Chapter 3: The Settlement As To The Supreme Control
Chapter 3: THE SETTLEMENT AS TO THE SUPREME CONTROL
Mark i. 14-20; Luke v. i-ii
"The livelong night we've toiled in vain.
But at Thy gracious word, I will let down the net again:
— Do Thou Thy will, O Lord."
—Keble.
NINE BUSY MONTHS had passed. Singlehanded, our Lord had been conducting His mission throughout Galilee, with an ever-increasing popularity. His speed was quickened by the tidings that the Baptist had been "delivered up." Time after time, as He returned to His home at Capernaum, where His friends and disciples seem now to have settled. He devoted Himself to their further instruction in the great principles on which His life was based, and to their preparation for the decisive moment when He should bid them leave all, rise up, and follow Him. That decisive moment came thus:
The Scene. — It was the early morning of an autumn day. The grey waters of the lake were beginning to laugh back to the sun, slowly rising from behind the eastern hills. The deep azure of the sky, the exquisite foliage of the oleanders, the autumn-tints on the trees and shrubs that came down almost to the water's brink, the changing lights on the hills, the white glistening snows of the mighty Hermon, which, though far distant, seemed to dominate the landscape to the north, the sob of the brimming water, combined to make a worthy setting for the supreme event in the lives of the four fishermen who were destined to influence all after-history.
They had been friends from boyhood. They were partners in their fisher's craft. They were ardent disciples and friends of Him who was moving the whole country. His life, deeds, and words were always on their lips, as they floated together over the fishing-grounds, while the stars kept vigil overhead. Probably they had been speaking of Him, as they drew to shore, after a night of fruitless toil. "Would they be seeing Him soon?"
They had disembarked, were rinsing out their seine nets, and spreading them on the shore to dry, when they became aware of the approach of a vast crowd, which were thronging and pressing upon the person of their beloved Teacher and Friend. In a moment they had forgotten their weariness and disappointment, their hunger, and the call of their homes, and were on the alert to welcome Him. He made straight for Peter's boat and asked that it might be moored within one of the rock-lined inlets that indented the shore.
There He sat and spoke to His congregation, many seated on the blocks of basalt, others standing, but all rapt and wondering at the gracious words that proceeded from His lips.
It may have been Peter's lot to steady the boat by oar or boat-hook, or if it were securely fastened, to sit in the bottom of the boat, his eyes fastened on the Master's face, drinking in each word. Never man spoke like this man. He taught as one that had authority, and not as the scribes. To Peter and the rest, as they afterwards confessed, these were the words of Eternal life; and deep chords in their hearts must have vibrated, when in after days they heard in the Master's memorable Highly Priestly prayer: "The words which Thou hast given to me, I have given them, and they have received them, and have known of a truth that I came forth from Thee."
The Inexorable Command. — When our Lord is about to fashion a vessel unto honour, meet for His use, whether it be of gold and silver, or of wood and earth. He has to establish His absolute authority and right to command. There can be no parleying or argument, no hesitancy or holding back. Spirit, soul, and body must be absolutely submitted to Him, at whatever cost. The disciple must leave all and follow Him. Just as He was prepared to suffer obediently even unto death, so He requires of those whom He takes into the sacred circle of inward companionship that they should arm themselves with the same mind, so that they should no longer live the rest of their time to the will of the flesh, but to the will of God.
Probably Peter and the others knew this generally.
They could hardly have been with Him so long without realizing the force of the significant words uttered by Mary to the servants at Cana: "Whatsoever He saith unto you, do it." They were prepared to give Him their loyal allegiance in the realms of morals and duty; but it was altogether startling and unexpected when, invading their own sphere. He assumed their own prerogative, and said to Peter: "Put out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught." For a moment we may dare to assume that Peter's obedience faltered; and he expressed his hesitation in the reply: "Master, we have toiled all the night, and taken nothing."
Peter had fished these waters from boyhood. There was nothing in the craft with which he was not familiar. The habits of the fish; the hours and spots most suitable for taking them; the effect of climatic conditions: in all he was proficient. He would have hotly resented any interference on the part of other fishermen of his acquaintance; and now, he found himself suddenly confronted with a bidding which was contradicted by his experience, by the universal maxims and practice of generations, and by the bitter failure of the preceding night, which had left him jaded, weary, and out of heart.
He would be prepared to obey the slightest precept that came from the Master's lips; but how could one who had spent his days in the carpenters' workshop of a mountain village be competent to take command of a boat and direct the casting of a net! Was he to renounce himself in this also? The morning was no time for fishing: the glare of light revealed the meshes of the nets, and the fish were to be found, not in the deep, but the shallower part of the lake. The whole of the fisherfolk that might see his boat putting out at such an hour, laden with nets, and evidently prepared for fishing, would laugh and count him crazy.
Is it not thus with all who have been greatly used by Christ? There is no escaping the test. At a certain moment in our experience, often long after we have become disciples, the Master comes on board the ship of our life and assumes supreme control. For a moment or an hour there may be question and hesitation.
We have been wont to make our own plans, follow our own chart, take our own course, and be masters in our own craft; shall we — may we, dare we — hand over the entire command to Christ? To what point may He not steer us! On what venture may He not engage us! At what inhospitable part of the shore may He not land us! Happy are we if, after such a moment of hesitation we reply: "Nevertheless, at Thy command I will put out even to the deep, and let down the nets for a draught." This at least is certain beyond doubt, that you can never reckon on Christ's co-partnership and blessing unless you are prepared to sail under His orders, and, like the angels, fulfil His commandments, hearkening unto the voice of His word.
