Read Luke 5:1-11
I once encountered a church whose motto was, “Our mission is fishin’.” We can see where that idea comes from in this section of Luke. Many of us today may not know much about fishing, especially as it was practiced in Peter’s time. Historically, however, nautical and aquatic images—fish and boats—have been central to how the Church understands itself and its place in the world.
Throughout Christian history, the Church has often been compared to the ark of God: not saving us from a literal flood, but from sin and death. Even the language of church architecture reflects this imagery. The word nave, used for the central space of the sanctuary, comes from the Latin word for “boat.” Some churches are even designed so that the ceiling resembles the hull of a ship. And many of us still mark our cars with the familiar Christian fish—a symbol adopted by the early Church, rooted in the Greek word ichthus, an acronym for “Jesus Christ, God’s Son, Savior.”
Here in Luke 5, Jesus gets into the boat. By His word, nets that had previously caught nothing become so full of fish that they overflow. Those fish are drawn up into the boat. This is a picture of how God’s kingdom works and how the gospel calls people into life with Christ.
Yet in the midst of this miraculous catch, it is Peter and the others who are truly being drawn in. They are gathered by the nets of the gospel into the boat—that is, into life with Jesus. This is how it has worked for each of us, and it is how it continues to work for others. When Christ’s gospel confronts us, we may be tempted to say with Peter, “Lord, depart from me, for I am a sinner.” But Jesus responds, “Do not be afraid.” He forgives our sins and graciously calls us to Himself.
Then, just as He did with the disciples, Jesus invites us to become fishers of men—so that through the nets of the gospel, others too may be drawn into the boat and find life in Christ.
Prayer: Holy Spirit, thank you for calling me to faith through the gospel. Help me to share the gospel with others who do not follow Christ that they too can experience life in Him. Amen.