MESSAGE 3 — LEAVING THE NETS

SERIES: FOLLOWING JESUS

Text: Luke 5:1–11

Central Truth: Following Jesus requires us to trust His Word and surrender whatever competes with Him for control of our lives.

INTRODUCTION

…

In the first message of this series, we learned that the life of a disciple begins with a new birth.

Jesus told Nicodemus:

“You must be born again.”

In the second message, we heard the invitation of Jesus:

“Follow Me.”

Today, we come to a deeper question:

What does it actually mean to follow Jesus?

Because it is possible to hear His invitation and still hold tightly to our nets.

It is possible to sing, “I surrender all,” while quietly saying:

“Everything except my plans.”

“Everything except this relationship.”

“Everything except my career.”

“Everything except this habit.”

“Everything except the area I still want to control.”

In Luke 5, Peter learns that following Jesus is more than changing direction.

It is changing what we trust.

It is surrendering control and placing our entire lives in the hands of Christ.

SCRIPTURE

Luke 5:1–11 NIV

1 One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, the people were crowding around him and listening to the word of God. 2 He saw at the water’s edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. 3 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. 4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.” 5 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.” 6 When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. 7 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. 8 When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” 9 For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, 10 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.” 11 So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.

…“Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.”

So they … left everything and followed him.

The Context …

Peter and his partners had worked all night.

They knew the lake.

They understood the weather.

They knew the nets.

They were professional fishermen.

But that night, nothing worked.

They were tired, disappointed, and ready to go home.

Washing the nets meant:

“The work is finished.”

“There is nothing else to do.”

“Tonight was a failure.”

Maybe you understand that feeling.

You tried to make the relationship work.

You tried to overcome the habit.

You tried to move forward professionally.

You prayed, planned, worked, and waited.

But your nets still seem empty.

And that is precisely where Jesus meets Peter.

1. JESUS ENTERS THE PLACE OF OUR FRUSTRATION

The text says:

“He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon.”

Jesus stepped into the place of Peter’s disappointment.

He did not wait for Peter to become successful.

He did not wait for the boat to be clean or the nets to be full.

He entered Peter’s exhausted, frustrated, empty situation.

That is still what Jesus does.

He enters our broken plans.

He enters our disappointments.

He enters the places where we feel like failures.

You may think your story is ending, while Jesus is preparing to begin something new.

Your empty net does not mean Jesus has abandoned you.

Your frustration may become the setting for a life-changing encounter with Him.

2. JESUS ASKS FOR ACCESS TO OUR BOAT

Peter’s boat became a pulpit.

Peter thought the boat existed only for fishing.

Jesus showed him that something ordinary could serve an eternal purpose.

Moses had a staff.

David had a sling.

A boy had five loaves and two fish.

Peter had a boat.

The most important question is not:

“How much do I have?”

The question is:

“Does Jesus have access to what I have?”

Does He have access to your time?

Your home?

Your abilities?

Your career?

Your resources?

Your relationships?

Your future?

Sometimes we tell Jesus:

“You can have my Sunday, but I will control the rest of the week.”

“You can have my worship, but I will control my relationships.”

“You can have my church life, but I will control my career.”

But Jesus does not only want to be present in our lives.

He wants to be Lord over our lives.

When Peter gave Jesus access to the boat, an ordinary fishing vessel became a pulpit.

Whatever we place in the hands of Jesus can be used for a greater purpose.

3. JESUS CALLS US TO OBEY WHEN IT DOES NOT MAKE SENSE

After teaching the crowd, Jesus told Peter:

Luke 5:4 NIV

… “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.”

That instruction did not seem reasonable.

Peter was the fisherman.

Jesus was known as a carpenter.

Peter knew the lake.

He had already worked all night.

He was tired and had caught nothing.

Peter said:

Luke 5:5 NIV

“Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything…”

You can hear the disappointment in his words.

“Lord, I already tried.”

“I already tried to forgive.”

“I already tried to change.”

“I already tried to rebuild.”

“I already tried to trust.”

But Peter did not stop there.

He continued:

Luke 5:5 NIV

But because you say so, I will let down the nets.”

Those words changed everything.

Peter did not obey because he understood.

He obeyed because he trusted the One who had spoken.

Faith is not obeying Jesus only when His instructions agree with our expectations.

Faith is trusting His Word when our experience says the opposite.

