Sermon Tone Analysis

*Overtime faith*

*Luke 5: 1-11*

 

Intro:  This occasion on the Sea of Gennesaret, [ also called Tiberias and Galilee] was evidently the Lord’s second call to these disciples, Jesus had previously called the four fisherman (Andrew, Peter, James and John) to follow Him and they had traveled with Him in Capernaum and Galilee (Mark 1: 21-39), but then they had returned to their fishing business.

The time for a deeper level of commitment and involvement had come.

Luke 5:1  ¶And it came to pass, that, as the people pressed upon him to hear the word of God, he stood by the lake of Gennesaret,

2  And saw two ships standing by the lake: but the fishermen were gone out of them, and were washing their nets.

3  And he entered into one of the ships, which was Simon's, and prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the land.

And he sat down, and taught the people out of the ship.

 

 

 

4  Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught.

5  And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net.

6  And when they had this done, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake.

7  And they beckoned unto their partners, which were in the other ship, that they should come and help them.

And they came, and filled both the ships, 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 was astonished, and all that were with him, at the draught of the fishes which they had taken:

 

 

 

10  And so was also James, and John, the sons of Zebedee, which were partners with Simon.

And Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men.

11  And when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all, and followed him.

/people pressed upon him to hear the word of God/ - rescuers are necessary when situation grows desperate.

In Russia people long and yearn to hear God’s Word.

If a preacher comes with the truth - there definitely be a PRESS to get in.

In America, we have a hard time understanding the famine of God’s word and the hunger and thirst that results from it.

We are so accustomed to the abundance of God’s word here in US that we overlook all of the people of the world who are so desperately hungry for the truth.

I am not even going to mention the watered-down, politically correct, spiritually impotent social gospel and weak preaching out there.

But what I see here in the US is that people come to church, hear solid preaching, and this is it.

They fail to feed themselves with god’s word from day to day, they allow the preaching enter into one ear and exit out of the other.

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THE NEW CALL DEMANDED GREATER COMMITMENT (vv.

4-7)

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Jesus stepped right into Peter’s boat.

Do you remember the owner of a colt? 

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*1 Corinthians 6:19-20*  What?

know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?

For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.

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But in his mercy and grace He asks us to become co-labourers with him!

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Peter was willing to be used of God “I will let down the net”

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Do you want to be blessed because you have earned it or as a recipient of MERCY?

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Pastor mentioned this principle in the  morning – knowing God’s will is no good unless we put it in practice

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Peter could have said  - I am a professional, I worked all night, there is no fish there!

But he had enough common sense to simply trust God.

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Remember – professionals built the Titanic, Noah built the ark.

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It becomes easier to obey God when we already know what God can do

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THE NEW CALL WAS AN INVITATION TO GREATER INTIMACY v. 8  

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our reaction in a trying situation should be “Lord command me to do what I cannot do!”

I believe that Peter was more spiritual than we give him credit.

He has learned the lesson of a multitude of fish well.

Next time when the disciples were crossing the sea and the storm raged they saw Jesus walking on water.

*Matthew 14:27-29*  But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.

And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water.

And he said, Come.

And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.

*Luke 6:38*  Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom.

For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.

*John 14:12-14*  ¶Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.

And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.

Do you understand the potential power in these commands?

God will provide us with the divine appointments and bring people our way to hear the Gospel.

He will enable us to have the resources to carry out his commands.

Next time Faith Promise Missions Conference rolls around and we are already stretched beyond our ability  -we can remember Peter who toiled all night, who knew the best fishing spots, who was a professional, yet caught nothing.

But who obeyed the Word of God and gave of himself first – and caught a tremendous catch.

We can simply obey God’s will and give, not desiring a blessing, but simply out of our love for the Lord and compassion for the lost.

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THE NEW CALL IS A CALL TO A NEW- WAY OF LIFE.

vv.9-11

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Being Fishers of men is totally different from being fishers of fish.

When you catch fish they are alive and you cook them and make them very dead \\ \\ #.

When you fish for men, you get them very spiritually dead, but when the Gospel is preached and the Holy Spirit does a transformation in their life – they become very much alive!!!

 

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The word translated “catch” in verse ten is literally “to catch alive” as taking animals alive for a circus or a zoo.

Sometimes it seems that we think that there are two kinds of Christians: those who catch the animals for the zoo and those who come to look at them.

But this is not the way it is suppose to be.

 

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Peter and Andrew got John and James involved – everyone has a part!

I find American Christians going to church a few times a week, dropping a few bucks in the offering plate, praying once in a while before meals and considering that they have done their duty, washing their nets.

What is your purpose on this planet?

What is it that you live for.

•                     money, material things

•                     knowledge

•                     power and authority

•                     worshipping God

•                     getting to know him better?

It is to seek and to save those who are lost.

It is to lead people to the Saviour - otherwise God would have taken us to Heaven

 

Peter recognized the authority by which great catch is possible - God’s Word.

Paul has said that it is the Gospel that has the power unto salvation.

Power - where we get our word dynomite - to demolish that satanic bond of sin and live holy unto God.

Peter said that he has toiled all night - he was a fisherman - he knew the best places and times to fish, or so he thought.

See, we have churches and Pastors who think that if we have a certain program or a certain style of music or church service at a certain time - then the church would grow.

What grows the church is God himself.

Peter had enough sense to see that