Nets about to burst · Jesus calls fishermen
A Bible story to tell as a family · Luke 5:1–11 · ages 4–12 · 10 min
The story
On the shore of the Lake of Gennesaret, also called the Sea of Galilee, a crowd was pressing in around Jesus. Everyone wanted to hear the word of God. Pushing here, pushing there! Near the water there were two boats. The fishermen had left them and were washing their nets, tired after a whole night of work.
Jesus got into one of the boats, the one belonging to a fisherman named Simon, and asked him to push out a little from the shore. Then he sat down and began teaching the crowd right from there, from inside the boat. Simon stayed close by, listening to everything, with clean nets, aching arms and no fish to sell.
When he had finished speaking, Jesus said to Simon: “Put out into deep water and let down your nets for a catch.” Simon looked at Jesus. He was the fisherman here! And the night had been a failure. He answered honestly: “Master,” he said, “we have worked hard all night without catching anything.” But he added: “But because You say so, I will let down the nets.”
They rowed out to deep water. Splash, down goes the net! And suddenly... the net got heavy, very heavy! Fish jumping, tails slapping, scales flashing everywhere. There were so many that the nets began to tear! They signaled to their partners in the other boat: come and help! They filled both boats, and there were so many fish that the boats began to sink.
Simon Peter looked at that mountain of fish and, all of a sudden, he wasn’t thinking about fish anymore. He was thinking about who was standing in front of him. He fell at Jesus’ knees and said: “Go away from me, Lord,” and then: “for I am a sinful man.” Notice: before, he called Jesus Master; now he calls him Lord.
Peter and his partners, James and John, were astonished. But Jesus did not go away. He said to Simon: “Do not be afraid.” And then: “From now on you will catch men.” Catching people means helping people find Jesus, bringing people close to God, like bringing fish to the shore. Jesus didn’t just want to fill Peter’s boat; he wanted Peter himself.
When they reached land, with the boats packed full, the most surprising thing of all happened: they left everything and followed Jesus. They left the boats, the nets and even that enormous catch. They had discovered something far more valuable than fish: they had found the Lord, who rules even over the lake and who calls ordinary people to walk with him.
1On one occasion, while Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret with the crowd pressing in on Him to hear the word of God, 2He saw two boats at the edge of the lake. The fishermen had left them and were washing their nets. 3Jesus got into the boat belonging to Simon and asked him to put out a little from shore. And sitting down, He taught the people from the boat. 4When Jesus had finished speaking, He said to Simon, “Put out into deep water and let down your nets for a catch.” 5“Master,” Simon replied, “we have worked hard all night without catching anything. But because You say so, I will let down the nets.” 6When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to tear. 7So they signaled to 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. 8When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees. “Go away from me, Lord,” he said, “for I am a sinful man.” 9For he and his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, 10and so were his partners James and John, the sons of Zebedee. “Do not be afraid,” Jesus said to Simon. “From now on you will catch men.” 11And when they had brought their boats ashore, they left everything and followed Him.
What the Bible says
- v. 5: Simon says they worked all night without catching anything, but he lets down the net because Jesus said so.
- v. 8: seeing the catch, Simon Peter falls at Jesus’ knees and admits he is a sinner.
- v. 10: Jesus tells Simon not to be afraid: “From now on you will catch men.”
What we learn
Jesus shows he is Lord even of the lake where Peter had worked for years. Peter obeys without understanding and, before the miracle, realizes who Jesus is and who he himself is: a sinner. Jesus’ answer is not to go away, but to say do not be afraid and to give him a mission. That is how Jesus treats those who admit they are small: he draws them close, calms their fear and gives them a purpose. The greatest treasure in the story is not the fish, but Jesus himself.
Questions to talk about
For little ones
- What happened to the net when Peter obeyed Jesus?
- Jesus told Peter: do not be afraid. What are you afraid of sometimes?
For kids
- Peter thought it wouldn’t work, but he obeyed. When is it hard to obey even when you don’t understand?
- Peter said he was a sinner, and Jesus didn’t leave. What does that show about Jesus?
For teens
- Peter left everything after seeing who Jesus was. What makes someone trade something that seems secure for following Jesus? What would that cost you?
For adults
- In what area of your work or home have you been trying all night and are worn out? What would it look like to let down the net again because Jesus says so?
Activity
Living room fishing: cut out little paper fish and put a paper clip on each one. Make a fishing rod with a pencil, a piece of string and a fridge magnet on the end. Scatter the fish on the floor. First, everyone fishes with eyes closed for twenty seconds: almost nothing! Then an adult says: let down your net here! and gathers the fish into one pile, and everyone fishes together. On the biggest fish, write: Do not be afraid.
To memorize: Luke 5:10
Prayer
Lord Jesus, you rule the sea and the fish, and still you call ordinary people to follow you. Thank you that you don’t turn away from those who admit they are sinners. Help us obey your word and bring others to you. In Jesus’ name, amen.