Introduction

In the book of Luke, we find a beautiful story about a fisherman named Simon who was chosen by Jesus to follow and serve Him. This story is about ordinary people, like you and me, who invite Jesus into our lives and go deeper with Him. In doing so, we find that Jesus calms our worries and meets all our needs, transforming us into fishers of men.

I. Simon's efforts and experience resulted in a disappointing catch.

Over two thousand years ago, in Israel, Simon, an expert fisherman, wakes up early in the morning. He senses that it will be a good day for fishing and hopes to catch enough to provide for his family. He prays for success and sets out with his brother Andrew in their boat.

After hours of fishing with no luck, Simon becomes worried about how he will pay his taxes and support his family. He starts to lose hope and wonders who will help him in his time of need.

Suddenly, a crowd approaches him. Among them is Jesus, who gets into Simon's boat and asks him to push out a little from the shore. Simon obeys and Jesus begins teaching the crowd from the boat.

II. Our human efforts are often futile and disappointing.

Just like Simon, we often start our days early, tired and in pain, praying for God's help. We go about our work, leaving Jesus locked away in a room until we return home. And at the end of the day, we come back disappointed, worrying about how we will pay our bills or solve our problems.

We may struggle with parenting, wondering what will happen to our children. We see them growing rebellious and making poor choices, and we question our own abilities as parents. We may also face challenges with our youth's lack of respect for their bodies and engage in sexual activities outside of marriage.

In these situations, we often ask ourselves, "Where will my help come from?" We try various methods to discipline and guide our children, but our efforts seem futile.

The truth is, our human efforts are ineffective because we are imperfect. We all make mistakes and have strayed from God's path. Our attempts to demonstrate Christian values on our own are futile and disappointing.

III. With God in our boat, we can experience an abundant catch!

Jesus chose Simon's boat to use as a pulpit and then transformed Simon into a fisher of men. Jesus could have chosen any other boat, but He had a plan to help Simon and his family.

After preaching to the crowd, Jesus tells Simon to go out into the deep water and let down the nets for a catch. Simon, feeling hopeless, initially objects but eventually obeys.

To his amazement, Simon and his companions catch such a large number of fish that their nets begin to break. They signal for help, and both boats are filled to the point of sinking.

This miraculous catch not only provided for Simon's immediate needs but also revealed God's grace and power in his life. It demonstrated that God's grace was already at work, even before Simon recognized it.

IV. With God in our boat, we can have hope for our youth!

God's grace is already at work in our children's lives, even before they acknowledge Him as their Savior. This grace assures us that God knows our struggles and takes the initiative to help us.

When we allow the Lord to guide our lives, He will rescue our children from the clutches of the enemy and place them on solid ground. It is time to go after them, to go deeper in our relationship with God, and to transform our homes into platforms for sharing the love of Christ.

Conclusion

We cannot settle for mediocrity. It is time to go deeper. Jesus is calling us in the midst of our disappointments and struggles. He wants to use us to bring salvation to our youth and to the world.

Let us pray for ourselves and our youth this week. Let us pray that we become true leaders and disciples of Christ, setting an example of a Christian life. Let us also pray for our youth, that they may recognize the great love and hope that God has for them.

Turn to your neighbor and say, "It is time to go deeper."

Amen.

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