Pastor Nam Park.
Getting to the core of the real Jesus causes people to think of Jesus as JUST a great teacher. Emphasis on the Fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of man.
William Templeton (Arch Bishop of Canterbury) insightfully said, "Why anyone should have troubled to crucify the Christ of Liberal Protestantism has always been a mystery"
The reality of who Jesus Christ is, speaks to everything to you and your eternal destiny.
Who and what Jesus Christ is. And when faced with who and what Jesus Christ is, how do we respond? Here, the Lord is calling ALL to become fishermen, through ONE single fisherman.
The knowledge of Jesus Christ should lead us to the worship of Jesus Christ.
If it doesn't, it doesn't make any sense.
To know and to worship Jesus rightly and to draw/help others to do the same.
Our knowledge of Christ says EVERYTHING about us.
Luke 5 Now it happened that while the crowd was pressing around Him and listening to the word of God, He was standing by the lake of Gennesaret; 2 and He saw two boats lying at the edge of the lake; but the fishermen had gotten out of them and were washing their nets. 3 And He got into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, and asked him to put out a little way from the land. And He sat down and began teaching the people 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 and said, “Master, we worked hard all night and caught nothing, but I will do as You say and let down the nets.” 6 When they had done this, they enclosed a great quantity of fish, and their nets began to break; 7 so they signaled to their partners in the other boat for them to come and help them. And they came and filled both of the boats, so that they began to sink. 8 But when Simon Peter saw that, he fell down at Jesus’ feet, saying, “Go away from me Lord, for I am a sinful man!” 9 For amazement had seized him and all his companions because of the catch of fish which they had taken; 10 and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not fear, from now on you will be catching men.” 11 When they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed Him.
1. It's about Teaching.
2. It's about Fishing: Literally fishing.
3. It's about Following.
The people were crowding and pressing upon Jesus because He was preaching words that seem to come from God. The Word "sourced" from God.
John 49 For I did not speak on My own initiative, but the Father Himself who sent Me has given Me a commandment as to what to say and what to speak. 50 I know that His commandment is eternal life; therefore the things I speak, I speak just as the Father has told Me.”
The primary ministry Jesus had was to preach God's Word. The miracles that were done merely verified His ministry; accentuating that Jesus was worth being heard.
Lake Gennesaret (only Luke uses this name) = The Sea of Galilee = The Sea of Tiberiah (gospel of John)
They fished, usually at night.
Luke 5:4 When He had finished speaking, He said to Simon (specifically Peter), “Put out into the deep water and let down your nets (collectively for everyone) for a catch.”
- Simon is a representative for them all. Simon, a professional fisherman was willing to yield his fishing expertise to a carpenter. He had a willingness to obey.
This miracle sounds cool, but ranks rather low (on Pastor Nam's list) in comparison to healing a man that was blind from birth or raising a person from the dead. Yet, for Simon Peter [He was called PETER at moments of Christ-centered clarity], he is overwhelmed and falls face down in a pile of fish.
It is personal. And Peter senses the nearness of God in it. The weight of unworthiness settles upon His soul.
Job 42:5 “I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear;
But now my eye sees You;
6 Therefore I retract,
And I repent in dust and ashes.”
The reality of who God is humbles us. We are undone. No pride, no hubris. The just and right thing at that moment seems that Jesus shouldn't be associated with a sinful man like me. Peter recognized it would be right for Jesus to leave.
Luke 18:13 But the tax collector, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, the sinner!’ - the ONE sinner.
The other disciples might have shared in the amazement but also in the dismay (that the Lord shouldn't be near them).
There was a fear that Jesus might leave them. Yet even though Simon Peter feels his unworthiness, Jesus promises him a ministry. Jesus turns sinners into servants.
Acts 4 and 5 recount the many people that came to know Christ through them.
They abandoned everything to follow HIM (leaving everything, they decided to follow ONE) <- This is the summary of becoming a Christian.
This is what happens when you meet the Son of God, He catches you alive and He employs you to catch others.
They weren't very influential men, they were fishermen.
The most important thing about ability, is AVAILABILITY.
God's not calling geniuses, He's calling normal people.
"Teaching the Changed Lives" - by Dr. Hendricks.
Dr. Hendricks came to faith through a faithful man, named Walt. Walt was a Sunday School teacher that played marbles every Sunday with a group of boys, won all their marbles and challenged them to follow Christ. Out of 13 men, 11 became full-time ministers. Walt had a 6th grade education. Dr. Hendricks couldn't remember what was taught, but he could tell you everything about the man. Walt invested in him.
God uses sinners like us, to call others.
Living it: Spend time with others. Believers and non-believers alike. Be available.
