Catch On Fire Podcasts

The Calling of the Disciples: What Luke 5:1–11 Teaches Us Today

• Novella Springette • Season 1 • Episode 10

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Luke 5:1–11 is one of the most powerful stories of calling, faith, and obedience in the New Testament. In this episode of Catch On Fire Podcasts, we explore the Miraculous Catch of Fish and how Jesus transformed ordinary fishermen into world-changing disciples. 

In this podcase we’ll break down the passage verse by verse, explore the historical and biblical context, and uncover what Jesus meant when He told Peter to “launch out into the deep.” 

Whether you feel stuck, tired, discouraged, or unsure of what God is calling you to do next, this passage reveals how one act of obedience can shift your entire destiny. 

 In this teaching, you’ll learn: 

-Why Jesus chose fishermen to be His first disciples 

-The cultural meaning behind fishing and empty nets 

-What Peter’s obedience teaches us about faith 

-How God can use our failures for His purpose 

-What “fishers of men” really means 

If you’re ready to grow in discipleship, understand Scripture more deeply, and strengthen your walk with Christ, this teaching is for you. 

A weary fisherman, a crowded shoreline, and an unlikely command: push into deep water. That’s where the story turns. We open Luke 5:1–11 and watch Simon Peter move from expertise to surrender, from empty nets to a catch so large the boats threaten to sink. Along the way, we trace a larger thread running through Scripture and history: God meets people where they are, invites them to try again where they’ve failed, and turns simple obedience into overflow.

We share how Luke’s gospel highlights the outsider and why this scene is more than a fishing tale—it’s a pattern for modern discipleship. You’ll hear vivid accounts that echo the same rhythm: Saul encountering Christ on the road and becoming Paul; Elizabeth Fry stepping into Newgate Prison and launching reform; Elijah and the widow of Zarephath discovering provision in famine; Naaman laying down pride for a simple path to healing; Amy Carmichael welcoming Preena into safety; and C. T. Studd exchanging applause for a life on mission. Each story spotlights a clear progression: a word from God, a step that defies convention, and a result that reshapes purpose.

We also get practical. We talk about how to invite Jesus into your daily work, how to discern when you’re being asked to cast again, and how to prepare your “nets” through prayer, Scripture, community, and generosity. And when the catch comes, we discuss why abundance requires partners and humility. Most of all, we sit with the moment Peter shifts from calling Jesus Master to calling him Lord, and how that shift still humbles, heals, and sends us today.

If this message stirred you, share it with a friend, subscribe for future episodes, and leave a review so others can find these conversations. Where is Jesus asking you to push into deep water this week?

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Catch On Fire Podcasts aims to lead us all into a closer walk with God as we strive to become more like Jesus.

SPEAKER_00:

