Unworthy (Luke 5:1-11)

Luke 5:1-11

^5:1One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, the people were crowding around him and listening to the word of God. ² He saw at the water’s edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. ³ He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat.

⁴ When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.”

⁵ 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.”

⁶ When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. ⁷ So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.

⁸ When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” ⁹ For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, ¹⁰ and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners.

Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.” ¹¹ So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him. ^[1]

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What is striking in this passage is Peter’s confession of his sinfulness.  It’s not clear if at this point he fully understood who was standing in front of him.  But he was aware of enough to know that he was unworthy to be in his presence.

This is a common reaction in the Bible to coming into the presence of God, an overwhelming sense of unworthiness and unholiness.  Peter’s reaction is similar to that of Isaiah and Jeremiah when they were called into ministry.  And here as well, Peter is being called to the ministry of “fishing” for people.

The truth is that we are all called into this “ministry.”  All Christians are called to be disciples who work for the kingdom to be a blessing to the world, to make more disciples and to be a testimony of the new creation in a fallen world.  But as it was for Peter, Isaiah, Jeremiah and others, our usefulness as God’s ministers begins with an honest acknowledgement that we are utterly unworthy for such a calling.  We cannot be instruments of God’s grace until we acknowledge that we are as much in need of that grace as anyone that we may be called to serve in Christ’s name.  Our service to God is not us doing Him a favor.  On the contrary, it is pure grace that we are given such a blessed privilege.

 Lord Jesus, I praise you for your grace in making me your own.  I also praise you for the grace of calling me to serve You, Your people and Your world.  In Your grace, equip, empower, and lead me in this calling today.

What is the Word leading you to pray about today?

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^[1] The New International Version. (2011). (Lk 5:1–11). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.