Launch Out Into The Deep Series

LAUNCH OUT INTO THE DEEP

Luke 5:1-6

My brothers and sister there are times in our lives when we must learn to launch out into deep waters. As we are in a world that has moved onto greater technology and advancements, it was done simply by taking risk and living by the saying “Learn to plan, or plan to fail.” Some churches even though in a new century, have failed to keep up because we’ve fail to Launch out in the deep, and to add ministries that will help our people. We watch and are amazed at ministries like Bishop Ulmer who bought the forum in L.A., and Rev. Joel Olstein that bought the building in which the Houston Rockets used to play in, and they did it because they dared to launch out into the deep. I’m reminded of the history of Evangel Temple when Rev. Meares the father was the pastor of the church. It was located near the corner of New Hampshire and Georgia Avenue. Pastor Meares used to launch out every opportune time by driving his bus into the black communities picking up children that wanted to attend Sunday School or bible study. He would not only pick them up to teach them God’s Word, but he also fed them and put them back on his bus to returned them back to their homes. As time would have it, those children became adults, and helped him build a church on Rhode Island Ave., and later on in Largo. Regardless of the rumors we heard about people borrowing money and second mortgaging their homes, they simply gave where they worshiped. The brethren around town were somewhat disturbed at the fact that this white preacher had a black following, only failing to realize that Pastor Meares did what they didn’t, that he simply launched out into the deep.

Our lesson begins with Jesus down by the lake of Gennesaret. Now whether it was his intention to teach while he was there or he went there to get some rest I’m not sure. But, the text reveals to us that there was a multitude there pressing to hear the Word of God. So, Jesus noticed two boats standing by the lake, but the fishermen were gone out of them, and was washing their nets. That is when Jesus entered one of the boats, which was Simon’s, and asked him to launch out from the shore, and it was there that the scriptures said that Jesus sat down and taught the people. And when He was done, He said to Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a drought. Now we should note Simon’s answer, it was reluctant in kind, he said “Master we have toiled all night, and have taken nothing.”

So, come let us look at this text and hope that we too can be challenged to Launch out into the deep.

First of all as we visit the text, Dr. E. K. Bailey warned us of the Dangers of shallow waters and Pastor Streeter’s first point was “In order to Launch out into the deep you have to have the right attitude” Now I find my first point is in v.4-5 and I warn . . .

1. DON’T LET THE SITUATION DICTATE THE OUTCOME (v.4-5)

“Now when He had ceased speaking, He said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a drought. 5. And Simon, answering, said unto Him, Master, we have toiled all night, and have taken nothing”;

To often those of us that are called the children of God are fooled to believe that what we hear or what we have we should be content. And too often we think that because the situation is what it is, and it has been that way for so long, we are lured to believe that, that is the way it should be. We buy into what some might say that we cannot afford it, or there is nothing wrong with what we have. But if we want the best that God can offer, we need to trust God and launch out into the deep. You see if the word tells us in Hebrews 11:6; But without faith it is impossible to please Him; then we are not pleasing God by our lack of faith in what He promised. Watch how this verse end for He that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him. And if we believe that He would reward us that seek Him, then we cannot settle for normalcy, we must trust God to reward us, both for eternity and while we are here.

So, look at the flow of the text. Jesus told Simon to launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a drought, and Simon’s answer displayed how fatigue he was from fishing all night which resulted in what appeared to be an answer of frustration. Simon said, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing.