Life and Ministry of Jesus

Theme: The Life and Ministry of Jesus #7

Title: The Best Fishing Trip Ever/Fishing with Jesus

Text:

Thesis: Peter was physically worn down due to a long night of fishing with no success, not really feeling like he wanted to do anything more with Jesus for the moment

Central Idea of the Text: We get physically worn down after long days, not really feeling like we want to do anything more with Jesus for the Moment.

However, Jesus shows us His power and authority in all things when we do Follow Him…

He helps us with the obstacle of fatigue

He helps us with the obstacle of Failure/doubt

He helps us with the obstacle of fear

Introduction

I have lots of reasons why I do not like fishing. First and foremost, I've never had much luck when it comes to fishing. When I was a Kid, my Dad would take me down to the local riverbed and there we would fish for ‘Bullheads.’ They are those black, slimy looking fish that feed off of the bottom of the riverbed. I honestly don’t ever remember catching one. But what I do remember is my parents talking about how important it is to be aware of my surroundings when I would cast my line into the water. One evening, there was a young boy who got a fish hook caught behind his ear from his brother who wasn’t being very careful. Needless to say, I really didn’t want something like that to happen to me, so I never really got into fishing.

When I became a Father, I thought I should at least try to get my kids interested in fishing. For one reason, their grandfather (s) loved to fish and it would be great if they could get into it … So, when they were in their younger elementary days, me, my Dad and two boys set out for a day of fishing. I remember it well because the boys were excited about going with Grandpa. So we arrived at our destination and launched the 14’ Aluminum Lund fishing boat with a 15 horse motor on it.

The day before my father had been out on the same lake and they caught a ton of fish. That day we spent nearly 5 hours on the water. What a day we had… We caught absolutely nothing. I think you can imagine how my boys might have felt… a little discouraged to say the least… at least I know I was.

It hasn’t always been like that. It took a few years but Grandpa got us back out on the water, only this time it was just me, my Dad and one of my boys. I was someone fearful that it might be a day like the last time we had been out, but I was wrong. As soon as my son Son threw in his line, he had a catch… it was a good day already as far as I was concerned. My son caught the first fish. Then my Dad caught the next two, then me, then my Dad caught his 3rd one, then me. I was feeling a little bad for my son because he had only caught one fish so far. Then I caught my 3rd. Still feeling a little bad for my son, we had decided that it was time to head in. But then my son caught his second… After he hauled it into the boat, his grandpa said, “Put your line back in the water, you just never know… sometimes we still catch a good one just before we finish. And wouldn’t you know it he caught his 3rd and final fish. We caught our limit of Northern Pike for the day. It was a good day.

In our text for today, we read that Jesus was continuing his ministry of preaching the Good News of the Kingdom of God. It takes place along the Galilean Seashore. Let’s read the scriptures…

Explination…

Because the crowd had pressed in on Jesus, he found himself up along the water’s edge. Because the crowd had grown so large, Jesus asked Peter, one of the local fishermen, who was cleaning his nets and who had been out all night, but caught nothing, to launch his boat out just a few feet from shore so that he could address the crowd. When he was finished speaking, he told Peter to go out again, only this time a little further and deeper… and throw out your fishing nets. Peter was less than enthusiastic to follow Jesus at that moment. What we learn from this passage about Peter following Jesus…

The Obstacle of Fatigued

Fatigue is a huge issue in our lives today. On average people need between 7-9 hours of sleep a night. Most people feel they can get by with 6 hours. But research says there is a gene that enables only a few people to get by with 6 hours and only 3% of the population have this gene, so if you think you're one of them, guess again. You most likely are in the category of the other 97% who need more.

We know that Jesus would often get away to a lonely place where he would pray and no doubt find time for rest… that was his human side. He too faced fatigue, but not like you and me might.

In ministry/service in the church, we often add more hours to our day because meetings and gathering take place after work hours or on weekend, when we are not working. Without added church events, We become fatigued with work, keeping up with the house work, cooking, fix-it project, sports events… sometimes we are so busy that we feel we just can’t do anything more, especially in the church.

But Jesus is showing Peter that even though you have given your all, there is still more to do and when you follow me, you will see things happen that you couldn’t have even imagined, because He is at work within you, through you, and for you.

