In Luke 5:1-11, Jesus calls his first disciples. As he’s preaching, people begin crowding around him, so Jesus gets into a fisherman’s boat and teaches the people from there. The fisherman’s name is Simon Peter.
Once he is done preaching, Jesus tells Peter, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.”
Peter replies, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything.”
The Greek word that Luke uses for “master” is “epistata”. It means “commander,” “leader,” or “boss.” By using this word, Peter is saying that Jesus is his commander and he is willing to take orders from him.
Peter probably knew more about fishing than Jesus, who was a carpenter. The only reason Peter obeyed Jesus was because he had faith and trusted that Jesus’ words were true.
Instead of giving Jesus excuses or dismissing Jesus’ command, Peter makes a statement of faith by saying, “But because you say so, I will let down the nets.” I love this passage because even though the circumstances didn’t make sense or seem logical, Peter doesn’t question Jesus. Instead, he calls him “master” and obeys him out of faith. I wonder how often we make excuses when God calls us to something or ignore what he’s calling us to because “it’s not the right time” or “it doesn’t make sense.” If Jesus is truly the “master” or “epistata” of our lives, then we should listen to him with the same posture Peter did and reply with, “But because you say so, I will…”
When Peter allowed Jesus to direct his work, he caught a great number of fish. The entire night, Peter had been working and trying to catch fish on his own. But when he allowed Jesus to direct his actions and his work, he experienced an abundance.
What would it look like for you to make Jesus the master of your life? What would it look like for you to invite him to direct your work, whatever it is, instead of trying to do it alone?
When Jesus becomes the true master of our lives, it changes everything.
Kali Gibson is the editor-in-chief for So We Speak and a copywriter for the Youversion Bible App.
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