Faith that Floats: When Jesus Gets in Your Boat
Luke 5:1–11 (NLT)
Theme: When Jesus gets in your boat, everything changes. Sometimes God’s greatest invitations come in the middle of ordinary moments. In Luke 5, Jesus steps into Peter’s empty boat and turns a night of failure into a calling that changes everything.
Introduction – When Jesus Interrupts the Ordinary
You ever notice how God rarely checks your schedule before He interrupts it?
Sometimes His biggest moments come when we least expect them.
Illustration: I recently read about a man who missed his connecting flight by just two minutes. He was frustrated—who wouldn’t be? It meant he had to spend extra $150 on a long Uber ride to reach his destination. But here’s the amazing part: during that ride, he struck up a conversation with his driver, who turned out to be a refugee wrestling with questions about faith and eternity.
What looked like a costly inconvenience became a divine appointment. That man later said, “I realized God didn’t delay me—He redirected me.”
Sometimes God’s interruptions are just that—divine reroutes. We think He’s thrown off our plans, but He’s actually putting us exactly where someone needs a glimpse of His grace.
Peter didn’t wake up that morning planning to have his life turned upside-down. He wasn’t at a revival service. He wasn’t on a prayer retreat. He was cleaning his nets after a long, disappointing night of work. He was tired, dirty, probably frustrated, maybe even embarrassed—because in a fishing town, if you come back with empty nets, everybody knows it.
And right there—on that same shore where Peter’s failure was still dripping off his nets—Jesus shows up and says,
“Hey, can I borrow your boat?”
That’s how Jesus works.
He meets us in the middle of our ordinary, sometimes right in the middle of our mess.
Maybe you’ve felt like Peter—just trying to get through the day, clean up what didn’t work, and move on. But then Jesus steps in and says,
“I want to use that boat. I want to use that moment. I want to use you.”
Read Luke 5:1-11
When Jesus gets in your boat, everything changes.
1) Jesus Meets Us in the Ordinary
Luke 5 begins, “One day as Jesus was preaching on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, great crowds pressed in on him to listen to the word of God.”
I love that—one day.
Not a festival day, not a Sabbath day—just one day.
Jesus wasn’t only showing up in the temple; He was showing up at the lake, at the job site, where people were actually living life.
That’s where He finds Peter—tired, wet, smelling like fish and failure.
And Jesus steps right into that space and says, “Let’s push out a little from shore.”
Now, think about that. Jesus could have preached from anywhere, but He chose Peter’s boat. The very symbol of Peter’s work, his comfort zone, his livelihood—and in that moment, it became a platform for the gospel.
Sometimes the thing you think is just your job, just your daily grind, is the very thing Jesus wants to stand in and speak through.
Maybe it’s your classroom, your clinic, your kitchen, your snowplow, or your office.
Jesus still climbs into ordinary boats.
Illustration:
Back when I was driving school bus, there were days I was just plain tired. Some mornings it felt like it didn’t really matter—I was just getting kids from point A to point B. But one day, one of my students told me that I was the first person every day who was glad to see them. The first person to smile at them that week.
That hit me hard. Because in that moment, I realized Jesus was using my route like Peter’s boat. What felt ordinary to me was actually sacred space—God’s platform to show someone they matter.
God doesn’t need a stage—He just needs a `dered space.
That reminds me of something God said in Zechariah 4:9–10 (NLT):
“Zerubbabel is the one who laid the foundation of this Temple, and he will complete it. Then you will know that the Lord of Heaven’s Armies has sent me. Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin—to see the plumb line in Zerubbabel’s hand.”
The people were rebuilding the temple after years of exile, and compared to the glory of Solomon’s temple, this new one looked small and unimpressive. But God said, “Don’t despise the small things—I rejoice in the beginnings.”
In other words, God delights in faithfulness, not flashiness. He takes joy in the small acts of obedience that others might overlook. Every small act of faithfulness: every time you show up, every smile you offer, every seed you plant—it matters to God. And just like those builders were laying stones on the foundation others had started, we’re building on the small, faithful things done by those who came before us.
So whether it’s a conversation on a bus, a moment at work, or helping someone in need—don’t underestimate what Jesus can do in your “ordinary.” Because that’s where He loves to show up most.
2) Letting Go Means Trusting Beyond Logic
After Jesus finishes teaching, He looks at Peter and says in verse 4, “Now go out where it’s deeper, and let down your nets to catch some fish.”
Now, if you’re Peter, this makes no sense.
He’s the professional fisherman; Jesus is the carpenter-turned-rabbi.
They’ve already fished all night. The fish aren’t biting. The sun’s up—wrong time, wrong technique, wrong advice.
But Peter says something powerful in verse 5:
“Master, we worked hard all last night and didn’t catch a thing. But if You say so, I’ll let the nets down again.”