Peter had experience.

Jesus had a word.

Peter had exhaustion.

Jesus had direction.

Peter had a night of failure.

Jesus had a new beginning.

There will be moments when God’s direction does not make sense to us.

He may tell us to forgive someone who hurt us.

To walk away from a sinful relationship.

To confess what we have hidden.

To serve when we feel unqualified.

To trust Him when the future is unclear.

We may not understand everything God is doing.

You may be asking: “how long Lord?…”

But obedience begins when we decide that the Word of Jesus has greater authority than our feelings, fears, or previous experiences.

4. THE GREATEST MIRACLE WAS NOT THE FISH

When Peter obeyed, the nets became so full that they began to break.

The fishermen called their partners for help, and both boats began to sink under the weight of the fish.

The same boat.

The same nets.

The same fishermen.

The same lake.

The difference was the Word of Jesus.

But this passage is not a promise that every act of obedience will immediately produce financial success or visible prosperity.

The miracle had a deeper purpose.

Jesus was revealing who He was.

The greatest miracle was not what happened inside the net.

The greatest miracle was what happened inside Peter.

Peter did not begin celebrating the profit.

He did not calculate how much money he could make.

Instead, he fell at the knees of Jesus and said:

“Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!”

At first, Peter had called Jesus “Master.”

Now he calls Him “Lord.”

The miracle opened Peter’s eyes.

He realized that he was standing in the presence of Someone holy.

And when Peter saw the holiness of Jesus, he also saw the condition of his own heart.

That is what happens when we truly encounter Christ.

A real encounter with Jesus does not make us proud.

It makes us humble.

It does not make us feel superior to others.

It makes us realize how desperately we need grace.

Imagine a room that appears clean while the lights are dim.

But when the sunlight enters through the window, you suddenly see dust everywhere.

The light did not create the dust.

It revealed what was already present.

Jesus is the light.

When we come close to Him, He reveals our pride, jealousy, bitterness, selfishness, hidden habits, and need for control.

But He does not reveal these things simply to shame us.

He reveals them to heal us.

5. JESUS RESPONDS TO SINNERS WITH GRACE

Peter said:

Luke 5:8 NIV

“Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!”

But Jesus answered:

Luke 5:10 NIV

“Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.”

Peter expected distance.

Jesus offered grace.

Peter said:

“Leave me.”

Jesus effectively said:

“Come with Me.”

Peter saw only his sin.

Jesus saw a disciple who would be transformed by grace.

This is the Gospel.

The Gospel is not the story of perfect people finding their way to God.

It is the story of a holy God coming near to sinners.

Maybe you have been keeping your distance from God because of shame.

You think:

“God must be tired of me.”

“I failed too many times.”

“I knew better, but I still fell.”

“After everything I have done, Jesus could never use me.”

But listen to His words:

“Don’t be afraid.”

Your sin matters.

Your choices have consequences.

But the grace of Jesus is greater than your failure.

Jesus knew Peter’s entire story before calling him.

He knew that Peter would speak too quickly.

He knew that Peter would struggle with fear.

He knew that Peter would eventually deny Him.

Yet Jesus still called him.

Jesus also knows your entire story.

He knows the chapters you wish you could erase.

He knows the things you have never told anyone.

And He still invites you to come near.

Grace does not only forgive our past.

Grace gives us a new future.

Jesus said to Peter:

“From now on you will fish for people.”

Peter saw himself as a sinful man.

Jesus saw what grace could make him.

6. LEAVING THE NETS MEANS SURRENDERING CONTROL

The passage concludes:

Luke 5:11 NIV

11 So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.

Notice when Peter left.

He did not leave an empty boat.

He left a full boat.

He walked away after the greatest catch of his career.

The fish represented success.

Financial security.

Professional recognition.

A promising future.

But Peter had discovered Someone more valuable than everything inside the boats.

His greatest treasure was no longer in the net.

His greatest treasure was Jesus.

Following Christ is not merely about giving things up.

It is about finding Someone greater.

The nets represented Peter’s career, identity, security, experience, and control.

Our nets may look different.

Our net may be a relationship.

A career.

A personal ambition.

Financial security.

The approval of other people.

A hidden sin.

Resentment.

Fear.

Our plans for the future.

The problem is not simply that we have these things.

The problem begins when these things have us.

