Launch Out Into the Deep!
Luke 5:1-11
Introduction:
Joke: A
forest ranger was sure that LeRoy was not fishing according to the rules and
regulations of the state of Texas and he decided to try and find out. Yet no matter how much he spied and pried he
could never figure out what ol’ LeRoy was doing. He would just see him at the
end of the day with a boatload of the biggest fish in the lake and couldn’t say
nothing.
Finally he
just decide to ask LeRoy how he was catching all those fish when no one else
was. LeRoy said, “Well if ya wants I can just shows ya hows I do it.”
The ranger agreed,
and LeRoy and the ranger went fishing. They took out Leroy’s tiny little John
boat. The ranger said, “LeRoy you can’t catch any fish in that little boat.”
LeRoy didn’t say anything. They trolled out to the middle of the lake in the
heat of the day. The ranger said, “LeRoy you can’t be catchin no fish here, in
this boat at this time of day.” LeRoy didn’t say nothing. LeRoy then reached
into his tackle box pulled out a stick of dynamite and lit it. The ranger
shouted. “LeRoy, it is illegal to fish with dynamite and if you throw that
stick into this lake I’m going to arrest you.” LeRoy smiled handed the lit
stick of dynamite to the ranger and said, “You gonna keep talkin or ya gonna start
fishin?”
Today's sermon also concerns fishing but in a completely differnt light and with a very imporant message for anyone who is seeking for following Christ.
Such is the
passage we will be looking at today and for the next few months. Luke 5:1-11 is
our theme text for our Fall and Spring Campaign. “Launch Out Into the Deep!”
Christ told his disciples and I believe, truly believe he is telling us the
same thing today. What will your answer be to the command of Christ?
This was not the disciple’s first call, that is recorded in John
1:35-42; nor is it even their second, what was in Matt 4:18-22; but this call
is their third and it is after this call that they forsake all and follow
Him. You have to wonder what made this
call different. What made this call the final one. I believe it was the command
of Christ to launch out into the deep. I believe it was a test of faith and a
show of power by Jesus Christ that took these believers and made them into disciples
and apostles. This event started them on the process of truly being “sent ones”
with the gospel of Christ as their message and the hope of eternity as their
burden.
Guidance and Gift Luke5. 1-4
And it came to pass, that, as the people pressed upon him to
hear the word of God, he stood by the lake of Gennesaret, And saw two ships standing by the lake: but
the fishermen were gone out of them, and were washing their nets. And he
entered into one of the ships, which was Simon’s, and prayed him that he would
thrust out a little from the land. And he sat down, and taught the people out
of the ship. Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into
the deep, and let down your nets for a draught.
Jesus told Peter, “Launch Out Into the Deep and Let Down Your Nets for a Draught.”
Jesus came to the Lake of Gennesart, also called the sea of
Galilee. He was already well known for people were pressing upon him. The word
means to put pressure on like a stone on a tomb. The crowd literally was
crowding Jesus so that he could not do anything for the press.
I believe he came looking for the fishermen partners this
day. This was team of fishermen that he would turn into a team of apostles.
He finds them cleaning their nets and asks Peter who is the
leader of this enterprise, to let Him use his boat for a pulpit. So they put
out a little way from the shore and Jesus sits down and speaks with the people.
This was the way they heard the Gospel, no shouting, no theatrics, but teaching
and quite learning.
When he finishes, Jesus tells Peter to Launch Out into the
deep water and drop your nets for a catch of fish.
Jesus is doing three things by telling this to Peter.
First he is testing his obedience
Second he is offering him a reward for the use of his time
and ship to let him preach.
Third he is going to teach a lesson that can’t be taught in
words alone. It is a lesson of faith in action, a lesson of promise with risk,
a lesson of a gift under the guidance of God.
Jesus is still telling us to Launch out Into the Deep and
Let down your nets.
Do you believe that Jesus is still in the business of
turning normal Christians into disciples and then from disciples into apostles?
Do you believe he wants to change us from those who just believe, to those who
are committed to him and finally to those who are truly and personally
commissioned to do the work of carrying the Gospel of Christ?
I don’t think Jesus’ plan for reaching the world has changed
at all, he is still using the same method of making believers into disciples,
into apostles and into fishers of men.
The only question we have today is, is he doing this to
me? Is he doing this in my church? Am I listening
as Jesus says to me and to us as a church, “Launch Out Into the deep and let
down your nets for a draught.”
Jesus also still trying to do the same three things in us that he did to Peter.
First, he is testing our obedience.
Second, he is offering us a reward and blessing for obey and
serving Him.
Jeremiah 7:23 Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and ye
shall be my people: and walk ye in all the ways that I have commanded you, that
it may be well unto you.
Third he is trying to teach us a lesson that can’t be
learned by words alone.
Psalms 119:71 It is
good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes.
Illustration: Personal example
I am absolutely sure
that Jesus still tells us, Launch out into the deep.
I heard him first as a 14-year-old boy walking the aisle
with tear in my eyes and a calling in my heart to tell people about the love of
God.
