Walking With Jesus – The “Deep Waters” (Part I – Lent)
Sermon Title: Walking With Jesus – The “Deep Waters”
Good News Statement: Jesus rescues us from “deep waters”
Preached: Sunday, March 2nd, 2025 at Dogwood Prairie UMC & Seed Chapel UMC
Pastor Daniel G. Skelton, M.Div.
Scripture (NRSVUE): Luke 5:1-11 Today’s scripture reading comes from the Gospel of Luke. During the Lenten and Easter Season, we are going to be walking with Jesus to the Cross, listening to his parables, deciphering his teachings, and experiencing our own resurrection. Our walk begins in the deep waters seeking to be pulled to the shore. Our scripture reading is Luke Chapter Five, Verses One thru Eleven. May the hearing and understanding of this scripture add a blessing to your life.
Jesus Calls the First Disciples
5 Once while Jesus was standing beside the Lake of Gennesaret and the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, 2 he saw two boats there at the shore of the lake; the fishermen had gotten out of them and were washing their nets. 3 He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little way from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat. 4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.” 5 Simon answered, “Master, we have worked all night long but have caught nothing. Yet if you say so, I will let down the nets.” 6 When they had done this, they caught so many fish that their nets were beginning to burst. 7 So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both boats, so that they began to sink. 8 But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’s knees, saying, “Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!” 9 For he and all who were with him were astounded at the catch of fish that they had taken, 10 and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. Then Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people.” 11 When they had brought their boats to shore, they left everything and followed him.
This is the Word of God for the People of God; And all God’s people said, “Thanks be to God.”
The following Sermon Series will be drawn from the words of Biblical Scholar Charles R. Swindoll, who offers commentary and thoughts on the Gospel of Luke in his book
”Swindoll’s New Testament Insights: Insights on Luke” published in 2012 by
Zondervan Publications in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Charles R. Swindoll, Swindoll’s New Testament Insights: Insights on Luke, Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 2012.
Introduction:
In August of 1988, a Scottish duo known as the Proclaimers released a song that five years later reached number three on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States. The lead single from their second album, Sunshine on Leith¸ has been featured in several movies and television shows, is still played on the radio today, and is said that the band’s earnings from this one song are “five times more than the rest of their music catalogue combined.”[1] Needless to say, this 1988 song has become a “live staple”[2] for millions of people across the world. The name of this song is “I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles).”
The song “I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles),” according to Charlie Reid, the lead singer of the Proclaimers, “is a devotional thing about how far [a person] would walk for [someone they love].” The chorus is probably the most remembered of the song, and it goes like this, “But I would walk five hundred miles and I would walk five hundred more just to be the man who walked a thousand miles to fall down at your door.” How far are you willing to walk for the person and people you love?
I was thinking about this song the other day as I was contemplating the Lent and Easter Season. Jesus walked everywhere, except when he was in a boat. He walked to Nazareth to Jerusalem every year with his parents to celebrate the Passover Meal; He walked from village to village and town to town preaching the good news; He walked all over the Galilean Region healing the sick, casting out demons, restoring sight to the blind, helping the deaf hear again, giving words to the mute, feeding the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty, clothing the naked, releasing captives, blessing the poor, and telling the paralyzed to stand up and walk. He walked by wells and places of gathering to forgive sins and to eat with Pharisees, Tax Collectors, and Unbelievers; He walked throughout the land inviting people to give up everything and to “follow him”; He walked in deserts, up mountains, into deserted places, and within the peacefulness of gardens to find restoration, isolation, and hope; and He walked, while carrying his cross, to his death on Calvary. Then three days later, He walked out of the tomb!
It is extremely evident that Jesus walked. He probably walked more than 500 miles! As a matter of fact, according to Ray Downing—a 3D illustrator and animator—“The Gospels give us a detailed accounting of these walks and destinations [within a region roughly the size of the state of New Jersey] and is [estimated] that during the three years of Jesus’ public ministry he walked approximately 3,125 miles.”[3] Besides walking to share the good news and to change the hearts and lives of many people, why did Jesus walk all those miles?
