Launch out Into the Deep

Launch Out Into The Deep – Luke 5:1-11

LAUNCHING OUT INTO THE DEEP

DATE:

TEXT: Luke 5:1-11

INTRODUCTION:

Psalm 107:23 – 32 – “They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters;”
24“These see the works of the LORD, and his wonders in the deep.”

In Luke chapter 5 we read about another Miracle of our Lord.

This “Fish story” is about men who fished for a living.

And on the day of their “greatest catch”, they decided to leave the fishing business for a reason we are soon to see.

As the Lord Jesus walked along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, a great number of people were pressing to hear Him teach.

“…to hear the word of God,”

He comes to where these fishermen were washing their nets and borrows Peter’s boat.

Christ boarded the boat and asked Peter to push Him out a little from the land.

After the Lord finished teaching, He said to Peter –

“Launch out into the deep.”

Peter is told to let down his nets (plural), and when he does he draws in such a catch that the boats were about to sink.

(Recount the Story)

The Lord said in v. 10 – “From henceforth…”

This was a turning point in the lives of these men.

When Christ wrought this Miracle, they left all and followed Him.

Remember the two purposes of a Miracle –

To Glorify God

To Increase our faith

Christ caught them in His net.

On this day, Christ was the fisherman, and He caught men to do His eternal work.

There are so many things that come to mind while reading this account of our Lord’s fourth Miracle.

But let us deal with the simplest.

The Lord takes the simplest things and uses them to change the lives of people.

It’s because He changed the lives of these men, that eventually our lives would be changed.

~~~OPENING PRAYER~~~

I. THE FISH

In our text we learn that these men desired to catch fish because it was their livelihood; this was not a hobby for them.

I want you to notice that the Lord came to were these men were.

As the morning sunlight broke across the shore, the Lord Jesus came walking toward these fishermen who were mending their nets.

He was going to work a mighty Miracle with fish and use the Miracle to speak to there hearts.

These men already knew Jesus.

In John 1, the Bible tells us that Andrew had brought Peter to Christ.

The Lord was now ready to reveal a new, wonderful purpose for their lives.

Have you ever thought about being the person God saved you to be?

If you think the miraculous draught of fishes was something spectacular,

Just stop and consider what God was about to do in the lives of these men.

When Christ told Peter to let down his nets, Peter said in v. 5 – “We have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: …”

ILLUSTRATION: Clarence Darrow, the once famous God denying lawyer defending John T. Scopes in the so-called "Monkey" Trial (1925), in which he opposed the famous statesman William Jennings Bryan.. When asked by a friend what he thought about life; he opened a Bible to Luke 5 and pointed to v.5 and to his friend and said, “That is my life. I have toiled all the night and have taken nothing.”

This was not a smart answer Peter gave to the Lord.

Peter was weary. He had worked hard all night.

“…nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net.”

Peter “launched out into the deep”.

He placed himself where God could do something.

But Peter let down a “net”, not “nets” as the Lord had asked.

Christ had caused such a great number of fish to swim into that net that Peter had to call for help. (Psalm 8:5-9)

At that moment Peter thought to himself –

“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.”

V.8 – “When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees,”

Christ used fish to speak to Peter.

What has He used to touch and change your life?

The Lord is waiting to bless us the moment we are willing to obey.

THE FISH

II. THE FEAR

Read with me vs. 7-9 and notice what Peter said –

“Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord.”

In the presence of God, we begin to see what we should see about ourselves.

In v. 9 the Bible continues – “For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the draught of the fishes which they had taken:”

God used the Miracle, not to catch fish, but to catch men.

God caught the fish to catch the men.

Don’t get lost in the things that are happening without looking beyond them by faith, to see WHY God has allowed these things to happen.

Try to see what the Lord is doing.

Look beyond the circumstances to the Lord.

In v. 10, Christ said – “Fear not.”

Peter was a strong, powerful man, but he was trembling with fear.

What was his fear?

There was a fear of standing in God’s presence.

He thought – “How am I going to be what I should be?”

Christ pulled him from his familiar element and brought him to a place where he could not live without trusting Him.

God used this Miracle, not to catch fish, but to catch these men.

THE FISH THE FEAR

III. THE FORSAKING

These fishermen had invested a great deal of money, time, and energy in their fishing business.

The Bible says in v.11 – “And when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all.”

Christ had called unto them – “From henceforth thou shalt catch men.”

They responded to His call, and the Bible says – “they forsook all.”

Imagine walking away from everything you have invested your life, time and money into.

God may never ask us to leave where we are, but every day He asks us to realize that what we have is not ours; it all belongs to Him.

Are we willing to put it all down and let Him do with it as He pleases?

Are you willing to “Launch out into the deep?”

No one deserves to be blessed and used of God,

But God is looking for vessels He can bless and use.

II Timothy 2:21 – “If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work.”

THE FISH THE FEAR THE FORSAKING

IV. THE FOLLOWING

Verse 11 says – “They forsook all, and followed Him.”

Many books have been written on the lives of these disciples.

Many people have studied where they went and what they accomplished.

But everything the disciples did for God was done because they simply followed the Lord Jesus.

Most people will not be called to some far away place to serve God.

But all of God’s children are called to follow the Saviour!

The Lord is Calling – Will you follow Him?

WILL YOU LAUNCH OUT INTO THE DEEP?

#331

Take up thy cross and follow Me,

I heard my Master say;

I gave My life to ransom thee,

Surrender your all today.

Wherever He leads I’ll go,

I’ll follow my Christ who loves me so,

Wherever He leads I’ll go.

- 8 -