Sermon Central
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Mending The Nets
Contributed by Johnny Knight on Aug 11, 2007 (message contributor)
Summary: Though they had worked and day and were tired, Peter & John were mending their nets, for another day of fishing yet to come.
MENDING THE NETS
Text: Luke 5:1-11
Place: The Sea of Galilee
Setting: On the shore near fishermen who were washing and (Matthew 4:21 mending) their nets.
There is a crowd of people surrounding Jesus trying to hear what He was saying. He sees Peter & Andrew’s two boats newly brought ashore, still ladened down with the nets and gear while the other fishermen had gone to begin the process of washing and mending their nets.
Jesus gets into Peter’s boat and asked him to push out into the shallow waters that Jesus might teach the people.
When Jesus finished His teaching, He told Peter “Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.”
Peter replies, “Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless, at Your word I will let down the net.”
And when they had done what Jesus commanded, they immediately caught a great number of fish, beyond the capacity of the net to hold them, and the net began to break.
So they signaled to their partners, in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink.
What the Word is saying to us:
There was a crowd of people surrounding Jesus trying to hear what He was saying.
1. There are people being drawn by the Holy Spirit to hear and accept the Truth of God’s Word.
2. Jesus is looking for those willing to serve and obey His for the furtherance of the Gospel. Jesus gets into Peter’s boat and asked him to push out into the shallow waters that Jesus might teach the people.
Although Peter is bone-weary with fishing all night, they were washing and repairing their nets for another days work. Tired as he was, he obeys the Lord (putting aside the work that still needs to be done), and pushes out into the shallows.
3. As He finishes the teaching, He wants to teach Peter something. Jesus tells him to LAUNCH OUT INTO THE DEEP AND LET DOWN YOUR NETS FOR A CATCH. Even though he had toiled all night without catching one fish, Peter said “AT YOUR WORD I will let down the net.”
GOD IS NOT GOING TO TRUST YOU IN THE DEEP WATERS UNTIL HE CAN TRUST YOU IN THE SHALLOWS.
4. The immediate catch is more than Peter or his partners can handle. What God wants to happen will always be more than one person, church, or denomination can handle. YOU MUST CALL FOR HELP OR RISK LOSING THE CATCH!
