Faithful Fisherman

FAITHFUL FISHERMEN

LUKE 5:1-11

Many of you may but (name here) is an avid ice fishermen. The story I am about to tell happened a couple years age. (Names) decided to do a little ice fishing. The lake was frozen nicely. They stopped just before they got to the lake at a little bait shop and got all their tackle.

One of them said, "We’re going to need an ice pick." So they got that, and they took off. In about two hours, one of them was back at the shop and said, "We’re going to need another dozen ice picks." Well, the fellow in the shop wanted to ask some questions, but he didn’t. He sold him the picks, and the old boy left. In about an hour, he was back. Said, "We’re going to need all the ice picks you’ve got." The bait man couldn’t stand it any longer. "By the way," he asked, "how are you fellows doing?" "Not very well at all, we haven’t even got the boat in the water yet”

I always like to tell a little joke before my sermon to “break the ice”. Get it? “Break the ice”. It’s getting more painful as we go along.

Anyway, I really do like to fish. I find it relaxing to go out on the lake and just fish for a few hours. Of course what makes fishing better is if you catch something. Now there have been times when I have been disappointed having to return home with no fish.

Today I want us to look at a story about a group of disappointed fishermen, disappointed fishermen who became faithful fishermen.

Please turn with me to Luke chapter 5 verse 1-11. By the way I will remind you if you or someone you know does not have a Bible and would like one, there are some on the back table just for that purpose so please feel free to take what you need.

Luke 5:1-11; “ So it was, as the multitude pressed about Him to hear the word of God, that He stood by the Lake of Gennesaret, “gi-nes’uh-ret” and saw two boats standing by the lake; but the fishermen had gone from them and were washing their nets. Then He got into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, and asked him to put out a little from the land. And He sat down and taught the multitudes from the boat. When He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon, "Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch." But Simon answered and said to Him, "Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net." And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking. So they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, 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 and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish which they had taken; and so also were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, "Do not be afraid. From now on you will catch men." So when they had brought their boats to land, they forsook all and followed Him.”

This is the story of the call of Peter, John and James, three of Jesus’ closes disciples. As we can see they were simple fishermen. They were not men of great learning, they were not men of wealth and power, not men of any particular importance as far as the world was concerned, but just three simple fishermen.

Now there are five things I want to point out to you from this wonderful passage. The first is that we see “Anticipation” on the part of the fisherman, Peter, James and John. Like any fishermen they expected to catch something.

Keep in mind that these guys were not fishing for fun, this was there livelihood. This is what they did for a living. This was how they fed their families. Their lifestyle depended on what they caught.

They had every right to expect a catch of fish. These guys were seasoned fishermen. They had the right equipment, they knew what time was best to make a good catch. And accounting to the account, in verse 5 Peter states that they had been at it all time. Surly they had expected to catch something.

I know when I fish I go expected something. And any of you who fish expect the same thing. We look and make sure we have all the right stuff to catch that 6 or 7 pound bass then off we go full of expectation.