“LAUNCHING OUT INTO THE DEEP”
A. If you can list only one QUALITY that is absolutely vital to building a dynamic, vibrant, thriving church,what will it be?
1. We can list several:
a. DOCTRINAL PURITY
b. LOVE
c. ENTHUSIASM
d. INVOLVEMENT
COMMENT:
Each of these are essential to CHURCH GROWTH, but, in my opinion, they are not the mostimportant quality to building a thriving congregation. I believe FAITH is most important.
2. FAITH is that quality that SAVES the lost, STRENGTHENS Christians, INVOLVES people, and BUILDS churches.
a. Hebrews 11:6- “Without FAITH it is impossible to please God . . .”
b. FAITH was an important QUALITY that Jesus wanted His disciples to possess.
ILLUSTRATION:
Did you know that nowhere in Scripture do you find Jesus REBUKING His disciples for making MISTAKES? He doesn’t even REBUKE Peter for openly DENYING Him. But on several occasions we find Jesus rebuking the disciples for their lack of FAITH.
B. What would you like to see accomplished in this church?
1. More leaders: elders and deacon?
2. Auditorium filled to capacity?
3. Greater enthusiasm and more meaningful worship assemblies?
4. Greater involvement in church ministries and programs?
COMMENT:
Each of these require FAITH. We are not going to move beyond STATUS QUO without FAITH in the working of God.
2. Reaching our GOALS, building a GREAT church, saving the LOST, require LAUNCHING OUT!
a. Luke 5:1-11 (READ)
COMMENT:
This is an ILLUSTRATION of FAITH. FAITH in the UNSEEN. FAITH in the IMPOSSIBLE. FAITH in the POWER of the Spirit working in the lives of Christians, then and now.
Surely you don’t believe that God no longer works in the lives of His children! If so, we might as well close this book and close the doors to this building, because we can’t impact anyone without God working in that person’s life.
b. Believing that God WORKS today requires FAITH. But it’s more than an INTELLECTUAL FAITH. It is FAITH that moves us beyond our COMFORT ZONE and LAUNCHES us out into the DEEP. That’s where we will see the MIGHTY WORKS OF GOD.
MESSAGE:
I. TESTING OF FAITH- vv. 4-5a
A The test: “Put out (launch out) into the deep”- v. 4
1. If we want to SUCCEED at anything, we must “LAUNCH OUT INTO THE DEEP.”
a. BUSINESS
-Spend money to make money.
-Expand: increasing stock, larger building, better location, hiring more employees, etc.
b. EDUCATION (Master Degree or Ph.D.)
-Take difficult courses (more hours)
-Change schools (better education)
-Pay higher tuition
c. HOME
-Move and uproot family by changing jobs
-Go in debt to buy a house
COMMENT:
If we want to reach our OBJECTIVES and GROW in whatever we do, we must LAUNCH OUT INTO THE DEEP. If we aren’t willing to LAUNCH OUT, we cannot be SUCCESSFUL. It’s impossible to better ourselves in any area of our lives without LAUNCHING OUT.
2. LAUNCHING OUT INTO THE DEEP requires FAITH!
a. We don’t know what’s on the other side, but through FAITH we see ourselves ACHIEVING at whatever endeavor we pursue.
ILLUSTRATION:
The man who starts a new business has no idea if it will be SUCCESSFUL. Yet, he sees himself as SUCCEEDING and is willing to LAUNCH OUT. If he felt that his BUSINESS would FAIL, there would no way he would invest his TIME, EFFORT, and MONEY into it. But having FAITH that he will SUCCEED, he LAUNCHES OUT INTO THE DEEP!
b. It takes FAITH in the UNKNOWN to cause one to LAUNCH OUT into a new venture.
3. Sadly, some Christians seem to have more FAITH in their BUSINESSES than in the church!
a. This congregation cannot EXPAND--grow SPIRITUALLY or NUMERICALLY--without LAUNCHING OUT.
COMMENT:
To accomplish any OBJECTIVE I’ve mentioned, or even your own OBJECTIVES, for this church, requires our STEPPING OUT into the DEEP by FAITH.
b. Could these OBJECTIVES by TESTS of our FAITH.
COMMENT:
Even as Jesus was TESTING His disciples by saying, “Launch out into the deep,” could the OBJECTIVES we have for this church be ways that God is testing us to see if we are serious about GROWING? If so, how are we going to RESPOND to the TEST?
B. The apostles’ REACTION to the TEST- v. 5a
1. Peter- “Master, we worked hard all night and caught nothing...”
a. What’s Peter’s reaction? “We tried that once before. It didn’t work then, why will it work now?”
