Life of Peter 1
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Text: Luke 5:1-11
Every year the NFL has a draft for new players. It’s an exciting time, when college players hope they will be drafted to play football professionally. The draft spans several days, and there are hundreds of players. The very last person to be drafted out of the hundreds is usually called “Mr. Irrelevant.” This is usually the last pick of the draft so he sits as 253 Usually he will not make the team, but is rooted for as the underdog
(Thomas Schlarp, “Mr. Irrelevant: A Complete History of the NFL Draft’s Last Pick,” Sporting News, April 21, 2020, https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nfl/news/mr-irrelevant-complete-history-nfl-draft-last-pick/iz8x9has4s7h1ink0d0rwof5q).
Consider them unlikely to succeed.
In Christianity, there are people who are “unlikely disciples.” We wouldn’t call them irrelevant, but we might think, “I doubt they can be a Christian!” Maybe they are people who are just too rough, too worldly, not polished enough to perfect the “Christian look.” One of the most famous and influential figures in the New Testament was an unlikely disciple: Peter
Peter also is called Simon and Cephas in Scripture. When Jesus first met Peter, his name was Simon, and Jesus said,
And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone.
Peter and his brother Andrew were fishermen by trade and came from Bethsaida (John 1:44).
“Fishermen, then as now, formed a distinct class. The strenuousness of the work ruled out the weak and indolent. They were crude in manner, rough in speech and in their treatment of others. James and John before they became tempered by Jesus’ influence were nicknamed the ‘sons of thunder.’ The fishermen's exposure to all kinds of weather made them hardy and fearless” (3. International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, s.v. “Fisher; Fisherman,” 1915, https://www.biblestudytools.com/encyclopedias/isbe/fisher-fisherman.html).
What type of person was Peter? He was consistently cast as the leader of the disciples and the first listed (Matthew 10:2; Mark 3:16). He was outspoken and unafraid of letting his voice and opinion be heard. He was loyal. He was a person of action and not afraid of confrontation when speaking to Jesus or confronting the Roman authorities when they came to arrest Jesus. He was also married and a family man, even wanting Jesus to heal his mother-in-law (Mark 1:29–31; 1 Corinthians 9:15). Peter wasn’t afraid to follow Jesus, being the first to step out and try to walk on the water after Jesus (Matthew 14:28–31).
Jesus proves he has control of the fish.
of course he does. All creation follows his wishes. Maybe your heard of the…
A young boy traveling by airplane to visit his grandparents sat beside a man who happened to be a seminary professor. The boy was reading a Sunday school take-home paper, and the professor thought he would have some fun with the lad. “Young man,” said the professor, “if you can tell me something God can do, I will give you a big, shiny apple.” The boy thought for a moment and then replied, “Mister, if you can tell me something God can’t do, I’ll give you a whole barrel of apples!”Jesus pays his debt with the fish.
What ends with a discussion between Jesus and Simon began as a crowded sermon.
Jesus needed a ship and a man to operate the boat Peter was that man. This would have been a big deal for Simon. You can see swelling that Jesus needed him.
Peter knew Jesus.
Remember that Peter was a revolutionary. He and his brother Andrew had listened to the message of Jesus.
One of the two which heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ. And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone.
Jesus healed his mother-in-law
And he arose out of the synagogue, and entered into Simon’s house. And Simon’s wife’s mother was taken with a great fever; and they besought him for her. And he stood over her, and rebuked the fever; and it left her: and immediately she arose and ministered unto them.
After the use of a fishing vessel Jesus would pay his rental fee. As he steps back on shore Jesus tell Peter ”try again this time off the other side of the ship”.
Peter thought that he knew more about fishing than Jesus did.
“Let down the nets? Nonsense, there’s nothing there to catch. We ought to know; we’ve fished over this corner of the lake all night. Still, just to humor You, Lord, I’ll let down a net.”
Peter’s experienced hand felt the astounding response at once. Suddenly, the net, wholly inadequate for the task, was full to overflowing.
Peter still knew it all. He summoned his partners, who by now had launched the other boat, and they drew alongside.
Peter was still quite sure that he could handle things. He pulled on the net—and it broke.
