A Fishing Trip To Remember - Part 1

LUKE 5:1-11 “A FISHING TRIP TO REMEMBER” – PART 1

A) When I was a little younger, me and my brother, Wayne, would go to

Lake Murray.

* Wayne worked with a guy that owned a pontoon boat and he would let him

use it a lot.

B) We would go down, get on the pontoon boat and fish all night long .......

* We would catch crappie like crazy ... Gars ... I’d go home with a mess of fish

C) When I was in Kinston, Donald Taylor would take me fishing at Trent

River every Tuesday.

* We would eat Vienna sausages and cheese crackers and drink cokes. (Fly rod)

* There were times when we caught stringers full of fish, and other times when

we didn’t catch much at all.

D) Of course, we would always talk about “the one that got away.”

* Those fishing trips are worth remembering now because they were such a

good time.

E) In our text, we read about some fellows who had been on a fishing trip

they would have liked to have forgotten about.

* They didn’t talk about the one that got away, because they had all gotten away

* Then Jesus showed up and He took them on “A Fishing Trip To Remember”

F) Today, I would like to point out a few elements of this passage that speak

to the church – God has a word to say to our hearts this morning.

* Just as He did for those fishermen; He wants to take us on a fishing trip too.

* Not one of those kinds where you drown a bunch of worms, feed the fish and

donate blood to the mosquitoes and come home empty handed.

G) Jesus wants to take us on “A Fishing Trip To Remember.”

* Consider three elements of this passage with me today .......

(1) CONSIDER THE VESSEL – v.1-3

A) First: It Was A Place Of Intimacy – v.3.

* Up until then, Peter’s boat had been a place of toil, labor, and frustration.

* It was a vessel used to make a meager living – But, when Jesus climbed on board,

that boat became a place of personal closeness, intimacy, and fellowship.

* It was a place where all who were on board could be close to Jesus Christ.

B) That’s exactly what the church is, or at least what the church ought to be.

* This building is just a block and wood structure sitting beside the road until the

people of God enter.

C) But when this building is occupied by those who know Jesus Christ .......

* This structure becomes a place of closeness, a place of intimacy and a place of

fellowship with the Lord Jesus.

D) There isn’t too much special about this place when it’s empty, but when

the saints come marching in, it becomes a real precious place.

* What makes this place so special when the children of God gather in?

* Think about this:

E) It is special because of who shows up here.

* The Redeemer is here – Matt. 18:20 .......

F) Not only is the Redeemer here, but the redeemed are here.

* Isa. 51:11 “Therefore the redeemed of the LORD shall return, and come with

singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy shall be upon their head: they shall obtain

gladness and joy; and sorrow and mourning shall flee away.”

G) It is special because of what we do here.

* The Sovereign God is praised; the Son of God is preached; the Saints of God

are perfected.

H) It is special because of what we find here.

* There is food for our souls ... Freedom from our setbacks ... And fellowship with

the saints.

* Thank God for the church – It’s an oasis in the desert of this world.

I) It’s a light in the darkness – It’s a place of refuge and revival for weary

hearts – It’s a place of hope and help.

* May the Lord help us to never take the church for granted, but may we ever love

the church; support the church; pray for the church and defend the church.

SECOND: IT WAS A PLACE OF INSTRUCTION – v. 1; 3

A) Jesus turned that humble vessel into a pulpit from which He preached

the Word of God.

* Those on board and those within hearing distance were given the privilege of

hearing Christ instruct them in the things of the Lord.

B) Again, that is a picture of the church – When we come to this place,

we should find it to be a place of instruction for souls.

* From the opening, to the preaching time, the Word of God should be the focus,