Key Scripture: Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. (NKJV)
One moment of favor is worth a thousand days of labor.
Luke 5 NKJV
1 ¶ So it was, as the multitude pressed about Him to hear the word of God, that He stood by the
2 and saw two boats standing by the lake; but the fishermen had gone from them and were washing their nets.
3 Then He got into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, and asked him to put out a little from the land. And He sat down and taught the multitudes from the boat.
4 When He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon, "Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch."
5 But Simon answered and said to Him, "Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net."
6 And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking.
7 So 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.
8 When Simon Peter saw it, he fell 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 which they had taken;
10 and so also were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, "Do not be afraid. From now on you will catch men."
11 So when they had brought their boats to land, they forsook all and followed Him.
Luke calls this body of freshwater in the Galilee region of
The name Gennesaret comes from the plain of the same name on the Northwestern shore of the lake. This name at times identified this bordering portion of the lake which stretches its shores west and southwards to the city of
Herein I believe, Luke gives us a definite point at which this event takes place … this northwestern corner cove not far from the fishing
On this particular morning Jesus is pressed with multitudes of people wanting to crowd ever closer to hear Him and perhaps be the beneficiary of His healing touch. With the press Jesus walks by the water’s edge and finds two empty fishing boats. He chooses Peter’s boat, steps inside and asks the owner to push out a ways from the shore so He could be better seen and heard as He taught the multitudes.
We conclude from the other Gospel writers that this was not Peter’s first encounter with Jesus. Peter willingly complies with the request and provides his boat as a pulpit for this morning’s teaching.
Perhaps tired, maybe hungry and almost certainly a bit frustrated from a long night’s fruitless toil, Peter nonetheless listens to the Word of God. Whatever the topic, no doubt the spirit and the life of the Word entered into Peter’s heart and mind as he heard the Living Word from the Living Word.
When Jesus concludes His teaching He turns to Peter and addresses him directly.
Luke 5:4 When He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon, "Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch."
This is no easy suggestion. To launch out sounds simple enough but the task will most likely demand getting out the oars and rowing out a good distance from the shore … out into the deep. Well, the whole lake, 15 miles long, 7 miles wide, 33 miles in circumference is only less than 15 feet deep at it’s deepest. Just how far out does one have to row to get into ‘the deep’?
Added to this … Peter, Andrew his brother, James and John his partners have already been washing their nets, now they would have to be cleaned all over again. This is a hard request for a tired fisherman.
It’s like asking a restaurant owner who has been working all night without selling one meal to reopen the doors, reheat the grill, dirty the pots and pans and prepare food for a huge crowd, after closing time, before he sees his first customer … all of this after you have used his restaurant to hold a bible study after closing hours without prior notice requiring him to stop mopping the floors and sit and listen to your teaching. This is not a simple request!
Yet Peter says:
Luke 5:5 But Simon answered and said to Him, "Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net."
You know the rest of the story. It seems that:
After Peter and his company went to church and heard the Word of God, work became a whole lot easier and much more productive.
You see … when we partner with God in His business, He partners with us in ours. If you put God first, He will not forget you.
The priority is to go with God to His work first and then He will go with us to ours.
It’s a simple process of sowing and reaping. Even the law of nature requires we sow before we reap!
Notice that God will be indebted to no person. Whatsoever good thing any man does the same shall he receive of the Lord … and it any man gives to the poor he lends to the Lord and the Lord shall repay. The loan of the ship and the giving of tired and weary time were amply repaid with this bountiful harvest of fish.
Believe it or not, God needs you to give Him something to work with.
Proverbs 13:4 ¶ The soul of a lazy man desires, and has nothing; But the soul of the diligent shall be made rich.
Proverbs 22:29 Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men.
After they had caught all those fish, in what was perhaps their greatest day, their richest potential, their most fruitful and prosperous business adventure, they left it all to follow the Master.
In conclusion this morning I want to pose and at least in part answer three pertinent questions:
1. Why did Jesus choose Peter?
2. Why did Peter follow Jesus’ requests?
3. How can we apply these truths to our life today?
Conclusion:
1. Why did Jesus choose Peter?
Answer: Of course there are many reasons above none is the element of destiny. However it cannot be missed that Jesus was on the lookout for people to invest in, people to disciple, people with potential to partner with Him in His Kingdom work.
It is for this reason I believe that Jesus chose Peter. Peter was a hard worker, diligent in his business, untiring in his efforts and unafraid of hard work and difficult challenges in life.
Peter had a basic good work ethic. Even though he had worked hard all night and had received nothing for it, he was nonetheless busy washing his nets and preparing them for the next time he would need them.
Jesus is still on the lookout for people who are busily engaged in the affairs of life. The parable of the talents tell us that Jesus has no respect or use for those who just sit idle all day and are wasting their time.
* Jesus wanted to favor Peter.
2. Why did Peter follow Jesus’ request?
Answer: Because of his evident respect for Jesus and His Word. Above his own tiredness, above his own wisdom, above his own experiences, Peter was moved by the Words of Jesus.
* Peter wanted to please Jesus.
3. How can we apply these truths to our life today?
Answer: We can apply these truths to our life today by realizing that:
* One moment of favor is worth a thousand days of labor.
* God needs us to give Him something to work with.
* If we partner with God in His business, He will partner with us in ours.
So, pray like it all depends on God and work like it all depends on you. Don’t forget to go to church, even when you are tired, listen to the Words of Life and as you partner with God in His business, He will partner with you in yours.
Remember our key scripture: You can do all things through Christ who strengthens you … well … it may be His strength but it will still be your labor.