For the next several weeks, leading up to Easter, we are going to attempt to answer that question by walking with Jesus, from town to town as he takes his last step on Calvary but also takes his first step out of the tomb. And hopefully, as we walk with Jesus, it will become clear to why he walked all those miles and to why he invites us to continue to walk for him on this earth. Are you willing to walk 500 miles? Are you willing to put on those boots that are made for walking? Are you willing to walk for those you love and for the One who loves you?
Body:
Although, personally, I would much rather go for a bike ride, going for a walk is something that I don’t mind doing. I lace up my tennis shoes, put on my sweatpants or shorts, pick out on old shirt to wear, and head out the door to explore the area on foot! Do you any of you enjoy going for a walk?
Typically when I do go for a walk, I think about random things, make a mental list of things that I need to do, make plans, pray, simply look around and observe God’s creation. When Emily and I go for a walk, we use that time to catch up: talk about family, talk about work, make plans, ask each other questions, and sometimes we see who has the longer strides and who walks the fastest. If you do go for walks, why do you go for walks?
It has been scientifically proven that walking has positive benefits on one’s life both physically and mentally. Walking boosts immune function, burns calories, improves balance and coordination, strengthens muscles, increases life longevity, lowers blood pressure, boosts one’s creativity, and improves one’s mood, mental health, reduces depression, and is a positive management practice for stress. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in an article published on its website in 2022, 58.7% of adults walked for leisure, walking for leisure increased with increasing family income and education level, and 16.2% of adults walked for means of transportation.[4] Furthermore, “The percentage of adults who walked for leisure decreased with increasing age.”[5] The report also highlighted that women (60.5%) were more likely than men (56.9%) to walk for leisure.[6]
I bet many of you walked to your vehicle this morning and then walked from you vehicle to the church and then will walk back to your vehicle after service. And some of you may walk, before you return home, from your vehicle to a table at a restaurant. Walking is part of our life, and we sometimes don’t give the ability to walk much praise until we realize that simply walking seems like a chore or even difficult and painful to do. It’s at that point in our life that we view the ability to walk as a gift.
Today, we find ourselves walking with Jesus along the lake of Gennesaret which is more commonly known as the Sea of Galilee, which is Israel’s largest freshwater lake located in a deep depression in Northern Israel. The Sea of Galilee is known as the place where Jesus performed many miracles, called his disciples, calmed the storm, rescued Peter from sinking, turned fishermen into fishers of people, fed a group of 5,000 men plus women and children from five loaves of bread and two little fish, and after casting out a legion of demons, and sent them into a herd of pigs, sent them off a cliff to drown. The Sea of Galilee or lake of Gennesaret is both a physical land maker for Jesus’ ministry and is also a spiritual marker in our own walk with Christ—as many lives were changed and saved near this body of water. So, our journey with Jesus to the cross begins where his earthly ministry began: in deep waters on a famous lake in Northern Israel.
Movement One: Review of the Text…
After Jesus is tempted in the desert by the Devil for forty days, after Jesus preaches from the scroll of Isaiah in the synagogue of his hometown of Nazareth, after casting out demon on the Sabbath, after healing the mother-in-law of Simon, and after telling the people that his purpose is to “proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God to the others cities” (Luke 4:43), Luke notes that Jesus continues the work of his ministry in the region of Galilee. Luke chapter five highlights the catching of many fish, making fishermen into fishers of people, the healing of a leper—a deadly and often terminal skin disease, the healing and forgiveness of sins, the telling of a paralytic man to “stand up and walk” (Luke 5:23), the calling of Simon (Peter), James, John, and Matthew (Levi), the debate about fasting, and the challenge to seek new things in Christ. There is no slowing down with Jesus, especially when there are people who need to be healed, forgiven, and made new in his presence and beyond.
The story that I am going to focus on is the story about a great catch of fish. However, I’m not as concerned with what is caught and who is caught as much as I am concerned with where the catch took place. But before, I get to that, it’s important to understand the context of the story and to be able to grasp what is taking place and perhaps the miracle that inspired people to give up everything and to follow Jesus.
While Mark and Matthew speak of Jesus walking along the Sea of Galilee and abruptly calling Simon, Andrew, James, and John to follow him (Matt 4:18-22; Mark 1:16-20), only Luke tells the story of a miraculous catch of fish preceding the call.[7] Our text begins, “Once while Jesus was standing beside the Lake of Gennesaret and the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, he saw two boats there at the shore of the lake; the fishermen had gotten out of them and were washing their nets. He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little way from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat” (Luke 5:1-3).