I heard it again when I was 21, after years of running from
that call I heard as a teenager. Now I had a wife and a newborn baby boy and my
own little business. But this time I answered, “Yes, Lord. I will launch out
into the deep.”
I’ve heard Jesus after each heartbreak, after each defeat,
after each desertion or betrayal still saying, “Launch out into the deep.” He has sent me to places where I felt afraid
and felt a failure but still when I feel its time to pull up the nets and go
home for good, he points away off across the sea of doubt and uncertainty and
says, “Launch Out, there is still work to be done over there in the deep.”
His voice has always been strong, and His assurance
unmistakable. I want to see God’s hand at work in my life and in my church in
ways that leave no doubt that he is telling us, “Launch out into the deep. You
are not through doing what I sent you to do.” And we are willing to go.
Transition: Notice the response of Peter to the Lord’s
command of launch out in vs. 5
Cynicism and Compliance Luke 5:5
And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled
all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down
the net.
Peter’s response, “We have toiled all night and taken nothing nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net.”
This is one of the reasons why the Lord chose Peter to be an
Apostle. He is so much more like you and I than Paul or even John. Peter more
than any other New Testament Bible character speaks like you and I.
Peter is blunt but truthful. “Lord, we fished all night.”
For real fishermen, men who made their living catching and
selling fish, nighttime was the best time to work. The fishermen would take torches
and hold them close to the surface of the water where the fish would have risen
after staying in the depths of the water during the heat of the day.
The fish would by attracted to the light would swim near the
boat and the men would cast a net and catch their fish.
Peter knew this, he was a lifetime fisherman. He was the
expert, Jesus was a just carpenter and now a Rabbi or teacher. Neither
qualified him to tell Peter how to fish.
Peter was also tired when he says we have fished all night
he was being truthful. They had started at sunset and fished until sunup.
Finally, it wasn’t a good day for fishing. They hadn’t
caught a thing. There just weren’t any fish in that lake. (I experience this
enough in my own feeble attempts at fishing to know its true. Somedays you
can’t catch a fish with a stick of dynamite. Which of course Peter didn’t have
back then.)
But Peter didn’t stop with “We’ve toiled all night and taken
nothing. No, he went on and said, “Nevertheless at thy word I will let down my
net.”
It didn’t make sense. It was contrary to experience. It was
unfair to ask of men who were at the end of the strength but because Jesus said
it, Peter responded, I’m going to do it anyway.
Do you see why Peter was the leader of this group both as
fishers of fish and later as fishers of mem? He saw the world of reality and
doubt, even expressed those doubts but he still believed in Jesus.
If Jesus said, it then even if he didn’t believe it would
work or understand it it he was going to try and do it.
What is our response to the command of Christ to Launch out and Let Down our nets?
You know what the difference between us and Peter is? We
have the same doubts about what God is telling us to do but instead of saying
it and then doing it anyway, we don’t say anything and then we don’t do
anything.
God’s word says, “Launch out into the deep with your finances.”
“Launch out into the deep with your family.” “Launch out into the deep with
your life.” Most challenging of all God says, “Launch out into the deep with your
soul.”
Too often we know what God is telling us to do but we say
nothing and then we do nothing. It would be better if we stood up in the middle
of Church shouted that God doesn’t make any sense, this can’t possibly work and
then said, “To prove it I’m going to try it anyway just to show you.”
But instead we sit there in our cocoons of silence and our
coffins of inactivity and refuse to do anything at all. Refuse to even try or
to test God and His promises.
You know what God, himself says about testing him? He says,
I am bigger than your doubts and bigger than your tests, “Try me!”
Scripture: Malachi 3:10 Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may
be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I
will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that
there shall not be room enough to receive it.
Examples: God is greater than your tests.
Gideon tested God. Zechariah the father of John the Baptist
tested God. Hannah the mother of Samuel tested God. They and many, many others
stepped out in spite of their doubts, in spite of their fears and said, “Lord I
can’t see how this is going to work but I’m going to do it anyway.”
Do you have even enough faith to own up to your doubts and
then because God said it, do it anyway?
Illustration: Send the Communion Set we will surely need it.
An incident from the lives of Robert and Mary Moffat
underscores this truth in an interesting way. For 10 years these two
missionaries faithfully pursued their endeavors in Bechuanaland without one ray
of encouragement brightening their way. Not a single person was converted to
Christ. Finally, the directors of their mission board began to question the
wisdom of continuing the work. The very thought of leaving their post, however,
brought grief to the devoted couple who felt sure that eventually they would
see the fruits of their labors. They stayed on, and for two more years the
forces of darkness reigned. Then a friend in England wrote to Mrs. Moffat that
she wanted to send her a gift, and asked for a suggestion. In her reply she
requested nothing for herself, although she could have used many things. Rather
she pleaded, "Send us a communion set; I'm sure we will need one
soon." God honored her faith, for the Holy Spirit began to work in hearts,
and a short time later six people accepted the Savior. Soon a small group had
united to form a church for fellowship and to study the Bible. The communion
set from England was delayed en route; but on the very day before the Lord's
Supper was to be observed, the gift arrived.
