EPIPHANY 5
February 7/8, 2010
Pastor Timothy J. Spaude
Text: Luke 5:1-11

“JESUS CHANGES…”
1. Your approach to obedience.
2. Your value.
3. Your purpose in life.

Luke 5:1-11 (NIV) “One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, with the people crowding around him and listening to the word of God, 2he saw at the water's edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. 3He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat.
4When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch." 5Simon answered, "Master, we've worked hard all night and haven't caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets." 6When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. 7So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.
8When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus' knees and said, "Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!" 9For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, 10and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon's partners. Then Jesus said to Simon, "Don't be afraid; from now on you will catch men." 11So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.”

There’s something very satisfying about being the master of your craft. The woodworker, the carpenter who looks at the finished product and sees the joints are flush, the stain just right, feels pride in his accomplishment. The painter with straight lines, the mason whose wall is plumb. It’s good to take satisfaction in a job well done and be able to say, “God built me to do this and do it well.” It seems to me that Peter, James and John were masters of their craft. They’d gone to the school of fish on the Sea of Galilee. They knew how to read wind and waves, where the fish were likely to be for the best catch. They knew that you couldn’t catch them all. They knew to tend to their tools, keeping the nets in good repair, their boats too. I’m sure they felt satisfaction in a job well done.
Then Jesus entered their lives and changed things. Simon Peter lived in Capernaum with his wife and mother in law. Jesus had come to Capernaum preaching the Gospel, casting out demons and healing the sick. One of those healed was Peter’s mother in law. It was no coincidence that Jesus started an outdoor church service near the boats of Peter, James and John. The crowds were so large that Jesus used Peter’s boat as a floating pulpit. Already a lesson was being taught about service to the Lord.
But another one was needed. A lesson on obedience. “When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch." 5Simon answered, "Master, we've worked hard all night and haven't caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets." You can tell from Peter’s response that Jesus’ fishing philosophy seemed foolish. The experienced fishermen fished at night when the fish came close to shore to feed. The experienced fishermen did not fish in the deep water during the day. Now if you’ve ever worked in the trades and had someone who didn’t know your trade give you suggestions or orders on how to do things you know how this must have felt. Imagine the mason being told to double the water in the mortar for a better bond. You can imagine the looks, the smirks, from the fishermen on shore as Peter rowed out with nets ready. “What’s he doing? What a bonehead. That will never work!”
But it did work in a miraculous way. “When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. 7So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.” Wow! What a powerful lesson on obedience to the Lord. Jesus’ command was unreasonable. It did not make sense. Still the Lord Jesus has the right to command anything and expect obedience. Basically there are two reasons for people to obey. Either you do it because you have to or because you want to. Did you notice what Jesus did with Peter? “Let down your nets for a catch.” The Lord led Peter to obey through promise of blessing. He taught the lesson for all by following through with a miraculous catch.
How about you? How do you approach obedience to God? Do you obey so that you don’t get punished? There is a better way. To show love and thankfulness to a Savior who turns even unreasonable commands into blessing. It may seem unreasonable to forgive the unforgiveable or love the unlovable or to return kindness for hurt. It may seem foolish to seek first the kingdom of God when physical needs are pressing, but we can do that because the Master says so confident in His blessing. Jesus changes things. He changes your approach to obedience.
He changes your value. “When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus' knees and said, "Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!" 9For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, 10and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon's partners.” Peter responded appropriately as a sinner in the presence of the Holy God. He recognized his unworthiness. It makes me wonder what he was thinking about Jesus as he followed that command. He was not expecting it to work. Was he muttering under his breath? Burning inside at this waste of time and how Jesus was making him look foolish? Peter was right in assessing his value on his own. Worthless.
But Jesus changed that. You notice He did not follow Peter’s command. “You’re right, Peter! You are a worthless, sinful man. I’ll leave you to wallow in your sinfulness.” No, Jesus stayed right there with Peter because Peter had value. He was worth so much to God that Jesus was going to give His life in exchange for Peter’s sinfulness.
Brothers and sisters, I hope you can see the same thing is true for you. Jesus changes your value. There are a lot of people in life who can do a good job of putting you down, of reminding you of all the reasons you are worthless. Sometimes it’s someone close to you, a spouse or a parent. Maybe classmates at school. Maybe you are the one who looks at yourself and finds little or nothing of value. You are wrong. They are wrong. Jesus is right. Jesus values you. Like Peter we are sinful and yet God has put such a value on us that He sent Jesus for us. He sent Jesus for you. He would not do that for junk. He does it for you. He’s made you exactly how He wants you to be because He has a plan for you.
That’s the third truth this Word of God helps us see. Jesus changes your purpose. Peter, James and John thought they had their purpose in life figured out. They were fishermen and yet they didn’t just live to work, they were working to live. They were providing for their families. Peter had his wife and mother in law to take care of. That’s a noble purpose in and of itself. But Jesus changed things. “Then Jesus said to Simon, "Don't be afraid; from now on you will catch men." Jesus changed their purpose. No longer fishermen but fishers of men, ones who would catch people for the kingdom of God with the powerful bait of the Gospel: free forgiveness in Jesus Christ.
You know it’s been said that if you give a man a fish, you feed him for a day, but if you teach a man to fish you feed him for a lifetime. That proverb needs to go on. If you lead a man to the one known as FISH, (Greek: ICHTHUS) Jesus Christ God’s Son Savior, you feed him for eternity. That is your purpose. Each one of you. Your purpose at your place of work is not only to do a good job working as unto the Lord and not your boss it’s also to catch men, other people, to be a light for Christ. Your job in parenting is not just providing for needs, establishing peace in the home and educating for a usefulness to society, it’s leading your family always closer to Jesus. You may feel like you have no purpose you may question why you are working where you are working, you may wonder as you get older why the Lord still has you hear but you must listen to the voice of the Master who changes things. From now on you will catch men.
For Peter, James and John that meant leaving their boats, and their nets and the occupation they had grown up with. For us there is no such command. But there is the call to follow, follow the Master who changes things, who leads you to obey out of love with promise of His blessing, who shows you your true value, so great you are worth dying for and who gives you an awesome purpose with results lasting into eternity. No wonder we want to follow. Amen.