A Fishing Trip to Remember
Series "HOOKED"
with Pastor Timothy Porter
Luke 5:1-11
Introduction:
Tell a fishing story and about fishing as a kid.
"You talk to anyone who has ever fished, and I mean anybody and they will have a fishing story."
Today I want to talk to you about the ultimate fishing story [we are begining a new series "HOOKED"]. I would argue that your life, my life, is a fishing trip, and because it’s a fishing trip we should have fishing stories.
If you have your Bibles turn to the book of Luke, the gospel of Luke. Luke chapter 5, and we’re going to look at verses 1-11.
Context: Jesus was preaching to a bunch of people on the shores of the Sea of Galilee. The Sea of Galilee was 13 miles long, 8 miles wide, 30 towns were on the Sea of Galilee. Jesus is talking to people. So many people were there, so many people are pressing in, he thinks to himself, well, I need to improvise. So Jesus improvises. Jesus does something very, very interesting.
STAND : READ : PRAY
I see something here Jesus said that is very intersting - It's in vs.1 He NOTICED (let’s say it together 1-2-3) noticed…” Jesus noticed. He just noticed. “…two empty boats at the water’s edge, for the fisherman had left them and were washing their nets
? Why were they "Washing their nets." They had bagel'd. They had been skunked. They had fished all night and hadn’t caught jack.
How many times have you fished, how many times have we fished, and we haven’t caught a thing? we’ve donated blood to mosquitoes, we’ve gotten sunburned, we’ve gotten seasick, but you did'nt caught a fish.
These guys were upset. They were mad as a mop, hadn’t caught a fish. They were mending their nets.
If you study ancient fisherman they spent alot of their time mending these nets. These nets were large, they had weights around the edges. You would throw the nets over fish, the weights would sink around the fish, they would pull the rope, and you would catch the fish. When they fished at the Sea of Galilee they fished at night b/c of the day time heat. The fish would swim in the shallows at night, they were dumb at night. They would catch them at night. No one would even think about it, no great fisherman would even entertain the thought of fishing during the day. During the day the fish are deep. The nets won't reach that deep. No one would fish in the middle of the day. Oh really?
The first thing I want you nto notice is the
I] Boat or craft
? So he noticed (he being Jesus) a couple of boats on the banks, for the fisherman had left them and were washing their nets. Stepping into one of the boats Jesus asked Simon, its owner (Simon Peter owned this thriving fishing business), ‘Simon, push it out into the water.’ So he sat in the boat and taught the crowds from there.”
Why did Jesus do this? He was trying to preach, he was trying to speak on the beach. That didn’t work. The people couldn’t hear him. So he saw a boat, owned by Simon Peter, got into the boat, pushed the boat, Simon Peter pushed it away from the shore.
Jesus used technology. Technology, the definition, the application of scientific knowledge for practical purposes.
He used the acoustics of the ocean, the natural acoustics of the mountains and the hills behind him, which formed a megaphone so Jesus could talk in a normal voice and thousands and thousands of people could hear him.
I like it, too, that he noticed something common. He noticed a boat. And that boat became his pulpit.
What, in your life, is ordinary that Jesus wants to turn into something extraordinary?
What in your life is common, is dry, that Jesus wants to turn into a pulpit?
What interest do you have? What slant do you have? What hobby do you have? What platform do you have that Jesus wants to turn into a pulpit?
It’s time that we noticed like Jesus did
because there are three groups of people here.
The first group will be those who are not believers. We have many people at the bridge who come each and every weekend, who have never stepped over the line, you’re not a follower of Christ. You’re welcome. And this is a great series for you to listen to, a great message for you to listen to, a great weekend for you to attend. Because you’re going to see #1, how much you matter to God. #2, how much you matter to us. Because you were on our minds when we planned this experience.
The second group of people will be those here who are believers. You’re a brand new believer, and maybe, just maybe you’ve stepped over the line but you’ve never, ever, ever gone fishing for people who don’t know the Lord. You’ve never, ever shared your fishing story with others. You’ve never said, hey, here was my life before I met Christ. Here is how I took the bait, Jesus. I was hooked by the Spirit of God and brought into the church. I was caught and released into ministry. You have never really done that. I know some of you are that way.
The third group here are people, you’re believers, you’re a follower of Christ and you are sharing your fishing story. It’s amazing how those of us who fish like to share fishing stories. Yeah, those of us who have been caught by the grace of God, those of us who have been hooked by the Holy Spirit, those of us who have taken the bait, rarely, do we really go fishing. We talk about fishing, we buy fishing gear, we sing fishing songs, we go to these beautiful aquariums. Rarely do we fish. So this is a wakeup call in all of our lives.