It has been thus all down the ages. While the ears of the majority have been filled with the hubbub of the street and the babble of the crowd; while the children of this world have been playing in the marketplaces and crying to their fellows; while even the seekers after truth have been overawed by the earthquake or the strong and mighty wind, rending the mountains, the quick ear of the disciple has detected the thrilling undertones of the still small voice, as Elijah once in Horeb's cave.
Sometimes others can interpret that voice better than we. "Eli perceived that the Lord had called the child."
Sometimes it pierces to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, of the joints and marrow; as when Gk)d bade the pariarch to offer the son of his love on Mount Moriah.
Sometimes it demands of us, as of the young man, that we should sell all that we have, and come and follow to the Cross.
But whenever it speaks, it may be detected by its constant reiteration of one note, like the sounding of a bell by the tide far out from shore. It is never "Yea and nay," but always "Yea." It often speaks in the teeth of ordinary experience and convention, and asks us to leave the beach, which we have been hugging too long. It generally offers the acid test to our faith and exposes us to the ridicule of our associates. But it is endorsed in the depths of our soul by an answering assent. It is corroborated by circumstances. God's providence bears witness to the inner voice. To disobey is to become a castaway. To yield obedience is to enter on a vast and lasting inheritance.
Christ must be Master. Rabbi must give place to Lord. His will must rule, though it seems to contradict the dearest traditions of the soul. There cannot be two captains in the boat, if it is to make a successful voyage and return at last laden to the water's edge with fish. To-day and now, let that question be decided! He has a place and a use for you, but you must surrender yourself to His disposal. Refuse to be bound by customs, circumstances, or the conventions of the shore. Make Christ Captain, whilst you take to the oars! At His bidding, launch out into the deep, and remember that yonder, across the waters, is the coastline of Eternity, where in the morning-dawn the Fire and Provision of Divine Preparation await the obedient soul, and the unbroken net shall be dragged to shore, "full of great fishes, one hundred and fifty and three."
"Sacrifice and offering Thou wouldst not: mine ears hast Thou opened: and I was not rebellious, neither turned I away back. Lo, I come to do Thy will, O my God; yea, Thy Law is within my heart, so I know that I shall not be ashamed."
Obedience Leads to the Deep. — Directly the Lord takes control, He steers towards the Deep. We no longer coast along the shallows, but begin to do business in great waters. " They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in deep waters, these see the works of the Lord and His wonders in the deep." The Deep of the Eternal Council-Chamber, where we were chosen in Christ before the world began. The Deep of the Eternal Love, which loved us when we were yet sinners. The Deep of Fellowship and Unity with God, like that between the Father and the Son.
The Deep workings of Providence which underlie all human history. The Deep Bliss of Eternity into which our restless souls will enter. The Spirit searcheth all things, even the deep things of God, and He will reveal them unto those that love Him.
But here we are specially concerned with the Deep of Divine Partnership. To Peter's surprise the boat, propelled by oar or sail, had passed over many wellknown fishing groimds, and had kept its course to the midst of the lake, before our Lord bade them let down the nets. Immediately all hands were set to work, and the necessary preparations were hardly completed, when it was evident that they had netted a great shoal of fish. So much so that the nets were strained to breaking-point. The beads of perspiration were thick on his forehead, and his muscles stood out as whipcord, as Peter strove to cope with his spoils. His boat was lurching dangerously, and he made urgent signals for his partners, who apparently had put out in expectation that something of this kind would take place.
And they came and filled both the boats, so that the gunwales were almost level with the water. Then Peter realized for the first time what partnership with Christ means, and how absolute obedience on our part secures absolute cooperation on His. Whilst the fishers were letting down their nets the Master had been issuing His mandate to the shoals of fish, which found themselves compelled by an irresistible impulse to make for the fishing-nets awaiting them. Was it not predicted in the eighth Psalm that this Son of Man should have dominion " over the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the Deep"?
What a lesson is here for us all! We know only too well what it is to toil through long dark seasons and take nothing. Again and again we have returned to shore with only a minnow or two. But directly we enter into fellowship, or partnership, with the Son of God, to which indeed we have been called, we discover that all we have to do is to have washed and mended nets, to trust the Master to indicate the grounds where the fish lie, and to believe that He will do all the rest.
We may reckon absolutely on that cooperation of God.
The Apostle says emphatically: "God is faithful, by Whom ye have been called into partnership with His Son."
On the Day of Pentecost Peter again let down his net, this time into the vast excited crowds, and again the Lord repeated the miracle of the Galilean lake, and filled his net with three thousand souls. In the house of Cornelius his net had hardly touched the water, when the shoal filled the net. " As I began to speak . . . the Holy Spirit fell." Surely on each occasion the Apostle must have looked into the face of Jesus with a happy smile, and said: "Ah! Lord, here is the Lake of Galilee over again."
This experience might be ours, on similar conditions.
If it is not so, let us inquire for the reason. It lies, not with the Master, but with ourselves, our obedience, or our nets. If our nets are our addresses, sermons, or methods, we must make and mend them by careful study and earnest prayer. The meshes must be so closely articulated that no fish shall get through them.
No pains should be spared so to present the Gospel as that our hearers may be without excuse. No vague and flimsy presentation of eternal truth is permissible.
Mend your old nets, or make new ones.
Be sure also that they are clean. Wash out the sand-grit or weed that may have accumulated.
Especially eliminate self. There must be nothing to attract your hearers from your message to yourself; and when you have done all, dare to believe that, though your Lord is now seated at the right hand of God, He is still working with His servants and confirming their word by the power of the Holy Ghost.