Untitled Sermon (7)

Because if we learn anything from this text Jesus keeps His Words; and when we trust Him and Keep His Word we too our blessed in whatever capacity He sees fit for our life and for His glory.

At this point in Jesus Ministry word had spread, specifically in the area in word, and in power He in our text today is found “standing by the Lake of Gennesart” soon to be in one boat as the “crowds were pressing in on Him.”

Please Stand for the reading of God’s Word

Read Luke 5:1-11

Luke 5:1–11 ESV

On one occasion, while the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, he was standing by the lake of Gennesaret, and he saw two boats by the lake, but the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, he asked him to put out a little from the land. And he sat down and taught the people from the boat. And when he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” And Simon answered, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.” And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking. They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish that they had taken, and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.” And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him.

Pray

Luke 5:1 “On one occasion, while the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, he was standing by the lake of Gennesaret,”

As we have been learning through these first chapters of Luke yes Jesus did miracles; and healed people.

But even more so we read of how His ministry was started by first His teaching of the Word of God.

From the synangoge to the lake today…

And as many who were around the area of capernaum and in this case by the “lake of gennesart” so we read of just a tiny crowd by Jesus by this lake?

No. Jesus the one who is the Word of life, who was teaching; they were “pressing in on him.”

Pressing in - almost to be laid upon

And why were they pressing in on Him? Becuase they wanted healing or a miracle? No.

“to hear the Word of God…”

Bascially so many people are around Jesus; it was time to find a new area to stand to teach the Word so the people could hear it.

Luke 5:2-3 “and he saw two boats by the lake, but the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, he asked him to put out a little from the land. And he sat down and taught the people from the boat.”

Jesus knowing He needs to change location for his saftey and so people can continue to hear the Word of God.

So He moves as “he saw two boats by the lake…”

So as this lake would be a place where the local fishermen would cast their nets for their daily catch

“but the fisherman had gone out of them, and were washing there nets.”

“Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, he asked him to put out a little from the land. And he sat down and taught the people from the boat.”

Jesus now seeing the fisherman out of there boasts, so we see Jesus asked who to sit in his boat?

Simon. “He asked him to put out a little from the land (probably becuase the crowds were great and the further the distance the more people would be able to hear him in the back)

“and Jesus sat down and taught the people from the boat.”

I wonder what text Jesus was teaching in the Word? Well the word “word” in the greek meaning Gospel, good news.

Jesus now moving from the midst and pressing of the crowds; where He was proclaiming Good News, now to the boats just off the shore to continue in the Word.

Notice something from the crowds:

This desire they had to “hear The Word of God”

Pressing in on this God Man to the point where it became too much for Jesus; that He changed His physical location so they could continue to hear Him.

As we move on from this text I want this to draw us some imagery for our own faith walk with Christ. Are “pressing in on Christ this morning? Are we desiring to Hear and receive the Word of the Lord daily?

Jesus here now wraps up this teaching moment…

Luke 5:4-5 “And when he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” And Simon answered, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.””

So just as we looked at 3 weeks ago, Jesus “departed” took time away and finished up for that day to pray

Well we read here “and when he had finished speaking, he address someone specific

“he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.”

Now remember the nets have at this time already been cleaned and possibly stored away for the next day

Simone replies “And Simon answered, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing!”

But what did Jesus say? “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch”

At this point the one who was teaching, the one whom the crowds were pressing in on; then one whom Simon has seen do miracle and heal many including his mother-in-law

Simon the one in this moment who was close to Him as “Master in the greek meaning - one who stands near”

Might of thought it for a minute, his moment of questioning the Word of God. Replies…

“But at your word, I will let down the nets.”

Simon might of thought himself a fool to not listen to Jesus in this moment; and came to his sense and said some very key words

“But at your word, I will let down the nets.”

The Word where we see in our text; a Word of God that all gathered to hear; even from the shores of Gennesart” so Simon says “at your word, I will let down the nets.”

Yes even though they had been washed, He obeyed the Word of the Lord; and did what He said to do…

What do we think happened next? (Did the Lord keep His Word to Him?)

Luke 5:6-7 “And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking. They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink.”

“and when they had done this..

What did they have to do? casts their nets

And what happened next? (Now remember they had been out there all day and were catching nothing!)

“they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking. They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled (both) boats, so that they began to sink.”

Does it sound like they had enough fish now?

Not only one boat with breaking nets of fish, but the other boat (both) boats were so full they began to sink.

This was probably unlike any other catch any of these fisheramen had ever experienced.

It was an abundant amount of fish to fill their nets, which would indeed not only feed them but feed their famlies and others at the market places.

Luke 5:8 “But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.””

