For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish which they had taken; and so also were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid. From now on you will catch men.” So when they had brought their boats to land, they forsook all and followed Him.
Luke 5:9–11
We turn to Luke 5:1–11 one last time to ask one final question. Peter’s encounter with Christ has led us to ask: “How do we respond to failure?” (vv. 1–2), “How do we respond to authority?” (vv. 3–5), and “How do we respond to success?” Now, as we consider the closing verses of this encounter, we ask, “How do we respond to a life of faith?”
Peter and those with him were eyewitnesses to the great power of the Lord Jesus, and this caused them to be afraid. The Lord not only said, “Do not be afraid,” calming their anxious hearts and minds, but He also gave them a new calling: “From now on you will catch men.” It is interesting to note that earlier, in verses 4 and 9, the word for “catch” carries the idea of catching to kill, but here it carries the idea of catching to save.
Fear would have no place in the life and work to which the Lord was calling them. In the Gospel of Luke, we see this recurring theme of “Do not be afraid” seven times (1:13, 30; 2:10; 5:10; 8:50; 12:7, 32). The Lord calls us to live by faith, not by fear: “Without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” (Hebrews 11:6)
How do we develop this faith? The same way Peter did: “At Your word” (Luke 5:5). “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (Romans 10:17)
To live a life of faith, we must take the Lord at His Word. Living by His Word strengthens us to be witnesses of His light in a dark and dying world. This world is full of those who live in fear from day to day. But: “God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” (2 Timothy 1:7)
The aged apostle John also reminds us: “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.” (1 John 4:18)
Anchor For Today:
God’s Word is given to us for our encouragement and for our edification. Let us hold fast to His Word.