of Peter about his futility with fishing. They have fished all night without success. The nets are worn and perhaps torn. They are in need of tending and/or mending. Still, Jesus exercises His authority over nature and provides a tremendous catch. There is an assumed emphasis on the volume of fish that were caught.

In Luke, the great catch took at least four men to bring in the haul. Their boats nearly capsize in the effort. Jesus is with them as this momentous occasion happens. It is witnessed by those whom Jesus was teaching, the four fishermen and any onlookers who were passing by. It certainly would have captured the attention of the other fishermen who may have had a long and empty night’s work. What we may glean from that is the call to working together under the instruction of Jesus. Those four men worked together in life. They lived life together by sea and by land. They worshipped together. Now they would be disciples together with their talents in business to be used for the glory of the Kingdom of God.

In John, while the catch is still brought in by those who were in the boats (and not all were fishermen) showing teamwork, it is obvious that the story is more about the ministry Peter is reconciled to. There are many options presented as to the meaning of the “153” fish that were caught. Those options span both the Old Testament and the New Testament. It speaks to the inclusion of all types of fish being drawn into one net under God’s direction. Regardless of the interpretation of the number, it is clear that the “fishers of men” motif is not forgotten. While all fish were caught, not all fish were kept. The same is true for the witness of the gospel. “Faith comes by hearing and the result of faith (listening to the Word) is salvation.” The purpose of God’s word is to be transformative. It is not simply informative. It is not conforming. It is not merely accepting. We are talking about bringing in the sheep to the fold of God. The “bringing in” means also a separating the sheep from the goats, the good from the bad. Even Jesus will declare “You may say ‘Lord, Lord’ but I will say ‘I know you not.’” What we hear in the story of John’s great catch is the cultivation of ministry to the people of God as they are separated from God’s people. The three questions of Jesus to Peter is not merely a reconciliation. They are instructional and authoritative. They rank with “Come, follow me” and “Go, do likewise” and Jesus’ new command “Love one another” which we hear in John’s gospel.

TODAY’S PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING:

Father, in these days we are finding the need to believe even more than ever before. We all have known trouble, some in greater ways than others, but You are offering us the assurance that we will not be consumed by it forever. Regardless of the “time” we are in and the “time” we have been given, we ask for Your Holy Spirit which Jesus asked You to share with us, to lead and guide and direct us in the paths we should go. Teach us what we still need to learn. Empower us to put that learning into action. Bless our actions not as a works righteousness but as righteous works of faith, hope and love in Jesus’ name. AMEN.