Reward and Repentance Luke 5:6-9
And when they had this done, they inclosed a great multitude
of fishes: and their net brake. And they beckoned unto their partners, which
were in the other ship, that they should come and help them. And they came, and
filled both the ships, so that they began to sink. When Simon Peter saw it, he
fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O
Lord. For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the draught of the
fishes which they had taken:
Peter’s obedience in spite of his doubts is rewarded and he repents of his lack of faith.
Peter does what the Lord says. He had Jesus with him in the
boat, probably to show him this wasn’t go to work, Peter then launches out into
the deep and lets down his net.
I believe that no sooner than the net had submerged that it
must have felt like the boat had dropped anchor. Peter begins to try and draw
the net in and so great is the catch that the net begins to break.
The Bible says he beckoned to his partners on the shore. He
is so far out in the deep that they can’t hear him calling to them. So, he is
trying to hold the net with one hand and waving with the other hand trying to
get someone to launch out into the deep with him and help him draw in these
fish.
John and James arrive and the probably put another net under
Peter’s net and then they all lift the net and the catch was so great that both
boats begin to sink.
Don’t you imagine that the Lord was sitting there this whole
time smiling, maybe He was even laughing to himself at what was happening? What
He knew was going to happen all along.
When Peter sees the catch, when he realizes that his boat is
so heavy it is in danger of sinking, he falls down at the feet of Jesus and
repents of his doubts, his fear and his pride. “Depart from me for I am a
sinful man, Oh Lord.” Oh what a confession.
In a way that he had never seen Jesus before, he sees him
now as Lord and in comparison Peter can only see himself as a sinner, unworthy
to be in the same place as Jesus the Christ, God the son, creator, ruler and
sustainer of all.
The Bible says, “For he was amazed.” Literally that means, For
a wonder held him round. The wonder of what they had seen surrounded and held
Peter fast with all the others.
Isn’t it amazing, Peter had cast a net that caught fish, but
Jesus had cast a miracle that caught Peter.
Where is our obedience? Where is our risk? Where is our
repentance?
Peter would never have come to this place, never come to the
feet of Jesus, never seen Jesus as much more than just a Rabbi had he not
obeyed the Lord and launched out into the deep.
He risked much in doing so.
He risked embarrassment from all those people and other
fishermen on shore. “Look at Peter he’s going back out to fish at the wrong
time and in the wrong place. What a fool!”
He risked all that he owned. His nets began to break and his
ship begins to sink. If he lost these things he would lose everything he had in
this world.
He even risked his life. We know from the story of Peter
walking on the water that he probably can’t swim. If the boat goes down Peter
dies.
Yet because he risked it all in obedience to Christ that he
was able to see Christ as much more than he had ever seen before.
Let me simply ask you today, where is your obedience? Where is your risk, where is your repentance?
When have you obeyed the Lord in spite of you doubts and
fears? When have you risked everything you have and everything you are are in
obedience to him? When was the last time you fell at the feet of Jesus and
realized, “I shouldn’t be loved my Him? I shouldn’t have been forgiven by Him.
I shouldn’t be going to spend eternity with this one who is the Creator, Ruler
and Sustain of All. I shouldn’t be here, but I am and all I can do is fall at
your feet. My Lord, My God, My Jesus.
Have you heard Jesus invitation to trust Him, are you
willing to risk it, willing to test Him and see of this salvation thing is
real? Oh you’ll never know the amazement, the wonder holding you round about,
until you launch out in the deep of your doubts and fears and trust Jesus.
Eight times in the NT Jesus says, “Come unto Me.” The most
memorable invitation is in Mathew 11:28
Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give
you rest.
Transition: The story doesn’t end here in fact this is the
only the end of the beginning of the story for Peter and the apostles. But don’t worry it is the end of my sermon.
Conclusion; Forsaking and Following Luke 5:10-11
And so was also James, and John, the sons of Zebedee, which
were partners with Simon. And Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not; from henceforth
thou shalt catch men. And when they had brought their ships to land, they
forsook all, and followed him.
Peter, Andrew, James and John forsake all and follow Christ.
After this the third time Jesus has called his disciples, the
Bible says, “They forsook all and followed Him.”
Why this time? I believe it was because they saw Him as they
had never seen him before. Because they had obeyed Him as they had never obeyed
him before. Because the risked everything as they had never risked before. Now
they were ready to be Apostles, sent ones, ready to take the Gospel of Christ
to the ends of the earth and ready to carry the burden of eternity on their
shoulders.
Are you ready this morning?
I can’t think of anything worse than one day looking back to a time and
a place where I could have made a choice to obey God, to trust Jesus, who died
for me, but instead said nothing and did nothing. I can’t imagine realizing
that because of my refusal to obey, I missed seeing Jesus Christ as I had never
seen him before. I missed the opportunity of serving him. Or worst of all I
missed the hope of eternity because I did nothing.
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