It’s important to note that other translations begin chapter five by saying “Now it happened….” The span of time from the end of chapter four to the beginning of chapter five is uncertain. It could have been hours, days, or even months between Jesus telling the people his purpose and the gathering at the Sea of Galilee.[8] I see good reason to believe this occurred the very next morning after Jesus spent all night healing people before retreating to a place of seclusion and rest (Luke 4:42), before he was found by the crowds (4:42), and then returned to minister near Capernaum (5:1). Furthermore, Luke notes that the crowd was “pressing” in on him. In Greek, there are three common words to describe the idea of “pressing”[9], and here Luke chooses to use epikeisthai which means “to lay upon, to crowd, to demand instantly.” The crowd is doing more than gathering around Jesus. As a matter of fact, they have gathered around Jesus demanding instantly from him, putting pressure upon him and giving him a good reason to separate himself from those on the shore. It’s no wonder he seeks aid from Simon.
In Luke’s Gospel, this is not Simon’s first encounter with Jesus. Jesus has already been to Simon’s home in Capernaum and has healed his mother-in-law (4:38-39). Perhaps that explains Simon’s willingness to let Jesus use his fishing boat as a floating pulpit and a means to create space between him and the crowds.[10]
Luke then tells us, “When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, ‘Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.’ Simon answered, ‘Master, we have worked all night long but have caught nothing. Yet if you say so, I will let down the nets.’ When they had done this, they caught so many fish that their nets were beginning to burst. So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both boats, so that they began to sink” (Luke 5:4-7).
Have you ever wondered about what Jesus taught the people from Simon’s boat? Did he provide a lesson on discipleship? Perhaps the joy of fulfilling one’s destiny? Maybe trusting God for provisions? Or perhaps he taught about personal space? Regardless of what Jesus taught that day, Simon and many others were convinced by his words so much so that they were willing to do whatever Jesus instructed them to do. Simon had been fishing all night with no success, then working from the early morning hours cleaning his nets. Most likely he was exhausted and looking forward to going home and getting some sleep.[11] Nevertheless, Simon did what Jesus asked (5:1-3).
Jesus tells Simon to put out into the deep water and let down his nets for a catch. Simon, the professional fisherman, obviously believes this will be a useless (futile) exercise. We can almost hear the exasperation in his voice when he responds, “Master, we have worked all night but have caught nothing.” But then he continues; “Yet if you say so, I will let down the nets” (5:4-5). Not long after deploying the net, however, Simon noticed the top of the line of the net had become taut to the point of breaking. The sudden transition in the men’s demeanor must have been comical as Simon frantically barked orders and the crew scrambled, grunted, and groaned to haul in the net. When the weight of the fish nearly caused the first boat to sink, the second boat came to the rescue. Eventually, both crews gingerly rowed toward the shore, their vessels barely visible above the water.[12] How many times has Jesus told you to do something, and your response was somewhat like Simon’s: “I’ll do it just because you told me to do it.”
Luke continues the story, “But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’s knees, saying, ‘Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!” (Luke 5:8). Simon observed the presence and power of God through Jesus, so he fell down and began to worship him. Not only did he worship Jesus, but Simon confessed in the presence of Jesus that he was a sinful man. After witnessing this miracle, Simon didn’t waste a second to let Jesus know that he wasn’t worthy to be part of something like this because he was sinful. Isaiah, the Old Testament prophet, once said, “Woe is me, for I am ruined! Because I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts” (Isaiah 6:5). “Sinfulness,” states Swindoll, “cannot live in the presence of divine holiness.”[13]
Simon is acutely aware of his unworthiness, but Jesus is not put off by this in the slightest. Jesus does not ask Simon to get his act together, his resume prepared, and then come back for an interview. Rather, Jesus encounters him as he is, tells him not to be afraid, and calls him to a new mission of catching people. Throughout Scripture we see that human sin, failure, and inadequacy are no obstacles to God’s call.[14] God doesn’t wait for them to shape up. God calls them as they are and then works on shaping them into faithful servants.
