Encountering Jesus will challenge us to follow the way of Jesus instead of our own way...

This week we are looking at an encounter that Jesus had with a man named Peter that is recorded for us in an account of Jesus life in the Bible called the gospel of Luke. Wednesday, we looked on as Jesus basically said to Peter “Peter, take the boat out to deeper water and call all your fishing partners off of the shore to join us as we go fishing. Call your partners to start casting their nets in the deeper water for a catch”.

We looked on as Peter basically said to Jesus “I am a fisherman and you are a preacher who used to be a carpenter. I know the way I am supposed to fish. I am the expert and you are just along for the ride. I have already helped You out a lot today. But I will do what You have asked even though it is a total waste of time”.

We talked about the reality that we can find ourselves acting just like Peter. “Jesus, I know the way I am supposed to live my life. I am the expert and You are just along for the ride. My way is better; I am comfortable with my way, my way seems to be working alright for me.” How often can we find ourselves acting just like Peter?

We looked on as Peter and his fishing buddies caught so many fish that it began to sink their boats. We looked on as Peter recognized that he was a witness to the miraculous power of God that had been displayed through Jesus. As Peter stood before Jesus, Peter saw the stark contrast between his selfish and rebellious activity and Jesus miraculous activity. And Peter recognized that he did not deserve to be in the presence of Jesus. Peter responded to being in the presence of someone who could only do what God could do by responding in astonishment and awe at the acknowledgment of his unwillingness to do what God had called him to do.

Today we will see Luke reveal how Jesus responded to Peter in the second half of Luke 5:10:

And Jesus said to Simon, "Do not fear

You see, the reason why Jesus said “do not fear" to Peter is because it was clearly evident that Peter was afraid. Peter was afraid because Peter recognized the miraculous power and activity of God through Jesus. But notice what Jesus says next to Peter:

from now on you will be catching men."

Now what is so interesting here is that the phrase catching men, in the language that this letter was originally written in literally means to catch alive or to spare life. Jesus basically says to Peter “Peter do not be afraid because from now on I want you to do something different with your life. Instead of catching fish so that you can kill them I want you to go after men so that you can catch them and save them from death. I want you to leave the life that you are now living that provides for people physically and materially to live a life that will result in you sparing the lives of many spiritually for all eternity.”

Jesus called Peter to leave the way that he was living to follow the way of Jesus. Now this morning, imagine yourself as Peter. As you sit in a boat filled with fish with the person who you know is the reason why your boat is filled with fish, how would you even begin to process all that you have seen and heard? What would you be thinking at this point? What would you be feeling? How would you respond? We see Peter’s response in verse 11:

 When they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed Him.

Luke tells us that as soon as Peter, James, and John reached the shore, they left everything and followed Jesus. No time to take care of the boats full of fish. No time to fix the nets. Instead they left everything to follow Jesus.

Now doesn’t this information help make Matthew’s recording of these events make more sense? I mean, why wouldn’t you follow Jesus? Peter, James, and John’s families were probably like “don’t worry about the fish, you guys need to follow that guy, because we have never seen anything like this happen before. We’ll take care of the fish. Heck we’ll take care of the fish because this amount of fish will take care of us for a long time.”

You see, Peter, James, and John recognized in that moment that there was a way that was way better than their way. Peter, James and John recognized that while their way may have been comfortable; while their way may have been familiar; their way was not the better way. And in that moment, Peter, James and John made the decision to respond to Jesus activity in their life to follow the way of Jesus instead of their way.

And it is here, in this event from history from the life of Jesus, that we see revealed for us a timeless truth that has the potential to powerfully impact our lives today. And that timeless truth is this: Encountering Jesus will challenge us to follow the way of Jesus instead of our own way. Just as it was for Peter, just as it has been for followers of Jesus throughout history, encountering Jesus will challenge us to follow the way of Jesus instead of our own way.

Just as it was for Peter, encountering Jesus will challenge us when it comes to how we think we are supposed to live our lives. Just as it was for Peter, encountering Jesus will challenge our belief that we are the experts and that Jesus is just along for the ride. Just as it was for Peter, encountering Jesus will challenge our belief that our way is a better way to live our life. Just as it was for Peter, encountering Jesus will challenge us to see that while our way may be comfortable; while our way may be familiar; our way is not the better way. And just like Peter encountering Jesus will challenge us to make the decision to respond to Jesus activity in our lives by following the way of Jesus instead of our way.

So how are you responding to Jesus and His challenge to follow His way instead of your own way? Are you responding to Jesus challenge to follow His way instead of your own way by rejecting Jesus way for your own way? Are you responding to Jesus challenge to follow His way instead of your own way by rejecting Jesus way to instead live a life that is comfortable and familiar, even though you sense that Jesus way is the better way?

Or are you responding to Jesus challenge to follow His way instead of your way by making the decision to respond to Jesus activity in your life to follow the way of Jesus instead of our way. Because, as we see from Peter’s encounter with Jesus, encountering Jesus will challenge us to follow the way of Jesus instead of our own way.