Sunday School
Student ministries
May 3, 2000 Luke 5:1-11
What is it in your life that is off limits to God? Your children, job, money, car, time, a certain day or days of the week, your mouth for witnessing or praise, or even your whole life? Is your life off limits to God? Many of you know what's off limits, but you are afraid to say it out loud or even to yourself, because God might hear you. He knows what it is and what you're thinking.
Our passage from God's Word provides for us an example of how we are to let go and let God. Please turn with me to Luke 5:1-11.
In our passage, we have Jesus teaching. As He taught, the crowds were growing, and the people began to crowd Him more and more. Because He was by a shoreline, He decided that He would get into one of the boats and teach. The boat that Jesus sovereignly chose was Simon's. So Jesus asked Simon to put out a little ways so he could teach the people.
I would like for us to stop here for a moment, so we can discuss and think about what's happening. Jesus comes to Simon who was busy washing his nets after a night of fishing (vs.5) and asks him to go back out on the water again. Can you imagine?
Let's get creative for a moment. Let's try to think of some reasons why Simon couldn't or shouldn't go back out. I thought of some: he had already been out all night, he was busy cleaning the net, his boat was not clean enough, he was tired, hungry, or he didn't know Jesus very well. Honestly, would any of those excuses be acceptable to Jesus? No way, but interestingly, how many of us give God those very same excuses.
I would also like to let a different scenario run through our minds. Let's imagine that Simon refuses to let Jesus use his boat. So Jesus gets out of his boat and steps into James and John's boat. They agree to take Him out on the water. And while Jesus teaches, Simon finishes washing his nets and goes home after a hard night's work. After finishing His teaching, Jesus asks James and John to go out into the deep and to put their nets down. They do, and then they receive the boatload of fish. At that point what would Simon receive? Nothing. There is a powerful message in that for us all. We shouldn't think that God stops with us. If we won't obey, if we won't do what He wants us to do, He will use someone else, someone who will obey. And those He uses instead of us will receive the boatload, while are left with nothing.
Fortunately for Simon, he submitted and shoved off. However, that's not the end of the story. Read vs.4. Some of you may be thinking Jesus is really pushing His luck now. Not only did He ask Simon to go back out, now He wants Simon to go further?
I love the way Jesus uses the word "deep" here. It says a lot to me about our need to go deeper with Jesus. Many of us have obediently shoved off with Jesus, but when He asks us to go to the deeper waters, which He always does, we resist and we offer excuses, which is what Simon did initially.
Many of us are content with a "shallow water" relationship with Jesus. We like to paddle around close to shore. Why is that? Are you ready for the answer? Are you listening with open ears, hearts, and minds? We like the shallow water because in the shallow water, if something wrong happens, we can still touch the bottom and save ourselves. But in the deep we are likely to be over our heads, and if something happens, we are unable to save ourselves, which makes us depend on God for our security. This makes us uncomfortable and resistant when Jesus asks us to go deeper.
This reminds me of some verses in chapter 9 of Luke. Read vs.23-26. These verses not only apply to those who will not give their lives to Jesus for salvation. They also apply to those who try to save their physical, social, and material lives, and in the process loose the wonderful spiritual life that God has for them here on earth. By trying to keep everything safe and under our control we are robbed of so much. Oh, we think we're smart for not going deeper, but in reality only fools resist growing spiritually. God does not want us to be shallow Christians; He wants to take us deeper. Why does He want to take us deeper? For the same reason He wanted to take Simon deeper.
Read vs.5-11. After offering a weak excuse, Simon lets down his net. And then what happened? Excuse me, could you repeat that? He had a net full of fish. Jesus wanted Simon to go deeper with Him and let down his net so He could bless him. That's right, Jesus takes us deeper to bless us. How did Jesus bless Simon?
Jesus blessed him spiritually (vs. 8). That day, Simon learned about Jesus' Lordship. Looking in the mirror, most of us could say that we are pretty holy and righteous. However, we cannot be the measuring devices of righteousness for others or ourselves. Jesus is to be the standard. When Simon saw who Jesus was, he in turn saw he was a sinful man. We cannot truly know who we are until we have seen whom Jesus our Lord is. "There is a God we want, and there is a God who is. They are often not the same God. The turning point of our lives is where we stop seeking the God we want and start seeking the God who is." Patrick Morley.
Jesus blessed him financially (vs. 6-7). There were so many fish that the net was breaking, and when they got them into the boats, they began to sink. This is the ultimate in financial blessing, and yet it's not unheard of with Jesus.
Jesus blessed him professionally (vs. 10-11). Because Simon was obedient to follow Jesus into the deep, Jesus called him into the ministry of fishing for men. Because Simon was faithful and obedient in the physical realm, Jesus called him to the ministry in the spiritual, eternal realm. As I stated last week, "Unless you are faithful and obedient where you are, God will not call you to something greater." Read vs.11.
Jesus blessed not only Simon, but also those around him (vs.9-10). Who is around you? Who are the partners in your life, your spouse, your children, your family, your friends, your co-workers? If you will not submit and obey the Lord's calling, those around you are missing out at your hand. Are you aware that your relationship with God affects those around you? You don't live on an island physically, and you don't live on an island spiritually.
This message is really about the boatloads of blessing that come with obediently going deeper with Jesus. How many boatloads have you missed? How many boatloads have you missed because you are still on the shore refusing to follow Jesus? The Christian life is the best life, the most blessed life. While it's not perfect yet, that part is still to come, and you have no idea how much peace, joy, love, and security you are missing by not giving your life to Jesus as your Savior and Lord.
How many boatloads have you missed? How many boatloads have sailed past your life because you are still in the shallow water? Every time God calls you to go deeper, He has a great blessing in store for you. What was the last thing that God called you to do that you haven't done?
I want God to bless you and this church! I want God to shower down boatloads of blessing on your life, your family, and your ministry. What is that part of your life that is off limits to Him? What has the Lord asked you to do that you won't do? Remember the boatloads of blessing that come with obediently following Him. Do it. Do it today. Don't let another boatload pass by you and those around you. Go deeper with Jesus.