So notice the boat. What would happen if Jesus walked into your boat? What would happen?
?The boat is A place of Intimacy
When you get in a boat with someone there is intimacy involved. Jesus wants you to be intimate with him, because he’s intimate with you.
When you get into a boat intimacy is involved
What would happen if Jesus got into your boat? What6 would happen if you Used your hobbies, plattforms, and slants as a pulpit. Get on someones boat!
? The boat is a place of Instruction
What did Jesus do? He taught from it. He preached from it. Maybe Simon Peter tried to give Jesus a quick fishing lesson because after all, he was a carpenter.
? The boat was a place of Irratition
There is a rule when fishing with a guide and that is to never guide the guide! Jesus flipped the script . He knew how to fish Simon Peter just did'nt believe it yet! Simmon Peter was an exp. fisherman he knew what was up. I can imangine him saying [hammers nails, foundations, fixing things up is what you know - You know nothing about fishing!]
Simom was irrated b/c Jesus ask him to use his boat after he had cleaned it up from fishing the nite before. and didnt catch anything.
?The Conversation
Luke 5:4 , “When He finished speaking he said to Simon, “Go out where it is deeper.'
The sermon was done - Over Jesus said to Simon, ‘Now go out.” Say it again. Go out. He said, that’s ? the first command, “go out where it is deeper.”
Go out, Simon, this is Jesus the carpenter, telling the guide to go out where it is deeper. You want to go deep? Go out into the deep.
?The second command, “let down…” Jesus said go out, Simon, and now let down. That means let down the nets. And don’t you know Simon was like, “you’ve got to be kidding me. I’ve cleaned these nets. We’ve been working all night. All the seaweed and all the other junk is out of the nets, all the beer cans, we’ve thrown them out, and now you’re asking me, Jesus, to lower the nets again in the middle of the day? It’s 100 degrees, the nets don’t go that deep, we’re not gonna catch a fish.”
That’s what he was thinking. I know it because, see Jesus picked Galileans. Simon Peter was rude and crude and socially unacceptable. Foul-mouthed, uneducated, Galileans were from the wrong side of the tracks.
That’s who Jesus picked as his inner circle.
Why fisherman? Because they’re Purposeful.
Why fisherman? Because they’re Patient.
Why fisherman? Because they’re Passionate.
Jesus spoke two commands, “go out and let down your nets to catch some fish.”
That’s what Jesus is telling you and me if you’re a Christ-follower. Go out. You want to go deep? I mean you want to go deep? It’s right here. Go out. And don’t just go out and work on your spiritual tan with Hawaiian Tropic. Drop the nets. Go out where the fish are, in the highways and hedges and byways. Go out where the fish are, in your neighborhood. Go out where the fish are, on the soccer team. Go out where the fish are, in your school. Go out where the fish are, in the corporation. Go out where the fish are, in the firm. Go out where the fish are, in the hospital. Go deep, but don’t just go deep, drop the nets!
?So I love the excuse. “We worked hard all last night. Lord,” look at him, in verse 5. “We didn’t catch a thing but if you say so” – the doubted Jesus. They said, You’ve gotta be joking.
Don’t you love it that Jesus can use you and me even in our doubts? If you say so I’ll let the nets down again.
? The Catch
Luke 5:6 , “And this time their nets were so full of fish they began to tear. They shouted for help.”
Jesus says to us, “You fish, I’ll catch.”
. A world record catch, in the middle of the day, the nets wouldn’t reach the deep, they drop the nets and look at this fish story. This is crazy isn't it? They shouted for help.”
He shouted for his buddies to come in. Another boat helped them. Both boats began to sink because of so many fish. I love it that Jesus is interested in our daily activities. Simon Peter had seen him heal the sick, drive out demons, yet look at his reaction. He was in the midst of a miracle.
“When Simon Peter realized what had happened he fell to his knees before Jesus and said, ‘Oh Lord, please leave me. I’m such a sinful man,’ for he was awestruck by the number of fish they caught as were the others with him. His partners James and John, the sons of Zebedee, were also amazed.” What a catch.
So those of us who are Christ followers, our lives should be a fishing trip and if we’re doing what Jesus wants us to do we’re going out into the deep, dropping our nets, and Jesus says, “You fish, I’ll catch.” What a deal. “You fish, I’ll do the catching and cleaning.” He’s calling you, he’s calling me. It’s a command, it’s not an option. Go, Jesus said, Matthew 28 . What part of ‘go’ don’t we get? Go out into the deep and let your nets down.
“Well, Tim, I just want to live as an example, man. If I live the Christian life as an example people will see me….” Example? What if Jesus had said that? “I’m just gonna be an example, no words, just an example.” Jesus used words. We’ve got to use words. Obviously we live our lives as an example, but if you’re a believer you’ve got a fish story.
