What does faith look like?
Luke 5:5 - "And Simon answered, 'Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.'"
I've recently been in some discussions where we have considered the topic of faith. What is it? What does it look like? As I've spent time reflecting on the topic, I came across the passage in Luke 5 during a study and loved what it had to say about faith! To fully appreciate Peter's response to Jesus I think it would be helpful if we understood Peter's personal journey of belief up to this point.
Peter had formerly been a follower of John the Baptist but began following Jesus after Andrew introduced them (John 1:35-52).
Jesus had moved to Capernaum, Peter's hometown and also healed Peter's Mother-in-Law (Luke 4:38-39).
Peter had been part of the growing crowds following Jesus around Galilee (Luke 4:37; 4:42-5:1; 5:15-16).
One day as the crowds were pressing close in order to hear Jesus teach, he used Peter's boat to push away from the shore and use the natural amphitheater of the hillside so that more people could hear him. After he concluded his lesson, Jesus told Peter to head into deeper water and do some fishing. And this is the moment, this is the conversation, that tells us so much about Biblical faith!
There were several reasons why Jesus' instruction did not make sense! In Twelve Ordinary Men, John MacArthur shared 3 reasons why the advise appeared foolish:
The timing was wrong! Fish were easier to catch at night when the water was cooler and the fish surfaced to feed.
The location was wrong! Fish normally feed in shallower waters and were easier to catch there.
Peter, the experienced multi-generational fisherman, was exhausted! He had already spent the entire night fishing without any success.
Jesus wasn't upset with Peter expressing his confusion. Because what Peter said next is crucial.