Hi and welcome to Catch on Fire Podcast. I am Dr. Novella Springett. I've been a follower of Jesus Christ since I was a child. Over the years, I have spent time studying the Bible and the history of the Christian Church. Catch on Fire Podcasts will be conducting in-depth studies of scripture with the goal of encouraging us all to grow in Christian discipleship. This podcast is for all those who have an interest in knowing more about Jesus and what it means to live for Christ in today's pluralistic society. We pray that this podcast will positively impact all of our lives and enable us all to become more like Jesus. Please like, follow, and subscribe to Catch on Fire Podcasts on the varying platforms that we are featured on. Let's pray. Heavenly Father and our God, we ask your presence in this podcast. We pray that it will be all of you and none of me, and that the words will go forth with power and that your anointing will rest on them. We ask this in your name. Amen. Today we'll be speaking on the calling of the disciples, what Luke 5, 1 to 11 teaches us today. And it is based on the scripture, Luke 5, 1 to 11. And this scripture reads as follows One day as Jesus was standing by the lake of Genazareth, the people were crowding around him and listening to the word of God. He saw at the water's edge two boats left there by the fishermen who were washing their nets. He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to go put out a little from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat. When he 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 hard all night and haven't caught anything, because 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. 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. When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus' knees and said, Go away from me, Lord, I am a sinful man. For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken. And so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, James, Simon's partners. Then Jesus said to Simon, Don't be afraid. From now on you will fish for people. So they pulled their boats upon shore, left everything, and followed him. Have you ever worked so hard, only to feel like you're getting nowhere? That's exactly how Peter probably felt the day Jesus stepped into Peter's boat. In Luke 5, 1 to 11, Peter's nets were empty. He had fished all night and caught nothing. All it took, however, was one simple act of obedience to change everything. In this video, we'll break down this passage of Scripture verse by verse. We'll look at how one act of faith can completely transform our lives. This story isn't just about fishermen, it's about us. First, we'll look at the background of loose gospel as that provides the context whereby we can grasp the meanings, the message that the gospel writers convey. Then we'll do a deep dive into the scriptures and look at the main points of this passage, which are as follows. One, Jesus meets us where we are. Two, God often calls us to try again where we have previously failed. Three, obedience positions us for the overflow. And four, when we really see Jesus, it will humble us and transform our lives. What happened to Peter and the other disciples on that day is exactly what God wants to do in our lives. Let's look at the background of Luke's gospel. Tradition ascribes the authorship of this book to the Apostle Luke. The Apostle Luke was a physician and was also a constant companion of the Apostle Paul. The Gospel of Luke, along with the book of Acts, are both written to the beloved Theophilus. Originally, the two books were not only written together, but circulated together. However, during the late 1st or early second century, the book of Luke became associated with Matthew, Mark, and John. The three longest New Testament books are Luke, Matthew, and Acts of the Apostle in that order. Acts is about one-tenth shorter than Luke and is about exactly the same length as Matthew. Luke and Acts, when combined, make up 27.5% of the New Testament. Together, these two books exceed both the writings of Paul and John in size. It follows, therefore, that the Apostle Luke, a Gentile, was the most prolific writer of the New Testament. The book of Luke showcases Jesus' concern for all people, especially those who are looked down on by society. Luke speaks of women, the poor, and those who were social outcasts. The Savior, Jesus Christ, cared about others. The central theme in the book of Luke is that God offers salvation to all. When we look at Luke 5, we find Jesus at the start of his ministry. He's currently located in Galilee. All of the Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, speak of Jesus calling his disciples. However, it is only in Luke that we find the story of the miraculous catch of fish. So let's look at our first point. Jesus meets us where we are. And the scripture says one day as Jesus was standing by the lake of Janazareth, the people were crowding around him and listened to the word of God. He saw at the water's edge two boats left there by the fishermen who were working or washing their nets. He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat. Throughout the New Testament, this same body of water is referred to either as the Sea of Galilee, the Sea of Tiberias, or the Lake of Genazareth. Galilee is so called because it is located around the Sea of Galilee. And the people were crowding Jesus. They wanted to get as close and personal with Jesus as they possibly could. They wanted to know more about Jesus. They were drinking in the Word of God from the Word of God. John says the word became flesh and dwelt among us. And Jesus saw two boats at the edge of the water. The lake of Janesareth was small, so the boats that would be on the lake were fishing boats. We could be easily drawn up on the beach. These fishing boats would be attended at the most