That line—“Because You say so”—is the turning point between frustration and breakthrough.
Obedience doesn’t always make sense on paper.
Sometimes faith looks foolish until the miracle happens.
Illustration:
You know, sometimes letting go means trusting beyond logic. When Jesus told Peter to head back out and cast those nets, it didn’t make any sense. Sometimes that’s exactly how faith works.
Let me share something personal. When Joy and I finally decided to step into foster care, we were praying for a baby girl. We had this picture in our minds of how it would look—even how her nursery would look. And then God, in His wisdom and humor, brought not one, but two kids into our lives. We didn’t just feel unready—we truly weren’t ready for the kind of change that was about to hit our family.
And you know what? Even now, ten months into this journey, there are still days we don’t feel ready. There are still moments where we’re in the middle of the hard stuff, and we have to choose to keep trusting God.
But we trusted Him then, and we trust Him now. Just like Peter’s nets ended up overflowing, our hearts are overflowing with love for these girls. We’ve found that God keeps filling what feels empty and turning our small obedience into something that changes lives.
Sometimes faith looks a little foolish before it makes sense. But when we trust Jesus, He always shows up.
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek His will in all you do, and He will show you which path to take.” (Proverbs 3:5-6)
Maybe God’s asking you to forgive someone, to give generously, to serve where it’s uncomfortable, or to go where it’s uncertain.
It might not make sense—but because He says so, you obey.
Faith doesn’t always feel logical—but it’s always worth it.
3) When We Obey, Jesus Fills What’s Empty
Peter rows out, lets down the nets—and suddenly the water comes alive.
Fish everywhere!
The nets begin to tear, the boats nearly sink, and the guys are yelling for help.
I picture Peter, who had just been muttering under his breath about “this preacher who doesn’t know fishing,” now laughing and shouting, “James! John! Get over here—quick!”
When Jesus steps into your obedience, He can turn empty into overflow in an instant.
Notice—Peter’s part was obedience; Jesus’ part was abundance.
We often want the abundance first—“God, show me the blessing, then I’ll obey.”
But Jesus says, “No—obey first, and I’ll fill what’s empty.”
When you release what’s in your hand, God releases what’s in His.
The Apostle Paul put it this way in 2 Corinthians 9:6–10 (NLT)
Paul reminds us that generosity and obedience always begin with trust That’s God’s economy—it starts not with what we hold on to, but with what we’re willing to release. When we plant in faith, when we give, when we obey—God multiplies what we place in His hands.
Illustration:
It makes me think of one of the first Assemblies of God missionaries in Alaska, Byron and Marjory Personeus. Back in the 1940s, God called them to reach remote villages and fishing camps along the coast. The problem was—they had no boat, no money, and fuel was rationed because of the war. It didn’t make sense to even try.
But they obeyed anyway. They prayed, they told their story, and little by little, God provided everything they needed. Eventually, they received a mission boat called the Fair-Tide II, and through that boat they carried the gospel up and down the coastline—bringing hope and the message of Jesus to places that had never heard it before.
What started with empty hands turned into overflowing impact, because obedience always opens the door for God to provide. When they said yes, God filled what was empty. Sometimes God doesn’t give you all the resources up front—He gives you an opportunity to trust Him.
And when we obey like that—when we trust Him beyond what makes sense—it not only fills our nets, it fills our hearts.
That’s where we see what happened next with Peter: obedience led to awe,
4) Awe Leads to Calling
Verse 8 says, “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.’”
That’s the moment awe becomes repentance.
Peter suddenly realizes: “This isn’t just a great teacher—this is God in my boat.”
And Jesus doesn’t push him away.
He says, “Don’t be afraid. From now on, you’ll fish for people.”
I love that—He doesn’t erase Peter’s identity; He redeems it.
He takes the skill Peter already had—fishing—and gives it an eternal purpose.
Some of you think, “God can’t use me because of my past.”
But the truth is, He plans to use the same boat that once represented your struggle as the very platform for your ministry.
Illustration:
You know, in my role as a counselor, I’ve had so many people come to me feeling completely unworthy—like their trauma, addiction, or the chaos in their lives somehow disqualified them from being loved by God. They’d say things like, “I’ll come back to church once I get my life together,” or “I don’t think God wants anything to do with me right now.” They believed they had to be healed, whole, and polished before they could even approach faith.
But what I’ve seen time and time again is this: God doesn’t wait for perfection. He steps into our brokenness.
He meets people right in the middle of the mess.
And often, the very fact that I became their counselor—someone who could speak truth and hope into their lives—was evidence that God was already at work. That connection wasn’t random. That was God casting a net of grace. God was already making a way. He doesn’t waste a single broken moment. He doesn’t waste a single net thrown out in faith.
He reaches us while we’re still in the boat, still tired, still empty-handed.