This is not a message to try and get you to do more… It is a message for us to realize that in many cases when we think we have done our share and have become fatigued, there are times when we have a little more left in the tank and God is able to use that fuel, even when we are fatigued. The good news at this point is that Jesus knows our limitation, but that is when He can show us the work that He will do and we don’t necessarily have to put any more of our own personal effort into it. Just be you and let God show himself to you and others.

In we find a couple of verses that are very familiar to us. They have to do with Paul having prayed for God to take away his thorn in the flesh.

His Psychological struggle over his earlier persecution of the church

Or his fellow Jews who continued to persecute him

Some kind of physical affliction, such as poor eyesight, malaria fever, or severed migraine headaches.

Some even suggest it was constant demon harassment (a messenger from Satan)

Paul recognized his thorn, prayed that it would be taken from him, but it never happened… So we read 2 Corinthians in that light “Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this (thorn) that it should leave me. But he said to me, My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest on me. 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.”

We God’s help we can deal with some days of fatigue, learning to manage our time better, understanding that when we do follow Christ, we will have moments, but God will work when we know we absolutely can’t. His power is made perfect in weakness.

The Obstacle of failure

By Peter’s words we can tell that there were some doubts… He had been out all night and caught nothing. Why would now be any different?

By Peter’s words we can tell that there were some doubts… He had been out all night and caught nothing. Why would now be any different?

Sometimes our past experience of being unsuccessful leads us to fear of failure… for the present and the future.

When I moved to this area, one of the questions I was asked is whether or not I liked to fish. My answer was “Yes” & “No”- I don’t mind fishing, but I don’t think fishing likes me. So I was asked to go fishing by one of the men from church. He had told me how good fishing has been in the Spring and we were now coming to a time when it might not be as good. Well, he was right. It wasn’t as good as it had been, but we did catch a few fish. However, the next several times we went out, we caught next to nothing… well, let me say, I caught next to nothing. After awhile, he started to think that I might just be jinking his fishing or that I didn’t know how to fish. Well, he taught me some techniques but to no avail. So after a while, he just stopped asking me to go. And to be honest, I wasn’t sure I wanted to go if he did ask me…

Well, Jesus isn’t afraid to ask and he knows the ups and downs when it comes to being fishers of men. There will be some who say “YES” to the Good News of the Gospel when we share it. There will be some who doubt it severely and give you an emphatic no. Still others, it simply takes time for them to really digest what they are being presented with before they take the bait/hook/message.

There is an old saying when it comes to fishing… at least in my family. My father would often say, “You can’t catch anything if your hook isn’t in the water.”

Jesus was saying to Peter, I know how it was last night. I know your fear failure and your doubts, but if you will trust me and follow me, I will show you what it means to have real purpose in life.

NOTE: I heard someone say recently that We all fail, but failure is only an opportunity to grow. No one likes to fail… but if we have the right attitude; the right spirit; in the One who created us, fear of failure can turn into opportunity and growth. That’s what Jesus was saying to Peter … Trust me when you say you will follow me and I will show you how to become fishers of men.

The Obstacle of Fear

Thirdly, he was fearful as he saw Jesus do something amazing… They caught so many fish that their boats began to sink.

Peter’s personal response to Jesus is found in verse 8, “...Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” What was Peter saying?

Even though Peter had seen his mother-in-law healed () he was now beginning to understand whose presence he was in. He was in the presence of the Son of God; the Messiah; the prophesied one.

Over a period of time, Peter would become more and more aware of God working through Jesus and in his own life. But at the moment, he did not feel worthy.

Fearful of being unworthy -

As we read the scripture we can easily discover in

Isaiah 64:6 NIV

6 All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.

In “Therefore no man is righteous in God’s sight.”

Wow, how are we to respond to that? Paul writes to believers who used to follow the wicked ways of this world, in “You were dead in the trespasses of sins… in which you once walked… you lived in the passions of our flesh…, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and by nature were children of wrath… But God rich in mercy, because of His great love with which he loved us, made us alive together with Christ… by grace you have been saved… and raised up with him… seated with him in the heavenly places in Chrsit Jesus so that in the coming ages he might show you the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness towards us in Christ Jesus.”

Wow, how are we to respond to that? Paul writes to believers who used to follow the wicked ways of this world, in “You were dead in the trespasses of sins… in which you once walked… you lived in the passions of our flesh…, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and by nature were children of wrath… But God rich in mercy, because of His great love with which he loved us, made us alive together with Christ… by grace you have been saved… and raised up with him… seated with him in the heavenly places in Chrsit Jesus so that in the coming ages he might show you the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness towards us in Christ Jesus.”

