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Sermon of the Week 
Friday, November 12 2021

Launch Out Into The Deep

Luke 5:1 “On one occasion, while Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret with the crowd pressing in on Him to hear the word of God, 2He saw two boats at the edge of the lake. The fishermen had left them and were washing their nets. 

Jesus had gotten pretty popular at this time. He’s been wandering around the area of Galilee casting demons out of people, healing folks, teaching and declaring that the kingdom of God is at hand. So, a lot of people have gathered around and want to hear him teach.                                                           Well, it’s pretty crowded, and he’s next to a lake. And he sees that there are two boats there on the shore. So he gets into one of the boats and asks Peter to take his boat out a little way in the water. (I am told that this location acted as a natural amplifier so all the people could hear him)....                                                                                                       Luke 5:4 And when He had finished speaking, He said to Simon, "Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a catch”.       

Well, this is apparently more than Simon bargained for, and he takes exception with Jesus’ request. He says, “Sir, we have worked all night long but have caught nothing.” Which is true. The text told us that the fishermen had been cleaning their nets. They had fished all night long, and they had to clean their nets because if you don’t clean yournets, they will rot. In other words, they had worked a full shift, and done what they needed in order to just go home and rest at the end of their work day. And Jesus is like, “Throw your nets out in the deep water.” I mean, if I had been these guys, I would have hesitated, too.                                                                                                                                        But, Simon decides to obey and says, “If you say so, I will let down the nets.”                                                                                                                                        It turns out Jesus knows something about fishing! And we will find when we give Him a chance, that He is an expert in whatever situation we find ourselves in….They catch so many fish that they have to call their partners over to help haul them in. But! It was so many fish that even with two boats, they were getting so full that they began to sink.                                                                                 Simon Peter could hardly believe it, and he’s filled with the kind of awe-of-God that it’s overwhelming. He’s like, “To God be the glory, there is something bigger than me or any of us that is going on here.” And he falls at Jesus’ feet and says, “Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!”   His friends James and John are pretty freaked out by this as well.                                                                      

In my imagination of this story, at this point, Jesus laughs….and he says, “Simon, do not be afraid. From now on, you will be catching people, , because I’m taking you where you never dreamed you would be, to do things you never thought you would do!.”                                                                           Have you ever felt like Simon?  you’ve been working all day, and all of a sudden God shows up and is like, “Just do this one more thing.” And you’re like “Seriously, God? I’m tired. And besides we tried that before and it didn’t work last time, so let’s not?”                                                                                But after all, it is Jesus, so you say “Never-the less, since it’s Jesus, I guess I’ll do it even though I don’t really feel like it?”                                                                                                                 So, for this morning, let’s shift the scene, and it’s not taking place on the shores of Galilee, It’s not happening with those fishermen, but it’s happening where we live, where we work, with our circle of friends, or where we attend church. We’ve been doing what we’ve always done and Jesus shows up and says, “Now that you’ve done what you always do, do what I want you to do, no matter how it feels, or appears like”….                                  Jesus finishes preaching, and now He turns to each of us and says “launch out into the deep”….Perhaps we echo Peter’s comment, “Master, we have toiled all the night [by our methods, and the best way we know] and have accomplished nothing. In other words, we’ve done it our way and we didn’t get the results we needed, so why should we do it Your way?    *.......The children’s pastor was just finishing a lesson on honesty. “Do you know where children go if they don’t put their money in the collection plate?” the teacher asked. No one seemed to know, so she asked again and little Bobby raised his hand. Yes Bobby, where do children go if they don’t put their money in the collection plate. “Well, ma’am, Bobby said, I think “They are able to go to the movies.”                                                                                          All of our attempts to serve the Lord in our strength and on our terms, will yield empty nets every time. His words, “Launch Out”… are calling us into obedience and surrender. After all, we’ve never been here before.                                                                                                    1 Samuel 15:2 says “Obedience is better than all of our sacrifices”….       And what was so powerful about this fishing story, is the simple obedience of these fishermen, that tapped into the supernatural here!!

