Venturing Into Deeper Waters

Jacopo Bassano's The Miraculous Draught of Fishes, completed in 1545, is a favorite.  It vividly recalls the scene in Luke's gospel (Luke 5:1-11) where Jesus calls his first disciples.  Very early in Jesus' ministry he is beginning to draw large crowds of people eager hear the fresh, living Word of God.  Many of them have previously been on the "outside" of religious life.  Jesus is bringing a message that goes deep in their very own life experience.  People are hungry and thirsty for God's nourishment.
On this day Jesus is teaching on the lakeshore.  The crowd is pressing in on him as they seek to hear every word carefully.  Sitting nearby are two fishing boats.  They are empty; the fishermen are washing their nets after a fruitless overnight shift where they have caught nothing.  Jesus climbs into the boat belonging to Simon, and asks him to put out a little way from the shore, so that Jesus can teach from the boat.  When Jesus is finished teaching, he turns to Simon with a new venture: "Put out into the deeper water, and let down your nets for a catch."  Simon protests that they have been fishing all night and caught nothing, yet he will do as Jesus asks. Out they go.  When they (this probably includes Simon's brother Andrew) let down their nets with Jesus, they catch so many fish that their nets begin to break!  They signal their partners, James and John, to join them in the deeper water with the second boat in order to gather all of the catch. Bassano's painting captures an overwhelmed Simon (now called Simon Peter) kneeling at the feet of Jesus and exclaiming, "Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!"  Jesus does not leave, instead telling his trembling new follower, "Do not be afraid, for from now on you will be catching (gathering) people." When they come to shore, they "leave everything and follow Jesus."
Notice that t the beginning of the story, Jesus is proclaiming the Word to everyone who is seeking the good news of God, wanting to listen and receive. But then he enters into Simon's life personally, calling him in a particular way, inviting him to serve God's purposes, risk being changed, and becoming part of a new community dedicated to spreading the good news of God's saving love throughout the world.
1) Every week we hear the Word of God proclaimed.  But what comes next?  How does God's Word speak specifically to you?  And how will you respond as a disciple of Jesus?
2) Jesus calls Simon to venture into the "deep water."  How will you and I explore the life of faith more deeply?  What kinds of questions do you have that require deeper thought and study? In what ways is Jesus calling you to risk new experiences serving God in the world?
3)  Simon Peter confesses his sin and inadequacy, but that in no way disqualifies him in Jesus' eyes. Jesus welcomes him as he is, taking  Simon's present skills, gifts, and belief and showing him how to dedicate it all to the mission of reaching people with the good news of God's love.  Let's explore how Jesus might take the talents and abilities we already have to glorify God and bring others close to Jesus!



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