1 ON ONE OCCASION, WHILE THE CROWD WAS PRESSING IN ON HIM TO HEAR THE WORD OF GOD, HE WAS STANDING BY THE LAKE OF GENNESARET, 2 AND HE SAW TWO BOATS BY THE LAKE, BUT THE FISHERMEN HAD GONE OUT OF THEM AND WEREWASHING THEIR NETS.

LUKE 5:1-11

3 GETTING INTO ONE OF THE BOATS, WHICH WAS SIMON'S, HE ASKED HIM TO PUT OUT A LITTLE FROM THE LAND. AND HE SAT DOWNAND TAUGHT THE PEOPLE FROM THE BOAT.4 AND WHEN HE HAD FINISHED SPEAKING,HE SAID TO SIMON, “PUT OUT INTO THE DEEP AND LET DOWN YOUR NETS FOR A CATCH.”

LUKE 5:1-11

5 AND SIMON ANSWERED, “MASTER, WE TOILED ALL NIGHT AND TOOK NOTHING! BUT AT YOUR WORD I WILL LET DOWN THE NETS.” 6 AND WHEN THEY HAD DONE THIS, THEY ENCLOSED A LARGE NUMBER OF FISH, AND THEIR NETS WERE BREAKING. 7 THEY SIGNALED TO THEIR PARTNERS IN THE OTHER BOAT TO COME AND HELP THEM. AND THEY CAME AND FILLED BOTH THE BOATS, SO THAT THEY BEGAN TO SINK.

LUKE 5:1-11

8 BUT WHEN SIMON PETER SAW IT, HEFELL DOWN AT JESUS' KNEES, SAYING,“DEPART FROM ME, FOR I AM A SINFUL MAN, O LORD.” 9 FOR HE AND ALL WHO WERE WITH HIM WERE ASTONISHED AT THE CATCH OF FISH THAT THEY HAD.

LUKE 5:1-11

10 AND SO ALSO WERE JAMES AND JOHN, SONS OF ZEBEDEE, WHO WERE PARTNERS WITH SIMON. AND JESUS SAID TO SIMON,“DO NOT BE AFRAID; FROM NOW ON YOU WILL BE CATCHING MEN.” 11 AND WHEN THEY HAD BROUGHT THEIR BOATS TO LAND, THEY LEFT EVERYTHING AND FOLLOWED HIM.

LUKE 5:1-11

PETER HAS LOGICAL REASONSNOT TO OBEY JESUS.

PETER REPENTS IN RESPONSE TOJESUS’ PRESENCE AND POWER.

THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN DOCTRINALLY UNDERSTANDING JESUS AS MASTER AND

EXPERIENCING JESUS AS MASTER.

5 AND SIMON ANSWERED, “MASTER, WE TOILED ALL NIGHT AND TOOK NOTHING!BUT AT YOUR WORD I WILL LET DOWN THE NETS.” 6 AND WHEN THEY HAD DONE THIS,THEY ENCLOSED A LARGE NUMBER OFFISH, AND THEIR NETS WERE BREAKING.”

LUKE 5:5-6

OBEDIENCE IS FUNCTIONAL BELIEF IN GOD’SLOVING CHARACTER AND SPIRITUALLYTRUSTING GOD’S GLORIOUS PURPOSE.

WHERE ARE WE CALLING JESUS “MASTER” BUTFUNCTIONING AS IF OBEDIENCE IS AN OPTION?

JESUS DOESN’T JUST GIVE PETER A LECTUREAND A RESPONSIBILITY; HE OFFERS HIM

A LIFE AND A RELATIONSHIP.

TIME WITH JESUS ALWAYS PRECEDESWHAT WE DO FOR JESUS.

GIVEN THE CHOICE BETWEEN EVERYTHINGAND JESUS…PETER CHOOSES JESUS.

23 AND HE SAID TO ALL, “IF ANYONE WOULDCOME AFTER ME, LET HIM DENY HIMSELF ANDTAKE UP HIS CROSS DAILY AND FOLLOW ME.24 FOR WHOEVER WOULD SAVE HIS LIFE WILL LOSE IT, BUT WHOEVER LOSES HIS LIFE FORMY SAKE WILL SAVE IT. 25 FOR WHAT DOESIT PROFIT A MAN IF HE GAINS THE WHOLE WORLD AND LOSES OR FORFEITS HIMSELF?”

