As Luke shows us the early ministry of Jesus we see that Jesus does not do his ministry alone but forms a group of disciples. This story shows us how Jesus called Simon Peter. Jesus performs a miracle, but there is also a deeper purpose in the miracle. Jesus’ miracle illustrates what following Jesus will look like for Simon Peter. 

Luke 5:1-11

On one occasion, while the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, he was standing by the lake of Gennesaret, and he saw two boats by the lake, but the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon's, he asked him to put out a little from the land. And he sat down and taught the people from the boat. And when he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.”  And Simon answered, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.”  And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking. 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. But 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 that they had taken, and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.” And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him. (Luke 5:1-11 ESV)

Questions (Luke 5:1-11)

1. How would Simon Peter as a professional fisherman feel when Jesus told him how to fish (and fish poorly)? How could this help us when God calls us to do things in his word that don’t make “sense” according to our experience? 
2. Why does Peter respond that he is a “sinful man” after seeing the miracle? How does encountering the Lord show us our sinfulness? What is Jesus’ response to that? 
3. What does Jesus mean when he says that Peter will be “catching men”? How is that part of our Christian life today?