Jesus Knows What He's Talking About

Luk 5:3-8   Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon's, he asked him to put out a little from the land. And he sat down and taught the people from the boat. And when he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch." And Simon answered, "Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets." And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking. They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord."  ESV

When Jesus sat in the Simon's boat and taught, it seems that everyone respectfully just listened to what He had to say. They considered Him to be a rabbi, and would know what He was talking about.

 But when He finished speaking to the people, and told Simon to move the boat out into deep water and let down the nets for a catch, Simon wasn't so sure Jesus understood a lot about fishing. Simon didn't refuse to do as Jesus said, but he did give a word of caution. Perhaps he thought Jesus would reconsider what He'd said and not have them attempt to catch any fish.

 But Jesus always knows what He's talking about. When the nets were let down they encompassed so many fish they began to break, and men from the other boat had to come help. As they hauled the fish aboard, filling the boat, the weight of all those fish nearly sank Siimon's boat.

But did Simon get upset by the possible loss of his boat? Or did he rejoice at how many fish he'd be able sell? No. He fell down at Jesus knees, saying "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord."

Simon realized that Jesus wasn't merely a rabbi trained to teach the Scriptures. Jesus was much more than a teacher. He either knew exactly where all those fish were, or he'd made them to be where the nets had been let down. Clearly Jesus was no ordinary man.

Having heard Jesus teach, and then seen how He had completely turned a failed night of fishing into a catch big enough to nearly sink his boat, Simon knew this was an incredible man of God. Simon knew he was unworthy to be in the presence of one so holy.

I hope we can learn some things from Simon. I hope we'll learn that Jesus knows what He's talking about. If He has anything to say about any aspect of life, then we'd better listen and do what He says.

 In this situation, Simon thought he knew more about fishing than this rabbi. In our experience we seem to think we know more than Jesus about running our own lives. By our actions we show we think we know more than Jesus does about how to be a husband, wife, worker, or boss. We establish relationships with other people based on whatever we think is best rather than Jesus says in the Bible.

 When we learn that Jesus does know better than we do about everything, I hope we'll be like Simon and acknowledge that we're sinful and not worthy even of being in His presence. When we have that kind of attitude we'll be ready to accept His invitation to follow Him and learn from Him.