Text: Luke 5:1-11
Opening Statement:
Everyone wants to be useful - to be helpful, to make a difference, to make an impact, to leave the world better than we find it. No one wants to squander their life. To waste it in foolish and trivial pursuits. We want to make that investment that will make an eternal difference. To champion a cause. To bring a little kindness. To promote a needed change. Even if it is only one person at a time, we want to make a difference.
I) A Journey to Usefulness Begin with an Act of Obedience (5:5)
As Simon sat there spell bound, Jesus quickly brought his lesson to a stirring conclusion and said to Simon, "Let's go fishing. Launch out into the deep and let down the nets." Notice that Jesus is not suggesting obedience; he is demanding it.
"Jesus," Simon hesitated, "we've been fishing all night. But, because you say so, I will do it."
Now before you say in your head that was great for Peter but what does that have to do with me? I say, everything, God wants all of us to be useful right where we are. The question to ask is do I want to be useful and what does it look like for my life?
II) Moving Yourself Beyond Wastefulness to Usefulness (5:11)
Found in this story are some truths and insights that will help us to move beyond wastefulness (everyday living) to usefulness (life more abundant), to make a difference in our world. The key is obedience.
A) Obedience leads to true freedom
For the Christian, freedom comes through yielding our will to God and obeying a set of rules. Jesus stated it clearly, "If ye love me, keep my commandments" (John 14:15).
B) Obedience demands that we take action
We must always remember that hearing is not the same as action. Peter had heard the message of Jesus. He was a captive audience. But Jesus as with all of his listeners desired for him to do more than simply listen. He wanted him to act.
Someone has well said, "What I believe I do, and the rest is just religious talk."
C) Obedience causes us to move out of our comfort zone (5:8)
God's call to obedience always involves risks, to leave our comfort zone, to step out into the deep. Only those people who are willing to follow their Lord's lead into the deep where the waters are over their heads ever really make a difference. Only then will we see God for who He is and what He can do with us if we only let Him.
D) Obedience means trusting, even when it doesn't make sense
There was nothing logical about returning to the open sea and fishing again for Peter. It was absurd. But Jesus says go and Peter said, which I think is the key phrase in this narrative, ". . . because you say so, I will let down the nets" (Luke 5:5).
The most powerful test of obedience is do those things that don't make sense simply because Jesus says so.
E) Obedience in a little always leads to bigger opportunity
The fact is Simon obeyed Jesus. Many people want to do something really big for God but are unfortunately not obeying God where they are. Until we are obedient in the little things God can't use us in the big things of life.
III) What is Keeping You from a Life of Obedience?
I don't know if you noticed, but in the story of Simon there was one physical feature that was present in every scene. Did you see it? It was the boat.
Why? Because the boat represents Simon's livelihood, his business, his security, his peace of mind, his future. Simon's boat was what was keeping him from a life of total and complete obedience. His boat and what it represents was preventing him from living a fully devoted life of obedience.
In Closing:
What about you? What's keeping you from a life of usefulness?
When it comes to obedience there is no middle ground. We either obey or we disobey. What will you do?
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