I got this sermon in my head after Candy’s sermon when she spoke about the fishermen in the boats.
There are a few stories in the Bible that got my attention and this is one of them. The boat was 7.5 feet wide and 27 feet long. It could hold 17 people and fishing nets. Possibly 4 people at a time rowed this boat, the Bible doesn’t say how many were rowing, but if you have ever used an oar, you would know that you would get quite a workout with a 27 foot boat.
They say the Sea of Galilee was treacherous water. The Sea of Galilee, also known as Lake Tiberias or Lake Kinneret is a fresh water lake in Northern Israel. It’s the lowest fresh water lake on earth being located 213 meters below sea level. The lake is fed by the Jordan River and is a significant source of fresh water for Israel. The area around the lake is prone to sudden storms, particularly when the wind is coming from the East. The Sea of Galilee contains a variety of fish. The three main types of important commercial fish being tilapia, sardines and barbells- also known as Bing, a carp like fish. You can also find African Sharptooth catfish and European Eels.
It is not a very deep sea, only 8-13 feet deep. It took a good part of the day to cross it, however, in a storm with blowing wind, who knows how much time and effort it could take. Some of the disciples were fishermen and knew the Sea of Galilee very well. If you’ve never been on a boat in a storm, it can be very frightening. I’ve been in that situation a few times and when the waves come in the boat and thunder and lightning are all around you, it can be very intimidating.
As far as fishing goes, I’m not a net fishing guy, but what I found out is that there are 3 ways to net fish from a boat. The drag net was used from 2 boats. The net was cast out and pulled across the bottom. The most ancient net fishing- the cast net, was a circular net weighed around the edge. The net was thrown to trap fish near the surface.
Lastly, the trammel net which consists of 3 layers of netting. Fine mesh in the middle and larger mesh on either side. It was effective in catching a variety of fish and is the only method still used today. As far as fishing goes, I’m a rod and reel guy. We only use a catch net to scoop the bigger fish from the water.
But on with the story…………………..
Peter was afraid…the wind was blowing and waves were rocking the boat.
They woke Jesus because they were afraid the boat would sink. Peter had faith that Jesus could help and his faithfulness was rewarded!
Jesus got up and simply calmed the storm. Faith.
The wind and the waves were too much for the disciples to handle. Often times in life, we will experience this feeling of being overwhelmed by a problem or situation and this is when our faith is tested. I was thinking of a few times when I saw faith in action.
The fist example, Mrs. Lynch. She was a woman about the same age as my Mom. She was living up the road from us. Her son was in jail so I was tasked with getting her mail and taking it into the house. She had no one to talk to so I would spend some time with her talking and she would quiz me about the Bible and she was the one who told me to give my worries to the Lord. We talked of faith and what it means to be Christian. Her faith is what kept her alive. She would pray for someone or something every day. She had health issues but, kept on praying. Her faith kept her alive for many years. She was a good servant to the Lord.
Finally, I was thinking of my Mom’s faith. When she was in her late 80’s she got a small lump on her wrist and it grew fast. The growth was removed but it kept coming back. They told my Mom that they would have to remove her hand. I talked to Mom about this and she said she wasn’t happy about it but she prayed and worked it out with the Lord. When the operation was complete, they had removed her arm up to the elbow. She was an amazing woman who put her life in God’s hands.
She didn’t like her prosthetic hand. It didn’t work for her but she didn’t harbor any bad feelings about it. She just wouldn’t use it. Mom lived to be 98 years old and her faith never waivered. She loved to come to church and see her people. When it was time to go, she said “I’m going to meet Jesus”. My mom’s faith was and still is amazing to me. I can only hope and pray that my faith will bring me to meet the Lord and He will say: “ Welcome my faithful servant, you are Home!!!”
Author: Kevin O'Connell