What this moment teaches us is that we, too, need to confess our sinfulness to Jesus. We, too, need to take ownership of our wrongdoings. We, too, need to approach Jesus sometimes before Jesus approaches us. We must not pass up the opportunity to tell Jesus who we really are. The longer we allow our sins to keep us from Jesus, the more likely we are to find ourselves in a sinking boat with no fish. What Jesus does in your life may lead you to saying “I’m not worthy because I am sinful.” But keep in mind, just because you see yourself as not worthy and sinful doesn’t mean that Jesus is going to stop working in your life calling you to do something for him.
Next, Luke 5:9-10 informs us, “For he and all who were with him were astounded (amazed) at the catch of fish that they had taken, and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. Then Jesus said to Simon, ‘Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people’” (Luke 5:9-10). Again, Luke describes the response of people in terms of amazement, just like he did with Mary and Joseph at the time of Jesus’ blessing and will do when the crowd witnesses the paralyzed man standing up and walking. When God takes control of a situation, when we display weakness, it amazes us what God can do.
As the fishermen trembled before the Messiah, they heard the words that would forever change their lives: “Do not fear, from now on you will be catching people” (Luke 5:10). The Greek word rendered “catch” is zogron which literally means “capture alive.” Of course, fishing with nets was a matter of catching fish alive, but those live fish would soon be dead. Here Jesus calls Simon and his partners to a new vocation of catching people so that they might live in him. Jesus is inviting his future followers to catch people—who might seem dead because of sin—and to bring them to shore so that they can live in Christ.[15] As the Apostle Paul wrote to the Romans, “If we live, we live for the Lord…” (Romans 14:8).
Lastly, Luke tells us, “When they had brought their boats to shore, they left everything and followed him” (Luke 5:11). The disciples’ success in business that day didn’t prompt them to invite the Lord to become a senior partner in the business. They understood the principle Jesus taught through their massive haul of fish: “With me, you can do all things. Without me, everything you touch will come to nothing.” When they were ready to accept this truth, they responded to the call of God. The men immediately dropped their nets, left everything behind, and accepted the Lord’s invitation to join him. Their encounter with Jesus rescued them from the depths of their life. Jesus brought them back to life.
As you can tell, the story of Jesus calling Simon, James, and John to follow him and filling their nets with a great catch is truly a miraculous story. It’s a story that makes us think about our call to follow Jesus. It’s a story that invites us to believe in the works of Jesus. It’s a story that seeks to rescue and save those who are lost and spiritually dead. It’s a story by which encourages us to approach Jesus and to be truthful with him. And it’s a story that makes us wonder when Jesus casts his nets into the deep water would he catch us?
Movement Two: Casting your Nets and Jesus Casting His Net…
There is one proponent of this story that I skipped over. Towards the beginning of Luke chapter five, Luke shares, “When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, ‘Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch’” (Luke 5:4). Why the “deep waters”? Why not stay in the shallow water where things are safer and more predictable?
The Greek word rendered “deep water” is bathos, which has the simple meaning “depths.” But classical Greek writers frequently used the term figuratively for “greatness” or “inscrutability,” as did Luke’s mentor, Paul (Romans 8:39, 11:33; 1 Corinthians 2:10; Ephesians 3:18). In a practical sense, Jesus asked the men to return to the very place where they had labored in vain all night, to the very place that made them unsuccessful fishermen, to prove his greatness.
The first thing the “deep waters” suggest to us is that at some point in our life God will lead us back to a place that caused us to feel unworthy, that defeated us, that generated fear and possibly pain, that left us praying that we would never have to go back there again. Last week I shared how a bad crash on my bicycle as a three or four year old caused me to look at the bike with disgust and fear. But then, one day, God lead me back to that bike in such a way that helped me conquer the fear of having another bad crash. Maybe for you, it wasn’t a bicycle but rather a project that you were working on that frustrated you, caused you to have stress, and ultimately pushed you to the edge—to the point where you walked away from it. But then, you had an epiphany—an idea—on how to finish that project. What caused you pain and frustration, God brought you back to so that He could restore your confidence. Maybe, the “deep water” that you are afraid of isn’t a thing but is a person. Is there someone in your life that has ever made you feel unworthy, possibly worthless, and left you all alone in the unknown? Has God ever put the name of that person on your heart or even on your mind? Have you ever felt God nudging you to return to that person, to reach out to the person, to simply meet that person where they are?
