Calling the Disciples

Called to the Deep

Bible Passage: Luke 5:1–11, Lk 5:27–39

Intro: Have you ever felt like God was calling you to something bigger, but you weren’t sure if you were ready? Maybe you’ve thought, God would never use someone like me, I’m not qualified, or I’ve made too many mistakes If so, you’re not alone.

In Luke 5, we see Jesus calling His first disciples—not religious scholars, not powerful leaders, but fishermen and a tax collector. He met them in their everyday lives, performed miracles that left them in awe, and then invited them into something greater. Their lives were never the same.

Tonight, we will explore how Jesus calls us—just as He called them. He meets us where we are, transforms our hearts, and leads us into a life of faith, sacrifice, and mission. The question is: Are we willing to go deeper?

So, let’s put this story into context before we dive in. I’ve enjoyed hearing the other guys’ sermons on the first 4 chapters of Luke.  And it’s excitng to follow the life and ministry of Jesus unfold before our eyes.  The detail that Luke the Physician goes into gives us thorough telling of Jesus’ compassion for the sick, the poor, and the needy, but most importantly the sinner.

Leading up to the encounter in tonight’s text, I’ll give you a really quick and simple summary.  Jesus’ ministry had begun and he was spending his time teaching and healing.  And Luke 4 uses the same word to describe people’s reaction to his teaching and healing: amazed.

31 And He came down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and He was teaching them on the Sabbath; 

32 and they were amazed at His teaching, for His message was with authority. 

 New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995), Lk 4:31–32.

36 And amazement came upon them all, and they began talking with one another saying, “What is this message? For with authority and power He commands the unclean spirits and they come out.” 

37 And the report about Him was spreading into every locality in the surrounding district. 

 New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995), Lk 4:36–37.

So Jesus was seen as someone with power and authority by those who encountered him.  And they were talking about His teachings and His miracles of compassion.

And one more thing Jesus said leading up to Him calling His disciples that, if we left out, we would miss the point….Luke doesn’t mention it, but it can be found in Matthew 4 and Mark 1.

17 From that time Jesus began to preach and say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” 

 New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995), Mt 4:17.

14 Now after John had been taken into custody, Jesus came into Galilee, bpreaching the gospel of God, 

15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” 

16 As He was going along by the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and Andrew, the brother of Simon, casting a net in the sea; for they were fishermen. 

 New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995), Mk 1:14–16.

If you wanted to sum up what Jesus’ early ministry looked like, you might say He was recognized by His authority in teaching (a message of repentance) and His power of healing (which was seen as compassionate).  And people were talking!  Spreading what they had seen by word of mouth.  There were no billboards, TV ads, monuments, mentioned.  

Now we’re going to shift gears into Jesus calling the first disciples.  A more personal account that I hope each of us can relate to and see as a parallel to Jesus’ calling for us.

1. Meeting in the Midst

Luke 5:1-5

1 Now it happened that while the crowd was pressing around Him and listening to the word of God, He was standing by the lake of Gennesaret; 

2 and He saw two boats lying at the edge of the lake; but the fishermen had gotten out of them and were washing their nets. 

3 And He got into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, and asked him to put out a little way from the land. And He sat down and began teaching the people from the boat. 

4 When He had finished speaking, He said to Simon, “Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.” 

5 Simon answered and said, “Master, we worked hard all night and caught nothing, but I will do as You say and let down the nets.” 

New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995), Lk 5:1–5

So we are reminded again of how word had really spread about Jesus.  Crowds were already following Him around to listen to Him preach.  And they are at the lake of Gennesaret (which is the same as the Sea of Galilee).  And he just so happens to see two boats owned by partners in a fishing business (Andrew, Peter, James, and John).

We can read of Jesus calling His core group of disciples in each of the Gospels.  And most scholars believe that all 4 passages are not all the same event.  Most believe that in John 1, when John the Baptist Testifies about Jesus and Andrew follows Jesus and tells his brother Peter that “we have found the Messiah” (John 1:41) that this was the first encounter with Jesus for Andrew and Peter.  This is surely a different story than Luke 5.  Charles Spurgeon preached a sermon title Peter’s Three Calls where he proposes that Jesus called Peter to follow Him on 3 different occasions, but each calling was to something different. 1st to belief, 2nd to evangelism, 3rd to leadership.  I’m not qualified to really get into that detail, but I think it is clear that these fishermen knew of Jesus before Luke 5 and were possibly already followers.