What has God been telling you deep in your heart and soul, that you have pushed aside, or put on a back burner..? What change has He been calling to you to make, or what thing has He been calling you to do, but you are determined to do it your way or what you’ve always done!!                             Where is the launching point that He’s calling you to launch from…

The definition of insanity, is to do what you’ve always done and expect different results!

Someone else said, “If you do what you’ve always done, you’ll be what you’ve always been”….

Launching out, means for some folks, releasing the anchor that has been holding them where they’ve always been….the anchor that has prevented them from moving forward and progressing in their walk with the Lord. The anchor that is holding them in the same place they’ve been for years. 

This story tells us that the fishermen’s nets were empty even though they had toiled and labored and done everything they knew to do…. Do you have some nets in your life that are still empty, even though you’ve done all you know how to do….. IT’S LAUNCH TIME....it’s time to launch out into some area of obedience which is His call to you to move into that deeper place, beyond what you can do or that you can make happen without Him…. 

Keep casting the net.....According to the Barna Group, a nationwide research organization, less than one-third of those who say they are Christians, said they personally share the plan of salvation with someone else on a regular basis.. Don’t get discouraged, even though you may see no results, and maybe you feel like you really botched it, or you’re afraid you’ll make a mess of it, keep on casting. Soon it will be second nature. If you are uneasy about sharing your faith, bring them to church and get them under the word. Practice makes perfect....

One day shortly after the birth of their new baby, the mother had to go out for the day. So, the proud papa stayed home to watch his wonderful new son. He was looking forward to it and all was great until the baby *........started to cry. The father did everything he could think of to do but the baby wouldn’t stop crying. Finally, the dad got so worried he decided to take the baby to his mom’s. His mom immediately examine the baby’s diapers. When she undid the diaper, he found that the diaper was full."Here’s your problem", the she said, "He needs a change." 

I don’t understand, the dad responded, the package said, “Good for 15 lbs”

Jesus chose a messy boat....When Jesus got in Peter’s boat, it hadn’t been cleaned yet. It was smelly, slimy, and dirty. It was still a mess from the night of fishing. Listen please, Jesus isn’t waiting till we are all cleaned up, and have everything just perfect and in place before He can use us and launch us. The truth is, we will never feel good enough, or holy enough or capable enough to answer the call and launch out in obedience. We will never deserve what He offers freely.

As soon as the demoniac of Gadara was delivered, he went back to his village and told everyone and showed himself to them. The entire village saw and believed….

When the Samaritan woman at the well, who was a prostitute, encountered Jesus, immediately she returned to her village and told them about Jesus, and the entire village believed.

And when Jesus healed the blind man, immediately he went and told his friends and neighbors. “I once was blind but now I see”. And he sent them all to Jesus....

Each of us have something we can do that no one else but us can do! We can tell our story, then tell it again. No one else has our story of what we overcame, and the journey God brought us through….

There is never a perfect time for you to take action. “I don’t have the time. I am not capable. Someone else will do it. It’s too late now. Now is not the right time. I am not talented. I am not ready. I’m too scared. I don’t feel motivated. I’m too tired. Nobody will help me. What if I fail?” And on, and on, and on, and on…… TO INFINITY AND BEYOND!!…..

There is never a perfect time for you to launch that new project, to spend time with your family, to read the book you’ve been meaning to, or change a habit, or develop a new habit. Once we acknowledge this, our lives will become much more meaningful and fulfilling… trust me, I’ve been there.

That’s the problem with waiting for perfect! That perfect person, perfect thing, perfect place, never comes! Studies consistently show that when we look back on our lives the most common regrets are not the risks we took, but the ones we didn’t take. Of the many regrets people describe, regrets of inaction and indecision, outnumber those of any actions that were taken by nearly two to one.

Hebrews 11:6 says it best, “Without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe Him and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him”.                                                                                                     Our job is to tell, the Holy Spirit’s job is to convince them of the reality of Christ, as we make ourselves available!

In other words, it’s time to stop arguing with Christ and start trusting Him!

The defining words to this story is when Peter said “Never the less, at your word, I will.” It is that moment when we acknowledge that God’s power is greater than our logic….greater than our messy boat, and our unfinished stuff....If He has chosen us, believe and trust His choice.....

