Sailing Out to Deeper Waters

Luke 5:1-11

Jesus Calls the First Disciples

According to the Gospel of Luke, Jesus’ ministry is threefold – healing and deliverance, preaching and teaching of the Word, and calling and recruiting disciples.

A multitude swarmed to hear Jesus preach the Word of God in Galilee. The crowd was so overwhelming, pressing Jesus on every side, that there was insufficient space for Him to preach. How would Jesus breakthrough from such a constraint?

Jesus Wants to Get into Your Boat

Jesus spotted two boats by the shores of the Sea of Galilee. Some fishermen were washing their nets. Jesus got into Simon Peter’s boat and instructed him to put out his boat a little from the land. There, Jesus sat down and preached to the crowd on the shore.

This picture of Jesus sitting on the boat shows that there is a fisherman going about his catch.  But it was the hearts of men, rather than fish, that Jesus wanted to captivate!

Today, many people bring all sorts of need to us.  Jesus wants to borrow a boat from you to meet the needs of the people. He wants your boat, mine, and that of the church. Are you willing to allow Jesus to get into your boat, so that He can make use of your life and your resources (e.g., time, money, abilities, etc.)?

It is indeed the right season, especially those who are middle-aged, to stop lingering around in our little world of self-centeredness. We need to stop indulging in all kinds of pleasure. We need to stop crying “I am hurt!” all the time. For all these just bring damage and waste to our lives.

Let’s welcome Jesus into our boats now! He will be the captain of our voyage and steer us to an amazing world. Let us embark on a journey where we live for Him!

Peter was a fisherman, but he was washing his net instead of making of catch. His labour for the whole night was in vain. This symbolises defeat or failure in our lives. Nets had to be kept in good condition, so they would be washed to remove weeds and then mended. Washing the net represents the repetitive, boring, and meaningless tasks in life.

Jesus wants to get into your boat. He intends to use you, direct you, partner with you, and assist you to have breakthroughs in your life. He wants to free you from the boredom and helplessness of “washing your nets”. He wants to offer you a solution, so that you may overcome the predicament of failing to make a big catch.

Are you facing helplessness and boredom in your life? Do you feel insignificant? Be quick to have Jesus onboard!

Begin by Knowing Our Inadequacy

After Jesus finished teaching, he asked Peter to put out his boat into deep waters and, together with his companions, let down his net into the waters. A mere carpenter led a group of professional fishermen to cast their nets!

Although Peter was a fisherman, he caught nothing after a night’s labour. If you were Peter, would you be willing to listen to Jesus’ instruction? Would you sail out to cast your net into deep waters again?

Reluctantly, Peter obeyed Jesus’ instruction and put out his boat into the deep and cast the nets there. What happened next?

Wow! Peter caught a large number of fish and his net nearly broke! A big catch also spells trouble.

Peter sought the help of his companions who were in another boat. They came and filled the two boats with fish. The boats were so full that they began to sink (v. 7).

The fullness of God’s grace and blessing were poured out upon them but the big catch filled their boats so much so that it brought them even more troubles to solve.

When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” (v. 8)

Peter was awestruck at this miracle. He experienced God’s power and holiness, so he felt a sense of guilt and unworthiness in his heart. Thus, he confessed his inadequacy and sinfulness. Peter also knew that Jesus had healed the sick and driven out demons, but he was amazed that Jesus cared about his day-to-day routine and understood his needs.

This Peter’s response to Jesus is the first and foremost prerequisite for someone who is called by God to serve. Only people like this are able to submit to God and to genuinely rely on God. Peter knew that he was the one who needed God and not vice versa. Men need God’s intervention to bring changes to his life. And indeed, God is interested not only in saving us, healing us, but also in helping us in our daily activities.

We might have forgotten that we need God in our lives because we are utterly inadequate. Jesus intruded into Peter’s life in a wonderful manner to bring change and helped him to overcome his predicament through a miraculous big catch.

Jesus also promised Peter that would be a “fisher of men,” that is, a person who wins many souls for Him. In fact, Jesus had demonstrated what it means to be a “fisher of men,” when He sat in the boat and preached to the crowd gathered on the shore.

Today, Jesus has also unexpectedly entered into our lives. Let us bow down before the Lord and confessed that we are but mere lowly sinners. Jesus is the only one who can help us. Let us welcome our Lord to work in our lives to accomplish great things.

A Life Transformed is Transcendent

Jesus was a carpenter but He became a preacher of the Word of God and even guided fishermen to fish! Jesus transcended what He was thought to be before helping His disciples change and surpass their previous limitations. Jesus enabled Peter to cast his net and catch a large number of fish. This foreshadowed the fulfilment of Jesus’ prophecy that Peter would be a fisher of men!

Peter said in verse 8, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” But he and his companions subsequently forsook everything to follow Jesus (v. 11).

Since then, Peter’s tools were no longer boats and nets, but the Word of God and His power. As a fisherman, his purpose was to catch fish in order to kill and to consume. But, as a fisher of men, his aim was to give life to them. Peter transcended from being a fisherman to being a fisher of men; from killing to giving life; and from using fishing boats and nets to ministering God’s Word and power.

Peter’s decision turned him around. He was transformed from being weak and sinful to being useful and purposeful. He could now partner with God and devote himself to a new ministry.

Do you desire for such transformation in your life? Do you want to have an experience that is just like Peter’s? Do you want to experience a change or a reversal in life, so that you may surpass what you are right now?

Change Our Life’s Priority

Peter left everything behind to follow Jesus. He did not only give up the tools of his trade, but he became completely cut off from his old fishing career. There was a restructuring of his life’s priorities.

A change in life’s priority means that the things you once deemed important has now become insignificant in your eyes. Conversely, that which you once thought to be insignificant has now becomes very important to you!

Peter and his companions, once common fishermen, were no longer the same since they met Jesus. Their life’s priorities were turned upside down by Jesus!

In conclusion, Jesus causes men and women to change their priorities. If we do so, we will surpass our old selves. Peter and the other disciples left everything behind in order to follow Jesus. Their response challenges us to do the same today.

Let us follow Him with a commitment that is relentless. We must have no intention of turning back because God’s kingdom is our primary concern. Let us be in the service of God’s Kingdom by leading others to Him so that they too may have life.

Today, Jesus has already made inroads into our lives. He has caught us in unexpected ways. Let us come and bow before the Lord. Let us humbly confess that we are lowly sinners. Let us readjust the priorities of our lives. Let us allow Jesus to work in our lives so that He may accomplish great things through us!

Jesus said, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people” (v. 10).

The Lord Jesus issued an invitation to His believers to partake in His identity and ministry. It is more than just encountering God, to feel or experience His goodness. More than that, we are to share in the work and mission of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Jesus is the Master of our lives. He is not a servant who specialises in answering our prayers or meeting our needs. He wants to rearrange your priorities so as to maximise the use of your time, money, and abilities. He wants to shift our focus from self-gratification to the building of His kingdom on earth. He does this so that, as believers, we may become His genuine disciples. Our lives will not be the same anymore. We will be overturned. We will break through our current barriers and enter into His abundance.

Fear Not!

Jesus said to Peter and his companions “Do not be afraid!”

This is undeniably true. There is nothing of which we should be fearful! Let us not remain as spectators on the shore. Come! Let us get into our boats with Jesus onboard. Let us become His disciples and put out our boats into deep waters so that we may cast our nets as fishers of men!