Failure = Educational Experience

We Mess Up

Welcome to another meeting of mess ups anonymous!

We fail at things. Somewhat regularly. Maybe not daily. But, often enough.

Little ones.

Like me, last week. I messed up the passage I was preaching from and confused all of you.

One of my seminary profs used to say, “If there is a fog in the pulpit, it’s missed in the pew.”

My brain was in a fog about where I was in the bible last week.

What happened was…I had prepared that sermon earlier in the week and put it away. Then, Saturday, I started the research on this sermon. That sermon was in John. This sermon is in Luke.

I’m leaving after church today to take one of Sara’s dad’s cars to Jason in AR. So, I had to get ahead on next week’s sermon.

So, as I started out last week, I forgot which passage I was in. Sorry. It happens.

Show of hands, who hasn’t failed in their life? (Who are the liars in church?)

Little ways. BIG ways?

Failed at a job, been fired?

A marriage?

Bad investments or too much debt? Bankruptcy.

How do you handle that? What do you do with that so that you don’t feel like a failure. Just b/c you fail once in a while, even in a big way, doesn’t make you a failure. We can feel that way. How do we avoid that?

One of the ways we deal w/ failure around here, the church. I warn everyone who takes on some responsibility, if you mess up, I’m not going to fire you. I’m going to promote you.

I find that is a much more effective motivator.

How do you think we selected our elders? You think it’s b/c the these guys don’t mess up?

How do you think I got this job?

But, seriously, you show me someone who’s never failed, and I’ll show you someone who’s not doing anything.

A good friend, I’ve ref’d him before, was in the radio station business in LR. He got his start in a couple of ways. In the army. He retired a Lt. Col. and got some experience there. And, his uncle in LR owned radio stations.

When he got out of the army he went to work for his uncle managing his stations, more than one.

One day, he made a big mistake, messed up bad, failed, and cost his uncle a LOT of money. It was obvious, avoidable, poor choice.

He went, hat in hand, humbly into his boss’s office, his uncle, and said, “I wouldn’t blame you for firing me right now.”

His uncle, was a pretty hard man to work for. If you own stations in the media bsns you develop a pretty hard crust.

I’ve become friends w/ him, too. And since retirement, in his older age, he has softened quite a bit and it was hard for me to believe the stories I heard about him when he was a bsns owner.

Anyway, he was mad. Ticked off. To say he raised his voice was an understatement.

Among other things, he yelled at my friend, “NO, I’m not going to fire you. I just spent a lot of money giving you experience and educating you. Now get back out there, do your job, learn from your mistake and don’t do it again! Get outta here!”

In the heat of the moment and thru the anger, that was grace. My friend deserved t/b fired.

Both are believers. Live and practice their faith in their families and did in their careers.

Failure is expected by God and baked into the spiritual cake we are in.

It’s discouraged. Growth and wise decisions are possible. But we mess up.

The bible explains how to deal w/ it. Own it. Apologize for it. Accept the consequences. Stop doing it. The churchy word is repent.

This is how Jesus deals w/ us. First, he modeled it. Well, he never messed up. But He showed us how to take the consequences as He took ours for us. And He gave us a place to take our ownership and apology then gave us the ability to stop doing it.

With Jesus, our failures are educational experiences. He will help us pick up the pieces then lead us back to where we should have been in the first place.

So, don’t consider yourself a failure. Consider yourself highly educated and experienced.

This is what Jesus was teaching his disciples as he started preparing them for life and ministry after he was gone. They needed to get this. So do we. It’s the story of the first time they caught so much fish it almost bankrupted them. They learned this valuable lesson there.

The Classroom

Luke 5:1–3 NIV

One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, the people were crowding around him and listening to the word of God. He saw at the water’s edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat.

The crowds are growing. Curious? Looking for magic show? Certainly, listening to the Word of God. He is God and He is explaining Who God is and how we live in light of that.

Which is my assumption b/c that’s what always did. But we don’t know the exact teaching here.

We do the know the crowd had grown to the point he needed some space so more could hear.

Remember the old time pulpits were raised up in the air. The preacher had to climb a spiral staircase to get up to it.

It was so more could hear him before we had Jim and mics.

Of course, it became an inappropriate position of authority. The preacher has always supposed to be one of the flock. But, some churches kept their high pulpits for inappropriate reasons.

The Lake of Gennesaret is also the Sea of Galilee. Same body of water that so many other things happened in and around.

The fishermen; Peter and Andrew, James and John; were washing their nets b/c they were done for the day. It was still morning. But the sun was rising as was the temp for the day.

Fishing was done at night. The fish would come up to shallow water to feed while it was cool. As the air temp and water temp rose, they would swim off to deeper water.

These men were shallow water fishermen. And, they were successful. We know that b/c they had 2 boats and four of them. They regularly caught enough fish to feed four families and still enough to sell in the market. This was one of the more successful operations in the area.

