The Fisherman

Chapter 4

After leaving Capernaum with Jesus, we had been walking with him as his disciples for just a few short weeks, maybe a month. The number of disciples had grown steadily over this short period of time. The crowds kept growing in number that were coming to see Jesus. We were all getting exhausted. There had been travel by foot, long days in the hot sun, short nights and hardly ideal sleeping conditions. In the midst of all the activity, Jesus kept up his habit of suddenly vanishing. Now that I was spending so much time with him, I started to see that he was often doing his disappearing act to a solitary place to pray through the night. I don't know how he found the strength. We where especially tired this particular day when Jesus took one of those all night prayer times. It was almost like he reviled in choosing to make himself stay up all night when we were all at our weakest. This time he went one step further and chose to hike up a mountain for his solitary ordeal. It made no sense to me but then again, we had grown accustomed to Jesus doing things outside of the norm.


That next morning as the sun broke, Jesus appeared walking down the mountain through the mist. As he got closer, he certainly didn’t seem to look exhausted from being up all night. Maybe he fell asleep up there, I thought. In fact he looked overly focused and ready to take the day by storm. “Peter” his voice thundered as he approached. I was still getting used to being called by this new moniker. The Lord never really talked much with me about giving me a new name. In our culture when that happened, I mean someone of authority gave you a name, we knew to pay attention. This name Peter or Rock just had me baffled, but when Jesus called my new name that morning something sprang to life within me. I had secretly hoped that maybe he was going to explain to me about this strange title. Since he had been up a mountain made of rock, maybe there was some significance that he was going to offer, a gem from up top that I would carry to remember what he was about to tell me. Maybe he was going to name this rocky hill Mount Peter. Maybe..... The disciples were quickly gathering at the sound of Jesus voice. I had already made my way towards Jesus since after all it was my name he was calling, but the others soon had caught up and we met him on the plain. Just then I discovered that Jesus wasn’t bearing any special gifts for me from the mountain top and I wouldn't be learning anything at all about my name that morning. But, an incredible event was about to unfold. The boss was calling my name and declaring me an APOSTLE! I was stunned. An Apostle? Me? Simon son of Jonas? A fisherman? My mind raced. Wow. A title! Something that sets me apart. I knew I saw Jesus looking differently at me at dinner last night. “Now my family will respect me.” Now my hometown will acknowledge that I have made it. A position of authority and respect. I cant wait to tell the world. Just wait until everyone takes note of this Facebook post. I am going to have serious requests to join my network on LinkedIn. Twitter is going to blow up at this. I Simon have been elevated to the office of Apostle of the Son of God! I wonder if it comes with a company car? I wonder if the profit sharing plan will take me to easy street? The salary! I bet it is going to be all I ever dreamed of. I cant wait to ditch these dingy old fisherman's clothes for a wardrobe worthy of an executive. Oh finally my skills have been recognized. Finally, the world has elevated me to my proper place. I wonder who I should hire as my executive assistant? I wonder what kind of expense account I will have? And to represent the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, I really must be able to hob nob with the big boys. Probably, top notch hotels and fancy restaurants will be in order...... But wait a minute... An apostle?.... I tried to engage my brain and think about what an apostle really was. I thought of the military soldier who is sent through the battle with a message to the other side. I thought of the slave that was to deliver a message for the master to far off places. Apostles are usually the most expendable of the soldiers or servants. If harm comes upon them, which it often does, the commander or master wont be too upset because he’s sent the one of least value. They are sent with a message to far off lands and sent into harms way! I had thought that Jesus had ‘called’ me. Doesn't he remember that whole thing on the shore of Galilee? He had singled me out to follow him and become a fisher of men. I had the feeling that he kind of favored me. That just possibly I was special among the disciples. And now this! He was going to send me away? What was the message? What possibly could be so important that my life should be risked to carry it? Has he forgotten that I have a wife at home? Travel is dangerous and it is no picnic for sure. In this day and age, your life is at risk from bandits, the elements, lack of food or shelter, armies, governments.... There is no directory of Holiday Inn’s to count on. No reliable Marriott at each town or city and certainly no Ritz Carlton. What is Jesus doing?