On a personal level, to do this day, I have yet to step foot into my once grandmother’s house since my cousin bought it and remodeled it. The place that I grew up going to, creating memories in, and helped take care of, is now my “deep water” that I know God will lead me back to someday. My point is, no matter how hard we try to avoid returning to the “deep waters”—the places and things that left us devastated and uncertain and fearful—just might be the place where God is waiting to do something great in your life. However, more often than not we won’t go and if we don’t go then we miss out on the chance for God to change our life.
The second takeaway from the idea of “deep waters” comes from an Israelite tradition that describes “deep waters” as “chaos.” Chaos is often defined as disorder and confusion. Scientifically, chaos relates to “behavior so unpredictable as to appear random” and “the formless matter supposed to have existed before the creation of the universe.” Biblically, chaos conveys the message of emptiness, waste, desolation, and void. More often than not, in the Old Testament—the Hebrew Bible—chaos refers to a place known as Sheol or the underworld. Words such as descend, deep, and beneath are commonly used when speaking of Sheol. The Book of Job describes it as the farthest place possible from Heaven, where the dead go regardless of who they were in their earthly life. Based upon these definitions and descriptions, “deep waters” is a place that lacks order and is a place that people do their best to avoid.
It’s interesting to note that Jesus tells Simon (and others) to get away from the shore, from the shallow waters, and to go to the deepest part of the lake, that not too many people know about, to witness and be part of a miracle. (Later on, it’s in the deep waters by which the disciples wake up Jesus because a storm is threatening their life. And it’s in the deep waters by which Peter loses faith and begins to sink.) Sometimes in life, in the chaos of life—when there is nothing but disorder—God is found doing His best work in our life—that God calms our storms and that God saves us from drowning.
I’m sure each and every one of you have found yourself in “deep water.” There has been more disorder than order, more darkness than light, more despair than hope, more frustration than peace, more worry than comfort, more questions than answers, more hate than love, and more judgment than acceptance. At some point in your life, the deep water was all you could see.
When I was learning to swim as a child, I was afraid of putting my head below the water. The notion of holding my breath scared me. Every time I got into a pool, I would cling to the side of the pool avoiding any wave or splash of water that would cause me to hold my breath. The side of the pool was my safe guard. As I got older, I let go of the side and remained in the shallow water. As long as my feet touched the bottom of the pool I was doing okay. But then I was forced into the deep end of the pool as my brothers would pick me up and throw me in. Chaos took over. Fear settled in. Although I could swim, the deep waters were too deep. Instead of remaining calm, I let the waters consume me. In life, everything is good until we find ourselves in the deep water: we lose control, we get scared, and we lose hope. We feel alone.
But I’m here to tell you that chaos isn’t something that interrupts God’s activity; chaos only increases God’s opportunities for His creative power to work. Although we let go of the side of the pool at times and get caught in the current of the deep waters, that doesn’t mean that God is going to remain on the shore. God is in the chaos with us. When Jesus sent Simon and the others out into the unknown of the Sea of Galilee, he was still with them. Just because you may find yourself in deep water doesn’t mean that God has given up on you. As a matter of fact, it’s in the deep waters of life that God is performing miracles and that Jesus is casting his nets to save you.
The third takeaway from the idea of “deep waters” is a call to action for each of us and as a church. How often do we resist Jesus’ claim on our lives because what he is calling us to do seems too crazy, too impractical? How often do we avoid putting out into the deep waters of following and bearing witness to Jesus because we are convinced that we will not see any results? What might it mean for us to go deep-sea fishing with Jesus—to trust and follow him outside our comfort zones, to let go of our certainties, to have our lives radically reoriented?
Jesus’ mission does not wait until we think we are ready: it finds us when we least expect it. The need for the gospel in this broken world is far too urgent. We are called right now—even in spite of our frailty, failures, and doubts, even in the midst of our ordinary, busy, complicated lives. Jesus’ word to Simon Peter is also a word to us: “Do not be afraid.” This is Jesus’ mission, and we trust that he will keep working with us and through us, “catching” others as he has caught us— in the deep, wide net of God’s mercy and love. We trust, finally, that the catch is in God’s hands, and that God’s desire is for the nets to be bursting and the boats full.
