“So they... followed him”

Read Luke 5:1-11 

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In both Mark and Matthew the announcement of the good news of God's kingdom is followed straightaway by the call of the first disciples (Mk.1:16-20; Mt.4:18-22). This shows us that the kingdom is not just a theoretical teaching but is about following Jesus. So that story represents the call of all disciples, both then and now, to follow him (Mk.1:17,18,20; 8:34). 

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But we shouldn’t assume that this was their first or final encounter with Jesus (Jn.1:35-42) and Luke uses a separate incident to tell how the these disciples came to a realisation of who Jesus was and of his call to them. Peter, a fisherman, was happy to let Jesus use his boat as a pulpit (3), but less happy for the preacher to advise him how to catch fish! (5)

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Nevertheless, he obeyed and the result was a catch so large that fishermen should have been delighted (6-7). But instead, recognising it as a miracle, he reacted as a sinner in the presence of a holy God (8; Is.6:5), no longer calling Jesus, “Master” (5) but “Lord” (8; kurios, the Old Testament word used for God). It was a turning point – “from now on” they were willing to leave everything to follow Jesus and to join with him in the work of God’s kingdom (10-11).