Introduction

Good morning, Church family!

Our message today is going to dive deep – literally and figuratively. We’re going to take a look at Luke 5:1-14 where Jesus calls His first disciples and challenges them to go deeper in their faith. It’s a powerful story of obedience, trust, and transformation that speaks volumes to each of us today.

Before we dive in, let me share a quote from A.W. Tozer, “The reason why many are still troubled, still seeking, still making little forward progress is because they haven't yet come to the end of themselves. We're still trying to give orders, and interfering with God's work within us." This quote resonates with the essence of our message today.

Now, let's read together the passage from Luke 5:1-14:

The Call to Follow Jesus

The call to follow Jesus is the first and most fundamental step in our Christian journey. It's a call that echoes through the ages, from the shores of the Lake of Gennesaret to our churches and homes today. It's a call that demands our attention, our obedience, and our complete surrender. It's a call that, like Simon Peter, we might initially resist, but ultimately, it's a call that we cannot ignore.

Jesus calling His first disciples: He didn't choose the religious elite or the most educated. Instead, He chose ordinary men, fishermen, who were willing to leave everything behind and follow Him. This is a profound reminder that Jesus doesn't call the equipped; He equips the called. He doesn't look at our qualifications, our achievements, or our social status. He looks at our hearts, our willingness to obey, and our readiness to follow Him, no matter the cost.

Not a one-time event: It's a daily, even hourly, decision to choose His ways over ours, His will over our desires. It's a commitment to live our lives in obedience to His teachings, to love as He loved, to serve as He served, and to sacrifice as He sacrificed. It's a call to deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Him. It's a call that challenges us to step out of our comfort zones, to venture into the unknown, and to trust Him completely.

A call to transformation: When Simon Peter, James, and John left their boats and followed Jesus, they were not the same men who had toiled all night catching nothing. They were transformed by their encounter with Jesus. They were no longer just fishermen; they were now fishers of men. They were no longer defined by their occupation; they were now defined by their relationship with Jesus. This transformation didn't happen overnight. It was a process, a journey, a journey that began with a call to follow Jesus.

Not without its challenges: It requires faith, courage, and perseverance. It may lead us to places we never imagined, to tasks we never thought we could accomplish, to trials we never thought we could endure. But it's in these challenges that we grow, that we learn to rely on His strength and not our own, that we experience His grace and mercy in new and profound ways. It's in these challenges that we truly understand what it means to follow Jesus.

A life of purpose, a life of significance, a life of eternal value: It's a call to be part of God's redemptive work in the world, to be His hands and feet, to be His ambassadors. It's a call to make a difference, to impact lives, to leave a legacy. It's a call that gives meaning to our existence, that gives direction to our journey, that gives hope to our future.

A call to a relationship: It’s a relationship that is personal, intimate, and life-changing. It's a relationship that begins with a call and continues with a walk, a walk that is guided by His Word, empowered by His Spirit, and sustained by His love. It's a relationship that brings us into a deep and profound communion with God, a communion that fills our hearts with joy, peace, and love.

Pastor, here would be a good place to share a personal story about when you were first called to follow Jesus. How did you respond?

The Challenge to Go Deeper

The challenge to go deeper is a call to move beyond the shallow waters of surface-level faith and plunge into the profound depths of a relationship with God ... View this full PRO sermon free with PRO