To get back to the text, we can suppose that these men had answered the call to follow Jesus and they recognized that he was the Messiah, but we find them back at work.  Seems pretty normal.  Most of us here tonight are followers of Jesus and we still go to work.  Most of us can relate to this pretty well. It interesting that Jesus found them where they were, on a weekday and not the Sabbath, to call them to something greater.  Jesus can and will speak to you, and it won’t always be at church, on a Sunday.  Sometimes it will be in the middle of a frustrating day at work.  

So what did Jesus say to them?  “Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.”  And I love Peter’s response for multiple reasons.  1) He address Jesus as Master.  We see that he recognizes Jesus’ authority.  2) He notes how Jesus’ instructions defy logic.  3) He still obeys.   (We see humility and attentive obedience from Peter)  It’s easy to do what Jesus says when it makes sense.  But when He tells us to do something that seems crazy, should we obey?  Yes….Because He is Lord!  How many times when Jesus tells us to put our nets back in the water to “fish” do we try to come up with an excuse?  

“I’m uncomfortable talking to people about Jesus”

“I’m too tired”

“I’m too busy”

Peter wasn’t exactly brimming with faith, but he was still obedient and tried doing the same thing again that had previously resulted in nothing.  Let’s see what happened next….

2. Wonder in the Waters

6 When they had done this, they enclosed a great quantity of fish, and their nets began to break; 

7 so they signaled to their partners in the other boat for them to come and help them. And they came and filled both of the boats, so that they began to sink. 

 New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995), Lk 5:6–7.

These men did the same thing again, but what was the difference?  Jesus was in charge.  And the results were miraculous!  If their boat was a cup, it was over flowing (runnething over)!  So much so that they included their partners in the blessing.  Of course the Jesus who created the Sea and the fish has full control over them and can put them right where He wants them.  And we see obedience to Jesus’ instructions lead to unimaginable blessing.  Let’s see how Peter reacted to this.

3. Transformed in the Trust

8 But when Simon Peter saw that, he fell down at Jesus’ feet, saying, “Go away from me Lord, for I am a sinful man!” 

9 For amazement had seized him and all his companions because of the catch of fish which they had taken; 

10 and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not fear, from now on you will be catching men.” 

11 When they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed Him. 

 New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995), Lk 5:8–11.

Peter had heard about or witnessed miracles of Jesus already.  But here he experiences it himself personally.  And he drops to Jesus’ feet in amazement and humility.  His response shows that he saw himself as unworthy to even be in the presence of Jesus.  He knew his way wasn’t good enough, but Jesus’ way was.  And remember what specific message Jesus was preaching before this?  “Repent and believe in the gospel”  And Peter recognizes the holiness of Jesus, and in humility he submits to Jesus and says “I am a sinful man!”

And then they all went back to fishing….. Oh, is that not what they did?  Those guys had a thriving family business.  I’m sure they met with Jesus once a week, went to Sunday School, tithed their 10%, served on a committee, sang songs if they liked the style of music, but then kept their fishing business going, right?  Let me check.  Oh… it says “they left everything behind and followed Him”

What does that mean?

33 “So then, none of you can be My disciple who does not give up all his own possessions. 

 New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995), Lk 14:33.

This is from the same sermon where Jesus told people they had to hate their father, monther, wife, kids, siblings, and their own life, to be His disciple.  What is Jesus saying?  You have to get rid of anything in your life that hinders you from commitment to Him.  That could be a little. But that could be everything?  You may say no one has gotten rid of everything.  I’d point you to Acts 2.

I feel like we can relate to the fishermen.  We view ourselves as them.  Normal folks that have a job or a business.  Probably middle class.  We know Peter had a wife, because Jesus healed his mother-in-law.  Just regular guys that were radically transformed by Jesus to change humanity.

So you can sit here tonight and easily say, “I could see myself as one of those guys.”  We would gladly welcome those guys to come worship with us here.  But let’s fast forward to the end chapter 5 where we see Jesus call a person we are probably less excited to relate to.

4. Inclusivity in Invitation

27 After that He went out and noticed a tax collector named bLevi sitting in the tax booth, and He said to him, “Follow Me.” 

28 And he left everything behind, and got up and began to follow Him. 

29 And Levi gave a big reception for Him in his house; and there was a great crowd of tax collectors and other people who were reclining at the table with them. 

