Following the Lord and Achieving Our Divine Purposes
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Christ beckoning two men to leave their nets
When Simon Peter, Andrew, James, and John miraculously caught “a great multitude of fishes” after the Savior invited them to “let down [their] nets” (Luke 5:4, 6), they received a glimpse of what they could accomplish with the Savior’s help. These fishermen then chose to leave everything to follow Jesus Christ. This lesson is intended to help you feel a desire to follow Jesus Christ so that He can help you accomplish far more than you could ever accomplish without Him.
Teach students to “liken [the scriptures] unto [them]selves” (1 Nephi 19:24). Likening the scriptures unto ourselves means comparing the scriptures to our own lives. Encourage students to ask, “What situations in my life are like those in this passage of scripture?” or “How am I like the people we are studying in the scriptures?” As students see similarities between their own experiences and the events they study in the scriptures, they will be better able to identify doctrine and principles and apply them in their lives.
Student preparation: Invite students to pray to know God’s purpose for their lives. Students who have a patriarchal blessing could read it looking for what God has revealed about their life’s purposes. Others might benefit from talking with their parents or looking for insights in the scriptures.
Possible Learning Activities
The central principle in this lesson is similar to one emphasized in the outline for Matthew 4; Luke 4–5 in Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families: New Testament 2023. Consider building upon what students may have already discussed at home and inviting students to share with their families what they learned in seminary. Alternate lesson ideas are included in the “Supplemental Learning Activities” section of the lesson.
Achieving a greater purpose
Take a minute to think of some people who achieved great things because God helped them understand their purpose.
Consider displaying images of individuals that students mention from Church history or from the scriptures. Several images could also be displayed to remind students of these individuals. Students might think of people such as Rebekah (see Genesis 24:60), Mary (see Luke 1:28–31), Simon Peter (see Matthew 4:18–19; Luke 5:10), or Joseph Smith (see Joseph Smith—History 1:33).
Why might it be important for someone to understand their greatest purpose?
What differences have you noticed in the lives of people who understand God’s purpose for them and those who do not?
This lesson will focus on how Jesus Christ helped Simon Peter (also known as Peter) discover that He had a greater purpose for him. As you study, look for evidence of the principle that when we choose to follow Jesus Christ, He can help us understand and achieve greater purpose for our lives.
Consider writing this principle on the board to help students remember it as they look for evidence of this principle throughout the lesson.
Jesus Christ calls Simon Peter to follow Him
After the Savior had performed several miracles in Judea, including healing Simon Peter’s mother-in-law (see Luke 4:38–39), He went to the shores of Lake Gennesaret (another name for the Sea of Galilee). He climbed aboard Simon Peter’s fishing boat and sat down to teach the large group of people on shore (see Luke 5:1–3). When Jesus finished teaching, He extended an invitation to Simon Peter.
If students read the following verses as a class, consider inviting them to pause after reading one or two verses and helping them imagine they are Simon Peter. Invite them to express what they learn.
Read Luke 5:4–11. As you read, try to imagine that you are Simon Peter, an experienced fisherman. It may be helpful to understand that the word draught means a catch or haul of fish (see verse 4, footnote a).
What are some details you feel are important in this account? Why?
What do you think Peter might have been thinking or feeling?
Take a moment to look for any evidence in this account of Jesus Christ helping Peter understand that the Lord had a greater purpose for him.
What might Peter have learned about himself from this experience with the Savior?
Why do you think the Lord wants to expand our vision of who we are and what we can do?
Likening Simon Peter’s experiences to ours
We can learn more deeply from this account by comparing Simon Peter’s experience to experiences we might have. This scripture study skill is what Nephi referred to in the Book of Mormon when he said he “did liken all scriptures unto [himself]” (1 Nephi 19:23). Likening the scriptures to our personal situations can help us be “more fully persuade[d] … to believe in the Lord [our] Redeemer” and can “be for our profit and learning” (1 Nephi 19:23).Take a moment to compare your experience with Peter’s by doing the following:Divide a page in your study journal in half so that on one side you can list details about Peter’s experience and on the other side you can look at your own situation. If needed, turn to the scriptures and any available scripture tools (for example, see Bible Dictionary, “Peter,” and Guide to the Scriptures, “Peter,” scriptures.ChurchofJesusChrist.org) to help you answer the following questions.