by four or five men. In the time of Jesus, the Sea of Galilee would be filled with these fishing boats. The fishermen would fish at night and wash and repair their nets in the day. And the fishermen had to wash their nets for a variety of reasons. One of the main reasons was that the nets would become filled with dead fish, mud, and seaweed from the bottom of the lake. If the net was not washed, when it was brought into the boat, it would rot and stink. Furthermore, rats would come by to eat the debris that had been caught in the net and wind up making big holes in the net, which would make the nets useless. Luke tells us that there were two boats. Jesus had a choice of boats in which he could have entered. He went into the boat that belonged to Simon and asked him to go out a little into the sea, not far from the shore. We look at Peter, he's tired. He's been out fishing all night. He's trying to wash his net and then go home to rest. Here comes Jesus giving him work to do. After he takes out Jesus, he will still have to bring the boat back to shore. Peter didn't argue, didn't have an attitude, he just did as he was asked. Jewish teachers did not stand to teach. It was a custom of the day to sit and teach. Jesus stayed with tradition and sat down in the boat to teach. He was not there to do things different just for the sake of being different. He allowed people to be comfortable with him and focus on what was important. Last time Luke speaks of Jesus preaching, Jesus was in the synagogue. Here he is, first on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, surrounded by a mob of people preaching in sand. Next, he takes a small fishing boat that makes at his pulpit. Jesus went to where the people were. We find that the Apostle Paul was on the road to Damascus when he had his first encounter with Jesus. Prior to that miraculous encounter with the living God, Paul had been going around killing Christians, dragging them from their homes and throwing them in jail. And Paul, who was then Saul, was on his way to Damascus to continue his life-threatening acts against the Christians. And Jesus shone a light from heaven around him and spoke to him on his road to Damascus. And the men who were with Saul heard the sound, but they saw nothing. When Jesus comes to us where we are, others might not see what is happening in our lives because Jesus is focused on making himself apparent to us, uh visible to us. Paul lost his physical sight but and had to be led by his hand into Damascus. And he did not receive his sight until an old disciple Ananias came and prayed for him. Ananias was informed of God that Saul was his chosen instrument to proclaim his name to Gentiles, kings, and the people of Israel. God also stated that Saul would suffer many things for the sake of Christ. God went met with the apostle Paul where he was, and he became one of the great heroes of the faith. Of the 27 books of the New Testament, Paul wrote 14 of them. We also hear about Elizabeth Fry. She came from a very wealthy family. Her father was a partner in Guernsey Bank, and her mother was a member of the Barkless family who helped to start the Barkless Bank. As a teenager, Elizabeth's life was changed when she heard the American Quaker William Savary preach. He came to England to preach at a meeting of friends. Subsequent to that encounter, Elizabeth became very pious and shunned many of the luxuries though part and parcel of her wealthy family's life. Elizabeth read the Bible, she abstained from dancing and singing, refused to shop for new silk gowns, and began to attend meetings twice on Sundays. When Elizabeth was 20 years old, she married Joseph Fry on 19 August 1800. In 1811, one month after giving birth to her seventh child, Elizabeth Fry was accepted as a minister by the Society of Friends. Her husband was very supportive, which allowed Elizabeth the freedom to travel to minister. Elizabeth was known for her compassion for the poor. So in 1813, another member of the Society of Friends, who had seen the appalling conditions at London's Newgate Prison, asked her to go there and take a look. Most of these women were wearing tattered rags. Their hair was matted, and their faces were streaked with grime, and many were just sprawled motionless on filthy straw. Babies were screaming while the stench of unwashed, filthy bodies filled the air. The condition of the prison was likened to that of the slave ships. The next day Elizabeth came back with baby clothes, blankets, and clean thick straw. Thus began Elizabeth's lifelong ministry as a prison reformer. In 1816, Elizabeth was able to start a school for the children who were in prison with their mothers. And she also formed an association for the reformation of female prisoners in Newgate. This association provided materials for the women so they could learn to soap patch work. The skills that the women acquired kneework and knitting enabled them to get legal employment and get paid after they were released from prison. Frye was often criticized during her efforts to improve the life of prisoners. Her opponents accused her of abandoning her children to look after these female prisoners. However, Elizabeth ignored the nasees as she was convinced that God had called her to work with these prison women. Frye wrote in her book, Prisons in Scotland and the North of England, that on occasion she would spend a night in some of these prisons. And she would invite nobility, the well-off, the wealthy to come and stay and see for themselves the awful conditions that the prisons lived under. Elizabeth also campaigned not just for these prisoners, but also for women to visit other women who were in asylums, hospitals, and workhouses. And she reached out to the homeless. She established a nightly shelter in London so that the homeless could have somewhere to go. In 1840, Elizabeth opened a school