“Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men.” Luke 5:10
In this marvelous account, Jesus catches Peter. Now this may seem strange, given that Simon Peter had already become a follower of the Nazarene. Andrew, Peter’s brother, had been a following of John the Baptist. But the Baptist redirected his disciples to Jesus, for Jesus “must increase,” and he “decrease.” Andrew dutifully went, but soon was himself caught by the Master. From there he went to his brother for another catch. “We have found the Messiah” (Jn. 1:41)! Andrew drew Peter to shore, as it were, and Jesus did the rest! Peter began following Jesus.
But still, he kept one foot on dry land. He held on to his day job—better safe than sorry, after all! Following is one thing; forsaking all quite another. But Jesus would not let this one go. So on this morning, after he finished teaching the crowds, he bade Peter go fishing. “Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught.” What! Peter was the fisherman, Peter knew these waters like the back of his hand, Peter went when the fish were out, and Peter had done everything right. Yet Peter that night had come up empty. Yet out of respect, he yielded to Jesus. Reluctantly no doubt, but reverently. He believed the Master; at least, generally speaking. But what did the carpenter-preacher really know about this trade?
Read the rest of this article below, published in the Banner of Sovereign Grace Truth
“In a word, being to bring Christ and the church together, our [preachers’] aim must be, to persuade people to come out of their estate they are in, to come and take Christ. Whatsoever makes for this, that course we must use, though it be with never so much abasing of ourselves. Therefore the gospel is promulgated in a sweet manner. ‘I beseech you, brethren, by the mercies of God,’ etc. The law comes with ‘Cursed, cursed;’ but now in the gospel Christ is preached with sweet alluring. ‘I beseech you, brethren,’ and ‘We as ambassadors beseech you, as if Christ by us did beseech you,’ etc., 2 Cor. 5:20. This is the manner of the dispensation in the gospel, even to beg of people that they would be good to their own souls. Christ, as it were, became a beggar himself, and the great God of heaven and earth begs our love, that we would so care for our own souls that we would be reconciled unto Him. It was fitter, indeed, that we should beg of him. It was fit we should seek to be reconciled to him, but God so stoops in the dispensation and ministry of the gospel, that He becomes a beggar and suitor to us to be good to our souls. As if he had offended us, He desires us to be reconciled. The wrong is done on our part, yet He so far transcends the doubtings of man’s nature, that He would have nothing to cause man’s heart to misgive, no doubts or scruples to arise. He Himself becomes a beseecher of reconciliation, as if He were the party that had offended. This is the manner of the publication of the gospel.”
Should robust, confessional, reformed Christianity be the preserve only of white, middle and upper class folk? Chalmers didn’t think so, much less that the Gospel should be left to the demands of the religious marketplace. Another appeal for establishments, and especially aggressive, territorial missions.
West Port Experiment 