Once there was, “Uncle Sam wants you!” Then there was, “Be all that you can be.” The latest iteration of a recruiting slogan for the US army is, “an army of one.” My favorite recruiting slogan is more unofficial, “Join the Navy, Iraq is landlocked.”

In Luke 5:10, Jesus offered His recruiting slogan: “Don’t be afraid. From now on you will catch people instead of fish.” It must have worked because in Luke 5:11 we’re told that “Simon and his partners brought the boats to shore, left everything, and followed Jesus.” At least a recruit to the Army has some time to say good bye; these newly recruited disciples just left everything. It must have been some slogan.

As I am unpacking those words of Luke 5, there are some really interesting things in the original language. First, is that the catching of people is to be an ongoing process. I like the way the God’s Word translation says, “from now on…” It conveys that idea that the catching is a continual process.

It is also interesting to see the full meaning of the Greek word that we translate “catch.” Literally, it means “to catch alive.” It is a compound word that combines the verb for “live” and “catch.” It is more along the lines of “capture,” than just bringing in people “dead or alive.”

So, how’s the fishing? By the God’s grace working through the power of the Word, you don’t need to be afraid because you’ve been commissioned to catch people for the Kingdom of God.