Jesus chose Peter’s boat on purpose. He had already called these men to be disciples, followers of His. They had already expressed faith IN him as their Savior. They were saved men. Like many of us here.

But, they were very early in their faith and education. Also, like many of us here, too.

In a few short years, Jesus would be gone, and they would be responsible for leading this new org. Jesus had 3 years to prepare them. We have turnover, too. And need t/b prepared to backfill.

My seminary degree, I crammed a 4-year Master’s into 5 years. I had to work. These men had 3 years to get the fundamentals down before they were the leaders of the people when Jesus ascended to heaven.

This Sea is now a classroom. No mention of what he taught the masses. And when he asked Peter to push his boat out a ways, it became a private less for these four men.

The Catch

Luke 5:4–7 NIV

When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.” Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.” When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.

He finished speaking to the masses. Then told Peter, “Let’s go fishing.”

Singular command to Peter, just speaking to Peter to go farther out to sea.

Plural command to the 4 to prepare to put down the nets to fish some more.

He picked Peter’s boat, these 4 fishermen. He picked the place in the Sea to drop the nets.

If Jesus makes a suggestion, it’s probably a good idea to take it.

Peter’s response was respectful. “Master.”

You’re a teacher. You’re a carpenter’s son. You know your way around the Scripture and wood-working shop.

We’re fishermen. Please don’t try to tell us how to do our job. We’re experts in this. Been doing it a long time. Our father’s taught us. Just like your father has taught you all your stuff.

They’d been out. Done their due diligence. Lots of casting. No catching. A lot like the few times I’ve ever been fishing.

I don’t fish very often. My grandfather tried. He was raised on a farm in SE Kansas. Like most country boys he lived w/ a cane pole in his hand.

Me? I was too busy playing team sports. He slept w/ his fishing pole. I slept w/ my baseball glove, football and basketball.

So, when I go, I go w/ people who know what they are doing. Sometimes, we hire a guide. When you don’t fist very often, you want make sure catch fish when you do.

The job of the guide is to take you in the lake or on the river where the fish are, tell you what lure of bait to use, and how deep should your bait go?

Are we fishing the surface? Dragging the bottom? Or, somewhere in between.

A good guide knows all this stuff and even novice fishermen like me can catch fish w/ guidance.

These 4 guys didn’t need a guide. They were guides. They knew when and where to catch fish. Where Jesus took them, was neither.

They were tired. They got skunked. Shut out. It was rare. But it happened. So, they were somewhat justified in being a little short w/ Jesus here.

Peter said they worked hard. Their results were not b/c they were lazy.

Some ppl get poor results b/c they don’t work hard. “I did the best I could.”

Sometimes our best still isn’t good enough and we need to work harder.

These guys always worked hard. Hence, the general success of their fishing bsns.

They went to bed early so they could get up in the dark. They studied the Sea and the habits of the fish. They understood the natural habits of the environment.

Any father would be proud to hand his business off the sons like these.

Peter, obviously, had leadership skills before he met Jesus. He was in charge. He instructed them to lower their nets.

Why? Not b/c he thought they’d catch anything. In fact, he was fairly certain they wouldn’t

Have you ever been in a situation where you thought you were the teacher and you were going to teach this student a lesson only to later realize you were the student and about to learn a lesson?

They lowered the nets out of respect for Jesus. Obviously, this won’t work and Jesus will learn a valuable lesson about fishing. He’s going to need it if He’s going to run his ministry the way he has started it b/c he’ll starve otherwise. Not enough ppl will get on board and support him.

Like he needs ppl, their support, and the fish in the sea.

They obeyed, somewhat reluctantly. We never do that!

Peter was gentle w/ His Rabbi. Thinking he was being gracious. The fish are too deep. The water is too warm. It’s too late to catch anything. Maybe a stray or 2.

Darwinism. Any fish they caught then didn’t deserve to live and did the rest of the fish a favor by removing their genes from the gene pool.

That’s what happened, right? Not hardly.

The catch was so good it almost resulted in disaster. The nets started to break and the boat began to sink.

If that happened and the boat sank, they were bankrupt. No one had boat insurance back then.

But that would be the pessimist’s perspective.

They were overjoyed. But it was a frantic scene. It took all 4 men and both boats to get all the fish out of the water.

The sea was the classroom and what did they learn?

Jesus knew right where the fish would be and when. His knowledge is beyond us.

Jesus has the authority to tell the fish where to go and the power to make them.

This was not natural. The men knew the natural habits of the environment. This was a miracle. But a private. Whoever in the masses on the shore came for a miracle, missed this one.

This was specifically to train these 4 for leadership after Jesus was gone.

All the fishermen had to do was do what they had been trained to do, gifted to do, skilled to do, capable of. Jesus set the softball on the tee and all they had to do was swing the bat and whack it out of the park.