Our worthiness; righteousness comes from God’s grace and mercy... That was the message Jesus was giving to Peter. So even if you don’t feel it sometimes, believe it. Jesus is saying, ‘Look at what I've done, what I’m doing, and what is yet to come.” Jesus gave Peter hope and he gives us hope. Hope in the fact that our own worthiness doesn’t save us; our own works don’t save us; they don’t even get us in the door. They only come about as we follow Jesus, in all things because we love him, for he first loved us…

I have to often stop and smell the roses - look around and see what God has done and is doing. I don’t always see the results, but they are there. God sees them and that is what matters.

Fear of being unworthy or incapable…

Fearful of not living up to God’s Standards

Fearful of not being able to live up to Jesus standards - Drew Blankman in Christian Classics Bible Study on Righteous faith by Martin Luther writes… “I was raised in a church that taught the only way to heaven is to believe in Jesus Christ. Yet I was also subtly taught that to be a good Christian I had to do certain things and not do others: (i.e. Good Christians go to church on Sunday morning and evenings, and to prayer meetings on Wednesday night. Good Christianst also have daily devotional times and give 10 percent of all their income to the church. Good Christians do not play cards, drink alcohol, smoke, dance or go to movies). … It was almost as if Jesus got me into heaven but I had to work hard to keep from being thrown out.”

I have often felt like this and believe many other Christians may have as well. In part I think this may have been what Peter was thinking when he realized who he truly was serving. “I can’t live up to these standards Jesus. I don’t know if I can do this every day… go and do things that I’ve already tried and had no success in. But because you say so, I will do it.

Jesus assures Peter that the work he saw done in catching fish that day was only an example of what is yet to come as you follow me… the catching of men; being a fisher of men.

The fact is, none of us can live up to God’s standards. That was done only by Jesus.

Martin Luther wrote: The natural man wants to and has to seek something whereby he may be righteous; he is not able and has no desire to be righteous for righteousness’ sake. He does not allow himself to be content with righteousness, as he ought to do, but is determined by means of it either to earn something or escape something. But that is wrong in God’s sight.

In “We are justified (just as if we had never sinned) by grace (alone) as a gift from God.” That was the message Jesus was now giving to Peter after he had seen him heal his mother-in-law; heard the message of the Good News of the Kingdom. Now he is calling Peter and all who will listen to follow him. Not because we are righteous, but because Jesus is righteous and the work we are called to do is his work. I have some pretty amazing things to do in the lives of people and I want you to be part of that.

Even though we feel unworthy or don’t think we can live up to the Standards which Jesus has set, he says, follow me.

Once again I refer to Martin Luther… “the Chritian who is consecrated by faith does good works, but the works do not make him holier or more Christian, for that is the work of faith alone. Good works do not make a good man, but a good man does good works; evil works do not make a wicked man, but a wicked man does evil works.”

Jesus said, “A good tree cannot bear evil fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.” ???

Conclusion

Sometimes we become fearful of following Jesus because we feel unworthy or we don’t believe we can live up to his standards. But He assures us that following him is the best thing we can do and he will take care of our fatigue, failures, and fears.

Jesus is able to help us deal with Fatigue. Sometimes he calls us to Physical rest; other times he calls us to simply rest in him as we are doing.

It is natural to fear failure, but Jesus is able to do work in us and through us, like no other. He is able to remove obstacles.

I am reminded of a saying that goes something like this… 90 % of the things we worry about, never happen, and the other 10% that do, we can do nothing about it.

We don’t have to be fearful of being unworthy or being able to live up to his standards. He has set worthiness in our soul and his standards in our heart. HE is our RIGHTEOUSNESS… Our work is to be done freely in love for God, with gratitude in our mind, body, and soul. When you are loved by another person, you naturally want to please them. Luther writes, “Therefore the Christian motivation to do good works is neither to earn God’s love nor to escape his wrath, but simply to please the Lord.” That’s what following Jesus is all about.

I’ve learned that I’m not a great fisherman, but I still enjoy a good catch. I’ve learned that the wisdom of a father keeps me trusting even when I may not see results. You can’t catch a fish if your hook isn’t in the water. I’ve learned that I am in the presence of the Greatest fisherman ever and he will never give up on teaching me how to do my best for him and to please him.