Caleb Moran_Turn Around

One day as Jesus was preaching on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, great crowds pressed in on him to listen to the word of God. He noticed two empty boats at the water’s edge, for the fishermen had left them and were washing their nets. Stepping into one of the boats, Jesus asked Simon, its owner, to push it out into the water. So he sat in the boat and taught the crowds from there. When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Now go out where it is deeper, and let down your nets to catch some fish.” “Master,” Simon replied, “we worked hard all last night and didn’t catch a thing. But if you say so, I’ll let the nets down again.” And this time their nets were so full of fish they began to tear! A shout for help brought their partners in the other boat, and soon both boats were filled with fish and on the verge of sinking. When Simon Peter realized what had happened, he fell to his knees before Jesus and said, “Oh, Lord, please leave me—I’m such a sinful man.” For he was awestruck by the number of fish they had caught, as were the others with him.

Notice that when Jesus met Simon Peter, he was at the water’s edge.

Sometimes life and disappointment leaves us with a smaller expectancy than before.

The first thing Jesus asked him to do was to go deeper.

Jesus may meet you where you are at, but He will always ask you to go deeper than where you are.

Are you at the water’s edge in life right now?

Have you allowed set back or disappointment to cause you to give up?

Let’s look at the Message translation of this passage.

What’s your pulpit?

Luke 5:3 NIV

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.

What do you have that can be used as a pulpit for Jesus?

Jesus didn’t need a boat – later we see Him walking on the water.

Jesus desired to partner with man in His efforts to minister to the needs of others.

God has made it to where His advancement on earth is tied to our cooperation.

God doesn’t need us, He chooses us.

Dr. Lilian B. Yeomans said, “God has tied Himself irrevocably to human cooperation in the execution of divine purposes. He has made man’s faith a determining factor in the work of redemption.”

Jesus’ ministry was limited before the use of Simon’s boat.

Simon helped to amplify the voice of Jesus so others could hear.

That’s what partnering with God financially does; it aids in amplifying His voice for others to hear.

Luke 5:3–7 The Message

He climbed into the boat that was Simon’s and asked him to put out a little from the shore. Sitting there, using the boat for a pulpit, he taught the crowd. When he finished teaching, he said to Simon, “Push out into deep water and let your nets out for a catch.” Simon said, “Master, we’ve been fishing hard all night and haven’t caught even a minnow. But if you say so, I’ll let out the nets.” It was no sooner said than done—a huge haul of fish, straining the nets past capacity. They waved to their partners in the other boat to come help them. They filled both boats, nearly swamping them with the catch.

Luke 5:4–7 The Message

When he finished teaching, he said to Simon, “Push out into deep water and let your nets out for a catch.” Simon said, “Master, we’ve been fishing hard all night and haven’t caught even a minnow. But if you say so, I’ll let out the nets.” It was no sooner said than done—a huge haul of fish, straining the nets past capacity. They waved to their partners in the other boat to come help them. They filled both boats, nearly swamping them with the catch.

Luke

Simon was so desperate that he would have settled for a minnow.

Never lower your expectation because of your desperation.

It’s very rare that you will get a big catch in shallow waters.

If you want bigger you will have to go deeper.

Turn around

I was in prayer not too long ago, and I kept hearing the words, “Turn around” and “Redirecting.”

Have you ever wondered where the fish in this story came from?

Obviously Simon Peter was a professional fisherman; he had been in those waters all day and night and found nothing.

I don’t believe Jesus created fish at that moment, I truly believe He redirected them – turned them around to meet Peter at his exact location. - That is exactly what the Lord spoke to me that morning in prayer; He said...

“I turned those fish around and relocated them to where he was.”

I believe that when you partner with God – allowing Him to use your resources as a pulpit to amplify His voice – He will redirect ample provision to your location.

Conclusion

What do you have that can be used as a pulpit for God?

Will you push out from the water’s edge and into deeper water?

The goal was not to simply get fish to Simon; it was to get the Word to the people.

If we can aid in helping spread the Gospel, God will fill our boats to overflowing.

I believe some of you in here today relate to Simon in this story.

Some of you are in the shallows of life – frustrated and losing hope.

He’s asking you right now, “Can I use your boat?”

Others in here are already allowing Him to use your boat, but He is asking you to go deeper.

Partnership is a deeper relationship with God.

Partnership is adding value back to the thing that is adding value to you.

Will you stay a little from shore or will you launch out into the deep and trust Him to provide for you?

We must leave the shallow waters of low expectation, and launch out into the deep waters of faith?

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