A Lession in Obedience
Notes
Transcript
The last time we visted the Lord’s school of discipleship Peter passed a monumental test- to respond to the call of Christ. But that was just the first lesson in his education in discipleship. Now, he will learn the necessity of obedience.
One of the great principles in Scripture is the requirement of obedience to God. In fact, the whole book of Deuteronomy is themed around the blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience. Because God created and redeemed us, He is entitled to out obedience.
As Christians, we should constantly be growing in the knowledge of our Saviour.
Benjamin Frenklin- “Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remeber, involve me and I learn.”
In essence, involvement is how we learn. And in the Christian’s life, no involvement with Christ is acceptable apart from obedience. Therefore, obedience is an essential part to learning
My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
In the hymm “Trust and Obey” we sing the well-known lyrics, “Trust and obey, for there’s no other way to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.” God will do wonderful things for and through people who are willing to simply obey Him.
The Challenge v.1-4
The Challenge v.1-4
Peter returned after a fruitless night of Fishing. He was exhauted. Frustrated. Discouraged. As he sat on the hore, cleaning his nets, the Lord commandeered his vacated ship as a temporary pulpit. And afterward, Christ ussued a command Peter thought made no sense.
Lanuch out into the deep
Lanuch out into the deep
Jesus told Peter to go back out into the deeo and let down the nets. This would take tiem and effort, and as Peter pointed out, he had been fishing all night without catching anything. The Lord could have directed Peter to throw out his nets from the shoreHe certainly could have had the fish swim in shallow water if He so chose. there is nothing too hard for the Lord.
Ah Lord God! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee:
Christ, however, wanted to teach Peter a lesson in Obedience. Altough we may not understand why the Lord directs as He does, we can trust that He has good reasons for everything. As Christians, we can rest knowing that no matter where God tells us to go or how deep the waters are, He will be right out there with us.
Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
What blessings and wondrous works of the Lord are we missing out on because of our reluctance to leave our comfort zones and launch out into the deep for God?
Let down the nets
Let down the nets
When God works in our life, it’s always great then we could imagine. Christ commanded Peter to let down not just one, but several nets for a draught of fish. the word draught in the Greek, means a catching or a haul of fish. Jesus was literally promising Peter that if he would let down his nets again, he would pull them up full of fish.
The same God that worked miracles in Peter’s life wants to do things in our world today. The famous missionary
William Carey- “Expect great things from God; attempt great things for God.”
The God of Peter and William Carey wants to work in our lives today.
For I am the Lord, I change not;
Therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.
Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.
It would be wonderful thing if we would let down multiple nets for ministry and for souls, and trust God to use us like Peter as “fishers of men.”
Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.
God has given all of us gifts to use for His glory and for the good of others. If you don’t know what your gift is, ask God to show you- and then faithfully accept the opportunities He gives you to use it.
A young lady returned from college for the summer, burdened to get a nursing home ministry started in her local area. She contected a nearby center and got permission to hold monthly church services. Only then did she say, “Dad, we need a preacher...” He wasn’t officially a preacher, just a faithful layman, but he wanted to serve God any way he could and accepted the opportunity. 20 years later, the ministry continues and he is still doing the preaching. The gifts and talents God has given us may seem insignificant at first, but all Christ needs to do a great work is a believer willing to use what he’s been given.
Peter didn’t know it, but God was about to perform a miracle in his life. Like so many of us, however, he had a few objections before he decided to obey.
The Conflict v.5
The Conflict v.5
Just as with Peter, our problem isn’t understanding that we ought to obey Christ. We see the Lord’s right to our obedience woven throughout Scripture.
Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.
Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
whe it comes to obedience, the problem is not God’s commands, but out slowness to trust and obey. Our flesh will always rebel and seek to follow its own way.
Toiling his own way
Toiling his own way
When Jesus promised a great catch of fish , Peter was skeptical. He wasn’t an amateur fisherman. He knew the waters and his trade well. The last thing he wanted to do was go out again- there weren’t any fish, and he’s been toiling all night. The word means synonymous with labor and implies exhaustion, to come up completely empty for a full nights work had to be discoutaging.
Trusting Christ’s word
Trusting Christ’s word
The Confession
The Confession
Partial Obedience
Partial Obedience