Deep Water Faith
(or Drop Everything and Follow Jesus)
Howard Sands
Example
Edith, mother of 8 came home from neighbours house -
things seemed a little too quiet.
As she peered thru door saw children huddled together - drew closer -
to her surprise, in the middle of a circle of children - 4 baby skunks.
Edith screamed 'Quick children run"
Each child grabbed a skunk and ran.
Some days are like that aren't they
Even when we try to solve them, pressures multiply.
Jesus the son of God was not immune from pressures when he was amongst us
- regularly in the synagogue teaching,
- answering questions,
- facing their criticisms,
- dodging the Pharisees and Saducees bullets,
- casting out demons,
- healing the sick,
- confronting the forces of evil.
In the midst of all this at one point:-
Luke 5:1 And it came to pass, that, as the people pressed upon him to hear the word of God, he stood by the lake of Gennesaret,
2 And saw two ships standing by the lake: but the fishermen were gone out of them, and were washing their nets.
3 And 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.
4 Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught.
5 And 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.
6 And when they had this done, they enclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake.
7 And 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.
8 When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord.
9 For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the draught of the fishes which they had taken:
10 And 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.
11 And when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all, and followed him.
His emotions spent, his body weary, but he pressed on and taught the people.
He told Simon Peter Put out into the deep water, and let down your nets for a catch.
Simon replied, Master, "we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net."
No one can criticise Peter for being reluctant, he'd been fishing all night but caught nothing, but he wisely surrendered.
And when they had this done, they enclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake.
And 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.
When the master of heaven and earth, sea and sky, calls the shots amazing things happen - which explains Peters explosive reaction.
When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord.
Earlier Peter calls Jesus "Master" after the miracle of the fish he calls Him "Lord".
Gripped with the realisation that he was in the boat with the Most High God.
He sounds like Isaiah who said,
Isa 6:5 Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.
Jesus said to Him Do not fear, from now on you will be catching men.
Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men.
And when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all, and followed him.
Amazing isn't it, Once they heard his invitation they literally dropped everything;
- their occupation
- their familiar surroundings
- their own goals
- nets boats business future dreams everything
Perhaps its time for us to take a mental boat trip out with Jesus into the deeper waters of faith and when Jesus says, "follow me" - DO IT.
Unlike Edith's children, drop everything and run
Why should we be willing to drop everything and follow Jesus?
and what happens when we do?
1 Jesus chooses not to minister to others alone.
He could have rowed the boat himself but he didn't.
He could have let down the nets himself but he didn't.
He certainly could have pulled up the nets busting full of fish but he had them do it.
He specifically stated "From now on YOU WILL BE CATCHING MEN."
2 Jesus uses the familiar to do the incredible.
He came to their place, their work, used their skills to work a miracle.
He always uses people.
3 Jesus moves us from the safety of the seen to the risk of the unseen.
He led them out into deep water (couldn't touch bottom).
Nothing spectacular happens in the shallows.
4 Jesus proves the potential by breaking our nets and filling boats.
When Gods hand is on a situation
nets break,
eyes bulge,
deck planks groan,
the boat almost sinks,
Its Gods way of putting his potential in you on display.
5 Jesus conceals his surprise until we follow his leading
No halo round the boat,
no tingle at the touch,
no special shimmer on the water that day,
angelic voices didn't thunder from the sky,
Nothing happened until after they dropped the nets. Until they were simply obedient to his word.
6 Jesus reveals his objective to those who release their security.
Only after they have been obedient does he tell them what they will be involved in "Catching men"
they jumped at the chance.
Will you:-
Push out into the deep?
Let down your nets (Obey his word-even though you may have done it 1000 times before)?
Work hard to bring in the catch?
Then leave it all to Follow Him and be a fisher of men?
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