Hear The Call Of Jesus Series

Hear The Call of Jesus  

Luke 5:1-11

Introduction

The public ministry of Jesus is not a solo mission. He needed and called disciples, some of which became Apostles, and they carried on the work that he founded and empowered. Even today disciples of Jesus are carrying the banner of Christ into a dark and lost world. That’s our mission. 

In that sense, as we see the calling of the first disciples, we are sensing that He is calling us into his mission to save the world. Do we hear the call? Are we willing to take first steps to following the Master? Are we continuing in the mission?

If Jesus is calling you today, will you answer? The entire story of Jesus is, in a sense, a calling out to all of humanity that says, “I love you, I was willing to die to save you from your sins; I’m preparing a place for you.”

Many reject that call, but what about you today?

Our text is Luke 5:1-11

One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, the people were 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 fish for people.” 11 So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.

Hear the Call of Jesus!

1. He Calls Through the Word (Luke 5:1) 

How does God speak to us today? How can we hear from Him?  God can speak to us in any number of ways.  Some say dreams, hunches, feelings, visions, voices. The surest way to know God’s will is to read it in the Scriptures. Every other way is subjective - and possibly not a message from God at all. The word of God is a sure source of God’s wisdom. When Jesus preached, he preached the word of God.

These people were hungry for more of what Jesus had to say and teach. The people were crowding him, forcing him to conscript a nearby boat. They were eager to hear! God make us hungry for the Word! We have the privilege of owning a copy of the Word of God - how do we honor that privilege? Disciples of Jesus want more and more of Him. Jesus is calling you today through the Word, will you answer? Are you listening?

2. He Calls With Determination (Luke 5:2-3)

The fishermen were washing their nets. They had fished all night and were washing their nets. Exhausted and not too happy for this stranger to want to get out on the water to hold a revival! Peter, Andrew, James and John had spent the night fishing with dragnets. It was backbreaking work, casting and drawing in a 100 foot net over and over again. Even though they had worked so hard through the night they did not catch a fish. So at dawn they beached their boats, ate breakfast, and under the warming sun engaged in the tedious and necessary process of washing, mending, and arranging their nets for drying. Once dry, they would be folded and placed back in the boats for the coming night.  On this life-changing day, the large crowd was pressing around Jesus. 

Jesus is determined to speak to the crowd. Jesus was determined to share the good news of the kingdom with as many as he could. How determined is Jesus to speak to us? Are we listening?

3. He Calls With Demands (Luke 5:4-7)

There are many great fish stories in the Bible (including one prophet who took a three-night stay in the whale motel!) But this is not just a great fish story!

Jesus’ request to go back out to fishing in the deep is met with a little resistance by Peter. Peter always says what we are thinking - grateful for him! Peter speaks from the voice of experience, he knows there are no fish … he is exasperated … but he obeys. Jesus always makes demands of us to help us grow and understand more about him. His teachings do not always make sense to us. They challenge us and grow us.