Simon in this moment while the fish, are in the boat has something to say to Jesus

First in the boat He falls on His knees as Jesus is “near” saying…

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

But Jesus didn’t say anthying about being sinful, (all Simon is looking at is two boats full of fish)

Jesus, He just spoke His Word, and they obeyed and their boats were spiling over…

But in this moment Simon Peter realized something in the midst of Jesus, the Lord, the Word of God; that He Himself was a down right sinful man.”

In the presence of holiness he saw just how unclean He really was in the light of Christ

But Simon doesn’t leave it only “for I am a sinful man, No he speaks “O Lord.”

Master, or owner in the greek.

Yes form this text Simon see’s his sinfulness, but has beheld the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

Talk about depravity from the book:

This morning the call for us as Christians is to see too that we are sinful in the presence of Jesus Christ the only Son of God.

Often times the journey of knowing your depravitry can at first be so defeating; but I do believe it’s where we grow the most in our Christian walk

quote from “deeper”

Luke 5:9-11 “For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish that they had taken, and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.” And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him.”

And while Simon had the only reaction, hitting his knees and admitting these words of humility and words we too all must say…

So He “Simon” after admitting thsee things before Jesus presence, so all who were present “were astonished at the catch of fish that they had taken…”

Other’s were astonished at the obedience to trust in the Word of the Lord and not only was Simon seeing this catch; and being thankful for it but so were “James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon.”

And after this miracle moment, this moment of hearing the Word of God, obeyting the Word of God and receiving a blessing from the Lord now He had something else to tell them fishermen.

“Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.” - And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him.”

As if this was not enough to see the boats, full and pulled ashore so Jesus lets Simon, Jame and John know “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.”

In this moment as Jesus just filled the nets; because yes it was He who filled the nets; they just obeyed His Word and from this many fish were caught

So for the fishermn who had caught fish their wholes life, after seeing this moment obvisouly had not doubt that what Jesus said was true becuas they just wittensed Him keeping His Word to Simon.

They in this moment could trust that their nets would be made full, as they went out “and left everything and followed Him.”

Because God is one who keeps His Word.

Their nets would be blessed as they went to catch men by proclaiming the Word of God because of the will and Word of the Lord.

From this text:

Do you know that you are a sinner before Jesus? Simon saw his depravity before Jesus…

Despair in not an end in itself, of course. But it is a vital element of healthy spirituality that can not be circumvented. It can not be bypassed. One reason some Christians remain shallow their whole lives is they do not allow themselves, every more deeply throughout their lives, to pass through the painful corridor of honesty about who they really are. This was the mistake of the Church Laodicea. Jesus diagnosed their error: “You say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind and naked (Rev. 3:17)

But…in Jesus we can be saved from Sin as we trust and obey; to receive the blessing of salvation

Why do we need to trust Jesus though?

Because He has kept His Word, dying on the cross, being buried in the tomb and rising from the grave defeating sin, death, and hell once and for all.

So why yes Simon is a sinful man, and He know’s it.

So any sinful man who can admit and confess Jesus as Lord; sees Jesus Holiness, and sees his or her own sin for what is, wickedness before a holy God.

See speaking about depravity and despair in the life of a Christian which I read in a book called deeper: Why take this journey of looking at your depravity?

“What will ruin your growth is if you look the other way, if you deflect the searching gaze of purity himself, if you cover over your sinfulness and emptiness with smiles and jokes and then go check your mutual funds again, holding at bay what you know and your deepest heart; you are wicked.

If you plunge down only a little into self despair, you will rise only a little into joyous growth in Christ. “The index of the soundness of a man’s faith in Christ, writes J.I. Packer, “is the genuineness of the self-despair from which it Springs.” Don’t just admit your condition is desperately ruinous. Let yourself feel it. Ponder, unhurriedly, how vile left to yourself you are.”

Simon saw His wickedness, and sinful ways before a Holy, pure and righteous Savior In Jesus.

I can say I too have taken this journey and daily it brings me to the end of myself so Christ can work through me.

Do you? Do you see your depravity such as Simon did? You sinfulness?

Pastor Shaun I don’t want to talk about how bad I can be, but just about the good things.

That’s not how it works; If you seek to circumvent this process you are missing out on much blessing and growth in Christ.

Because if we learn anything from this text Jesus keeps His Words; and when we trust Him and Keep His Word we too our blessed in whatever capacity He sees fit for our life and for His glory.

Hear the Word of the Lord this morning, Simon admitted his sinfulness and the Lord blessed Him, His Lord blessed Him.

Jer 7:23 “But this command I gave them: ‘Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be my people. And walk in all the way that I command you, that it may be well with you.’”

Ezek 18:21 ““But if a wicked person turns away from all his sins that he has committed and keeps all my statutes and does what is just and right, he shall surely live; he shall not die.”