for nurses, and her nursing program inspired Florence Nightingale, who took a team of Fry's nurses to serve with her in the Crimean War. Elizabeth, her entire life, she struggled with anxiety and depression. She was severely and viciously criticized by many who took exception to her parent exile and her commitment to prison reforms. Despite these challenges, Elizabeth kept on going, determined to fulfill God's call in her life. God met with Elizabeth where she was, a pampered, well-off teenager. Elizabeth answered God's call and was able to make invaluable contributions to the world. She died on 12th of October 1845, and the seamen of the Ramsgate Coast Guard flew their flags at half mass in her honor. And this was a practice that had previously been reserved only for the death of a ruling monarch. More than a thousand people stood in silence during Elizabeth's burial at the Ramsgate Memorial. Jesus comes to meet us wherever we are, and if we are willing to answer his call, we too can be mightily use of God. Point number two, God calls us to try again where we have failed previously. Scripture said, when he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, Put out into the 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. Jesus dismissed the crowd. He had finished teaching all that he was going to teach that day. He now turned his attention to Peter. He instructed Peter to go out into the deep water and throw back out the nets as there would be fish to catch. Peter, Andrew, James, and John were fishing with the casting net. The casting net was in the shape of a circle and could be as much as nine feet in diameter. Around the side circumference were lead pellets, and once it was cast into the sea, it would sink into the water as the lead would drag it down and it would surround the fish. The fishermen would then draw it through the water and the fish would be captured in it. Peter is being told by Jesus to take up his nice clean net and listen to a person who he had never yet seen do any fishing and go to the deep water and catch fish there. First of all, it was common knowledge that the best fishing was at night. Here was it the middle of the day, and Jesus was giving instructions to go against what was the norm. Secondly, Jesus was sending them to a location where the fishermen did not normally fish. In the night, the fish would come close to the shore to feed on the minnows that were in the reeds, and the fishermen would just cast their nets there. They were easily gathered. The fishermen had already done Jesus a favor. They're taking out from a little to the shore to cheat, a little from the shore to teach. Now here comes Jesus giving them additional work to do. All night long they had fish and had yet to catch anything. They were exhausted. All they wanted to do was to go back to the shore, go home and rest and come back tonight to start again. And their nets were nice and clean and in the boat, ready for tonight's fishing. Once they used them and they threw them out in the deep, as Jesus was instructing, they would have to clean them again. Peter called Jesus master, and he let Jesus know that he was only taking the step out of respect for him. The Greek here, the Greek word that is used here for master is only used in Luke's gospel and it's not found in any other gospel. It translates as commander, leader, or boss. Peter was letting Jesus know that he considered him to be someone who had authority over him. Peter said, At your word, I'm gonna put down my nice clean nets into the deep waters of the Sea of Galilee, even though by the standards of men it would appear to be a fool's errand. Peter is essentially stating, because at Jesus' word, the supernatural takes place. When Jesus says, let there be, there is. When Jesus speaks the word, the blind receive their sight. At Jesus' word, the dead come to life. At Jesus' word, salvation comes to whosoever will. In 1 Kings 18, we are told how Elijah prayed for rain. After Elijah had called down fire from heaven and destroyed the prophets of the false God Baal, he told the King Ahab that after many years of drought, more than three years, the sound of abundance of heavy rain was in the air. And when Elijah spoke those words to King Ahab, nothing had changed externally. There was no evidence to support his statement. Elijah climbed to the top of Mount Carmel, bent down on the ground, put his face between his knees and prayed. Elijah kept sending his servant to look towards the sea for rain. And the servant kept on coming back and telling that he didn't see anything that looked anything like rain. It was on the seventh try that the servant said that he saw a cloud as small as a man's hand rising from the sea. Shortly afterwards, the sky grew black with clouds, the wind rose, and heavy rain started. Jackie Pelinga started a boys' club in the walled city of Hong Kong in the late 1960s. The walled city of Hong Kong was known for gambling, drug dens, prostitution. It was the center of action for criminals and gangs. It was referred to as a lawless metropolis. The attendance at Jackie's Boys Club was erratic. Sometimes there'd be only one person and on other occasions there'd be 50 boys. One morning someone called her to come to the room, and they were looking at the club, and someone had broken into it and done extensive damage. When Jackie arrived on the scene, it was worse than anything she could have imagined. Books, benches, ping pong bats, skateboards had been thrown around and mashed to pieces. Even worse, someone had deliberately strewn sewage all over the floors and walls. It seemed that the foundation of Jackie's world lay in ruins. She wanted to give up, but she prayed, and God gave her peace, and she spent that day cleaning up. That night a youth she had never seen showed up. When she asked him why he was there, he told her that Goko, one