The lake was called Lake of Tiberias,Gennasaret or Sea of Galilee.This might be the 2nd invitation of Jesus to Peter and company(Mat.4:18-22).This is the hometown of Peter and He already knew Jesus because he addressed Him as Master in the passage but he, including the disciples don’t have yet their total commitment to follow Him as evidenced by their going back to fishing in His 1st invitation of Mat.4:18-22.
The text suggests that this was the time finally for them to follow the Lord.
Today,there are three"C"that Jesus applied to finally convince these men to follow Him and totally commit their life to Him.
These are also the same method God is using in our life today as we move on in our walk with Him.My prayer is that you might as well feel,hear and experience to go deep in your consigning of faith to the One who is the same yesterday,today and forever!
Let the roaring deep calls to roaring deep at the thunder of His water spouts;all His breakers and His rolling waves have gone over me!(paraphrase mine of Psa.42:7).
If these would happen,you would never leave the Lord again.Never.
BODY:
I-JESUS GOES DEEP IN COMMUNICATING:vv.3&4
Jesus communicated with the disciples particularly Peter.Notice in the following verses how Jesus talk, requested something from him.Jesus not only do the talking when He got into the boat of Peter,He initiated everything.
He got into one of the boats(V.3).
He requested Peter to draw away from the shore,a little further from the land.
And in verse 4,when He finished talking to the people He requested Peter to launch out in the deep and lower his nets for a catch.Launch out.Deeper.
What’s the reaction of Peter?Imagine Peter as Jesus was teaching...The Lord was cutting into Peter’s sleep time-his rest.He could have walk home and sleep as shown by verse 5.Is it not that it is also happening to you as you hurry and catch the bus to attend the Worship service inspite of working the whole night through to augment dwindling family income?Is it not happening to you,mother...who couldn’t sleep because your daughter hadn’t come home yet for several days now as you are to lead the congregation in praising and worshipping God in the midst of these turmoils?
When God’s communicating to us?Expect great things to happen!He’s always transmitting,connecting and want to pass the impossible to the possible.From heavens throne room of blessings to His children who would listen.Expect miracles to come in your finances, in the workplace,in schools,in homes and in your family. When God talks... all you have to do is listen.
II-JESUS GOES DEEP IN CALLING :vv.4,5
Peter was not only sleepy and aching to go home and catch a sleep for a catchless night,Jesus instructed the fisherman Peter to go and put out his boat into the deep and again lower the nets to catch a haul! You can imagine the Carpenter instructing the seasoned fisherman on how to catch fish?! It is as if a medical doctor defending in court the case of the attorney’s client! Ha ha ha...
If you were Peter, what would you do?Would you follow the Carpenter when all your life, you breath, smell fish and sea? But we do have a Carpenter like no other carpenter!
Peter’s answer will also be our statement.
"Master,we worked hard all night and caught nothing..."
HAVE YOU FELT THAT WAY TOO? So do I.Everyone of us. Not too much to show for all the efforts you have invested.You still come short.The Master is issuing the same call to you and me today. Let’s get back out there to the deep waters once more.
ONE MORE TIME.
EVEN THOUGH WE APPEAR TO HAVE FAILED.
Try again.Risk again.
But Peter’s words did not end there...
"...but on the ground of Your word,I would lower the nets again."Wow! these are rhema words! Words of life! Words of confidence and obedience and of submission!
For me:Jesus’words of His Call echoed in the hearts of Peter and into my spirit right now, that our Master is saying.."Keep trying,keep believing and hoping in Me, as I have called you in the past I am He speaking to you now!"
God wants you to heed His voice.
Try once more.
Launch out into the deep.
Let go your nets.
And so it happened.When he lowered his nets in defiance of his own experience of the sea and fish and obeyed,a great catch was enclosed and the second boat was needed to bring the once elusive fish ashore.I can sense in my spirit that when Jesus spoke the words"lower the nets for a catch..." the fish were so restless and so oh!excited as they heard the words of their Creator tingling in their ears that their time to be used by the Master,their moment of bringing the glory back to God for their existence is now at hand! I am very sure that each one of the fish is trying to outdo one another in jumping from the sea to the nets.
Before the boat make it back to shore, Peter had a life-changing experience. He and the rest of the disciples answered His Call.
III-JESUS GOES DEEP IN CATCHING:
vv8-10
“Go away from me,LORD,for I am a sinful man!"
Have you ever said like that to Jesus? Why would Peter talked that way to Jesus? We have been like Peter, focusing on what we can do rather than what Jesus can do for us.Peter offered his boat.His time. His Net.
But now? The tables have been turned. He has nothing to offer to Jesus! The question at hand is; What do I have to offer to Jesus? or is it, the other way around..... What can the Lord do to what is happening to me?
To my tiredness, weariness, doubts, busyness, selfishness, and others? Peter was struck by the Almighty presence of Jesus and the sinfulness of himself. The miracle accomplished its goal for the disciples, but not so with Jesus... The purpose was greater than the catch of fish, JESUS HAD CAPTURED THE DEEPEST RECESSESS OF PETER’S HEART AND THE DISCIPLES!
“Do not fear,from now on,you will be catching men" Zogreo was the Greek word for catch used by the writer of this text which means; to take alive and is used of captives taken alive. Jesus wants to convey to His listeners these words..."you zogreo them, I will clean them.Just as I have zogreo your heart, I will do them also!" When the boat made it back to the shore,the disciples left everything and followed Jesus.They left"everything",including the miraculous catch of fish.They knew and understand, that with Jesus? Fish are no longer important for living but men!
CONCLUSION:
Jesus is calling us today the same way that He communicated with His disciples to move a little further from the land. From our old life, old ideas, our treasured possessions in exchange for a new deep and exciting life of following Him. Answer the Master’s Call.... Let Jesus do the catching. Let Him capture your heart indeed.
Let us launch out into the deep and catch our miracles.
Try again.You may have failed and toiled for so long and catching nothing.You are tired. Risk again to go deep and lower again the nets.This time let His words sink deep in your hearts. This day will be your miracle. He will catch a miracle for you. You will motion others to help you,for if you do not doit, your boat might sink.You will be a blessing to others!
This time,not what you can do for Him,not what you can.But your need of Him.
Always thirsty.
Always hungry.
Always desiring to be with Jesus...
Everything will be secondary.
You would forsake all.
You would grow deeply in love with Jesus...
More than anything.
More than any love.
Any possession.
Anything.
Jesus... hold us into Your heart.
Let our soul delight in You!
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