Digging Deeper: Obey

One day as Jesus was preaching on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, great crowds pressed in on him to listen to the word of God. 2 He noticed two empty boats at the water’s edge, for the fishermen had left them and were washing their nets. 3 Stepping into one of the boats, Jesus asked Simon, its owner, to push it out into the water. So he sat in the boat and taught the crowds from there.
4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Now go out where it is deeper, and let down your nets to catch some fish.”
5 “Master,” Simon replied, “we worked hard all last night and didn’t catch a thing. But if you say so, I’ll let the nets down again.” 6 And this time their nets were so full of fish they began to tear! 7 A shout for help brought their partners in the other boat, and soon both boats were filled with fish and on the verge of sinking.
8 When Simon Peter realized what had happened, he fell to his knees before Jesus and said, “Oh, Lord, please leave me—I’m such a sinful man.” 9 For he was awestruck by the number of fish they had caught, as were the others with him. 10 His partners, James and John, the sons of Zebedee, were also amazed.
Jesus replied to Simon, “Don’t be afraid! From now on you’ll be fishing for people!” 11 And as soon as they landed, they left everything and followed Jesus.
Luke 5:1-11 (NLT)
OBEY
The San Diego Padres had a great team in 1984. Their roster featured Steve Garvey and future Hall of Famers like Tony Gwynn and Rich “Goose” Gossage. However, they were up against one of the best teams of the era—the Detroit Tigers.
The Tigers started that season by winning 35 of their first 40 games, finishing with a dominant 104-58 record. The two teams met in the World Series, and the Tigers were as formidable as advertised, winning three of the first four games.
With the Padres facing elimination in Game 5, Gossage found himself in a jam late in the game as Kirk Gibson stepped up to the plate for Detroit.
Padres manager Dick Williams immediately called for an intentional walk, but Gossage flatly refused. As he later recounted, he had experienced a lot of success against Gibson. Williams paid a mound visit and listened to his pitcher’s case before finally saying, “Alright, strike him out then.”
Gibson, fully aware that Gossage had chosen to pitch to him rather than issue the walk, stepped up to the plate—and deposited the next pitch into the upper deck in right field for a three-run homer. The blast put the game and the series out of reach, sealing the Tigers’ championship that night.
It turns out the manager had the right idea all along. The player thought he knew best, but the result said otherwise. Reflecting back with a smile, Gossage simply admits, “I guess I should have walked him.”
It is in our human nature to be disobedient. Most of the time, it’s because we think we know better than whatever instruction we’re given—including God’s instruction.
In the passage we are studying this week, Peter obeys a command from Jesus even though he doubts the outcome. When Jesus says in Luke 5:4, “Go out deeper and let your nets down to catch some fish,” Peter replies, “Master, we worked hard all night and didn’t catch a thing. But if you say so, I’ll let the nets down again.”
That reluctant obedience is reminiscent of many parental moments I have with my kids. There may be eye-rolling or heavy sighs before they ultimately do what my wife or I have asked. That reluctance is a manifestation of pride—and it’s neither good nor holy. It’s something we all struggle with.
When it comes to our relationship with Jesus, obedience isn’t simply a suggestion—it’s a command. Jesus says, “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me” (John 10:27) and “If you love me, obey my commandments” (John 14:15).
Our obedience to him is one of the ways we set ourselves apart from the world. It is a sign of our love for Christ and our trust in him as our Shepherd. And that obedience, rooted in love, will always lead us to the most spiritually fruitful path—just as it did for the disciples in the boat that day.
So with willing hearts, obey.
Lee Wilson and his wife, Deanna, have been NorthStar Church members since 2010. They are parents to Everett, Henry and Roselyn. Lee is passionate about sports (Go Braves, Go Dawgs) and has the pleasure to serve on the worship team as a bassist.