of the triad leaders, had sent him to guard the club going forward. Goko controlled all the opium dens and vice in that area of the walled city. And Goko had several thousand on the lens. For years, Jackie had been trying to meet Goko and he had consistently refused to meet with her. Goko was annoyed that some people had the nerves to damage a boys' club that was in his territory. So he designated a watchman, Winson, to come every night to make sure that nothing happened to the room or Jackie while Winson was there. Winston was an important person, Goko's triad. He was a fight fixer for the triad gang. He was number 426. Whenever there was a fight, Winson would pick the location and the weapons. And night after night, Winston heard about Jesus because of his assignment. And at the same time, Jackie kept witnessing to Winston. And not long afterwards, Winston came to know Jesus and was completely cured of his opium drug addiction. In the midst of the failure, a great good came out of that. God calls us to try again, often where we have previously failed. He knows best. Point number three, obedience positions us for the overflow. When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and the fillboat boat so full that they began to sink. Obeying Jesus led to incredible results. Their boats and their nets were so full that they began to break and the boats began to sink. They had called for help and it was both boats that were going to the bottom because there's so many fish in them. An incredible, miraculous return on obedience, exceedingly abundantly above all that they could ask or think. In 1 Kings 17, we had told the story of how God sent Elijah to widow woman in Zarephat. Initially there had been a drought in the land, and God had been feeding Elijah with ravens down by the brook of Sherid. The drought had dragged on for several years and the brook was now dried up. So God told Elijah to move on and move out. He told Elijah to go down into Gentile territory to a widow who would look after him. Not just any widow, but an unclean Gentile widow. By human standards, this was an unreasonable request to acts of an Orthodox Jew. With one, widows were notorious for their poverty in the ancient world. In that day and age, widows were considered the lowest elements of society. Generally, women didn't fear well if their husbands died. They were dependent on a husband to protect and look after and provide for them. If their husbands died and their children were young, widows were often forced to beg or turn to a life of prostitution to support themselves and their children. By any standard, Elijah should be the one offering to help the widow, not the other way around. It was illogical for Elijah to go to Zarephat and expect a lowly, gentile widow to take of him. Yes, that yet that's exactly what God told him to do. Elijah could have stayed by the brook and decided that he was too good to have a widow and a gentile widow that be the one to provide for him. Instead, Elijah went where God told him to go, and to whom God told him to go to. Just as God had told Elijah, there was indeed a widow woman at the city gate of Zarephat gathering sticks. She really had to be poor. She didn't have a servant who could gather the sticks for her. Maybe Elijah thought that it would be a rich widow, but this was definitely not someone who was well off. And she was looked just as poor and beaten down as any other widow. However, what God had done in the midst of this pagan nation was to raise a true worshiper, one who was serving God in spirit and truth, one who was able to hear the voice of the Lord. Deep down here in Jezebel's Bell stronghold, this widow was suspecting the God of heaven and earth. And she had taken the time to know God for herself. Elijah formed this widow just before she was going to prepare her last morsel of food for herself and her son and then resign herself to death. Her and her son to death. Elijah proceeded to ask this widow woman for both food and water. He actually told her to prioritize him above herself and her son and feed him first. This was an incredibly bold request from the prophet. He was asking this destitute widow to give him her last bit of food. And the widow did not protest at the request for water. That she was gladly willing to give to Elijah. But the food she wanted to share it with her son before they both gave up their lives to the famine. She had already worked out how she was going to die, she and her son. They were going to have one last good meal and then prepare for death. This woman spoke her reality, and her reality was guaranteed death for both her and her son. However, Elijah was dealing with the supernatural. Elijah knew the God that he served. This widow woman could not discourage Elijah as Elijah was truly walking with God. Elijah told her, You're not going to die. You will live and declare the works of the Lord. Just go ahead and feed me first. Take the step of faith. This is God's word to the widow through Elijah. Elijah then proceeded to tell her that God would provide a never-ending supply of food for the widow, her son, and Elijah as well. He asked the widow first to just put her trust in the great promise of God. The widow woman followed Elijah's instructions and willingly gave baby. Based on her trust in the promise of God. God fulfilled the promise to the widow, her son, and Elijah. And for many days, every day, the food was there to feed both all three of them. Ah, this is what it means to obey God. Obedience leads to overflow. Amy Carmichael left England and went to India as a missionary. While she was living in India, Amy acquired the nickname of child stealing Amma. Amma is a term of endearment, which means mother. Amy had taken several unwanted children into her care, and the locals thought it best to refer to her by this term. A young girl, Preena, came to