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1One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, with the people crowding around him and
listening to the word of God, 2he saw at the water's edge
two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. 3He 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.
4When
he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into deep water, and
let down the nets for a catch."
5Simon
answered, "Master, we've worked hard all night and haven't caught
anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets."
6When
they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began
to break. 7So 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.
8When
Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus' knees and said, "Go away from me,
Lord; I am a sinful man!" 9For he and all his
companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, 10and 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 catch men." 11So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and
followed him.
You did not choose me, but I chose you.
John 15:16 NIV
Long before He
laid down the earth’s foundations, He had us in mind, had settled on us as the
focus of His love, to be made whole and holy by His love. Long, long ago He
decided to adopt us into His family through Jesus Christ. (What pleasure He
took in planning this!) He wanted us to enter into the celebration of His
lavish gift-giving by the hand of His beloved Son.
Ephesians 1:4-6 from The Message translation
When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus. Acts 4:13 (NIV)
But you are the ones chosen by God, chosen for the high calling of priestly work, chosen to be a holy people, God’s instruments to do his work and speak out for him, to tell others of the night-and-day difference he made for you—from nothing to something, from rejected to accepted.
1 Peter 2:9—The Message