Following Jesus

Following Jesus

Luke 5:1-11

July 7, 2002

Introduction

1 One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, with the people crowding around him and listening to the word of God, 2 he saw at the water’s edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. 3 He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat.

4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch." 5 Simon answered, "Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets." 6 When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. 7 So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.

8 When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, "Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!" 9 For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, 10 and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners. Then Jesus said to Simon, "Don’t be afraid; from now on you will catch men." 11 So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.

So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.

Why would a person give up all or even part of their life to follow Jesus?

A faith that gives nothing, costs nothing and suffers nothing, is worth nothing – Martin Luther

Body

I. The Words of Jesus

A. The coming of the masses

1. Jesus was drawing massive crowds

a.) The ministry of Jesus drew large crowds because He was meeting the needs of the people

b.) Jesus had a genuine compassion for people and a true passion for the will of the Father

2. Jesus related to the people

a.) Jesus was warm and loving to all of the people that He came in contact with. He saw the people not as they were but as they could become. He saw people through the eyes of the Kingdom

b.) Everyone who encountered Jesus experienced His power. It was evident in His teaching. It was evident in His miracles.

B. The crowding of the masses

1. The crowds were creating a problem

a.) There were simply too many people in too small of an area. The mass of people was so large that it was forcing Jesus to the edge of the water.

b.) These people were important to Jesus and he did not wish to turn them away

2. Simon provided a solution

a.) Jesus saw Simon Peter and his boat. Peter already knew Jesus because He had healed Peter’s mother-in-law.

b.) Peter allows Jesus to use his boat as a platform to teach from and sets off just away from the shore.

II. The Works of Jesus

A. The request of Jesus

1. Jesus understood the opportunity

a.) Jesus saw the simple fact that these fishermen had caught nothing after working all night long. This was an opportunity

b.) Jesus had a plan and purpose for these men that did not include catching fish

2. Jesus makes an unusual request

a.) Simon Peter and his partners had been fishing all night long. They were tired. They were dirty. They were smelly. They were ready to go home. The last thing that these men wanted to do was to go back out on the lake to fish some more

b.) Jesus tells Peter to go into to deep water and cast his nets

B. The reward of obedience

1. Peter agrees to cast the nets

a.) Peter states the reasons that he did not need to go back out

1.) They had worked hard all night: He was tired and wanted to rest

2.) They didn’t catch anything: The fish weren’t biting

b.) Two things are clear by Peter’s choice

1.) Peter gives Jesus the respect of someone in authority by calling Him “Master”

2.) Peter also states that he will go back out because Jesus said so.

2. Peter gains a great reward

a.) Peter went out to deep water and cast his net and suddenly he had a catch. Not just a catch but a large catch of fish

b.) The size was significant

1.) It broke Peter’s net

2.) It forced Peter to call for help

3.) It filled both boats to capacity

4.) It made the boats so heavy that they started to sink