hear about Amy. Preena was a seven-year-old girl who had been given to the temple by her mother to be used as a temple prostitute. Preena's father was dead, and her mother was trying to win favor from the Hindu gods. At the age of five, Preena had run away from the temple. Somehow she had made the more than 20-mile journey back to her mother's home. However, her mother sent her back to the temple. Back at the temple, Preena's hands were burnt with red hot irons to remind her never to try to run again, and she was watched all day long and locked up at night. When she was seven, Preena heard that she would soon be married to one of the gods, and the thought terrified her. One of the women at the temple kept telling Preena about the child stealing Amma and that she should be grateful to be at the temple instead. These stories had the opposite effect than what they intended she intended them for. As the maid Preena warned to meet this child stealing Amma. One night in the middle of the night, Preena came wide awake. She crept to the door and it swung open. That was strange. I was never left unlocked. Preena then made her way to the courtyard and inexplicably another door was opened. She looked around and the night watchman was nowhere to be found. Prina then ran as fast as she could over the bridge to the next village where she knew Amy, the child stealing Ameliv. When she got there, she wandered around at first and then she found the church and waited outside for something to happen. A Christian woman came out and recognized Preena as one of the temple girls. And she took Preena home for the night with every intention of taking her back to the temple the next day. As Amy had traveled. All night she told Preena that the child stealing Amma was not at home, but Preena refused to believe her. This Christian woman was so worn down that at 6:30 a.m. she took Preena over to where Amy lived to show her that Amy really was not there. To her shock and surprise, Amy was on the veranda drinking tea. And she allowed Freena to stay with her. The temple woman tried to claim Prina back, but in front of hundreds of witnesses, Preena said that she did not wish to return to the temple. She wanted to be with Amy, the child stealing Amma. Eventually, the temple woman went away. They said they would send the mother to get Prina, but the mother never showed up. Because of obedience, the overflow came to Prina and she found a new life in Christ. When we are obedient to God, God's give us the overflow. Our four points, when we really see Jesus, he will humble us and transform our lives. When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus' knees and said, Go away from me, Lord, I am a sinful man. For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken. 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. So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything, and followed him. Peter now understood who he was dealing with. He had called him initially master, as in commander, chief, or ruler. Now Peter calls Jesus Lord as in Messiah. Peter was essentially saying to Jesus, You're the ruler and maker of heaven and earth. You commanded the fish to come to the net and they came. I'm not worthy to be in your presence, Lord. The fishermen were terrified because they had had the nerves to question Jesus. So they asked Jesus to go away from them. The gracious Savior spoke kindly to Peter. He told Peter that he did not need to be afraid. Jesus had a plan for his life. The days of fish catching fish were at an end. Peter would do a much greater work. Peter would fish for men on Jesus' behalf. Peter would preach to thousands of people on the day of Pentecost. Under the anointing and power of the Holy Ghost like Jesus, Peter would raise the dead, heal the sick, and spread the good news of Jesus far and wide. Peter would be the only human being other than Jesus to walk on water. On that day, the boats that these fishermen had been making a living by were abandoned on the shores of the Sea of Galilee. These humble fishermen did not say, This is a lot of fish, you could make a lot of money. Let me pocket the cash first and then I'll follow this stranger, this Jesus. Instead, they laid aside everything and abandoned it and followed Jesus. Opportunities lost never come again. Peter and the 12 would change the world as they carried out Jesus' instruction to make disciples. In 2 Kings 5, 1-15, we are told the story of Naaman, a captain in the Syrian army. Naaman, who we are speaking about here, was the chief military officer in Syria at a time when Syria is one of Israel's biggest enemies. The title that is given here to Naham, mighty man of valor, was also given to Gideon, Jeptah, David, Jeroboam, and Eliadad. All of these men that were mentioned above were mighty warriors who distinguished themselves in the history of Israel. Naaman is the only Gentile in the Old Testament who received such a grand title. Naaman contracted leprosy, which was a death sentence in those days. However, an Israelite maid that he had captured told his wife that if Naaman went to Israel, the prophet Deer would be able to secure his healing. Naaman consulted with the Syria to told him to go for it and gave him a letter to the king of Israel. As far as the king of Syria is concerned, if the ability to heal leprosy was indeed present in Israel, the king of Israel would be the one who would be holding on to it. Naaman left for Israel to try and secure his healing with empty gifts. He did not come empty-handed. He knew that what he was asking for was really something that deserved to be paid for at the highest level. He took with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold, and ten sets of clothing. This was an incredibly rich treasure. The ten talents of silver was approximately 750 pounds of silver. At today's prices, that would be