Provide students with the following information on a handout, or display it at the front of the class. Consider working together to answer the questions about Peter. Students could then be asked to reflect quietly and write about their personal experiences.
Likening Peter’s Experiences to Our Own Lives
How might Peter have described himself before meeting Jesus?
How do I describe myself?
Peter was willing to follow Jesus Christ and give up his life working as a fisherman (see Luke 5:11). How do you imagine Peter’s life being different if he had not chosen to follow the Savior?
What might I be asked to give up to follow Jesus Christ?
How might my life be impacted if I chose to not follow Jesus Christ?
How did Peter fulfill the Lord’s greater purposes for him in his life?
Think about the scriptures, the plan of salvation, priesthood blessings, and, if applicable, your patriarchal blessing.
What do I know about the Lord’s greater purposes for me?
How did likening the scriptures to yourself help you learn about or believe more in Jesus Christ?
What evidence did you find that we can achieve a greater purpose for our lives when we choose to follow Jesus Christ?
When have you observed someone being positively influenced by understanding their purpose?
What will you do because of what you felt or learned today?
Commentary and Background Information
Luke 5:8. Why did Peter call himself “a sinful man”?
When Peter first met the Savior and witnessed His miraculous power, Peter recognized that he was “a sinful man” in great need of the Savior’s redeeming power (Luke 5:8). Peter’s words illustrate that as we draw near to God, we become aware of our sinfulness and unworthiness and desire His help in becoming more like Him.
[Those] who turn their lives over to God will discover that He can make a lot more out of their lives than they can. He will deepen their joys, expand their vision, quicken their minds, strengthen their muscles, lift their spirits, multiply their blessings, increase their opportunities, comfort their souls, raise up friends, and pour out peace. Whoever will lose his life in the service of God will find eternal life.
Video: “Finding Your Purpose in Life: Does Faith Matter?”
Consider showing the video “Finding Your Purpose in Life: Does Faith Matter?” (5:08), available at ChurchofJesusChrist.org. Invite students to think about the importance of understanding who they are and who they can become by following the Savior Jesus Christ. Students might also benefit from thinking about the obstacles they might face in reaching their greatest potential. Ask students to consider what actions they will take to overcome these obstacles and follow the Savior in faith.
Peter left his fishing nets to follow the Savior
Invite students to discuss important possessions in their lives. Then help students discuss the importance of choosing to follow Jesus Christ over all other things. Read Matthew 4:18–22 and discuss what it would have meant for Peter and the other fishermen to “straightway [leave] their nets” (verse 20) to follow Jesus Christ. Consider using the following statement by Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin (1917–2008) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles to help students see what could potentially prevent us from accepting the invitation to follow Jesus Christ:
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Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin
We might define a net as anything that entices or prevents us from following the call of Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God.Nets in this context can be our work, our hobbies, our pleasures, and, above all else, our temptations and sins. In short, a net can be anything that pulls us away from our relationship with our Heavenly Father or from His restored Church.Let me give you a modern example. A computer can be a useful and indispensable tool. But if we allow it to devour our time with vain, unproductive, and sometimes destructive pursuits, it becomes an entangling net.
(Joseph B. Wirthlin, “Follow Me,” Ensign, May 2002, 15)
Help students recognize the blessings of following Jesus Christ by asking them to ponder and discuss questions such as the following:
What do we learn about the Savior from His invitation to follow Him?
How have you been blessed by choosing to follow Jesus Christ?
We are blessed when we obey the Lord’s commands, even without fully understanding His reasons
Ask students to discuss the difficulties of following instructions without fully understanding the reasons for them. Students could then be invited to read Luke 5:1–11, looking for what the Lord asked Peter to do and how he responded. Students could identify and discuss the following principle: If we do what the Lord asks even when we do not understand the reasons for His commands, He can bless us more than we could have anticipated. Consider inviting students to discuss times when they have seen this principle demonstrated in their lives or in the lives of others. Other examples of obedience to the Lord without understanding the reasons for His commands can be found in Nephi’s response to the command to make two sets of plates (see 1 Nephi 9:5–6) and Mormon’s inclusion of these plates in the Book of Mormon (see Words of Mormon 1:6–7).