Luke 5:1-11-So it was, as the multitude pressed about Him to hear the word of God, that He stood by the Lake of Gennesaret, and saw two boats standing by the lake; but the fishermen had gone from them and were washing their nets.
Then He got into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, and asked him to put out a little from the land. And He sat down and taught the multitudes from the boat.
When He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon, “Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.”
But Simon answered and said to Him, “Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net.”
And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking.
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.
When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!”
For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish which they had taken; and so also were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid. From now on you will catch men.”
So when they had brought their boats to land, they forsook all and followed Him.
The first thing we need to notice, is where Jesus is going to teach Peter the first lesson.
Not in some class but in a fishing boat!
Most of the time God teaches us lessons in our everyday life, in our hum drum everyday lives.
God teaches him this valuable lesson not when he has been successful, but when has failed! (We have toiled all night and caught nothing)
Many times God has taught us or tried to teach us, some wonderful lessons and it has been when we have fallen flat on our face!!
Washing Their Nets-The school of hard knocks has already taught them that if they want to be successful they can not give up…They were washing their nets, maybe even repairing their nets to go back out fishing again!
For us fishing is a vacation but for them it was a vocation!
God takes all the things that happen to us (Problems and circumstances, life experiences) and thru us (Talents, abilities, strengths and weakness) and He teaches us thru them, so that we can minister to others!!
Little From The Land-Two reasons for this I believe.
1-A captive audience, Peter most likely not going to get out of his boat and get in the water to walk back to shore, so he sits there and listens.
Romans 10:17-So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
2-God is patient with us, and just like a child, we have to crawl before we can walk.
God is not going to ask you to take giant steps of faith, until you have taken small steps of faith!
Peter would never agree with or done what Jesus was going to ask of Him, if he doesn’t listen to what Jesus has to say!
Thrust Out A Little From The Land (KJV)-Most people don’t have a problem with following Jesus a little ways…(Praying a little, going to church a little, tithing a little, but lets don’t go overboard!)
Vance Havner-“We Baptist are so afraid we will get out on a limb, that we don’t even get up in the tree!”
Somebody said, “We need to get out on a limb every once in awhile, because that’s where the fruit is!”
Verse 4-5-Jesus ask him to do something and just like us, he had an excuse why it is not a good idea.
But look at how his faith has grown…Nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net.
Depart From Me-I am glad that Jesus did not listen to this prayer request!
I need a man like Peter in the Bible!
I need a man like Peter in the Bible, who sticks his foot in his mouth!
I need a man like Peter in the Bible, who speaks before he thinks!
I need a man like Peter in the Bible, who make great boast, but can’t back them up!
I need a man like Peter in the Bible, who promises God a lot, and can’t fulfill them!
For I Am A Sinful Man, O Lord!-The first lesson that Jesus teaches Peter and us, is that sometimes we are our hardest critic.
Because Peter was ready to send Jesus away, then we have to come to assumption that Peter believed that Jesus could not use a man like him.
He thought he was to bad, too sinful!
It is one thing to take a long hard look at ourselves or look into God’s word and look at our self thru it, but we must never believe or think for a moment that God can not use us!
And we must never think that someone is so messed up that God can’t use them!
The problem with looking at our self and judging our self is…Either we will be to proud of our self (Pharisee and the tax collector) or we will be so discouraged with our self that we will not continue to follow Christ!
There has to be balance between knowing who and what we are!
And knowing Who’s we are!
(Luke 18:10-“Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’ And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”)
