Living in the Image of God M05S09
Christ interactions with two boats and their crew, during the call of four disciples on Sea of Galilee, lead to understanding leader-follower relationships and responsibilities. The interactions show that God sees every person at the same time and knows every quality of each person to determine who to choose for what. Although he calls some as leaders and others as followers, he values leaders and followers alike. He calls every person to perform their responsibility as leader or follower and rewards them according to the same criterion. In the study example, he rewarded the chosen boat and the other boat with a catch of fish to the full capacity of each boat. Also, he rewarded the crew of both boats with equal opportunity to become disciples of Jesus.
This is the second of a two-part bible study on leadership, focused on understanding the relationships between leaders and followers when two or more people organize to execute a mission or project. In Part 1 of the study, we discussed leadership in the partnership of Paul and Barnabas. The current study, Part 2, discusses leader-follower relationships based on Christ interactions with two boats and their crew during the call of four disciples on the Sea of Galilee.
The interactions lead to understanding that God sees every person at the same time and knows every quality of each person to determine who to choose for what. He calls people to mission and assigns them responsibilities as leaders or followers. He values leaders and followers alike and rewards them according to the same criterion.
In the study event, Jesus saw two boats and chose one as platform for his teaching. However, the crew of both the chosen boat and the other boat stayed to listen and wait for further instructions from him. After his teaching, he rewarded the crew of both boats with a catch of fish that exceeded their expectation and was measured according to the capacity of each boat. The reward criterion for the crew of the chosen boat was the same as the criterion for the crew of the other boat. Further, he rewarded the crew of both boats with an opportunity to become disciples of Jesus. Thus, the interactions lead to understanding that when God calls people to a mission, he assigns them specific responsibilities as leaders or followers and rewards them alike for performing the responsibilities.
Equally Visible to God
The first lesson based on the event is that every person is equally visible to God. Jesus saw the two boats and chose one to use as platform for his teaching [Luke 5:1–3]: “One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, 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 put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat.”
The boats have no identifiable difference to the human eye. Therefore, there is no human explanation for his choice. He saw the two boats equally and chose one. God sees every person at the same time and knows every quality of each person to determine who to choose for what. He calls every person to perform their responsibility, whether chosen as leader or follower.
The crews of the chosen boat and the other boat stayed to listen to him and await further instruction from him. That is, those he chose as leader and those he chose as follower stayed involved.
Values Leaders and Followers Alike
The second lesson from the event is that God values leaders and followers alike. Jesus rewarded the two boats after using one as a platform. He instructed the chosen boat to proceed into deep water and let down the nets for a catch: “When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, ‘Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch’” [Luke 5:4]. They obeyed. The chosen boat caught more fish than it could handle, and invited the other boat to partake in the catch [Luke 5:6–7]: “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.”
Each boat filled with fish to the maximum capacity of the boat. That is, the chosen boat and the other boat were each rewarded according to its capacity.
Rewarded to Full Capacity
Let us consider two phrases from the passage more closely. First, from Luke 5:6, they caught so much fish “that their nets began to break.” Second, from Luke 5:7, they “filled both boats so full that they began to sink.”
The phrase “began to break” means that their net caught the maximum possible quantity of fish, such that any more fish would cause the net to break. That is, the net was “loaded to capacity with fish.” Similarly, the phrase “began to sink” means that each boat got the maximum possible quantity of fish, such that any more fish would cause the boat to sink. That is, each boat was “filled to capacity with fish.”
Therefore, the bible conveys a message through these phrases: that each boat was rewarded according to its full capacity. The chosen boat and other boat were rewarded alike. He rewarded each boat according to its capacity. The reward for each boat did not depend on being a leader or follower. When God calls people to a mission, he values the leader and follower alike and rewards them according to the same criterion.
God Rewards those He Calls
The interactions convey an additional message that God rewards those he calls. When God calls a person to a mission, he is aware of any sacrifice necessary to execute the mission. In the study passage, Jesus used their boats to accomplish a goal and rewarded them thereafter. He rewarded the fishermen with a catch of fish that exceeded their expectation.
Long-Term Reward
In addition to the short-term rewards with a catch of fish, the crew of the two boats also received long-term rewards. God called the crew to become disciples of Jesus. From the chosen boat, he called Peter and his brother Andrew. From the other boat, he called James and John, the sons of Zebedee. They were each called to the same opportunity to become disciples of Jesus [Luke 5:8–11] “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.”
Although Andrew was not mentioned in the study passage, an account of the same event in Matthew 4:18–22 identifies him (that is, Andrew) as Simon’s companion in the chosen boat. All four individuals were called to become disciples of Jesus, irrespective of being in the chosen boat or the other boat.
Leader Responsibility
Let us summarize the responsibility of a leader based on the bible passage. When God calls you to lead a mission, he assigns you specific responsibilities that can be summarized as follows. Perform the leadership functions diligently and with humility. Also, provide opportunities for others to contribute to the mission.
For example, as the person in charge of the chosen boat, Simon received and implemented instructions from Jesus [Luke 5:3]: “He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat.” Simon received the instruction and positioned the boat so that Jesus could use it as platform to address the crowd. Also, he received instructions from Jesus at the end of the teaching: “When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, ‘Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch’” [Luke 5:4]. Simon obeyed.
Also, as the person in charge of the chosen boat, Simon recognized when they needed help from the other boat and invited them to help: “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” [Luke 5:7].
Follower Responsibility
To understand the follower responsibilities, recognize that God has called you as follower when you become aware that he has called another person to lead a mission. Your recognition that another person has been called to lead a mission is your call to join as follower. God has assigned specific responsibilities to you that can be summarized as follows. Follow in good faith to recognize opportunities to contribute. Follow strategically: close enough to assist as needed and far enough to not get in the way.
In the study example, the other boat stayed to hear Jesus. Also, when Jesus finished speaking to the crowd, the other boat followed the chosen boat into deep water. The other boat followed strategically: close enough to recognize a call for help and far enough to not interfere: “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” [Luke 5:7].
Summary of What We Learned
Christ interactions with two boats and their crew, during the call of four disciples on Sea of Galilee, lead to understanding leader-follower relationships and responsibilities. The interactions show that God sees every person at the same time and knows every quality of each person to determine who to choose for what. Although he calls some as leaders and others as followers, he values leaders and followers alike. He calls every person to perform their responsibility as leader or follower and rewards them according to the same criterion.
In the study example, he rewarded the chosen boat and the other boat with a catch of fish to the full capacity of each boat. Also, he rewarded the crew of both boats with equal opportunity to become disciples of Jesus.