LAUNCHING OUT Session 4

LAUNCHING OUT

Session 4: A Place to Begin Again - Part 1

TEXT Luke 5:1–11

1 So it was, as the multitude pressed about Him to hear the word of God, that He stood by the Lake of Gennesaret, 2 and saw two boats standing by the lake; but the fishermen had gone from them and were washing their nets. 3 Then He got into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, and asked him to put out a little from the land. And He sat down and taught the multitudes from the boat.4 When He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon, “Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” 5 But Simon answered and said to Him, “Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net.” 6 And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking. 7 So they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, 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 and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish which they had taken; 10 and so also were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid. From now on you will catch men.” 11 So when they had brought their boats to land, they forsook all and followed Him.

Two dominant personalities in this passage: Jesus and Peter. They would interact intimately for the next three and a half years. Although John was identified as the ‘apostle whom Jesus loved’, I believe most of us relate more to Peter who had ‘flashes of brilliance and long extended periods of mediocrity’! Yet Jesus had great plans for Peter; He could see the end from the beginning, and would provide a place for Peter to begin again after a series of failures.

Peter’s life is like ours: a study in contradictions.

Let’s look at some good times.

He accepted Jesus’ call to leave all and follow Him.

One of the inner circle of disciples: Peter, James, John, and sometimes Andrew. They got to see and experience many things the other disciples did not: they were there for the healing of Jairus’ daughter; they experienced the Transfiguration; they went deeper into the Garden of Gethsemane with Jesus and heard His cries of anguish, yet fell asleep as He prayed;

Peter knew who Jesus was. At the “Feeding of the Five Thousand”, after everyone had left because of the message, Peter spoke his truth and his faith.

John 6:66–69 (NKJV) From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more. Then Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you also want to go away?” But Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

Peter had received revelation from the Father and this revelation would form the foundation and structure of the church!

Matthew 16:13–17 (NKJV) When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?” So they said, “Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus answered and said to him, *“Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.”

Derek Prince: Four Steps to salvation; Divine Confrontation, Divine Revelation, Personal Acknowledgement, Personal Confession…

Peter was a bold follower: he walked on water; he said "we have left all to follow You”; he cut off the ear of the high priest’s servant when they came to arrest Jesus.

Sometimes put his foot in his mouth:

After his confession…

Matthew 16:21–23 (NKJV) From that time Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day. 22 Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, “Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!” 23 But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.”

At the Transfiguration…

Luke 9:33 (NKJV) Then it happened, as they were parting from Him, that Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good for us to be here; and let us make three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah”—not knowing what he said.

At Jesus’ trials…

Matthew 26:33–35 (NKJV) Peter answered and said to Him, “Even if all are made to stumble because of You, I will never be made to stumble.” 34 Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you that this night, before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” 35 Peter said to Him, “Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You!” And so said all the disciples.

But he did; they all did, except for John.

Matthew 26:69-75 (NKJV) “Now Peter sat outside in the courtyard. And a servant girl came to him, saying, “You also were with Jesus of Galilee.” But he denied it before them all, saying, “I do not know what you are saying.” And when he had gone out to the gateway, another girl saw him and said to those who were there, “This fellow also was with Jesus of Nazareth.” But again he denied with an oath, “I do not know the Man!” And a little later those who stood by came up and said to Peter, “Surely you also are one of them, for your speech betrays you.” Then he began to curse and swear, saying, “I do not know the Man!” Immediately a rooster crowed. And Peter remembered the word of Jesus who had said to him, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” So he went out and wept bitterly.”

Peter had shown such courage in the Garden. Why was he afraid now? The servant! Peter had tried to kill him; he was sure the servant would have him executed!

Even though he would see the resurrected Lord, he did not feel he would ever be able to walk with Him again. He did not know that this was all part of the plan. Jesus had told him it would happen and why.

Luke 22:31–34 (NKJV) And the Lord said, “Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. 32 But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.” 33 But he said to Him, “Lord, I am ready to go with You, both to prison and to death.” 34 Then He said, “I tell you, Peter, the rooster shall not crow this day before you will deny three times that you know Me.”

Between the call and commencement is a process called ‘sifting’. What is it?

Amos 9:9 (NKJV) “For surely I will command, And will sift the house of Israel among all nations, As grain is sifted in a sieve; Yet not the smallest grain shall fall to the ground.

Luke 3:16–17 (NKJV) John answered, saying to all, “I indeed baptize you with water; but One mightier than I is coming, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 17 His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather the wheat into His barn; but the chaff He will burn with unquenchable fire.”

Sifting removes the hard shell from the inner kernel of wheat. It is a vigorous process.

The Christian life is a process. When we decide to launch out into the deep, God begins to refine us and purify us.

Malachi 3:2–3 (NKJV) “But who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He is like a refiner’s fire and like launderers’ soap. 3 He will sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver; He will purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer to the Lord an offering in righteousness.

John 15:2 (NKJV) “Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away (lifts up); and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.”

The Ark resided in a threshing floor; God is preparing us to be habitations of His Glory!