approximately$612,000. The 6,000 shekels of gold would be about 150 pounds of gold. At today's prices, that gold would be worth 1.374 million dollars. The 10 sets of garments were surely garments fit for a king on the same level as today's designer clothes, Calvin Klein, etc. And these clothes would be a personal gift that supplemented the less personal but more valuable gold and silver. And Naaman knew that what he was asking for was not something to be taken for granted or that would come easily. And he was coming with all that was in him because he knew that he needed something extra special. So Naaman went down to the king of Israel, who was infuriated when he read a letter from the king of Syria. As he taught us, King of Syria was just looking for an excuse to go to war with Israel. The king of Israel knew that he had no power to heal anyone of leprosy. But the prophet Elijah heard about Naaman's petition and sent his servant to tell the king not to worry and to have Naaman come down to his house, Elisha's house. And when Naaman came down, Elisha did not even go out to greet Naaman. Instead, he told his servant to go there and tell Naaman to go and dip in the river Jordan seven times. Naaman was very angry. He said, Do you does he know who I am? Naaman had even had a formula that he was sure that Elijah was supposed to use to heal him. Elijah was supposed to come out, call on the name of God, wave his hand over Naaman, and the leprosy would then magically disappear. Instead, Elisha ignored Naham and his preconceived notions and told him to go and do something very simple. Elisha instructed Naaman to go down to the river Jordan and dip seven times. This infuriated Naaman even more. He declared that there were much better rivers in Syria than anything that they had here in Israel. And he was telling the truth. The rivers of Damascus were indeed much better rivers by the standards of the world. Their water was brighter, clearer, and colder than that of the river Jordan. Not only that, to add insult to injury, Naaman wasn't just to dip once in this inferior river Jordan. He was to do it seven times. Naaman did not know that seven is God's perfect number. Thankfully, Naaman's servants were able to make him listen to reason. They told Naaman that had he been answered to something difficult, he would have gladly done it. And they told Naaman that after all he had been through all the journey he had made, he should at least try doing the simple task. Naaman, thanks be to God, actually listened to and followed the instructions of his servants and went and dipped in the river Jordan seven times. It is not that the waters of Jordan were able to heal Naaman. It is obedience that led to his healing. God decided that day that once Naaman obeyed him, he would even give Naaman more than he asked for. This man was certainly at least middle aged. One did not get to become a military commander overnight. And the scripture says that his skin became like that of a young boy when he came back up out of the river Jordan on the seventh time. With leprosy, Naaman was vain and full of grandeur and able to take offense. Naaman, heal of leprosy, was humble. He stood before Elijah and lifted up the name of Jehovah. And said there's only one God. And he tried to give the substantial wealth that he had brought with him to Elijah, but Elijah did not want anything. Because Naaman needed to know that what he had acquired had come from the Lord. Silver and gold is not what had given him this. Ah, it is said that it is only when we see Jesus that we will really be able to be humble because we'll recognize that we are nothing in the presence of the one true God. City Studd was at one point in his life the most famous cricketer in England. His family was so wealthy that he did not need to ever work in life. There was plenty of money to sustain him. When he was in his third year at Cambridge University, he was ranked at the top of his sport cricket. And he had proven to be a brilliant batsman. In one of the university's matches, he scored 267 of the team's 367 runs. During his third year at Cambridge University, City was asked to play for the English national team against a visiting Australian team. England lost to Australia for the first time ever. And that was the start of the Ashes series. It still continues to today. The next year, City travelled to Australia, and due to some brilliant playing on his part, England won the series in Australia and were gifted an urn with ashes. It was said England had won the Ashes back. However, City's brother George, who was likewise a famed cricketer, became ill when City was in his early twenties. City had made a commitment when he was younger to serve Jesus. However, with the fame that came with his athletic success, he had not really paid much attention to what it would take to truly serve Jesus. As City saw his brother there lying in his bed dying, he came to the conclusion that fame and flattery were of no use. The only thing that matters is being able to answer to God for how we live. And City stayed at his brother's bedside, listened to him struggle to breathe, breathe, and City was grieving. But on the third day, City's brother George opened his eyes and slowly came back to life. City asked God to forgive him for getting caught up in worldly matters rather than seeking what is of an internal value. And so soon after taking his commitment to the move for Christ, City walked away from his life as a famous cricketer at the top of his game, and he traveled to China to work with Hudson Taylor in the China Inland Mission. He wrote the poem that we have, most of us are familiar with, Only One Life, Twill Soon Be Pass. And City stated that some want to live within the sound of church of the church or the chapel bell. He said, I want to run a rescue shop within a yard of hell. And he worked as a missionary