He came from a humble village called Bethsaida, which means place of fishing (John 1:44).

At some point he moved to Capernaum where he lived with his wife and mother-in-law. He and his brother Andrew were partners in a fishing business with James and John and their father Zebedee.

Peter owned one of the boats. They worked the north end of the Sea of Galilee, which normally teemed with all kinds of fish.

Early one morning, Jesus boarded Peter’s boat. They had fished all night and caught nothing. Now they were cleaning the nets. After teaching the crowds that had gathered on the shore, Jesus said to Peter: Let’s go fishing.

Peter was vintage Galilean: simple, transparent, blunt. Talk first, think later. Master, we toiled all night and caught nothing! In other words, if you’ve fished all night and caught nothing, why try again in the heat of the day?

But Peter knows there’s more to Jesus than carving wood. He has spoken his mind. Now he surrenders his will: At Your word I will let down the nets.

They catch enough fish to sink a ship. Peter is out of his depth. He falls on his knees: Leave me, Lord. I’m a sinful man (Luke 5:8). But Jesus says: Fear not. From now on you’ll be catching men.

What does this mean? Jesus isn’t inviting Peter for a holiday on the lake with a hook and a line. Peter practised net fishing for a living. That’s hard work. On a good night you might net a fortune. On a bad night, you lose.

The fishing metaphor also alludes to a prophecy of the great end-time gathering of God’s people: Behold, I am sending for many fishers, declares the Lord, and they shall catch them (Jeremiah 16:16).

Therefore, the call to follow Jesus and fish for people signals the dawn of the age to come.

Peter’s career has just changed from fishing to end-time evangelism. He abandons his boat and all the fish he has just caught. He follows the Master to share in His mission to seek and save the lost. Soon he will catch men and women by the thousands from every nation under heaven (Acts 5:5, 41).

Peter was born to fish. And so are we.

PrayerWatch

• Are we fishers of men or keepers of aquariums? What is the state of the local church in Singapore? Are we busy fishing for people as true disciples should? Or are we lost in our own world of vain ambitions – fishing for applause, recognition, rank, compliments, and legacy? (Chris Chia)
   
• Are you a fisher of men where you work? Jesus called Peter and his partners to drop their nets, go for broke, and follow Him full time on the road – homeless, empty-handed, and bare-footed. But most people are not called to follow Jesus in that way. Most of us are called to follow Jesus, seek the Kingdom, and fish for men in the context of our career.
   
  Catch His heartbeat, regardless of your profession or personality. Hear the Lord say: Stop working for personal gain. Be a fisher of men. I will cause you to be other-oriented. I will bestow favour. I will open doors. You will bring the power of My gospel for salvation to bless your world. Be My artiste, banker, chef, doctor, engineer, florist, Grab driver, hairdresser, lawyer, school teacher. Fish for men right where you are. I will sharpen your instincts and use your unique position, gifts, and skillsets to seek and save the lost.
   
• Are you a fisher of men where you live? 90% of us live in high-rise dwellings. To the pragmatic urban planner, this is an efficient housing solution in our land-scarce city state. But those with godly imagination see this as an ingenious plan inspired from above. God has organised our housing in such a way that it is easy for us to love our neighbours and serve our communities.
   
  Each housing block is a mega-zone of humanity with all kinds of needs. Be a good neighbour. Befriend. Care. Pray. Love God – by loving neighbour!
   
• Do you love your community? You’ve toiled long and hard. You’ve been prayerwalking and profiling your neighbourhood. You’ve tried many ways and means of outreach. But still, little or no results.
   
  Don’t give up. Love never fails (1 Corinthians 13:8). Try again. The Celebration of Hope initiative continues. In this Year of Proclamation, hear and obey the word of the Lord: Put out into deep water. Let down your net for a catch. Ask God to astound you and all of us with a miraculous haul: massive conversions among all ethnic groups, across all ages, and class divides.
   
  In Jesus’ name, claim entire families and whole sociological groups for His Kingdom and for His glory:
  • Heartland families
  • Elderly poor
  • Crazy rich Asians
  • Movers and shakers
  • Irreligious yuppies
  • Religious devotees
  • Hardcore liberals
  • Millennials
  • Little children
  • Scholars
  • Students
  • Foreign talent
  • Foreign domestic helpers
  • Migrant workers
  • New immigrants
  • People with special needs
  • Prodigal sons/daughters
  • Social media influencers