Still confident of his ability to handle things, Peter headed for the shore with this spectacular catch on board at last. Then the ship began to sink!
That was the end of his self-will. He fell at Jesus’ knees, saying,
“Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord” (5:8).
Key Phrase: Jesus invited Peter to participate, Peter was shocked when Jesus didn’t need him To get things done.
Peter would've assumed his knowledge about fishing is better than Jesus’.
But Jesus was doing something that he didn't need knowledge for.
Jesus didn't do this because of his uncanny ability to understand the way of fish. Rather he is God and did a miracle in the eyes of witnesses.
Peter didn’t think he was an expert in all things. In fact Peter knew that Jesus was an expert he called him... "Master" - Peter's problem was that he kept Jesus as expert Jesus was the powerful God almighty.
Notice where the inadequacy lay…
Peter was inadequate.
he lacked supernatural ability
he lacked divine purpose
Peters net was inadequate.
His tools lacked strength
His tool lacked being tried and tested.
Peters boat was inadequate.
he could maneuver but he had limitations
he could maneuver but only so far.
The point is not the fish or the men. The point is that Christ called inadequate men and is willing to use them. But until they leave their expertise to cling to his real power.
Illustration: You can't always go by expert opinion. A turkey, if you ask a turkey, should be stuffed with grasshoppers, grit and worms.
Changing Times, The Kiplinger Magazine.
The only thing worse than an expert is someone who thinks he's an expert. Aly Colon
FCF: How often do we trust our expertise more than the power of God.
Hey preacher Junior is going to have to miss some church because his sports team…. Or his boss- you know we made a commitment and we want him to know a good testimony with his team.
Hey Gods word said we will need more gathering of the church as we see the day approaching not less. Hey dad what about your testimony to your son? You can be the expert on rearing your children but don’t expect his power.
Hey Gods Word says, “train up a child…”. You can let yourself get distracted with work or entertainment you shout and yell and punish and you could save yourself all that trouble if like bending a sapling to a upright stature. You can’t spank a tree straight. You train it. but don’t expect the power of God.
Hey if we’re real honest there are Christian’s who have had years of investment in their lives but sit idly by when the church limps along while it’s body is deciding whether or not to serve.
And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
is rather clear we can live our lives for you or for the mission of Christ but as long-as You’re more worried about putting fish in the boat You will miss out on the power God wants to demonstrate in Your life.
Christian experts gather the things of trinket’s of this life like they mater not and Gods power…
Love not the world ,neither the things that are in the world. …the love of the father is not in him.
There are some Christian experts that are compromising with sin and worldliness.
But I hear the words of a converted fisherman named Peter who 37 years after this miracle says,
According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
Christ wanted to use Peter, but if Peter was going to be useful he had to learn a lesson about expertise. When your expertise meets Gods power, you will have to submit and trust his power or miss out on his mighty work. Peter was about to have his life changed forever.
“Fear not!” Jesus said, “from henceforth thou shalt catch men” (5:10).
1. On the Day of Pentecost, Peter would cast out the great gospel net and bring in a catch of three thousand men (Acts 2:41).
2. In the house of Cornelius, he would lower his line and catch one notable man (Acts 10:23), plus his family and friends.
When J. Wilbur Chapman was in London, he had an opportunity to meet General Booth, who at that time was past eighty years of age. Dr. Chapman listened reverently as the old general spoke of the trials and the conflicts and the victories. Then the American evangelist asked the general if he would disclose his secret for success.
“He hesitated a second,” Dr. Chapman said, “and I saw the tears come into his eyes and steal down his cheeks, and then he said, ‘I will tell you the secret. God has had all there was of me. There have been men with greater brains than I, men with greater opportunities; but from the day I got the poor of London on my heart, and a vision of what Jesus Christ could do with the poor of London, I made up my mind that God would have all of William Booth there was. And if there is anything of power in the Salvation Army today, it is because God has all the adoration of my heart, all the power of my will, and all the influence of my life.’”
Dr. Chapman said he went away from that meeting with General Booth knowing that, “the greatness of a man’s power is the measure of surrender.”Jesus message to the people