Peter the businessman pt. 2
By Ivan Ho Written 9 Jul 2016
Peter and his partners, who were professional fishermen, had tried all night in their business and there was no result. They have already decided to call it a day and pack up to return home. But Jesus said to Peter to have another go and take the boat out a little further into the deep and cast their nets.
When He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon, “Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” But Simon answered and said to Him, “Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net.” And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking. So 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.
Luke 5: 3-7 NKJV
What happened was, Peter and his business partners had been working hard all night and had nothing to show for their hard labour and decided: “That’s it, we’re done. Let’s call it a day!” So many times, we try all sorts of things according to our ways but nothing seems to work. We go everywhere to cast our net to try to catch something (or someone), but there is no result. So we think: “This isn’t working, may be I should quit and do something else..” It’s not the lack of effort that we don’t see results that we are after. What is lacking is the specific guidance of the word of God (Rhema word)! When Peter and the others in the boat followed the instruction of Jesus and went out little further to where Jesus directed, they had the greatest catch of their lives, to the point that their boats almost sank! The God that we serve is a God of abundance. God wants our business to prosper but more importantly, He wants us to first depend on Him and obey His word. When Jesus saw Peter, He didn’t invite him to church. Rather, He went into his workplace and demonstrated to him and his business partners the most crucial lesson of business success: AT YOUR WORD! Peter said: “Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net.” This principle not only applies in our workplace but also in all areas of our life, be it business, work, marriage, raising up family, or ministering in the church. It is “at His word” that we will see amazing results!
But Simon answered and said to Him, “Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net.” And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking. So 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. When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!”
Luke 5:5-8 NKJV
What followed after the greatest catch of their life was truly amazing: Peter fell down on his knees and repented! He said to Jesus: “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!”
How many people, after God helped them in their work and blessed them abundantly, or helped them overcome a crisis, would lead them to an attitude of repentance? How many people would forget God’s goodness and return to run business as usual without God’s involvement? Peter realised that he was a sinner because he had been running his life without God, doing things his ways. On the one hand, Peter felt unworthy of God’s love (depart from me for I am a sinner) but on the other hand, he knelt on his knees and acknowledged Jesus as his Lord!
When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!” 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 5:8-11 NKJV
If one only feels sorry about his sins, that is not true repentance according to the word of God. If one feels really regretful and sorry about what he has done and asks God for forgiveness, God will forgive his or her sins! But that is not true repentance! When God forgives our sins we feel at peace and feels really good, but repentance is not for us to feel good, but for us to feel God! Both John the Baptist (Matthew 3:1-2) and Jesus (Matthew 4:17) preached the same message at the beginning: “Repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand!” Repentance is not for the self, but for God and for His kingdom!
How many people, after God helped them with their business, healed their sickness and so on, would not only repent from their sin of running a self-centered life, but also go on to make a decision to follow Jesus all the way?
Not only did Peter felt remorseful about his past godless life, he, together with his business partners James and John, made a decision to follow God’s calling and forsook everything to follow Jesus! What happened thereafter was history: they became part of the twelve apostles of Jesus who (apart from Judas) impacted the world by helping Jesus lay the foundations of God’s Kingdom on earth! From the business of fishers of fish, they became fishers of man!
To be continued in At Your word