Simon's Moment of Despair - Luke 5:1-11

Introduction

I find God to be so faithful for when we were on our departure, as I was reading in this book called “Deeper” so in my last pages it spoke of this moment in the Gospel of Luke pointing to our sinfulness and depravity.

Depravity, a word that isn’t nearly preached on enough in the Church today - Or total depravity, meaning man is sinful and utterly unable to remedy his lost condition

This morning as we look at this Scripture in Luke 5:1-11, I’ve titled the name of this message “Simon’s Moment of Despair” we will hone in on one specific verse that will point us to our depravity, and Jesus faithfulness to us as wretched sinners, Him then calling us His followers.

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 have been reading of how His ministry started by first teaching of the Word of God, expositing it, and brining clarity to it and at times fulfilling it…(as we read of a few weeks ago in Luke 4:21)

To those who heard the Word of God and received it, and to those who heard it and rejected it.

Let it be said today that the Word of the Lord is received, believed and bears fruit in our lives as followers of Jesus, no matter how hard it might be to see our depravity for what it is, my prayer is that we fix our gaze upon the goodness of God in Christ towards us wretched sinners.

So we could say from the synagogue, to the streets of Capernauam to the lake of Gennesart today in our text, Jesus continued His ministry of teaching the Word of God.

And in this V.1 there were many people by the “lake of gennesart”

To set the scene this morning, so do we read of just a tiny crowd by Jesus at this lake?

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

Does this sound like one or two people? No.

Pressing in -it’s meaning in the greek, to almost be laid upon (so it was many in the crowd pressing in on Him)

And why were they pressing in on Him? Because they wanted healing or to see a miracle as we read in the past chapters in Luke. No.

They were pressing in on Him…

“to hear the Word of God…”

So many people are around Jesus; they were almost laying upon him, so it was time to find a new area to sit and teach for Jesus...

Luke 5:2-3 “and Jesus 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 safety and so people can continue to hear the Word of God.

So He moves and he looks upon the banks of the lake and “he saw two boats by the lake…”

This lake would be a place where the local fishermen would cast their nets for their daily catch

So there boats were on the banks of the lake…

“but the fisherman had gone out of them, and were washing there nets.” (As this “washing of the nets” would be a sign that they were done for the evening fishing on the lake.)

And so since the boats are not being used, Jesus…

“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.”

Out of all peoples boats the one Jesus chose to get into was Simons.

Yes the same Simon Peter we read of in the previous chapters whom Jesus entered his house and healed his sick mother-in-law.

And Simon… “Jesus asked him to put (the boat) out a little from the land” (probably because the crowds were great and the further the distance the more people would be able to hear Jesus teaching the Word of God in the back of the crowd)

And so as Jesus is in Simons boat now what does he continue to do?

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

I wonder what was Jesus teaching in this moment?

Well the word “word”in V1. in the greek in this context is meaning Gospel, or good news.

Jesus beginning to share with the crowds this Good News that is to come…(this Good News that is, He Jesus who has been sent by the Father to fill their sinful lives with His presence, through His death, burial and resection from the grave)

So Jesus now moving from the pressing of the crowds; where He was proclaiming Good News, now to the boats just off the banks of Lake Gan, barley pushed into the lake He to continues to teach the Word of God. (And He kept a crowd)

And so from our first few verse’s this morning, let us notice something about the crowds: (which in this moment represents us)

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

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

And as we move on from this verse I want this to draw us some imagery first for our own faith walk with Christ.

Are we “pressing in” on Christ this morning?

Are we desiring to Hear and receive and believe the Word of the Lord this morning to keep us going and encouraged in this Pilgrimage?

Do you know here at FBCBW we have Bible Study on Wednesday nights, Sunday mornings and have other ministries to help you grow in God’s Word?

Take this card home with you and it shows all the opportunities you have to know God’s Word more, and to press in.

Because do we not realize that the Good News which has saved us, is the Good News that which keeps us, and that this is the Good News we need daily!?

Now finishing up on the boats teaching the crowds so Jesus here “finished speaking”

Now Jesus not only uses Simon’s boat but now Jesus personally addresses Simon.

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.””

Now remember the nets have at this time already been cleaned and washed, and quite possibly stored away for the next day (and this washing of the nets was no easy task)

“And Simon answered, after Jesus told him to “put down the nets” “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; the one whom Simon has seen do miracle after miracle including healing his mother-in-law

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

So Simon in what he first said to Jesus, might of thought it for a minute, his moment of questioning the Word of God and not believing Jesus at HIs Word was quite foolish.

Which let’s make this clear, questioning the Word of God in any of it’s chapters or verses is quite foolish; as if you know more than God? Or can find fault or error in the Word who is Christ, who is perfect!? (You will not find it)

But Simon replies quickly after, he thinks on if for a second…as if Jesus didn’t already know they didn’t catch anything that day, no Jesus knew.

But Simon replies after a moment of quick doubt, foolishness and unbelief…

“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’s

Where in this moment if it were anyone else’s words to Simon.