“I was swimming in this body of water, I was lost, I ate the bait, Jesus on the hook. I was hooked by the Holy Spirit of God. Here’s what’s happened in my life when I was caught. Now I’ve been caught, captured by the grace. I’ve been released by God into the greatest life possible.”
Share that! Talk to others about that. Pray for people in your life. There is nothing like being used by God, nothing. There is no high, there is no buzz, there’s no trip, there’s no deal, there’s no amount of money that compares to being used by God to save souls. There’s no business like soul business.
?The Concern
Luke 5:10-11 , “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.
? Do not be afraid to share the Gospel
biggest thing a lot of us face. We’re afraid. We’re afraid to share the fish story. I mean, what’s the worst that could happen? People say no?
I’ve preached all over the place and I have never seen a church like The Bridge. And for the life of me I cannot believe how so many of you who call yourselves Christians don’t regularly invite people, your friends who are going to Hell, here to The Bridge.
?Because one day when you clock out, God’s gonna look at you and say, “man, your life was a fishing trip. Tell me about the fish you caught.”
?Because if you’re not concerned about your neighbor’s salvation, quite frankly I’m concerned about yours.
If you don’t have a heart for people coming to know Jesus, there’s a great chance you’re not a believer.These are hard words. Tough words. But Fisherman are tough!
For 17 years this deal has been tough! I'll get up in your grill and challenge you because the beginning and end of discipleship is evangelism. You don’t become a disciple until you get saved, and then once you become a disciple you go deep and Put down your nets. Tell your fishing stories?
Jesus replied to Simon, “Don’t be afraid. From now on you’ll be fishing for people.” This word for “fishing for people,” zagrio in the original language, means “to take alive”. It’s kind of paradoxical.
When we fish we take fish from life to death. When we fish for men we take men from death to life. “As soon as they landed they left everything and followed Jesus.”
John 6:44 , what did Jesus say? “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him.”
[Throw net]
We’ve got to draw the net. Everything we do at the bridge has a hook in it. What’s the bait? Jesus. And so often people don’t even know they need Jesus until they understand who he is and then, whoa! I need Jesus!
Two of the most embarrassing questions I could ask you, I’m talking to Christians now, are these two questions. A great Preacher asked me these questions a long time ago. #1 – Who was the last person you led to Jesus? #2 – When was the last time you tried?
What would happen, what would happen, if we became fishers of men? What would happen? Well I’ve got some good news for you.
HAND OUT BRACELETS
Put on this hook bracelet. Because we’ve been hooked, right? We’ve been hooked, we’ve taken the bait of Jesus. If you haven’t I pray that today in a couple of moments you make that decision.
But here’s the deal. You take this bracelet, put it on, and I want you to wear it for the next six days. I want this to be a reminder that you’re gonna make every single weekend at The Bridge Church Upstate. If you miss church, you’re gonna miss God. If you miss fishing on the 4th at Easley you are going to miis a fishing trip of a life time!
Only Jesus saves. And I’m all for sports, the lake, vacation and kid travel sports None of that stuff will save you. But the problem, one of the major problems in our culture is we’ve moved from fun fix to fun fix and we’ve forgotten to walk and to live by faith.
When you wear this people will ask you what is that bracelet? You can say, “come to The Bridge Church with me next weekend,” because next weekend you wear this bracelet and we’ll give your friends a bracelet and I’m gonna do a whole message on the depth of this bracelet. We’re hooked by Jesus. We’re hooked by the grace of God. We’re on the hook, right? I’ve told you that, but it’s much, much, much deeper.
Make sure you bring somebody to church with you next week.
Closing:
You do realize every person here is closer to death today than we were yesterday. And we’ll live forever in one of two places, the Bible says. So it’s time that we get hooked, that we share this. Don’t give it away, bring the person with you next time and what will we do? We’ll give them a bracelet, because we have I’ll say it again three chairs in mind every time we plan a service.
When We’re planning services for people who have been believers for a long time. We’re thinking about those people when we plan services. We’re also thinking about people who are brand new believes and we’re also thinking about people who are Hell-bound.
A biblically functioning church should have about a third in each chair. If you don’t have a third in each chair you’re not doing what God wants you to do. So it’s time for us to go out, go deep, and put the net down. Are you hooked? I said are you hooked? I’m glad I’m hooked by the grace of God. I’m glad I’m saved. I’m glad I’m rescued. I’m glad I’m transformed. I’m glad I’m justified. I’m glad I’m sanctified. I’m glad I’ve listened to Jesus. I’m glad I’ve lived for him. I’m glad I’m following his command. I am glad that I am hooked! I’m hooked!
