Week 1 Friday — That First Easter... I Was There
Day 5: The Chosen Ones
Day 5: The Chosen Ones
Luke 5:1-11; John 1:43-46
Introduction
They didn’t know what they were signing up for.
When Jesus walked along the shore of Galilee and called fishermen to follow Him, He didn’t hand them a doctrinal statement to review. He didn’t explain the mission. He didn’t warn them about the crucifixion, the persecution, the cost. He didn’t tell them they’d be building a church that would span two thousand years and reach every nation on earth.
He just said: “Follow Me.”
And they did.
Immediately. Without hesitation. Without a detailed plan or a clear understanding of where this was going. Peter, Andrew, James, and John left their nets—their livelihood, their security, their family business—right there on the shore. Matthew walked away from his tax collector’s booth mid-transaction. Philip heard the call and immediately went to find Nathanael: “We have found Him.”
They didn’t have theology figured out yet. They didn’t fully understand who Jesus was. Messiah? Teacher? Prophet? Revolutionary? They weren’t sure. But something in them—deeper than logic, stronger than caution, more certain than understanding—recognized His voice.
The heart knew before the mind could comprehend.
This is how discipleship begins. Not with perfect theology. Not with all questions answered. Not with a complete understanding of what following Jesus will require. It begins with a voice that calls and a heart that responds: “Yes. I don’t fully understand. But I’m coming.”
We want certainty before commitment. We want to know the entire plan before we take the first step. We want discipleship with a detailed roadmap, clear outcomes, and guaranteed results.
The disciples show us a different way: Sometimes you follow before you understand. Sometimes trust has to come before clarity.
Scripture
¹ One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, the people were crowding around him and listening to the word of God. ² He saw at the water’s edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. 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.
⁴ When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.”
⁵ Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.”
⁶ When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. ⁷ 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.
⁸ When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” ⁹ For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, ¹⁰ 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.” ¹¹ So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.
— Luke 5:1-11 (NIV)
⁴³ The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, “Follow me.”
⁴⁵ Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”
⁴⁶ “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” Nathanael asked.
“Come and see,” Philip replied.
— John 1:43, 45-46 (NIV)
Reflection
The Call They Couldn’t Explain
Peter was a professional fisherman. He knew the lake. He knew the fish. He’d just spent an entire night working—the best time to fish—and caught nothing. When Jesus told him to go back out and try again in broad daylight, it made no sense.
“Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything.”
Translation: “With all due respect, I do this for a living. You’re a carpenter. I’m the fisherman. This isn’t going to work.”
But then Peter said something that changed everything: “But because you say so, I will let down the nets.”
Not because it made sense. Not because he understood. Not because he had a logical reason to trust this carpenter’s fishing advice. Because Jesus said so.
That’s the moment. That’s where discipleship begins—not when we understand, but when we trust the voice more than our own expertise.
The nets filled. The boats nearly sank. And Peter’s first response wasn’t celebration—it was conviction. “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” He saw the miracle and immediately knew: This man sees everything I am. And He’s calling me anyway.
Jesus’ response? “Don’t be afraid. Follow me.”
And Peter did. Right there. Left the boats, the nets, the biggest catch of his life sitting on the shore, and walked away to follow a man he barely knew but somehow couldn’t refuse.
His heart knew before his mind could explain why.
We Are Like Them (Or We Should Be)
When was the last time you responded to Jesus before you fully understood?
We’ve become experts at intellectualizing faith. We want every question answered. Every doubt resolved. Every concern addressed. We read another book, listen to another podcast, have another conversation, wait for more clarity. And while we’re waiting for perfect understanding, we’re standing still.
The disciples didn’t have perfect theology. They argued about who was greatest. They misunderstood Jesus’ mission. They thought He was going to overthrow Rome. They got it wrong constantly. But they followed. They stayed. They learned along the way.
They said yes before they had all the answers.
Maybe Jesus is calling you to something and you’re waiting for a detailed explanation. A clear five-year plan. Guaranteed outcomes. Certainty about how it will all work out. And Jesus is saying what He said to Peter: “Because I say so. Trust Me. Come.”
Maybe it’s a relationship you need to repair but you’re not sure it will go well. Maybe it’s a career move that doesn’t make logical sense. Maybe it’s forgiveness that feels premature. Maybe it’s serving in a way that stretches you beyond your competence. Maybe it’s generosity that seems financially unwise. Maybe it’s obedience to something God whispered in prayer but you’re still waiting for a sign.
We want to understand before we obey. Jesus invites us to obey before we fully understand.
The disciples teach us that following Jesus isn’t about having perfect clarity—it’s about recognizing His voice and trusting it more than our own logic, our own fear, our own need for certainty.
Philip didn’t try to convince Nathanael with a theological argument. He didn’t lay out a detailed case for why Jesus was the Messiah. He just said: “Come and see.”
That’s the invitation. Not “Figure it all out first.” But “Come and see. Follow. Trust. Learn along the way.”
We were there when Jesus called the disciples. We are there now—hearing His voice but hesitating, wanting understanding before we commit, waiting for certainty before we step onto the water.
Grace Note
“Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”
— Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV)
Jesus doesn’t require you to have it all figured out before you follow Him. He doesn’t demand perfect theology, complete understanding, or absolute certainty. He invites you to trust Him—to lean into His voice even when your own understanding falls short. The disciples followed before they understood. They learned by walking with Him. That’s still how it works. Trust first. Understanding comes along the way.
Prayer Prompt
Jesus,
I confess that I want to understand before I obey. I want certainty before I commit. I want the whole plan laid out before I take the first step. Forgive me for making faith more about my intellect than my trust in You.
You’re calling me to something and I’ve been hesitating—analyzing, questioning, waiting for more clarity. But the disciples didn’t wait for perfect understanding. They heard Your voice and they followed. Their hearts knew before their minds could explain.
Give me that kind of faith. The kind that says “Because You say so, I will.” The kind that steps onto the water even when it doesn’t make sense. The kind that follows before fully understanding where we’re going.
I hear Your voice. I recognize it—deeper than logic, stronger than fear. Help me respond. Not with perfect theology, but with simple trust. You called imperfect fishermen. You’re calling imperfect me. Here I am. I’m coming. Amen.
Response
1. Name What You’re Hesitating On: What is Jesus calling you to that you’ve been waiting to fully understand before you obey? Write it down. Be honest. Is it a relationship? A decision? An act of obedience? Generosity? Service? Forgiveness? Then ask yourself: Am I waiting for understanding, or am I waiting to trust? Sometimes trust has to come first.
2. Practice “Because You Say So”: Find one small area today where you can obey Jesus without demanding to understand first. Maybe it’s being kind to someone who’s been difficult. Maybe it’s giving something away that you’d rather keep. Maybe it’s staying silent when you’d rather defend yourself. Practice saying: “I don’t fully understand why, but because You say so, I will.” See what happens when trust comes before clarity.
3. Come and See: Is there someone in your life who’s asking questions about faith, searching, curious but uncertain? Don’t try to argue them into belief. Do what Philip did: “Come and see.” Invite them to church, to a small group, to serve with you, to experience Jesus rather than just discuss Him. Sometimes the heart knows before the mind can explain. Let them encounter Jesus and see what happens.
To read all the posts in this devotional series, visit: That First Easter... I Was There
© Steve Peschke / This Is The Way