Because Jesus Says So – February 10, 2022

When [Jesus] had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.” Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.” When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break.
Luke 5:4-6

Because Jesus Says So

Can you imagine the scene? Jesus had just finished teaching crowds of people, using Simon’s boat as an impromptu stage. Now he taught Simon how to fish. The problem was that Simon was a professional fisherman, and Jesus was not.

Jesus told him to put out into the deep water during the day. But Simon knew that the best time to fish was the evening and that the best place to throw your nets was in the shallow water. In fact, Simon had labored with all his skill all night long and caught nothing. And now Jesus wanted him to drop his nets again at a less favorable time. It didn’t make any sense.

But there was something about Jesus that caused Simon to take him at his word. And so, he said to Jesus, “…because you say so, I will let down the nets.” Jesus’ word has authority and power. Because Jesus is the almighty Son of God, he filled the nets with fish to their breaking point.

The miracle taught Simon to always trust Jesus’ word. This would be important when Simon began doing the important work of what Jesus called “catching people.” You see, after this miracle, Jesus called Simon to fish for people. Jesus’ word is what catches people for him by bringing them to faith, and now Simon knew the power of Jesus’ word.

Do you? Christianity has been spreading and growing for millennia, not by human skill or technique, but by the word of Jesus. It may seem strange or go against your expectations for how God should work, but because Jesus says so, trust in his word to do the job. He will not let you down!

Prayer:
Jesus, help me to always trust your word. Amen.