Good sermon-"Get out into deep water"

On a recent Sunday in church, a missionary friend gave a wonderful sermon in church. I enjoyed it, and took notes as I usually do, and I wanted to share them with you!

Our Missionary friend works with a group called Young Life, which is a group of Christian adults and college students that reach out to middle and high school "kids" where they are, and try to reconnect those kids with the story that God wove into their lives even before they were born. The leaders "push the boat into deeper water" for kids. You can find out more about Young Life here. (I attended YL as a high school student, was a leader in college, and we still support YL today! It is a wonderful organization!)

His sermon was based on Luke 5:1-12. He began by talking about Christ's purpose was in Luke 4:43, which says, "I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent.” Jesus was needing to leave the town where he was, and continuing to spread His message to others. We may not be called to go overseas, or pack up and leave our home and our town to be missionaries in another country. We can "live life for God right where we are." Then he quoted Ephesians 2:10, which says "We are God's workmanship. created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in ADVANCE for us to do." God knows us, and who we are, and He has prepared our future for us, and prepared in advance the work we are to do!

He began preaching about Luke 5, where Jesus called the first disciples at the Lake of Gennesaret. People were following Jesus everywhere, there were crowds and crowds. Jesus got into one of the boats at the lake's edge, and asked Simon Peter to put the boat out a little way from the shore (verses 1-3). Jesus then taught the people from the boat. When Jesus was finished speaking, He talked to Simon. Jesus tells Simon, in verse 4, to "Put out into DEEP WATER, and let the nets down for a catch." (I'll discuss this more below...)


In Young Life, (and as parents too) we long for kids and students to learn about Christ as we follow Christ, and we want to do what He says and apply that to our lives. Who do we listen to? Do we let the world, who doesn't know the first thing about living, tell us what to do?  Well, Simon Peter listened to Jesus, in verses 5 and following. Simon answered Jesus, "Master, we've worked hard all night and haven't caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets." Simon Peter initially says he is tired, and giving the reason why he doesn't want to- just like we do, giving reasons to God why we can't obey him- but then he yields to Jesus. "Because you say so" (or BYSS, our friend said :-D), that was an act of obedience, of listening to Jesus and following His will for Peter. 


At this point in the sermon, he talked about the Wedding at Cana in John 2. This was the first real miracle that Jesus performed and his mother had been waiting, knowing who He was, for His time to come, when He would show the world His power and diety. Mary tells the servants, "Do whatever He tells you," knowing that Jesus could change the water into wine, and the servants were witness to it. 


In verses 6-7, because Peter obeyed, and said YES, blessing follows. "...they caught such a large number of fish, that they needed help, and both boats began to sink." Simon Peter gets to be with Jesus, and he steps into His presence, that is the first blessing Peter receives. The second blessing is that Peter gets to participate in a miracle, a true "boat-load", the catch of a lifetime. The third blessing for Peter is that others got to come and receive the blessing of his obedience with him, his partners and his brother.

The effect of Peter's blessing had a ripple effect on the lives of others, and blessed them too.


In verses 8 and 10, Peter realizes his sin ("I am a sinful man!"), and Jesus responds "Don't be afraid..." Peter may have wondered, "Who am I, to be apart of this?" Then Jesus tells him that He has a new purpose for him, a bigger identity, to be a "fisher of men." 


How do I live our His purpose for me in the right now, right here? 
Some key points from this passage:
-Get out into the water, don't stand on the shore watching, get IN!
-Push out into the DEEP, the boat is not designed for the safe harbor.
-Get in the Spirit's way- like the surfers do when waiting for a big wave to carry them- they get IN the way! The Spirit (wave) does all the work, He moves me...
-Tell the story, participate in the deep works, jump ON board!
John 10:10 says, "I have come that they may have life, and have it to the FULL." (words of Jesus)
Is your life full? Are you living abundant life because of HIM? I hope so!

You can read this passage of Luke 5:1-12, here.


It was a great sermon, I hope you enjoyed reading it. I have been thinking about it all week!