And that’s not just my opinion. Scripture says it clearly.
Read Romans 5:6–11 (NLT)
And when Peter experienced that kind of grace—grace that meets you in your mess—it changed everything about his priorities.
Let that sink in:
While we were still sinners… while we were still God’s enemies… Christ died for us.
That means the door to grace isn’t unlocked by performance—it’s already wide open.
When we step forward in even the smallest act of faith, God’s already moving. He’s ready to fill your net, even if you feel like you’ve been casting all night and catching nothing.
That’s what Peter experienced—grace that overwhelms and redefines you. And that’s what brings us to the next part of his story.
5) Letting Go Means Leaving the Shore
The story ends with this stunning line in verse 11:
“As soon as they landed, they left everything and followed Jesus.”
Think about that. The biggest catch of their career—financial success, security, everything they’d been working for—and they walked away.
Why? Because once you’ve seen what Jesus can do, the boats don’t look so impressive anymore.
Letting go isn’t about loss—it’s about trading temporary for eternal.
Maybe Jesus is calling you to step out of your comfort zone—to trust Him with your future, your finances, your family, your calling.
You can’t cling to safety and live on mission at the same time.
Illustration:
There was a story I read about one of our own Assembly of God US Missionaries:
Jason Smith was a successful electrical engineer working at Los Alamos National Laboratory—one of the most prestigious science and technology centers in the country. For over a decade, he worked on high-voltage and satellite projects, with a career that promised comfort, stability, and a great salary.
But in 2014, Jason sensed God calling him out of that comfort zone and into full-time ministry. He left that high-paying engineering career to become an Assemblies of God U.S. missionary with Chi Alpha, first serving at Sam Houston State University as a Missionary Associate, and later restarting the Chi Alpha ministry at the Missouri University of Science and Technology—a campus full of future engineers and scientists just like him.
His heart is to help students discover that their careers can be their calling, and their classrooms can be their mission field. That same heartbeat drives our Chi Alpha missionaries here in Alaska—men and women who’ve left comfort and security to reach university students with the gospel and disciple the next generation of world changers.
Jason once said, “It’s appropriate that a call to ministry should cost something.”
He literally left the shore of security and stepped into deeper water, trusting that when he obeyed, God would provide—and He did.
Because every time someone lets go of the shore, God shows up on the waves.
Following Jesus always costs something—but it always gives back more.
Closing Challenge – What’s in Your Boat?
What’s in your boat today?
Is it your career?
Your comfort?
Your schedule?
Your fear?
Your plan?
Jesus isn’t asking to borrow it because He needs it.
He’s asking because He wants to bless you through it—and then call you beyond it.
Maybe He’s whispering, “Push out into deeper water.”
That might mean trusting Him with something scary—starting a ministry, forgiving someone who hurt you, or simply saying, “Here I am, Lord. Use me.”
The miracle came when Peter let go.
He let go of control, of exhaustion, of pride—and he found purpose.
What do you need to let go of so you can follow Jesus wholeheartedly?
Altar Moment / Worship Tie-In
You know, maybe that’s where some of us are tonight—standing right at the edge of what feels safe.
And Jesus is saying the same thing He said to Peter: “Push out into deeper water.”
That’s not always easy. It means letting go of what’s comfortable, trusting Him when the outcome isn’t clear. But that’s where faith really starts to float.
As we sing this together, make it more than a song—make it your prayer. “Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders.”
If there’s something you’ve been holding onto, something that’s kept you near the shore—let this be the moment you let go and trust Him with it.
Closing Prayer
Lord, thank You that You still step into ordinary boats.
Thank You that You meet us where we are and call us to something greater.
Help us trust You beyond logic, obey You even when it doesn’t make sense, and let go of whatever holds us back.
Fill the empty places, Lord—and use us to reach others for You.
In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
Benediction
As you go today, remember—Jesus still steps into ordinary boats and fills empty nets.
Whatever He’s placed in your hands this week, hold it with open palms and trust Him with the outcome.
May the Lord bless you and keep you.
May the Lord smile on you and be gracious to you.
May the Lord show you His favor and give you His peace.
And may His presence go before you, His Spirit strengthen you, and His grace overflow through you—
so that everywhere you go, people will see Jesus in your surrendered space.
Go in peace, and walk in faith that floats.
**Pastors if you are using my message, drop a comment. I would love to pray for you and your church as you are preaching it.
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i “An Expensive Divine Appointment,” Revival & Reformation Ministries Blog, March 2023.
revivalandreformation.org/uip/blog/an-expensive-divine-appointment
ii Assemblies of God Heritage Series — “This Week in AG History: July 7, 1945,” news.ag.org
iii Assemblies of God News — “Engineering Twin Enthusiasms,” November 2022. news.ag.org
