Washing The Nets

Washing The Nets

Pastor Ken Crow

Luke 5:1-11 (King James Version)

Luke 5

1And it came to pass, that, as the people pressed upon him to hear the word of God, he stood by the lake of Gennesaret,

2And saw two ships standing by the lake: but the fishermen were gone out of them, and were washing their nets.

3And he entered into one of the ships, which was Simon's, and prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the land. And he sat down, and taught the people out of the ship.

4Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught.

5And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net.

6And when they had this done, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake.

7And they beckoned unto their partners, which were in the other ship, that they should come and help them. And they came, and filled both the ships, so that they began to sink.

8When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord.

9For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the draught of the fishes which they had taken:

10And so was also James, and John, the sons of Zebedee, which were partners with Simon. And Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men.

11And when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all, and followed him.

1. 5And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing.

Living without Jesus produces disappointing results.

Haggai 1:5-7 (King James Version)

5Now therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts; Consider your ways.

6Ye have sown much, and bring in little; ye eat, but ye have not enough; ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink; ye clothe you, but there is none warm; and he that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes.

7Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Consider your ways

God is expressing through Haggai the prophet the results of life with other things more important than our relationship with him.

Like Simon the fisherman and his nets we will find great disappointment and continually come up empty without Jesus in our life.

They had toiled all night . Fished until they just could fish no more and still they come up empty.

The people Haggai was addressing were literally killing themselves working . They were trying but trying while neglecting God.

Continually disappointed by their harvest . Like the fisherman of Luke five coming up empty!

2. Responding to disappointment.

2And saw two ships standing by the lake: but the fishermen were gone out of them, and were washing their nets.

Simon and his fisherman were washing their nets.

That is the stance of many of us today.

We have been disappointed in life .

We have been let down in life.

We have tried.

Like Simon we have toiled all night and came up empty.

I heard a wonderful Baptist minister say the other night this is the state of many churches today . Instead of really seeking Jesus to show us the way we have just started washing our nets .

The fisherman were washing their nets because they were giving up!

God help us that we never give up!

It is easy to give up after life’s disappointments.

It is easy to give up when results are not seen.

Haggai 1:7-8 (King James Version)

7Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Consider your ways.

8Go up to the mountain, and bring wood, and build the house; and I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified, saith the LORD.

Luke 5:4-5 (King James Version)

4Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught.

5And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net.

Both in Luke 5 and Haggai 1 we see a solution to disappointment . In Haggai from God. In Luke from Jesus.

But notice in both that no man made instruction was going to work. It had to be divinely spoke.

The instructions to a solution for the circumstance had to come from God.

It is the only thing that will work today.

3. We will not prosper in life beyond our spiritual condition.

Haggai 1:2-14 (King James Version)

2Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, This people say, The time is not come, the time that the LORD's house should be built.