ILLUSTRATION:
I’ve heard that one before, haven’t you? How often do we see congregations stop GOOD MINISTRIES just because they didn’t see IMMEDIATE RESULTS? Or, see Bible Class Teachers quit teaching because their STUDENTS didn’t respond as they hoped. Or, see Christians GIVE UP trying to reach out to the LOST because some of their friends said they weren’t interested in studying the Bible?
b. Peter- “We’ve been working all night and haven’t seen any RESULTS yet, so it’s time to QUIT!”
c. Jesus didn’t want them to QUIT. He wanted to them “LAUNCH OUT DEEPER.”
3. “LAUNCHING OUT” requires FAITH in the UNKNOWN!
a. Hebrews 11:1- “Faith is being sure of what we hope for, and certain of what we cannot see.”
b. Churches often don’t LAUNCH OUT INTO THE DEEP because they allow FAITH in the UNKNOWN to be replaced by FEAR of the UNKNOWN!
COMMENT:
There’s no such thing as SIGHT FAITH! Paul calls us to “WALK by FAITH, not by SIGHT”- II Corinthians 5:7. When we are able to “Walk by FAITH, and not by SIGHT,” is when we are going to SEE God WORKING in His church like never before; not until.
II. WORKING OF FAITH- v. 5b
A. Faith is not only BELIEVING, having the assurance and conviction that God can accomplish great
through us, but it is ACTING upon that CONVICTION.
1. When Jesus told Peter: “Launch out into the deep,” he was very reluctant. But then said, “Because
you say so, I will let down the nets.”
a. Peter had little FAITH that there were FISH in that water, but because Jesus asked him to LAUNCH OUT DEEPER, he did.
COMMENT:
There may be things that we don’t like to do or think can’t be done, but then Jesus says, “Do it for Me!” “Go next door to your neighbor whose dog CHEWS up your newspaper and tell him about
God.” “Open up your home to a STRUGGLING Christian and get to know him or her.” “Teach a Bible class.” “Get INVOLVED in the works of the church.”
Jesus says, “Will you do these things for Me? Will you LAUNCH OUT INTO THE DEEP?”
b. Like Peter we say, “Lord, you know this will require SACRIFICE on my part. I’m not even certain what GOOD this will accomplish, but I will do as you say.”
2. However, when it comes to PROVING our FAITH in our service to God, we often back off.
COMMENT:
Some say, “I am a man or woman of FAITH. I walk by FAITH and not by SIGHT.” Sadly, we really believe we do, that is until we are asked to PROVE our faith by LAUNCHING OUT. Then we say, “I have FAITH, but let’s be REASONABLE about this! We can’t do that here, we are a small congregation!”
ILLUSTRATION:
God has always called His people to move from what’s COMFORTABLE and to step out on FAITH. (Read Hebrews 11 if you don’t believe it.) Do you believe that He no longer requires His people to “WALK BY FAITH”? WALKING by FAITH involves doing out of response of our FAITH.
B. Claiming to have FAITH without ACTION (DOING) is not FAITH at all.
1. James- “Faith without works is dead”- James 2:17.
COMMENT:
We say that we BELIEVE in God, and that He WORKS in the lives of His people today. We BELIEVE that we can BUILD a great church with the HELP of God. Then when we are asked to LAUNCH OUT many make EXCUSES why we can’t!
2. God wants to see this church GROW, but it will take each of us believing and working to achieve it.
III. REWARDING OF FAITH- vv. 6-7
A. Rewards come only after LAUNCHING OUT.
1. There are some churches that want to GROW, but they don’t LAUNCH OUT because of FEAR or RISKS involved.
a. Many think: “What if we FAIL?”
COMMENT:
Masses are DYING because FEARFUL Christians won’t overcome personal THREAT and SPEAK out for the Son of God. Churches are DYING because LEADERS and MEMBERS alike are FRIGHTENED to “LAUNCH OUT INTO THE DEEP,” frightened of POTENTIAL PROBLEMS, frightened of UPSETTING somebody, frightened of the UNKNOWN!
The reason many congregations do not GROW is because they want to PLAY IT SAFE and not LAUNCH OUT INTO THE DEEP. They do not want to COMMIT themselves to a particular WORK because it COSTS too much, or it DEMANDS too much of their TIME, or it may make two or three members ANGRY. So because of their FEAR of the apparent RISKS, they think it’s better to SIT BACK and DO NOTHING but watch the church DWINDLE AWAY.
b. It wasn’t until the fishermen LAUNCHED OUT INTO THE DEEP that they filled their nets.
ILLUSTRATION:
Peter could have “PLAYED IT SAFE” and went home. After all, they WORKED all night; one could have gone to SLEEP and fell overboard, or WRENCH his back because of sore muscles.
Undoubtedly they were TIRED, SLEEPY, and HUNGRY. But if they had refused to LAUNCH OUT INTO THE DEEP all of their HARD WORK would have been in vain. They would have gone home with nothing but SORE BACKS. As it is, they went home with SORE BACKS and NET FULL of FISH!