The third takeaway invites us to really think about where we are casting our nets. Are we casting our nets only in shallow waters, in places that seem familiar and comfortable to us? Are there limitations that we have created ourselves when it comes to casting nets because we know that casting nets takes work, risks, and chances; therefore only doing what we want to do instead of what we need to do? What is the fear that is preventing us from casting our nets into deep waters? Jesus, every day of his ministry, casted nets into the deep waters of society and every time he pulled in nets of people wanting to live for him. So, why can’t we do the same? There is a lot of deep water out there, beyond these four walls, that need exploring, that are filled with people who need to know Jesus.
Even as a church, when we cast our nets what are we hoping to bring a shore, what sort of work are we willing to do to make a difference in this community, in someone’s life, and what sort of risks or chances are we taking to prove to God that we want to be a church that is here for generations?
Casting nets involves taking risks, making changes, taking chances, and having faith in Christ. All Jesus needs us to do is simply cast our net. But, are we casting our nets today? If we are, then where are we casting our nets? And why?
Movement Three: Applications of the “Deep Water”[16]
After providing background information regarding Luke 5:1-11 in his commentary, Charles R. Swindoll offerings his readers a chance to apply the story to their own life in what he calls “Application.” The title for this section’s application is “Things to Remember When You’re in Deep Water.” So, I leave you with six things Swindoll invites us to apply to our life.
First: Jesus chose not to minister to others all alone. Jesus has the power of God to do everything he needs to do: he doesn’t really need our help but at the same time he does. Jesus could have rowed the boats into the deep, but he had the disciples row. He could have dropped the nets himself, but he had the disciples drop the nets. He could have pulled up all those fish with one arm by the power of God, but He let Simon and the other fishermen pull up all those fish. Jesus delegated those tasks to these disciples in order to show them their future ministry: “From now on you will be catching people.” Jesus can do everything on his own but yet he still chooses us to do some of the work. In deep waters, we are not alone: Jesus is still finding ways to use us, still preparing us to cast our nets.
Second: Jesus uses the familiar to do the incredible. Jesus met the disciples on their turf. He worked in their familiar scene, the fishing world. He got into their place of work, the boat. He used their nets, their skills. He engaged in their trade. Jesus uses what we are familiar with—where we are and what we can do—to do something incredible in our life. Jesus meets us where we are, even in deep waters.
Third: Jesus moves us from the safety of what can be seen to help us trust him through the risks of the unseen. None of the work was done in the shallow water. Jesus could have summoned the fish to the men, but he didn’t. Jesus could have directed the men to row out into the deep water before instructing them to lower their nets, but he didn’t. Jesus could have left them with nothing, but he didn’t. Jesus wanted the men to trust him, even though they saw no reason to obey. Just because you have tried something once and didn’t succeed doesn’t mean that it should totally be ignored. In the shallow water, we can see everything, but Jesus wants us to see the unseen of the deep water by trusting in him.
Fourth: Jesus sometimes rewards faithfulness by breaking our nets and filling our boats. When we allow God to take control of our life, He will do amazing things, He will make the impossible possible, and He will change our life. When we allow God to help us with a project or ministry at the church, He will be with us every step of the way, He will give us the tools we need, and He will open doors that we thought were closed. Keep the faith and Jesus will fill the boats.
Fifth: Jesus conceals his surprises until we follow his leading. The water didn’t glow. The boat didn’t have a little halo over it. Jesus didn’t bring nets from heaven that shimmered. Simon rowed the same boat he had been in all night, using the same nets that had come up empty. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary to Simon until he obeyed Jesus and followed him. Jesus will use what we have already to change our life. Jesus will use what we have to help us believe in him. And Jesus will use where we are to make a difference. Jesus doesn’t need the most expensive—brand new—things to change our life. All he needs is for us to obey and follow him.
Sixth and lastly: Jesus reveals his objective to those who are willing to relinquish their security. After Simon and the other disciples obeyed the Lord’s command and experienced a miracle, they found themselves intertwined into Jesus’ plan. Each step of faith reveals more of God’s plan in our life.
In the deep waters of life, we finally realize the power of Christ. The deep waters of life reveal our vulnerability and need of Jesus, the victory of the cross. No matter when, how, where, or why we end up in deep waters, we must not give up: we must be willing to seek Jesus, to ask for help, to remember that we are not alone. In the deep waters of life, God is working miracles.