LUKE 9:23-25

PETER’S LIFE WITH JESUS…

GOD’S FAITHFULNESS IS NOTCONTINGENT ON OUR FAILURES.

4 JUST AS DAY WAS BREAKING, JESUS STOOD ON THE SHORE; YET THE DISCIPLES DID NOT KNOW THAT IT WAS JESUS. 5 JESUS SAID TO THEM,“CHILDREN, DO YOU HAVE ANY FISH?” THEY ANSWERED HIM, “NO.” 6 HE SAID TO THEM, “CASTTHE NET ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE BOAT, ANDYOU WILL FIND SOME.” SO THEY CAST IT, ANDNOW THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO HAUL IT IN,BECAUSE OF THE QUANTITY OF FISH.

JOHN 21:4-6

JESUS AND HIS DISCIPLES…

15 WHEN THEY HAD FINISHED BREAKFAST, JESUS SAID TO SIMON PETER, “SIMON, SON OF JOHN,DO YOU LOVE ME MORE THAN THESE?” HE SAIDTO HIM, “YES, LORD; YOU KNOW THAT I LOVE YOU.” HE SAID TO HIM, “FEED MY LAMBS.” 16 HE SAIDTO HIM A SECOND TIME, “SIMON, SON OF JOHN,DO YOU LOVE ME?” HE SAID TO HIM, “YES, LORD; YOU KNOW THAT I LOVE YOU.” HE SAID TO HIM, “TEND MY SHEEP.”

JOHN 21:15-17

16 HE SAID TO HIM THE THIRD TIME, “SIMON,SON OF JOHN, DO YOU LOVE ME?” PETER WAS GRIEVED BECAUSE HE SAID TO HIM THE THIRD TIME, “DO YOU LOVE ME?” AND HE SAID TO HIM, “LORD, YOU KNOW EVERYTHING; YOU KNOW THAT I LOVE YOU.” JESUS SAID TO HIM, “FEED MY SHEEP.”

JOHN 21:15-17

17 THEREFORE, IF ANYONE IS IN CHRIST, HE IS A NEW CREATION. THE OLD HAS PASSED AWAY; BEHOLD, THE NEW HAS COME. 18 ALL THIS IS FROM GOD, WHO THROUGH CHRIST RECONCILED US TO HIMSELF AND GAVE US THE MINISTRY OF RECONCILIATION.

1 CORINTHIANS 5:17-20

THAT IS, IN CHRIST GOD WAS RECONCILINGTHE WORLD TO HIMSELF, NOT COUNTING THEIR TRESPASSES AGAINST THEM, AND ENTRUSTING TO US THE MESSAGE OF RECONCILIATION.20 THEREFORE, WE ARE AMBASSADORS FOR CHRIST, GOD MAKING HIS APPEAL THROUGHUS. WE IMPLORE YOU ON BEHALF OF CHRIST, BE RECONCILED TO GOD.

1 CORINTHIANS 5:17-20

The truest Christian is the working man, who so labors for God that he does not neglect the common duties of life. The best form of Christianity is found in the Christian who is a Christian behind the counter,a Christian on the street, a Christian in the market-place, a Christian anywhere, and who, whereverand whenever he may be found, is like his Master…diligent in business, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord.

Charles Spurgeon

26 FOR CONSIDER YOUR CALLING, BROTHERS:NOT MANY OF YOU WERE WISE ACCORDINGTO WORLDLY STANDARDS, NOT MANY WERE POWERFUL, NOT MANY WERE OF NOBLE BIRTH.27 BUT GOD CHOSE WHAT IS FOOLISH IN THE WORLD TO SHAME THE WISE; GOD CHOSEWHAT IS WEAK IN THE WORLD TO SHAMETHE STRONG.

2 CORINTHIANS 1:26-30

28 GOD CHOSE WHAT IS LOW AND DESPISEDIN THE WORLD, EVEN THINGS THAT ARE NOT, TO BRING TO NOTHING THINGS THAT ARE,29 SO THAT NO HUMAN BEING MIGHT BOASTIN THE PRESENCE OF GOD. 30 AND BECAUSEOF HIM YOU ARE IN CHRIST JESUS, WHO BECAME TO US WISDOM FROM GOD, RIGHTEOUSNESS AND SANCTIFICATION AND REDEMPTION.

2 CORINTHIANS 1:26-30

GOD INVITES US TO GO FISHING WITH HIM.HOW WILL YOU RESPOND TO THE INVITATION?