Sermon Tone Analysis

AT YOUR WORD

1.

Throughout the bible, you will discover this truth - It’s better to obey God than disobey God.

Example: The children of Israel saw the walls of Jericho fall when they obeyed God’s instructions…but then they were defeated at Ai b/c of Achan’s disobedience in keeping some of the spoils (accursed things) from Jericho.

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NOTE: It’s alway better to obey God than disobey God.

Obedience has rewards…Disobedience has consequences.

2. Now, I’m going to assume that all of us want to truly obey God.

We all have this desire to do what is right & please God if we can.

3.

But I want to make another assumption - None of us obey God perfectly.

NOTE: We want to do what God says but we don’t always follow through with it.

NOTE: Obedience is always the right thing to do but it isn’t always easy to do.

As much as we would like to obey God, it’s easier to say than it is to always do.

4. In our passage tonight, there is a large crowd pressing around Jesus to hear the word of God.

He gets into Peter’s boat & uses it as a floating platform to address the multitude.

When He finished speaking, He asked Peter to launch out into deeper water & let down the nets for a catch, & notice how Peter responds in verse 5.

NOTE: Peter could have said “no” but he obeyed instead…and he saw Jesus work a miracle in his life.

5. From this passage, I want to share with 4 lessons on obedience.

1) OBEDIENCE IS A CHOICE (V 4-5)

1. Jesus gave Peter an instruction & Peter had to choose to obey.

I mentioned just moments ago that Peter could have said “no” but he obeyed instead.

But what I did not mention is that Peter did not obey completely.

2. Notice in verse 4 that Jesus said “let down your nets” & then in verse 5 Peter said, “I will let down the net...”

3. Peter obeyed but it wasn’t complete obedience.

NOTE: Peter wasn’t completely convinced that anything was going to happen when he launched out into the deep.

Peter was a professional fisherman & he had been out there all night & caught nothing…and he knew it was hopeless to let down his net again.

Peter didn’t fully believe in Jesus yet…but he chose to obey.

4. Peter could have stayed on the shore & continued cleaning his nets.

He had worked all night long & he could have declined so that he could have went home & rested…but he chose to obey.

5. Notice that Jesus didn’t take over the boat & force Peter to launch out into the deep…He gave him an instruction & Peter had to decide what to do with it.

NOTE: When it comes to obeying God, you & I have to decide/choose if we’re going to be obedient.

God isn’t going to force us to obey Him.

But if we disobey Him, we will have to live with the consequences of our disobedience.

but if we disobey Him, we will have to live with the consequences of our disobedience.

NOTE: Those who love God want to obey God.

John 14:

To be happy in Jesus, you must trust & obey.

2) OBEDIENCE DOESN’T ALWAYS MAKE SENSE (V 4)

1.

This command to go into deep water would have made no sense to Peter.

Peter was a fisherman by trade & he knew that the best time to fish was at night & in shallow water…not in deep water in the daytime.

2. Peter was most likely hesitant & reluctant to obey Jesus but he obeyed anyway.

He may not have been fully persuaded that Jesus was the Messiah but he had already seen Jesus heal his mother in law…so he knew that there was something different about Jesus, so he obeyed even though the instructions didn’t make sense.

NOTE: At times doing what God says do will not make sense…At times obeying God may seem kind of strange.

Abraham was told leave his family & homeland & go to a land that God would show him - Does that make sense?

Noah build an ark

Joshua - walls of Jericho

Gideon - 300 men against the Midianites

We want explanations & details but God doesn’t always give us explanations…but He does give us promises.

He promises us that if we trust in Him, He will direct our path ()

He promises us that if we give, He will give back to us ()

He promises us that if we pray, He will answer ()

3. Has God been challenging you to do something that you haven’t yet made an effort to accomplish?

Has God been challenging you to do something that you haven’t yet made an effort to accomplish?

Is there anything you have rationalized by saying, ‘It’s too difficult,’ ‘I don’t want to,’ or ‘I have to pray about it first’?

Will you obey God even when it doesn’t make sense?

3) OBEDIENCE ALWAYS BRINGS BLESSINGS (V 6-7)

1. Peter’s obedience led to such a great catch of fish that that the net began to break…and both boats were filled with fish & they began to sink.

2. Peter obeyed Jesus & he received a miracle.

NOTE: If Peter had said anything other than yes, he would have missed the greatest fishing experience of his life.

But b/c of his obedience, Jesus arranged a miracle that he would never forget.

B/C he obeyed, the fish in that lake supernaturally began to swim into his net.

Think about this

What they had spent all night trying to do & could not accomplish (toiled all night, caught nothing)

Jesus did miraculously for them when Peter obeyed.

NOTE: When we obey Jesus, He can do for us supernaturally what we have been trying to do for ourselves in our own strength.

Some of us have been laboring & toiling trying to fix things on our own…but God is saying to us tonight - IF YOU WILL OBEY ME, I WILL POUR OUT MY POWER & PROVISION ON YOUR SITUATION.

NOTE: Obedience unlocks miracles…Obedience unlocks blessings…Obedience unlocks God’s favor.

3. What you need God to do in your life could be attached to an instruction that you need to obey.

- Blind man: Go to pool of Siloam & wash/he washed & came seeing

- Naaman the leper: go to Jordan river, dip seven times

NOTE: Your obedience to God’s Word will open your life up to His blessings.

4) OBEDIENCE WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE FOREVER (V 8-11)

Luke 5:

1.

This one act of obedience changed Peter’s life forever.

He recognized his own sinfulness.

He recognized Jesus as the Messiah…In verse 5, Peter called Jesus “Master” but here in verse 8, he calls Him “Lord.”

Jesus called him to be a disciple.

Verse 11 says, Peter & the others “forsook all, and followed him.”

NOTE: Peter’s one act of obedience changed his life forever.

We know that Peter wasn’t perfect.

We know that he denied Jesus three times…but we also know that Peter went on to be a mighty man of God.

He preached on the Day of Pentecost & 3,000 were saved…Sick people were laid in the streets & his shadow brought healing…There are 2 books in the NT that bear his name.

And it all started with one act of obedience.

NOTE: When you obey God, it will change your life forever.

CONCLUSION:

1.

Is it worth it to obey God? Absolutely.

The moment you begin to obey God, He will begin to bless your life, and in the years to come, you will reap a bountiful harvest.

1.

We must obey God in ALL things.

Obedience to God is important even in the things that seem insignificant.

In fact, obedience in small matters sometimes leads to the greatest blessings.

2. Our obedience benefits others.

Peter was blessed but his partners were also blessed.

Peter’s boat was full of fish but so was James & John’s.

3. When we obey God, we will never be disappointed.

Obeying God is worth it.

Obedience will be rewarded.

The moment you begin to obey God, He will begin to bless your life, and in the years to come, you will reap a bountiful harvest.

4. God’s call to obedience always demands our response.

Again, obedience is a choice.

Let’s pray!