in southern India and later in life in the Belgian Congo. On 16 July 1931, while still laboring for the Lord in the Congo, at the age of 70, Charles Studd went home to be with the Lord. Today, Jesus is still calling all of us to be fishes of men. The call is still the same to give up all and follow Jesus. And when we truly come in contact with Jesus, it will humble and transform us. Takeaways from this passage of scripture as follows. What happened to Peter and the disciples on this day is exactly what God wants to do in our lives. As we can clearly see from this passage, God meets us where we are. God often calls us to try again where we have previously failed. Obedience positions us for the overflow. And when we really see Jesus, it will humble us and transform our lives. God is calling on all of us to follow Him in Christian discipleship. Today, if you do not know Jesus as personal Lord and Savior, He's knocking at the door of your heart. Will you please let Jesus in? There's eternal life after this life here on earth, and we have to make a choice where we'll spend eternity, hell or heaven. Hell is real. Jesus spoke more about hell than he did about heaven. There's only one way to heaven, and that is by confessing Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and believing in our hearts. If anyone listening wishes to come to know the joy, peace, and love that can be found in Jesus, please feel free to repeat after me, Jesus. Please come into my heart and be Lord of my life. Wash me and make me clean. Teach me to live for you. Amen. If you have prayed this prayer, congratulations. You're now officially one of Jesus' believers. Please let others know that you're now a follower of Jesus. Set time aside to read the Bible daily. You can do so online. If you have not habitually read the Bible previously, I recommend that you start with the Gospel of John. Talk to God constantly about everything. He loves to hear from us as we are his children. Please find a Christian church to go to fellowship with other believers so that you can learn how to be a disciple of Jesus. In conclusion, we pray that this podcast has positively impacted all of our lives and has enabled us to become more like Jesus. Please like, follow, and subscribe to Catch and Fire Podcast on the varying platforms that we are featured on. Please join me as I speak words of life, declarations, and confessions. We declare and decree in the name of Jesus that we are still holding on to God's unchanging hand. We are still in God's holy plan. We declare and decree in the name of Jesus that we are living holy lives as God requires. We declare and decree in the name of Jesus that we are feeding the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty, welcoming the stranger, giving clothes to those in need, ministering to the sick and visiting those in prison. And we are doing so to the least of those among us, as when we do so, we are ministering to Jesus. We declare, in decree in the name of Jesus, that we have received healing, as by his stripes we are healed. From the crown of our head to the soles of our feet, all of our bodily organs are working correctly. We declare, in the queen, in the name of Jesus, that God is ordering our steps, that all weapons that are formed against us have been utterly and completely destroyed. And every tongue that is rising against us in judgment is condemned. We declare in the queen in the name of Jesus that all generational curses are canceled. Anything that runs in our ancestral bloodline that is not of God has no power over us, our children and our grandchildren, and is eliminated forever right now. We declare in decree in the name of Jesus that angels are watching over and keeping us, our family, our children, our grandchildren, our loved ones safe. We declare in the name of Jesus that every negative word that has been and has is been spoken over our lives and that of our family, children, grandchildren, and loved ones is cancelled and sent back to the pit from whence it came. We declare and decree in the name of Jesus that we are the head and not the tail. We declare and decree in the name of Jesus that we are not and will never be ashamed. Our enemies have not and never will triumph over us. We declare and decree in the name of Jesus that anything that is not of God that has been dispatched to hinder our blessings or our progress and our well-being is immediately destroyed. We declare and decree in the name of Jesus that we are financially in line with God's word, and as such we are lenders and not borrowers. As a result, all of our debts have been paid and are forgiven. We declare and decree in the name of Jesus that the enemy of our souls has no authority over our finances and our funds, and that we are good stewards of the money that God has placed in our keeping. We declare and decree in the name of Jesus that in the area of business and our carriers, that just as Isaac reaped a hundredfold, the blessings of Abraham are falling on us, and we are reaping a hundredfold from whatever we put our hands to. We declare and decree in the name of Jesus that we are living under an open heaven. In every area of our lives, blessings are falling on us, our family and on our loved ones. These blessings are being manifested in our lives, in the spiritual and in the physical. Let's say the 23rd Psalm together. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures. He leadeth me beside the still waters. He restored my soul. He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Yea, though I walk to the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil. For thou art with me, thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies. Thou anointest my head with oil, my cup run it over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you. The Lord turn his face towards you and give you peace. Amen.