Goin’ Fishin’
May 1, 2011 Morning Service
Immanuel Baptist Church, Wagoner, OK
Rick Boyne
Message Point: Because of the Resurrection, life is NOT “business as usual.”
Focus Passage: John 21:1-11
Supplemental Passage: Now it happened that while the crowd was pressing around Him and listening to the word of God, He was standing by the lake of Gennesaret; and He saw two boats lying at the edge of the lake; but the fishermen had gotten out of them and were washing their nets. And He got into one of the boats, which was Simon's, and asked him to put out a little way from the land. And He sat down and began teaching the people from the boat. When He had finished speaking, He said to Simon, "Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch." Simon answered and said, "Master, we worked hard all night and caught nothing, but I will do as You say and let down the nets." When they had done this, they enclosed a great quantity of fish, and their nets began to break; so they signaled to their partners in the other boat for them to come and help them. And they came and filled both of the boats, so that they began to sink. But when Simon Peter saw that, he fell down at Jesus' feet, saying, "Go away from me Lord, for I am a sinful man!" For amazement had seized him and all his companions because of the catch of fish which they had taken; and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, "Do not fear, from now on you will be catching men." When they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed Him. (Luke 5:1-11 NASB)
Introduction: Relate some personal fishing stories with grandfather or father-in-law. Or stories of fishing overseas.
I. Unsure of the Task
a. After the Resurrection, they really didn’t know what to do.
i. Their support had most likely dried up.
ii. Peter was probably bored.
iii. They had not yet received their orders or the Holy Spirit.
b. They went to do what they did before they met Jesus.
i. Jesus had promised to make them “fishers of men”
ii. They weren’t really sure of what was going on right now.
II. Failure of the Task
a. They fished all night with no catch
i. Night was the best time for fishing
ii. They were tired, discouraged, sleepy, and hungry and nothing to show for it
b. They weren’t told to go fishing
c. They were doing it out of unknown motivation
III. Success in the Task
a. Jesus directed them to “cast on the other side”
b. Similar to Peter’s first encounter with Jesus in Luke 5:5, but this time he obeyed without discussion
i. Simon answered and said, "Master, we worked hard all night and caught nothing, but I will do as You say and let down the nets."
c. The difference is they obeyed the command of Jesus.
i. Obedience brings blessings
Invitation: Jesus can turn our failures into success. Jesus can turn futile efforts into a full net. Jesus makes the difference.
