The Next Thing

Message title: The Next Thing

If you like you can turn to one scripture today, Luke 5.

I want to talk to you about something a little more serious. I had to learn this the hard way from myself, and I'll be honest, it's not easy, but it's so worth it because, God will refuse to tell you about His next steps for your life until you do this. I mean it, it’s that's serious.

Luke 5:1-6, So it was, as the multitude pressed about Him to hear the word of God, that He stood by the Lake of Gennesaret (The sea of Galilee), 2 and saw two boats standing by the lake; but the fishermen had gone from them and were washing their nets. (So, the fishermen are not in the boats, they are on the shore washing their dirty nets from a night of fishing. But I want you to watch what Jesus does right here) 3 Then He (Jesus) got into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, and asked him to put out a little from the land. (Now mark that right there, keep in mind this is the first thing Jesus ever asked Peter to do.)

(So, Jesus says) …put out a little from the land. "And He sat down and taught the multitudes from the boat." (“What does Luke chapter 5 mean? - BibleRef.com”) (So, they’re not alone on the beach, there’s like a huge crowed, men women and children everywhere, filling up the entire beach. And Jesus gave one of his sermons on the mount talks) 4 When He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon, “Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” (That was his second request of Peter. You’ll see why that’s important in a minute.) 5 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.” (I can hear a big sigh come out of Peter when he says to Jesus his excuse followed by a pause and then, “nevertheless” okay I’ll do it even thought I don’t want to at all. Now look at what happened next.) 6 And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking.

Twice Jesus gave orders to Peter. “Push out a little way”, and second, “go fishing again.”

Question: What would Peter have missed, had he not obeyed?

Everything that came after that. Being part of Jesus’ inner circle, all the first-hand miracles such as his own mother in laws healing that took place right after he followed Jesus. Walking on water! Being the special guest speaker on the birthday of the church, the Day of Pentecost!

He would have missed out on What’s Next!

1. What’s next?

I recently read the story of a soldier during the time of World War 2. He was a young guy in Florida in a library one day. Now this is during the war, and he said he just picked up a book and noticed these little notes in the margin, handwritten, very heartfelt. He looked in the front of the book and he noticed the name of the previous owner and her address, and it was a lady named, Holly, who lived in New York City. So, he sat there and wrote Molly letter introducing himself, letting her know how he had come across her book and told her how he was about to be shipped off overseas to Europe the next day.

And then he invited her to respond so they could just talk about the book. Well, he was so surprised when he got a letter back from her that for the next 13 months, they wrote each other back and forth. In their letters they got closer and closer and found themselves falling in love across the miles.

Now keep in mind, up to this point they hadn’t seen each other. So, he asked her for a photo, but she wouldn't send one. Are you thinking what I'm thinking? Could have been the first catfish fraud that took place. OK 13 months later, after corresponding all this time. He was coming back home and routing through New York City. This was their big opportunity to meet for the very first time and they planned to meet and then go to dinner. So, she wrote him, and she said, I'll be waiting for you when you get off the ship. She said, you'll know it's me by the pink flower in my hair. Well, he was so excited and nervous. The moment arrived; he stepped off the ship. And right then this beautiful woman came walking towards him, she took his breath away. Stunning, tall, gorgeous, elegantly dressed, in shape, she looked like a movie star. Well, he was so captivated by her beauty, he didn't even realize she was not wearing a pink flower in her hair, and the woman simply passed him by.