30 The Pharisees and their scribes began grumbling at His disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with the tax collectors and sinners?” 

31 And Jesus answered and said to them, “It is not those who are well who need a physician, but those who are sick. 

32 “I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.”

 New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995), Lk 5:27–32.

A tax collector?  Really?  In biblical times, tax collectors were among the most despised people in Jewish society. Here’s why:

Traitors to Their Own People – Tax collectors, known as publicans, worked for the occupying Roman government. The Jews saw Rome as an oppressive foreign power, and anyone who collected taxes on their behalf was considered a sellout—someone who had betrayed their own nation for personal gain.

Notorious Thieves – The Roman tax system was corrupt. Tax collectors weren’t just collecting what Rome required; they were notorious for overcharging people and keeping the extra for themselves. They extorted their fellow Jews, becoming rich at the expense of their own people.

Religious Outcasts – Because of their dishonesty and association with Rome, tax collectors were considered ritually unclean. They were lumped in with sinners, prostitutes, and the morally corrupt. Religious leaders wanted nothing to do with them, and they were often banned from synagogue worship.

Socially Isolated – Their own people hated them, and they weren’t fully accepted by the Romans either. They lived in wealth but isolation, rejected by Jewish society and left to associate mostly with other outcasts.

A Symbol of Moral Corruption – When people wanted to describe someone as truly wicked, they often used tax collectors as the example. Even Jesus, when illustrating extreme sinfulness, mentioned them in the same breath as pagans: “If he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector” (Matthew 18:17).

Yet, despite all this, Jesus did something radical—He called a tax collector named Levi (Matthew) to be His disciple. And even more shocking, He ate with tax collectors, offering them grace and redemption when no one else would. His love and mercy turned one of society’s most hated figures into one of His most devoted followers.

And when the religious leaders grumbled about Jesus eating with the sinners, He gives an answer that I am so thankful for:

31 …“It is not those who are well who need a physician, but those who are sick. 

32 “I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.”

On the best day of his life, Matthew was sitting in his tax booth, surrounded by a crowd, but alone.  Financially rich, but spiritually bankrupt.  And Jesus knowing his heart, walked up to him and said “Follow Me.”  Jesus came to call and save sinners!  

But we’re more like the fishermen than the tax collector, right?

You, like a tax collector in the Bible, were once lost in sin, undeserving of God’s grace, and unable to save yourself. But just as Jesus called tax collectors—despised, rejected, and seen as the worst of sinners—He called you. Here’s how your redemption mirrors theirs:

You Were Spiritually Bankrupt – Tax collectors accumulated wealth but lost everything that truly mattered—community, dignity, and spiritual standing. In the same way, before Christ, you may have pursued things that left you empty, disconnected from God, and in need of something greater.

You Were an Outsider – Tax collectors were cut off from their own people, unwelcome in religious circles, and labeled unclean. As a sinner, you too were separated from God, unable to stand in His holy presence. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).

You Were Called by Jesus Anyway – Jesus didn’t wait for tax collectors to clean up their lives; He met them in their brokenness and said, “Follow me” (Luke 5:27). He did the same for you. Despite your past, He called you to Himself, offering love when the world might have turned its back.

You Had to Leave the Old Life Behind – When Levi (Matthew) met Jesus, “he left everything and followed Him” (Luke 5:28). Redemption isn’t just about being forgiven—it’s about being transformed. Like Levi, Jesus calls you to walk away from sin, selfishness, and anything that holds you back from fully following Him.

You Were Given a New Identity – Society labeled tax collectors as sinners beyond redemption. But in Christ, Levi became an apostle, Zacchaeus was restored, and you, too, have been made new. You are no longer defined by your past, but by God’s grace. “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, and the new has come” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

You Are Now on Mission – Matthew didn’t just follow Jesus—he threw a feast and invited fellow tax collectors to meet Him (Luke 5:29). Your redemption isn’t just for you; it’s a testimony to others. Jesus rescued you so that you can invite others to experience the same grace.

Just as Jesus took tax collectors—outcasts and sinners—and transformed them into His followers, He has done the same for you. You were once lost, but now you are called, redeemed, and given a purpose in His Kingdom.

“For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭5‬:‭6‬-‭8‬ ‭NASB1995‬‬