2. Whatever we want to see ACCOMPLISHED for this church will require LAUNCHING OUT!
COMMENT:
Do you want to see a successful 60-PLUS Ministry? Then we will have to LAUNCH OUT! Do you want to see more SOULS SAVED? Then we have to LAUNCH OUT! Do you want to see many of our UNFAITHFUL MEMBERS return to Christ? Then we will have to LAUNCH OUT! Do you want to see this AUDITORIUM filled to capacity? Then we will have to LAUNCH OUT!
B. I am excited to see what God is going to accomplish at Southside!
COMMENT:
This church has LEADERS who are not AFRAID to LAUNCH OUT! They believe in God’s PROMISE to reward those who STEP OUT on FAITH! Therefore, they are willing to try new and innovative approaches in our WORSHIP and OUTREACH to better serve God and save the lost.
Our LEADERS realize that REWARDS won’t come, they can’t come, without STEPPING OUT INTO THE DEEP by FAITH!
IV. INCREASING OF FAITH- vv. 8-11
A. The SIN of a LACK of FAITH- vv. 8-9
1. After the BIG CATCH Peter, because of his RELUCTANCE and LACK of FAITH, fell down at Jesus’ feet and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a SINFUL man!”
COMMENT:
Having a LACK of FAITH in Christ and His POWER to work through His church is SINFUL. When we refuse to LAUNCH OUT because of a LACK of FAITH, maybe we should fall down on our knees and ask God to forgive us.
2. Peter realized how wrong he was to DOUBT His MASTER.
COMMAND:
The BIG CATCH made a believer out of him. Yet, he would’ve seen no RESULTS if he didn’t do as the Lord commanded.
B. Once we SEE things happening as a direct result of LAUNCHING OUT, then we will quit DOUBTING and INCREASE our FAITH in Christ and in the working of His church.
1. Jesus told Peter- “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will catch men”- v. 10.
a. The BIG CATCH of fish was only a small example what Peter and the others can do if only they
put their FAITH in Christ to work.
COMMENT:
Whatever this church has ACCOMPLISHED for the Lord over the years is minor compared to what can be ACCOMPLISHED if we INCREASE our FAITH in God and in what He can DO through us.
b. The greater work awaited Peter and the others--bringing LOST SOULS to Christ.
COMMENT:
Jesus knew that these men could ACCOMPLISH this task because they no longer DOUBTED Him. When He said, “From now on you will CATCH men,” Jesus only had to teach them how to do it, for the DESIRE, the WILLINGNESS, and the FAITH that it could be done were already there.
2. “So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed Him”- v. 11.
a. This is FAITH--willing to leave everything to follow Jesus into the UNKNOWN and UNSEEN with nothing but the ASSURANCE and CONVICTION that everything will WORK OUT!
COMMENT:
Just moments before, Peter was even reluctant to cast his nets out into the DEEP. Now, he’s willing to LEAVE everything to GO with Jesus. It was this kind of FAITH that made Peter one of the greatest apostles who ever lived.
This is the kind of FAITH that BUILDS churches!
...it INCREASES the weekly CONTRIBUTION! ...it brings in more SOULS! ...ENCOURAGES each of us to do greater WORKS for God; utilizing our talents, giving more of our time teaching Bible classes, conducting personal Bible studies, getting involved in the various ministries, serving as an elder or deacon.
b. There are certainly RISKS involved, but we know “with God on our side nothing can be against us.”
COMMENT:
There were plenty of RISKS for these disciples. They left everything BEHIND to follow Jesus. They were RIDICULED and PERSECUTED. Most of them DIED for the cause of Christ.
What did their FAITH get them? The ESTABLISHMENT of the church. THOUSANDS of SOULS won for Christ. A HOME in HEAVEN. Never do we read of the DISCIPLES regretting their DECISION, except for Judas. Maybe that was because he was the only one who had no FAITH in the POWER of Jesus.
CONCLUSION:
A. If we want to build a VIBRANT, ACTIVE, DYNAMIC church, then we must continue “LAUNCHING OUT INTO THE DEEP.’
1. We are not going to grow WADING in the SHALLOW playing it SAFE.
a. SUCCESS is promised only to those who go out into the DEEP.
b. All of the men and women listed in Hebrews 11 were BLESSED only because they LAUNCHED OUT INTO THE DEEP BY FAITH!
2. Do you have FAITH in Christ? Do you have FAITH that He still WORKS through His church today? Do you BELIEVE that with God’s help, Southside can be a DYNAMIC FORCE in this community?
COMMENT:
LAUNCHING OUT INTO THE DEEP will not be without its CRITICS. But as you read the Bible, you will see that it was always the CRITICS who stifled the WORK of God.
God doesn’t REWARD the CRITIC. He REWARDS those who LAUNCH OUT BY FAITH!