Conclusion:
Our journey to the cross begins with us walking with Jesus on the shores of the Sea of Galilee witnessing tired and worn out fishermen who were told to cast their nets in the deep water one more time. Their lives were changed that day because they did what Jesus told them to do.
During this Lenten and Easter Season, let Jesus pull you out of any “deep water” that you may be in. Let him pull you to shore; let him rescue you; let him save you; let him meet you where you are; and let him invite you to follow him. In the deep waters of life, God is still working miracles. In the deep waters of life, Jesus can still save you. In the deep waters of life, we realize that in order to get out we might have to do something new. I leave you with these questions: “Where are you casting your net? Do you need help getting out of the deep water? And are you willing to follow Jesus, even if it means doing something new?”
Let it be so…
Communion Transition:
Closing Prayer:
Let us pray: Dear Jesus, save us from the deep waters of life. Help us to cast our nets. Fill our boats with a multitude of fish. Nurture us to be fishers of people. In your precious name we pray, Amen.
Benediction:
This week consider where you are casting your net and what it means to follow Jesus even in deep waters. May the Lord make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you; and May the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace (Numbers 6:24-26). In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit go forth walking with Jesus to a new resurrection. And all God’s people said, Amen. Amen. Amen.
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I%27m_Gonna_Be_(500_Miles)
[2] “I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)” has become a live staple at the Proclaimers’ concerts. The duo played it at Edinburgh 50,000 – The Final Push at Murrayfield Stadium on 6 July 2005, the final concert of Live 8, to symbolize the conclusion of “The Long Walk to Justice”. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I%27m_Gonna_Be_(500_Miles)
[3] Ray Downing, “How Far Did Jesus Walk”, an online blog post published on February 21, 2023: https://www.raydowning.com/blog/2023/2/20/how-far-did-jesus-walk#:~:text=His%20journey%20was%20not%20a,he%20walked%20approximately%203%2C125%20miles.
[4] https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db504.htm#:~:text=by%20demographic%20characteristics%3F-,In%202022%2C%2058.7%25%20of%20adults%20walked%20for%20leisure%20in%20the,adults%20age%2065%20and%20older
[5] Ibid., … from 61.8% of adults ages 18-44 and 59.1% of adults ages 45-64 to 51.6% of adults age 65 and older
[6] Ibid. … and that men (17.3%) are more likely than women (15.0%) to walk for transportation
[7] Additionally, Luke’s story shares common elements with John’s post-resurrection story of Jesus meeting his disciples at the Sea of Galilee. As in John 21:1-10, we see a futile night of fishing, Jesus offering some unsolicited fishing advice, an overwhelming catch of fish, and a recognition of Jesus’ identity that focuses especially on the response of Simon Peter.
[8] The summary statement in Luke 4:44 doesn’t necessarily mean a long period of time had elapsed.
[9] Other words in Greek to describe “pressing”: epikeisthai, piezo, and apothlibo
[10] Charles R. Swindoll, Swindoll’s New Testament Insights: Insights on Luke, Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 2012. Pg. 121. Jesus positioned the boat a short distance from the shore, sat down—the customary posture for teaching—and began to teach. Charles R. Swindoll notes, “[Jesus’s] voice echoed across the still waters of the early morning Sea of Galilee as hundreds—perhaps thousands—lined the shore to hear him.”
[11] So it must have seemed a bit of an imposition when Jesus got into Simon’s boat and asked him to put out a little way from the shore.
[12] Charles R. Swindoll, Swindoll’s New Testament Insights: Insights on Luke, Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 2012. Pg. 122.
[13] Charles R. Swindoll, Swindoll’s New Testament Insights: Insights on Luke, Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 2012. Pg. 123.
[14] God calls imperfect people to do God’s work, people who are aware of their unworthiness and are often doubting and resistant to God’s call (see, for example, Exodus 3:10-12; Isaiah 6:1-6; Jeremiah 1:6-8).
[15] Romans 14:8, “If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord.” And Philippians 1:21, “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”
[16] Charles R. Swindoll, Swindoll’s New Testament Insights: Insights on Luke, Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 2012. Pg. 124-125.