So Simon would not of pulled out the nets again on the same day, and dropped them in the deep of Lake Ganaresset.

But notice Simon says…

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

This wasn’t just any mans word spoken to Simon, no this was Jesus’s words spoken TO SIMON.

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

Yes even though the nets had been washed, He obeyed the Word of the Lord; and did what He said to do… (no matter what He would have to do again; as the nets would need some tending too after this day was over.)

What do we read happened next?

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? Well to catch fish what do they have to Do? - casts their nets into the deep

Now remember they had been out there all day and were catching nothing, these tradesman, fisherman came up empty all day…

And they now have Jesus who has never fished telling them to cast the clean nets into the deep.

And what did they bring up as they raised the nets from the deep?

“...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 fishermen had ever experienced On the Lake.

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

Now while this miracle of the deep is so amazing to read about, let’s turn our ears and hearts to Simon’s reply To the miracle Jesus just worked.

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 boats, has something to say to Jesus

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

“Depart (leave far, journey away) from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.”

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

How did he (Simon) come to this conclusion form this moment?

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

In the presence, power and holiness of Jesus Simon realized & saw just how unclean, dirty and sinful He really was in the presence of Christ Jesus.

Do we this morning see this exactly, that O Lord thou are so holy, holy, holy and “I am a sinful man in your presence”

See as I was reading the text I thought what a random moment and thing to say from Simon to Jesus.

But then again the Scripture is full of these moments and words which God purposed beforehand to point us to our depravity and sin in us, that way we can marvel and believe in Christ who saves us from Sin.

And so Simon says this, but doesn’t just leave it at “for I am a sinful man….(and it doesn’t end there) No he speaks “O Lord.”

O’Lord meaning - Master, or owner in the greek. (This word in the greek Master being and meaning a different deff. Than in Luke 5:5 )

Yes from this verse we see Simon see’s his sinfulness, but also He has beheld His Lord, His Master in the midst of His depravity And sinfulness.

But shouldn’t Simon just be praising God for the boat load of fish?

No, Simon sees something we all need to see this morning.

Simon sees his sinfulness and depravity before a Holy Jesus, before he even mentions or acknowledges the fish.

Simon Peter realizes by God’s grace that this Jesus He is bowing before, is Good News to save His Soul.

R.C. Sproul “People who are unholy are always uncomfortable in the presence of the Holy!” (See Simon didn’t really want Jesus to depart from Him, if anything His heart is crying O Dear Lord stay with me and never leave me, I surrender to you Today!

“When we behold the holiness of Jesus, it means we have seen just how wretched, depraved and sinful we are.”

And in a sense while we cry, depart, we mean stay so ever close because I see how sinful i am.

This morning the call for us as Christians is to see too that which Simon saw by God’s grace, (He first paid no mind to the physical blessing of fish. He first paid mind to the fact) that we are sinful in the presence of a Holy God And are I need of rescue from our sins, through Jesus His Son.

Let me speak on depravity really fast: (Depravity meaning knowing the depth of our sinfulness)

Often times in the pilgrimage of our Christian journey of knowing our depravity and sinfulness before a holy God, can at first seem so defeating And downgrading. (Deff opposite of what the Christian culture tells us today and maybe thats why we do not see much deep, spiritual growth today in the amerian Church)

But I do believe it’s where we grow the most in our Christian walk when we realize there is nothing good in our flesh, we have nothing to offer God, we are depraved and sinful...

But He has everything to graciously offer us Because He has loved us and chosen us in Christ His Son before the foundation of the world that we might be saved, calling Him Lord and being saved from our sins and set apart for His glory and purposes.

Simon in this moment realizing yes I’m a sinner, but Jesus you are Lord, which is Good News for us sinners.

And so Simon admits this but he is not alone…

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 admit in our Christian journey…

So He “Simon” after admitting He is a sinner, before Jesus presence and Him as Lord, so all who were present and with him “were astonished at the catch of fish that they had taken…”

Simon secondly praised Jesus for the blessing of the abundant amount of fish they caught from the depths

But let us see this, this morning. It’s first Jesus then blessing, don’t mix these two up.

And who were some of the “all” mentioned with Simon?

“And so also 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, obeying the Word of God, believing the Word of God and receiving a blessing from the Lord.

Now Jesus had something else to tell the Fishermen, Simon, James and John On the lake of Ganarrest.

“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, James and John know “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.”

This mention of “do not be afraid” is mentioned 365 times in the bible (and Jesus said this because what Jesus said after could of been just that)

“Do not be afraid, from now on you will be catching men...”

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

So for the fisherman who had caught fish their wholes life, after seeing this moment obvisouly had not doubt that what Jesus said was true.

Because they just witnessed Him keeping His Word to Simon as the nets were casts into the deep, and Not only that…

But they (Simon, James and John) in this moment, being on the boats pulling in the fish, feeling the weight of the moment, could trust that their nets would be made full as well, in this call to fish for men.