How do we get to that launching point, how do we arrive at that place of obedient faith?..... Launching out, comes in stages for most of us. God knows where we are and He only asks us to do what He knows we can believe for at the level we are at.                                                                                   I think of Ezekiel’s description of this process…

Ezekiel 47:3 “Then He led me through water that was ankle-deep. 4 He measured off another thousand cubits and led me through water that was knee-deep. He measured off another thousand and led me through water that was up to the waist. 5 He measured off another thousand, but now it was a river that I could not cross, because the water had risen and was deep enough to swim in—6 He asked me, “Son of man, do you see this? 

We don’t expect a baby to walk before it crawls. Ezekiel begins with ankle deep or crawling water....                                   

Nowhere in Scripture do you find Jesus REBUKING His disciples for making MISTAKES. He doesn’t even REBUKE Peter for openly DENYING Him. But on several occasions, we find Jesus rebuking the disciples for their lack of FAITH. Faith is that place where we push past all the other voices that are competing with God’s voice, and believing that we stand at a defining moment, a breakthrough moment, of the very place we have prayed for and believed for. And it’s all waiting on the other side of our obedience! Paul told the church, that transformative Faith comes by hearing (or responding) to the word of God.... The Lord loves us just like we are, but He loves us enough to not let us stay where we are.... So, He reveals Himself to us from level to level, so we won’t be overwhelmed....                               

“At thy word”—was the launching pad which released the miracle for Peter, and the other fishermen and it will work for our miracle as well! 

Ships aren’t built for the safety of the harbor, but for the wind, waves and deeper waters. God didn’t design us for the safe places, or the trouble free life. We were built to experience all that life has to throw at us and declare that “Greater is He that is in us than He that is in the world”….

These are the ones who will hear our Lord say on that day “Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of the Lord forever.”.

In the words of Matthew Kelly, “God of deep waters and infinite riches, challenge me to go where I fear, to do what is difficult and what I thought could never be done. Push me to go to the deep waters of life and cast my net wide, for I put all my hope, trust and faith in you”.

There was no way that Gideon could defeat the 150,000 man Midianite army with 300 men, but “At Thy Word”.....he launched out in faith and obedience, and God gave a miraculous victory….

There is no way that Moses could stand against the entire Egyptian empire, but “At Thy Word”...he launched out in faith and obedienceand God brought that nation to it’s knees….

When Jesus was finished preaching, He said, “Now, launch out”…they probably went out only 50 feet from where they had called it quits! 50 feet from where they were giving up. 50 feet from packing it in and going home…. But even though they were done, they weren’t finished….            YOU MAY BE DONE, BUT GOD’S NOT FINISHED …. You see, your miracle, your answer, your dream fulfilled and your mission accomplished, is closer than you think…

Jesus is telling you that you’re closer than you think to seeing your family saved, closer than you think to your healing, to your financial provision, to your freedom and your dream coming together….                                                                                                                              There’s another fishing story In John’s Gospel, and we see one of the post-Resurrection appearances of our Lord. Simon Peter, Thomas, Nathanael, John, James, Zebedee’s sons, and two other unnamed disciples were fishing on the Sea of Tiberias.  After an entire night, once again, they haven’t caught a single fish. Then, a figure appears on the shore and said to them….John 21:6 “Children, have you caught anything to eat?” They answered him, “No we haven’.” So he said to them, “Cast the net over the other side of the boat.” So they cast it, and were not able to pull it in because of the number of fish.”

Stop looking for God to do it somewhere else, your miracle is right where you are. Your answer is where you are… Don’t get so convinced that what you need is somewhere else, because you will miss the power of right where you are. You are in the right place for your miracle! 

When Elisha showed up at the widow’s house, in the midst of famine, where she and her son were waiting to die. His amazing question to her was “What is in your house”… She had the stuff of miracles right there in her house, but it took the man of God to activate it and release it. All she saw was lack, and insufficiency, but God saw that little was much when it was turned over to Him!Her miracle was right where she was!

All of our effort and pushing and manipulating in the world won’t accomplish what surrender and obedience will accomplish.                                                       

Sometimes we have to give away what we’ve got in order to have what He wants to give us. There is some action which we can takethat will be the key to our break through. There is a step of obedience which will begin the process of your blessing. It’s something you can do, that God has been speaking to your spirit,because like the widow woman, her act of faith set everything in motion. 

