Thrown Down the Net ~ all the way, right away, and with a happy heart

Let me begin with three questions, and then we will fill in the backstory of them. First, What are you holding that you need to throw down, that is, your net? Second, Are you willing to throw down your net? And, third, Are you willing to follow Jesus ~ all the way, right away, and with a happy heart? Now, let me explain.

The Fishermen ~ Simon, Andrew, John, and James

All four guys fished together as a matter of vocation. They had grown up fishing together with their families. On this particular day, they had fished all night and were mending their nets. Here is the story:

So it was, as the multitude pressed about Him to hear the word of God, that He stood by the Lake of Gennesaret, and saw two boats standing by the lake; but the fishermen had gone from them and were washing their nets. Then He got into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, and asked him to put out a little from the land. And He sat down and taught the multitudes from the boat.

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. 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 5:2-11; cf., Matthew 4:18-22; Mark 1:16-20)

Whether you read this longer story in Luke or the shorter renditions of it in Matthew and Mark, you cannot help but notice some key elements in the story.

The four fishermen willingly put down their nets.

When presented with the opportunity to follow Jesus as fishers of men rather than fish, they all four immediately said yes. Their nets were their livelihood. We do not know their backstory; however, at least they were second generation fishermen, possibly more. Fishing was their life and their passion. Yet, when they listened to Jesus teach, saw the miracle of the fish in their nets, and were presented with the opportunity to follow Jesus, they willingly did it.

They did not let the weight (good weight, not even bad weight) of their nets to keep them from following after Jesus. This is, of course, both literal and figurative. In essence, the weight of the nets represented everything in their lives – and by extension, everything in their heart as well. Yet, the weight of those things did not keep these four disciples from putting them aside to follow.

They willingly put down their nets.

Sometimes when talking to our children over the years, we have emphasized they obeyed all the way.

What else?

The four fishermen immediately put down their nets.

In all three accounts in the Gospels of this story, the text emphasizes that they immediately did what Jesus was asking. They chose in their hearts to follow Jesus, which had an immediate impact upon their behavior.

So when they had brought their boats to land, they forsook all and followed Him. (Luke 5:11)

They immediately left their nets and followed Him. (Mark 1:18)

…and immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed Him. (Matthew 4:22)

In all three accounts, you get the idea that they did not slumber, tarry, or postpone.

When faced with the question of whether or not they would follow Jesus, they immediately put down their nets to follow.

As I mentioned above, sometimes when talking to our children over the years, we have emphasized they obeyed all the way and right away.

There’s a bit more.

 

The four fishermen listened to Jesus’ voice.

We do not want to miss this fine detail; that is, all four fishermen listened to Jesus’ voice. They all had ears to hear what Jesus was saying to them. When he called them to become fishers of men rather than fish, they were listening. In other words, they could hear what Jesus was saying over all the other sounds of their vocation, experience, family, and pleasure.

They had ears to hear and listened.

As referred to above now twice, they obeyed all the way, right away, and with a happy heart.

What gave them a happy heart? Because they had ears to hear what Jesus was saying. They listened and obeyed. Their hands and feet followed their heart.

What about you and me?

Let me circle back around to the beginning of this post:

First, What are you holding that you need to throw down, that is, your net? Second, Are you willing to throw down your net? And, third, Are you willing to follow Jesus ~ all the way, right away, and with a happy heart?

As a discerning reader, I am sure you understand what I am asking here. But, for the sake of clarity, let me briefly explain.

First, What are you holding that you need to throw down? What is God calling you to do, to change, or to believe? What is God’s finger pointing to in your life that needs to change, grow, or otherwise be different?

Second, Are you willing to do what God has called you to do? Whatever you know God that God wants you to do, are you willing to do that? Or, in other words, will you do it?

Third, and most importantly, Will you follow Jesus ~ all the way, right away, and with a happy heart? Will you do it now with a heart of full trust in the Lord? Will you passionately follow Jesus?