***(Luke 5:1-11)***
I. PETER'S
WILLINGNESS TO DO THE LORD'S WORD
A. IN LETTING DOWN THE
NET...
1. Jesus instructed
Peter to let down his net –
“Now when he had left
speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets
for a draught.”
2. Peter did not think
it would do any good –
Luke 5:5
“And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled
all the night and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down
the net.”
a. They had been fishing
all night, they had caught nothing
b. Wouldn't a fisherman
know more about fishing than a
carpenter?
3. Yet Peter said,
"Nevertheless at Your word I will led down the
net."
a. Though he did not
think it would work
b. Though it defied
common sense
4. The result of doing
the Lord's word –
“And when they had this
done, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake. And they
beckoned unto their partners, which were in the other ship, that they should
come and help them. And they came, and filled both the ships, so that they
began to sink. When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying,
Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord.”
a. The catch was
overwhelming for one net, even for two boats
b. Peter was made aware
of his own sinfulness
-- Here we see the
mindset of a disciple:
"Nevertheless at Your
word I will..."
B. IN LAYING DOWN THE
NET...
1. He and his coworkers
were astonished at their success –
Luke 5:9-10
“For he was astonished, and all that were with
him, at the draught of the fishes which they had taken: and so was also James,
and John, the sons of Zebedee, which were partners with Simon. And Jesus said
unto Simon, Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men.”
2. Jesus reassured
Peter, and then called him and his partners to
follow Him –
“And when they had
brought their ships to land, they forsook all, and followed him.”
a. Though he did not
think he could be any good ("I am a sinful
man, O Lord!")
family
James and John left their father –
“And going on from
thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his
brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called
them. And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him.”
c. Yet they left all and
followed Him!
3. The result of doing
the Lord's word
a. The Lord called them
to even greater service –
b. They would receive
even greater rewards
“Ye are they which have
continued with me in my temptations. And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my
Father hath appointed unto me; that ye may eat and drink at my table in my
kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.”
-- Such is the mindset
of a disciple: "Nevertheless at
Your word
I will..."
[Peter, together with
James and John, illustrate the attitude that must
characterize a disciple
of Jesus: a willingness to do whatever
the Lord
says, no matter the
cost, even when we don't understand why...]
II. OUR WILLINGNESS
TO DO THE LORD'S WORD
A. IN BECOMING HIS
DISCIPLE...
1. We may not think we
can do any good
a. We might think we are
too sinful, but Jesus calls sinners
“When Simon Peter saw
it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful
man, O Lord.”
***Peter was awestruck
at this miracle, and his first response was to feel his own significance in
comparison to this man’s greatness. Peter knew that Jesus had healed the sick and cast out
demons, but he was amazed that Jesus cared about his day-to-day routine and
understood his needs. God is interested not only in saving us, but also helping
us in our daily activities. ***
“I came not to call the
righteous, but sinners to repentance.”
b. Even the rankest of
sinners can serve Him –
“Know ye not that the
unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither
fornicators, nor idolators, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of
themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor
revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were
some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in
the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.”
2. We are to follow Him
above all (family, work, self)
a. Jesus must come
before family, even self –
“If any man come to me,
and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and
sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.”
“He that loveth father
or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter
more than me is not worthy of me.”
“And he said to them
all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross
daily, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but
whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it. For what is a
man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away?
For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of
man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father’s, and
of the holy angels.”
b. Jesus must come
before work as well –
“Then said he unto him, A certain man
made a great supper, and bade many: 17And sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden,
Come; for all things are now ready. 18And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first
said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it:
I pray thee have me excused. 19And another said, I have bought five yoke
of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused. 20And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come. 21So that servant came, and shewed his lord these things. Then the master
of the house being angry said
to his servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and
bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind. 22And the servant said, Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet
there is room. 23And the lord said unto the servant, Go out
into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. 24For I say unto you, That none of those men which were bidden shall
taste of my supper.”
3. For those willing to
follow Him, the rewards are great
a. In this present time,
much more! –
Luke 18:28-30
“Then Peter said, Lo, we have left all, and followed thee.
And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house,
or parents, or brethren, or wife, or children, for the kingdom of God’s sake,
who shall not receive manifold more in this present time, and in the world to
come life everlasting.”
b. In the age to come,
eternal life! –
“Who shall not receive
manifold more in this present time, and in the world to come life everlasting.”
-- Do we have the
mindset to become a disciple
("Nevertheless at Your
word I will")?
B. IN BEING HIS DISCIPLE...
1. The Lord may ask us
to do things we don't think will work
a. Such as laying up
treasure in heaven, instead of for self
“And he said unto
them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in
the abundance of the things which he possesseth. 16And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich
man brought forth plentifully: 17And he thought within himself, saying, What
shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? 18And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build
greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. 19And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many
years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. 20But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be
required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? 21So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich
toward God.”
b. Such as seeking first
the kingdom of God –
"And he said unto his disciples, Therefore
I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for
the body, what ye shall put on. The life is more than meat, and the body is
more than raiment. Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which
neither have storehouse nor barn; and
God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the fowls? And which of you with taking thought can add to his stature one
cubit? 26If ye then be not able
to do that thing which is least, why take ye thought for the rest? 27Consider the lilies how
they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon
in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 28If then God so clothe
the grass, which is to day in the field, and to morrow is cast into the oven;
how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith? 29And seek not ye what ye
shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind. 30For all these things do
the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need
of these things. 31But rather seek ye the
kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you. 32Fear not, little flock;
for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.33Sell that ye have, and
give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens
that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth. 34For where your treasure
is, there will your heart be also."
"But seek ye
first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be
added unto you."
2. The Lord may ask us
to do things we don't yet understand
a. Why be baptized for
the remission of our sins? –
"He that
believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be
damned."
"Then Peter said
unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ
for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy
Ghost."
b. Why observe the
Lord's Supper on the first day of the week?
"And upon the
first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul
preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech
until midnight."
c. Why not to forsake
the assembling of ourselves together?
"not forsaking
the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting
one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching."
3. For those willing to
obey Him, the rewards are great
a. Our labor is not in
vain –
"Therefore, my
beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of
the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that our labour is not in vain in the
Lord."
b. We can look forward
great reward ("inherit the kingdom")
"Then shall the
king say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit
the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:"
"for so an
entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom
of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ."
Is our mindset that of being a disciple
("Nevertheless at
Your word I will")?
CONCLUSION
1. Are you willing to
become a disciple of Jesus...?
a. Heeding His call to
follow Him?
b. Putting Him before
family, work, self?
2. Are you willing to
adopt the mindset of a disciple...?
a. Obeying the Word of
the Lord?
b. Even when it may seem
futile or unreasonable?
Though it may defy
common sense, may we ever say "Nevertheless at Your
word I will"...
By Dinah Ramos
No comments:
Post a Comment