Don’t be like little boy came late for children’s church. He was usually on time or early, so his teacher asked, “Johnny, is there anything wrong?” “No, ma’am, not really,” he said.” I was going to go fishing, but my daddy told me that I needed to get on up and go to church.” The teacher was very impressed and asked Johnny if his father had explained to him why it was more important to go to church than to go fishing. “Yes ma’am, he did,” Johnny said. “My daddy said he didn’t have enough bait for both of us.”       God wants to work with us and through us, not in spite of us!

God has instructed me at times to empty out my closet, or give to someone in need, in order to set in motion provision in some other area of the family… Give and it shall be given unto you, full measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, the scripture tells us.                                         I want to share with you a poem by T.H. Allen....                                               “Leave The Miracles To Him”...

Whatsoever He bids you, do it!' Though you may not understand;

Yield to Him complete obedience, Then you'll see His mighty hand.

`Fill the waterpots with water'—Fill them to the very brim;

He will honor all your trusting—Leave the miracles to Him.

Bring to Christ your loaves and fishes, Though they be but few and small;

He will use the weaker vessels—Give to Him your little all.

Do you ask how many thousands Can be fed with food so slim?

Listen to the Master's blessing—Leave the miracles to Him.

O you Christians, learn the lesson! Are you struggling in the way?

Cease your trying, change to trusting, Then you'll triumph every day.

`Whatsoever He bids you, do it!' Fill the pots up to the brim,

But remember it’s His battle— Leave the miracles to Him.—              

I want us to notice that when Elijah showed up for the widow, He also asked her, what God had told him to….. “What can I do for you”…..

I need to tell you that God is constantly asking us that question, if we’re listening, willing and obedient!                                                                                   No matter how it looks, or what the situation, God is right there asking “What can I do for you”.... Please hear Him today....

The Israelites were without food and water in the desert, and God was there asking what can I do for you.... Manna came, quail came, water came. 

When Sarah, Rebekah, Rachel, Hannah, and Samson's motherwere barren, God asked “What can I do for you”.... and He opened their womb.

When Moses had brought the people to the Red Sea, with the chariots of Egypt bearing down on them, and it was flood time.... God asked “What can I do for You”.... and Moses lifted high his shepherd’s staff, commanded the waters and God parted the Red Sea...                                                                                                                  

At the victory of Jericho, they were required to walk around the city...He anoints our feet as we go.....The bitter waters of Marah were healed by throwing in the hyssop....He anoints our obedience... Goliath was slain when David cast the stone... (His anointing is in our hands) Naaman was healed when he dipped 7 times at the Lord’s command....The Assyrian army was defeated when the people dug ditches at Elisha’s command.... These and so many more, were actions of obedience which released miracles!!When He met lepers, the deaf, the blind, the lame and even dead folks, He was asking “What can I do for you”? He’s asking you “What can I do for you”..... Step out in obedience, do the thing He’s asking, and watch Him move for in your life! `

Prayer.... Father God, we thank you that when you are for us, nothing can be against us. We are believing for miracles, and we know that you have freely given us all things. We thank you, Lord Jesus, that you are continually interceding for us and we thank you that nothing can separate us from your love. Lord, your Holy Spirit at work in me can do far more than I could think or ask or imagine. I rejoice with unspeakable joy, for you are even now moving and working in my situation. You are my living hope and I will not waver in claiming my miracle. I am fully persuaded that as I pass through this storm, and keep my focus on you and not the wind and waves, I can walk on water, and I will rise above the storm. In all things we are more than conquerors by your power and grace. Lord, you said that if we believe you, we would see your greater works, and that nothing would be impossible. We stand on Your Word, that no weapon formed against us shall prosper. We pray that every stronghold that has risen up against us shall be demolished in Jesus’ name. We ask that the winds of the Holy Spirit will fall upon us and that the spirit of “true evangelism” will be released. Father, clothe us with power from on high in all that we do for Your Kingdom and for the growth of Your kingdom in the earth. This we ask in Jesus’ name. Amen.

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