Ray Yates writes:
Luke 5.1-12
By way of Introduction, I will make two points:
1) We can’t master discipleship, we can only allow God to master us. That is why surrender is so important! We bring our brokenness, and this side of eternity we continue to carry that brokenness.
2) Sometimes we have to go back to go forward.
This is not how to sermon, but a surrender sermon.
This is what I call a DNA passage, it speaks to the very core of our calling to be Jesus’ disciples-this passage should shape what it means to be called a disciple and how we do church.
Passages like this should help us find our way back to Jesus call….
We know this from John’s Gospel Peter being reinstated after denying Jesus.
Peter had to be reminded of his original calling to be able to go forward…
Peter fell but we at the very least drift!
We need to recapture our calling (or find it for the first time) and realign ourselves with Jesus's call.
It is too easy to admire & even worship Jesus but not follow Him or respond to his call.
This is, I believe, one of the main challenges facing the church today: to become worshippers who follow Jesus.
Before the disciples believed in Jesus, he believed in them.I love this truth! Jesus believes in me, but it’s also a scary truth. Jesus believes in me when I struggle to share His confidence,
Can you imagine the awe & fear Peter felt when he realised that Jesus didn't just want to use his boat, or show him where to catch fish, or just listen to him teaching, but to be His follower & catch people.
If Jesus hadn’t chosen Peter it is unlikely that Peter would have chosen Jesus!
The road of discipleship can be very rocky-we mess up!
At those times we must remember Jesus’ words.
You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit…
We grow as disciples from a place of knowing our brokenness, powerlessness & Jesus’ acceptance/grace. Jesus loves us, into His likeness.
It's not so much about believing in ourselves (I’ve met a lot of people like that!) but believing that God can work in us & through us in a powerful way, despite our weaknesses and through our brokenness.
Following Jesus will disrupt our lives, following Jesus often means leaving something behind: a fishing boat for Peter, our bad ways of living, but also and equally difficult good things for something better…
Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.”
We are called for the sake of others, we are called to be fishers of men & serve others.
It is through serving we demonstrate the genuineness of our love & we earn the right to share the Gospel.
We serve others in their need because we know our own needs & brokenness.
We see fruit in unexpected places. Peter said, but because you say so, I will put down the net.
The other side represents kingdom potential:
Miracles (the other side) come not from some super spirituality but by God’s power, acknowledging our weakness and dependence on God…
“Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.”
It is so easy then think we know what will work and what won't work.
God reveals Himself as we step out.
Reverend Ray Yates.