Sailing Out to Deeper Waters

Luke 5:1-11

Jesus Calls the First Disciples

Jesus ministered on earth for three years. His ministry is mainly threefold – healing and deliverance, preaching and teaching of the Word, and calling and recruiting disciples. Luke 4:38-39 tell us that Jesus has visited Simon Peter and healed his mother in-law from fever. Here 5:1-11 tell us Jesus called Simon Peter to be his first disciple.

From Peter’s response to Jesus, we learn how we should respond when Jesus calls us, and we also will know what would happen to us when we respond to Jesus accordingly.

Jesus Wants to Get into Your Boat

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 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, preaching to the crowd” 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.)?

Now is indeed the right season, especially those who are middle-aged and above, 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’s 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 of last 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. That’s why many people ask, “What is life all about?”

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 on-board!

Let Us 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. What an irony!

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. He wants to bring the best out of us. He wants us to sail to the deeper waters so as to achieve breakthrough in life!

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.

Your Life Will Be Transformed and 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 life is transformed and also transcending!

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?

Yes, I know, you also want to be transformed and transcending.

Fear Not, Sail Out to Deeper Waters and Cast the Nets

Today, Jesus has already made inroads into our lives. He has caught us in unexpected ways. The Lord Jesus issued an invitation to all of us 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 is the Lord who does the sending!

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!

Today Jesus also 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.

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

This is undeniably true. There is nothing of which we should be fearful!

Let us not remain as spectators on the shore. 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!

Come! Let us get into our boats with Jesus onboard. Let us put out our boats into deep waters so that we may cast our nets as fishers of men!