Anything that competes with Jesus for first place becomes a net that must be surrendered.

So let me ask you:

What are you still holding?

What is Jesus asking you to place into His hands?

What are you afraid you might lose if you fully follow Him?

Following Jesus requires open hands.

We cannot cling to our nets and fully embrace Christ at the same time.

PRACTICAL APPLICATION

As we close, consider three questions.

First: Does Jesus have access to your boat?

Have you surrendered every area of your life to Him?

Or are there still rooms in your heart where you have placed a sign saying, “Do not enter”?

Second: Are you obeying His Word?

Is God asking you to forgive, confess, serve, walk away, begin again, or trust Him?

Delayed obedience can easily become disobedience.

Third: What net are you still holding?

What relationship, fear, dream, sin, or need for control is preventing you from following Jesus freely?

Peter did not know everything that would happen after he left the boat.

He did not know about the cross, the resurrection, Pentecost, or the ministry God would give him.

He only knew that Jesus was worthy to follow.

You do not need to understand the entire journey.

You only need to trust the One who is calling you.

CONCLUSION

Peter began that day discouraged.

He ended the day transformed.

He began with empty nets.

He ended with a new purpose.

He began thinking about fish.

He ended thinking about Jesus.

And it all happened because he decided that the Word of Jesus was more trustworthy than his own experience.

Tonight, the question is not only:

“Do you believe in Jesus?”

The deeper question is:

“What are you still unwilling to surrender to Him?”

Jesus is still calling:

“Follow Me.”

Open your hands.

Leave the nets.

Follow Jesus.

(Call the Deacons)

TRANSITION TO THE LORD’S SUPPER

As we prepare to come to the Lord’s Table, remember this:

Before Jesus asked Peter to leave his nets, Jesus had already chosen to give everything for him.

Peter surrendered his boat.

Jesus surrendered His body.

Peter left his livelihood.

Jesus gave His life.

Peter followed Jesus away from the shore.

Jesus went all the way to the cross.

We do not surrender our lives to earn His love.

We surrender because He loved us first.

The bread reminds us of the body of Christ, given for us.

The cup reminds us of His blood, shed for the forgiveness of our sins.

Before we receive the bread and the cup, the Apostle Paul instructs us:

“Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup.” — 1 Corinthians 11:28

Let us examine our hearts.

Is there a sin that needs to be confessed?

Is there someone we need to forgive?

Is there a net we still need to release?

The purpose of self-examination is not to cause us to run away from Jesus.

It is to bring us honestly to His grace.

Peter said:

“Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man.”

But Jesus remained with him and said:

“Don’t be afraid.”

The Lord’s Table is not for people who believe they are perfect.

It is for people who know they need Jesus and have placed their faith in Him.

Let us take a few moments in silent prayer.

Confess your sins.

Release your nets.

Thank Jesus for the cross.

[Pause for silent prayer.]

PRAYER

Lord Jesus,

We come before You with humility and gratitude.

We confess that we have often trusted ourselves more than we have trusted You.

We have held on to things You asked us to surrender.

We have allowed fear, pride, sin, resentment, and our need for control to compete with You for first place in our hearts.

Forgive us.

Cleanse us.

Restore us.

Thank You for Your body, given for us.

Thank You for Your blood, shed for the forgiveness of our sins.

As we receive the bread and the cup, renew our commitment to follow You.

Give us courage to leave behind every net that keeps us from complete obedience.

May our lives belong fully to You.

In Jesus’ name, amen.

THE BREAD AND THE CUP

The Apostle Paul writes:

“The Lord Jesus, on the night He was betrayed, took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, ‘This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me.’”

Let us receive the bread in remembrance of Christ.

[The congregation receives the bread.]

Paul continues:

“In the same way, after supper He took the cup, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of Me.’”

Let us receive the cup in remembrance of Christ.

[The congregation receives the cup.]

FINAL WORD

Church, Peter left his nets because he found Someone greater.

As we leave the Lord’s Table, let us not return to the things we surrendered at the feet of Jesus.

Let us leave behind the sin that controlled us, the fear that paralyzed us, the resentment that poisoned us, and the need for control that exhausted us.

The cross has already shown us that Jesus is worthy of our trust.

Open your hands.

Leave the nets.

Follow Jesus.

Because before He asked you to give Him your life, He gave His life for you.

Amen.