We’ve been trained. We have gifts, skills, capabilities. And Jesus gives us opportunities like this where he tees it up for us. And we think we’re responsible for the success.

They had fished all night. They were experts. They worked hard. And were shut out.

That day, Jesus knew fishing better than they did. These so called experts, needed to learn that Jesus knows more about their profession than they do. And if he wants something done, or makes a suggestion, it would be best to take his suggestion.

Trying things on our own. Even things we are usually good at. May result in failure.

Then, what will Jesus do w/ our failure? Send us back out to do what we do well, only under his leadership, using our experience as part of our education, and we can find success.

At this point in Peter’s spiritual development, like all of us when we’re still fairly new to this, he didn’t realize how different Jesus is from him. There is a vast difference.

What I mean is, we all tend to think we better than we are. We think we’re more like Jesus that we are. We don’t sin so much. We are pretty smart. We are pretty capable.

Then, something happens that shines a spotlight on the vast difference between Jesus and us. We realize how much grace it takes for Jesus to cover that distance and do good things for us that we thought, maybe we deserved.

Peter’s response when he came to this realization how much grace Jesus was giving him.

The Conviction

Luke 5:8–11 NIV

When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners. Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.” So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.

He fell to his knees in humility.

He made a request of Jesus. Leave. He had never felt so unworthy in his life up to that point. He felt he was a failure. Not b/c he didn’t catch any fish the night before. But b/c he thought he was going to be Jesus’s teacher that day. How insulting to assume he knew more. He felt he didn’t deserve to be Jesus’s student after that.

The reason? He understood his mistake was not just a minor mishap. He sinned. He failed. Sin is a failure. Some worse than others. And, he’s going to fail more spectacularly in a few years. Jesus knew that and still kept him around.

He didn’t take Jesus at his word. Remember, the Word of God is powerful. In Peter’s case it was spoken. For us, it’s written. It is important that we follow it and obey it. To not do so is sin and a failure.

In that moment, Peter recognized Jesus’s authority over nature. He can make fish do what he wants them to do. Jesus also has authority over Peter. We’re part of nature, too. We should do what He suggests we do. Not just to placate Him. But, b/c he knows more than we do and can make things happen the way he wants them to.

And, when they happen Jesus’s way, it’s abundant. Abundant fish, abundant life. He blesses beyond measure. Which is gracious. We deserve to be shut out.

What else did they learn that day?

Stay humble. Even experts have things to learn from Jesus. He knows their business better than they do.

Don’t be afraid in situations Jesus sends them into. He has set the situation up to work out the way he wants it. It doesn’t mean we won’t get hurt. But it will work out.

They will become fishers of men. They had spent their adult life catching live fish and killing them. They were about to go out and catch dead men and showing them how they can become alive.

And, following Jesus is worth leaving everything behind. Later, he will say things like, whoever lays down his life for me will live. Be willing to give up everything in your life to gain Jesus’s life.

Jim Eliot, the missionary who lost his life in ministry. “He is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.”

What is failure? An opportunity to learn to do it better next time.

Trust the Word of God. If it says something is a bad idea, probably shouldn’t do it.

Jesus is gracious to use our educational experiences to help us grow and do better next time when we deserve to be shut out, or smote, squished like bugs.

If He squished us the first time we messed up then we’d all be gone.

He gives us the opportunity to learn and do better the longer we walk, and fish w/ Him.

Applications

The Word of God

The value of knowing the word and applying it is infinite. If the bible says something is a bad idea, we probably shouldn’t do it.

It is the life-changing authority that God has left us until Jesus returns.

Study it. Know it. Obey it.

Expert

Are you an expert in something? Have you done it all your adult life? Been educated? Experienced?

Do you realize that Jesus knows your business better than you do?

He’s more than just a carpenter’s son.

Let Him lead you thru your business, investments, time management, health care, everything.

Don’t think you know more than Jesus in any area of your life. If you do, He’s about to educate you where you think you are educating him.

Failure

Do you feel like a failure?

You need to see yourself as highly educated and experienced. Jesus can take the things we do wrong and give us more chances to do it right.

We all do it. Welcome to the latest meeting of failures anonymous.

Now, let’s learn from our mistakes, follow Jesus a little more closely, and do better.

What is failure? An opportunity to learn to do it better next time.

Failure is expected by God and baked into the spiritual cake we are in.

It’s discouraged. Growth and wise decisions are possible. But we still mess up.

The bible explains how to deal w/ it. Own it. Apologize for it. Accept the consequences. Stop doing it. The churchy word is repent.

With Jesus, our failures are educational experiences. He will help us pick up the pieces then lead us back to where we should have been in the first place.

So, don’t consider yourself a failure. Consider yourself highly educated and experienced.