As Jesus had been faithful on the lake of Ganassert so He would be faithful in the mission of casting their nets upon the land to fish for men.

Why? Because God is one who keeps His Word and always will!

See if Jesus said to Simon “put down your nets in the deep” - and from that, there was the biggest catch ever

Then they had every right to believe just as Jesus said that about putting down their nets for fish

So what he has called them to, to fish for men, Jesus would bring the men as they were to just obey and follow Him And teach the Word of God.

Their nets would be blessed as they went to catch men by proclaiming the Word of God, Good News in power and in word and deed because the only real thing that will help man see their sin, is the Word of God exposing their depravity in the light and Gospel of Jesus Christ.

From this text:

Do you know that you are a sinner before a holy God?

As we have read Simon saw his depravity before Jesus who was Holy.

See before Simon even acknowledging the blessing of fish; He realized something first by God’s grace….

Simon flipped this miracle moment on it’s head, because in this moment when He could of been praising Jesus for the fish alone, He first wanted to acknowledge to Jesus that He first was a sinner, and then pledged his Allegiance to Jesus As Lord.(Master)

So Simon bows before Jesus and calls Him Lord? Why ?

Because He sees by God’s grace that He is a sinner and unable to save Himself, hopeless left unto himself

And why do we need to trust in Jesus as Savior and Lord of our life as Simon did? (because Simon says so?)

Because we have realized just what Simon realized, with a boat full of blessings in our life that we are sinners first.

And then from this belief and profession of faith, Jesus can be Lord And Savior of your life, saving us from sin.

And we can become His followers on Mission to preach His Word And catch men by doing so.

See God the Father has kept His Word, by sending Jesus His one and only Son for us, dying on the cross in our place of sin, being buried in the tomb and on the third day rising from the grave defeating sin, death, and hell once and for all.

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.”

Jesus has WON the VICTORY over sin for US!!

Sin which separated us from God Himself has now been placed on Jesus His Son so we can have new life in Him by the power of the Holy Spirit And be set on mission.

As we believe and trust in Jesus as Lord and Savior Of our life today.

And for us Christians this morning:

Speaking about depravity and our sinfulness, as I read in this wonderful book on my departure called deeper by Dane Ortlund

So why begin to take this journey of looking at our depravity Such a Simon did? - a quote from the book said this…

“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 in 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.”

For Me:

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?

Well pastor Shaun I don’t want to talk about how bad I can be, but just about the good things about me and the good I do *let it be said the only Good in Us In Christ.

If you seek to circumvent this process of realizing the depth and depravity of your sin you are missing out on much blessing and growth in Christ.

As it said in our quote above If you plunge down only a little into self despair, you will rise only a little into joyous growth in Christ.

I look at depravity like this, It’s like the trampoline to spring us up back into the goodness and grace of God only found in Christ

See please hear me this morning:

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, even 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)

For when we come to the end of ourselves Christ is waiting.

I’ve lived this journey of knowing my depravity, in 2019 as the full council of God’s Word in 2019 was laid upon my soul heavily, and it taught me even more how much I need Jesus, and oh how I am so thankful for Him.

Hear the Word of the Lord this morning.

You can’t be saved, if you first don’t understand that first you are a sinner.

Repentance - meaning to turn, (because you see you are sinner)

Faith - meaning to trust (that because you are a sinner you trust in Faith that Jesus has rescued you from your sin)

The night I was saved I was taken down into the depths of my weakness and depravity, wickedness darkness and sin and there Christ met me and I fell on my knees before Him, Christ was made strong in me, there I came alive in Him Forever!! (Nov. 6th 2009)

The night I was saved I didn’t look how good I was doing, and how well I could mange life; because God knows I was failing.

No it’s when I realized I have nothing to offer, that He saved me!

Psalm 51:17 “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.”

“How vile Left to myself I was…How hopeless I was until Christ stepped into my life…” (the same for you)

And this is where; as weridly as it sounds, is where I get my strength 2 Cor 12:10 “For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

Weakness in us, is knowing in our self, we are deeply depraved and when we come to that conclusion Jesus steps in and gives us life and strength by His Holy Spirit.

See toward the end of our text:

Other’s were astonished, they too were able to enjoy the blessing because of the obedience of Simon to trust in the Word of the Lord.

And not only was Simon seeing this catch; and being thankful for it, but in the end of this verse they all became a what? (A followers of Jesus)

Simon a follower of Jesus who was truly converted by seeing His sinfulness, (first) would now go and share this Good News of Jesus. So that others may see their depravity as well and sin for what it is, in the light of the Holiness of Christ, and then realize and believe by God’s grace the depths of grace to reach them in Christ for His glory and there good.

Simon, James and John left the lake that day forever changed, left their livelihoods and become followers of Jesus.

And now they were followers of Jesus fishing for men Jude 1:23 “save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh.”

This was Simon’s moment of despair, let it be our moment of new life As we Trust in Jesus The author and perfecter of our faith.