The Miracles of Jesus Christ - Launch out into the deep and let down your nets!

Sermon notes from Sunday 3 May 2015

Luke 5 verses 1 – 11

The Miracles of Jesus Christ

After a disappointing night of fishing the next day Jesus told Simon to “launch out into the deep and let down your nets.”  Simon’s reply was “I have worked all night and caught nothing nevertheless at thy word I will let down my nets.”  Are we ready to rely on what God’s word has to say at any time?  Peter obeyed the word of God.  Maybe there is something on our hearts that is bearing down on us.  The word of God is the control, the focus in our lives today.  It matters not what the world says but what the word of God says.  It matters not what the church says about your salvation – remember the word of God says “For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.” (1 Corinthians 1 verse 18)

The word of God that captured Peter’s attention.  The word of God was the very foundation stone.  It captured his attention.  In verse 1 we read “the people pressed upon him (Jesus) to hear the word of God.”  Imagine the scene – the Lord was by the lake shore and the people had gathered there to hear the word of God.  That is what the people gathered for on that day.  It is the word of God that makes the difference.  “Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God.” (Romans 10 verse 17)  Remember when the Lord returned to Capernaum in Mark 2 verse 2 “And straightway many were gathered together, insomuch that there was no room to receive them, no, not so much as about the door and he preached the word unto them.”  The people came to hear the word of God.  What does the word of God do to a person?  It can save their souls for all eternity.  Peter is sitting on the shore washing and mending his nets.  His mind is on his fishing.  He doesn’t throw them to one side but prepares them ready for the next fishing trip.  Peter attends to those things that needed attended to.  While he was doing that the Lord came to where he was and spoke to him.  Jesus told him he wanted to go out into the water so that he could speak to the people from there.  What are you doing for people around you?  The Lord will use you to reach them for the gospel.  The Lord began to preach to the multitudes.  The Lord is going to use you even in the little things.  The Lord sees how responsible we are in the week days.  Remember Samuel, a young child of 8/9 years of age.  Hannah his mother had prayed for him, prayed that God would give her a son and she promised if she had a son she would give him back to God.  Samuel was taken by Hannah to the house of God and given in service to God.  He had the most menial of tasks – to open and close the doors of the temple each day.  God knew he was faithful.  God spoke to him one night in his bed and showed him what he would do in the whole nation of Israel.  That is how important the Sunday School work is – bringing children into the house of God.  God can speak to them at that age about what he wants them to do for him.  It is in the little things that God can use people – tithing, opening the doors, being there when everyone has gone home.  The Lord looks on you and sees you in these activities.  Peter was mending his nets when the Lord said to him “launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a draught.”  In verse 2 the Lord saw 2 ships standing by the lake side but the fishermen were gone out of them and washing their nets.  In verse 4 we see the Lord had left off speaking when he turned to talk to Peter.  Jesus had the attention of Peter.  The word of God captured Peter where he was at.  Whenever he had finished speaking to the crowd the Lord spoke to Peter.  Remember when Jesus visited Mary and Martha.  Mary was captured by Jesus’ words.  She sat down at his feet and listened to him.  We might see God moving in a tremendous way if only we could be captured by God’s word.  Jesus spoke into Peter’s ear.  Are we listening for God’s word when the preachers voice is silent?  Jesus met Peter at the point of his working.  We can be saved yet not really be captured by the word of God.  When the meeting ends we should still be listening, be sensitive to the people around us who perhaps God is speaking to.

The word challenged Peter.  Jesus said to him “push out into the deep.”  He had a personal word for Peter.  He is challenged to launch out into the deep.  Maybe you have been clutching the sides too long.  Maybe God wants you to trust him today because he wants to thrust you out.  Maybe the Lord wants to save your soul today.  Maybe you have never experienced the blood being applied to your life by simple faith.  “Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”  Maybe you are holding the sides, not sure whether the Lord will save you.  Depend on his word and he will save you once you let go, let the Lord have his way.  Maybe the Lord is challenging you for service today but you are afraid.  Will you go through with God today?  God has a tremendous task for you if only you are prepared to listen and obey him.  God will not let you down today.  The word of God caught the attention of Peter.  The challenge came clearly to Peter.  The word “toiled” means right to almost the pain of exhaustion, means a tiredness, a weariness.  The Lord told him to go out again.  Peter agreed to do what the Lord told him to do.  We need to get to the place of really trusting the Lord.  Remember Moses passing by the bush that was burning in the wilderness.  He stepped aside to see what it was.  The moment he did that the Lord spoke to him.  He captured his attention.  The Lord then told him what he wanted him to do.  He began to argue with God.  Have you put up the arguments before God to serve Him?  Moses complained that he was slow of speech, was stammering.  There was a time when I could have done it but now I couldn’t do it.  The Lord has been asking you to do something but you have been setting it aside and saying “I couldn’t do it.”  Peter wouldn’t see that great catch of fishes unless he launched out with God’s word.  Maybe for Moses for 40 years previously he had tried to bring the children of Israel out of Egypt in his own strength and couldn’t do it. He ran away and failed.  Sometimes we fail.  Is it not better to fail than not to try at all?  To fail doesn’t mean we should never be persuaded to try again.  Maybe tried something and you have failed, you have felt the pain but don’t ever let it give you up.  The Lord told Peter to launch out into the deep.  Just you go out and do that, forget about the disappointments of past failures.  Peter was challenged.  Moses was challenged.  God is not challenging Peter today or Moses today or the missionary today.  He is challenging you today.  Will you do a work for me?  Give me your heart, life, your all?