Handing Over Your Boat

Handing Over Your Boat

Luke 5:1-11

Recap:

Work to be done: On 4/8/2013, we talked about the Promised Land.  When you are not in the land, God sees, hears, and knows your plight.  He also comes down to provide deliverance. Ultimately, he has come down through our Lord Jesus Christ.  When you are in the Promised Land, manna ceases. You have grace to work the land and fight the giants.  You have grace to care for the cows in order to enjoy their milk and chase away the bees in order to enjoy the honey. Be faithful to do the works of obedience and faith in the land. 

Issues beyond the hype: On 11/8/2013, we looked at the reality we all face of issues we have to face on our own beneath and beyond the public eye and events. There are issues beyond the hype. We saw how the Shunamite woman despite being wealthy and appearing to be well had to also deal with issues. She prepared for hers by making the right personal choices about God in her day-to-day life. She found strength from retreating to a strong relationship with God. God overtook her expectations in taking care of her needs. 

Today:

Handing Over Your Boat:  Today, 18/8/2013, let us talk about handing over your boat for an unusual catch of fish. There is an unusual harvest waiting for you. Peter was familiar with catching a certain kind of fish at certain times, in a certain way and in certain quantities. Jesus helped him to realize that God rules over the fish and their harvest. His unusual ways brought an unusual harvest that broke the rules in Peter’s fishing manual but also broke the nets with an unusually big catch of fish. More so, he wanted him to understand that it was not just about catching fish but catching humanity back to God. If you are willing and obedient you will eat the good of the land (Isaiah 1:19).  You will enjoy fruitfulness and win many to Christ.

In the encounter, Peter had with Jesus Christ in Luke 5:1-11 we can learn about the character and power of Jesus Christ.

I. He Demonstrated His Care For People. The crowd that was pressing around Christ was hungry for the word. Jesus gave them attention and was eager to best position himself to communicate clearly. That is how much he cared. He also will withhold nothing that is to your benefit. Further, he saw Peter and his partners washing their nets instead of pressing with the crowd. The team of fishing experts had toiled the whole night and caught nothing. Night shift is not easy and by now, they were probably so tired and disheartened to be a part of the pressing crowd. Christ also had a need for a platform from which to teach the crowd. By now he had gone through baptism in the Jordan River, tempted by the devil in the desert, rejected in His hometown, and was now calling his disciples.  Therefore, his other need was for disciples who would join his core team of gospel messengers. The crowd was pressing but not earmarked for the core team of Christ. Peter needed for the core team had a platform but no message. Jesus had the message but no platform. Peter had nets but no fish. Jesus had fish but no nets. Christ found a formula to meet the needs of Peter, the needs of the crowd as well as his own needs.  The formula was to ask for Peter’s boat.  By acknowledging his need, Christ helped Peter see his need. Peter realized his need for God’s help and forgiveness.

II. He Displayed His wisdom that Confounds Human Wisdom. Jesus called Peter when he was at one of his lowest points in his profession. God needs you just as you are to confound human wisdom. Since you were not chosen based on performance, you are free to be yourself and from pressure to perform. You simply trust in God.  For what he called you to do, he is not depending on your skill or experience.  Peter could have argued with Jesus and reminded him of his fishing credentials. He could have advised Christ to stay at the carpentry shop or to stick to his newly discovered public teaching profession. God’s fishing wisdom does not depend on time of day and natural course of marine life.

Let us remember that the boat was Peter’s source of sustenance. For your sustenance, nets are not enough. You need God first.  By handing over his source of sustenance that had just failed,  Peter discovered the real dependable source of sustenance. It was a statement that all he needed was Christ. It was also stating that he was worth much more than the value of the boat (Mathew 16:26). Whatever you refuse to handover, you reduce your worth to its level. He handed over his job and business. By handing it over, he went with it into the water as Christ taught the crowd. Your heart and priority follow the one to whom you hand over your sustenance. The one to whom you hand over your source of sustenance influences you. Peter being also in the boat as Jesus taught had to pay closer attention to what Christ had to say than before. Worries of life distract from hearing God’s word and call. When you handover not just the worries but also the source of the worries you find relief and restored hope. Your boat is not just for making money but a platform from which many can hear God’s word. Your job and business are a platform for Christ to be visible and heard in your worlds of life.

III. He Illustrated His Faithfulness and Ability. Christ was asking for the source and not just the profit. When you give the source to God, he gives it back to you blessed. He is unlike people who will ask for your best and after they exhaust it, they dump you on the wayside. Christ gives the boat back to you ask you to achieve the impossible. Cast your nets on the deeper side for a catch.  Time was wrong. It was time to wash nets not to cast them.  Instructor was wrong. The fisherman was tired and reluctant. They were washing the nets for shut down.  It was wrong setting – probably the crowd still present. Peter walked by obedience when he said it makes no sense but because you say so I will do it. Ripeness of time is more crucial than rightness of time. As Jesus taught from Peter’s boat, Peter’s fish were lining up and aligning for a catch. By the time he was done time was ripe.  The situation was ready for a catch. When you gave your life to Christ, his entire promises aligned waiting for your obedience at the deeper end. Move from shallowness in God’s word and faith. An unusual catch of fish is waiting.

Jesus was faithful to give back the boat. He was faithful to vindicate Peter’s obedience with a great catch. The miracle was not only in the catch but also in its magnitude. They nets were failing to contain the large amount of fish. Peter now had a positive problem of what to do with the size of catch.  In abundance, there is no hesitation in sharing. They called their partners; the availability of fish was more than enough to share.  A scarcity mentality hinders generosity.  It also underlined that one person cannot do the work of winning souls. You cannot do it alone. The harvest is so much that it takes collaboration by all. It is so much that there is no need to fight over fish. 

Jesus graciously led Peter to a place were he could see who He was. In the revelation of Christ, he received a revelation of himself as a sinner.  He wanted Jesus to go away. Nevertheless, Jesus had not come to avoid sinners but to save them. Instead, Jesus commissioned Peter to fish people from sin. The experience of the day assured Peter that by similar trust and obedience, God was able to bring a great harvest of people as he did with fish that day.

Message by Dr. Kurai Chitima.

Faith Ministries – Johannesburg Faith Life Center.

Ground and First Floors Sunset Bay Building,

204B Bram Fischer drive,

Randburg, Johannesburg, South Africa