Launch out into the deepest!! (29th Feb 2012)

 

Scripture Reading: Luke 5:3-10

3. He 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.

4. When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch."

5. Simon answered, "Master, we've worked hard all night and haven't caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets."

6. When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break.

7. So 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.

8. When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus' knees and said, "Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!"

9. For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken,

10. and 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."

11. So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.

 

 

 

 

Sermon: Launch out into the deepest!!

I studied in Edinburgh of Britain. Edinburgh is very small city although it is the capital of Scotland. In this small city, there are around two hundred Koreans for studying. Among them, the number of language students is increasing for escaping from many Koreans in London. But, they usually cannot success completely. Because of the main town is very small, they can meet in the main road. No where, no hide like a move title. one day, I met a language student. He was very hurt by Korean society, friends, and even churches. He had been extremely frustrated. For instance, he always said, "why is Korean education terrible?" or "why do women dump poor men?" or "why is the Korean society so concerned with power relationship?" or “why do the churches force the offering from Christians?”

Whoever that listens to the student’s saying, one could definitely feel that he was swayed by a feeling of inferiority. This shows that he had not obtained many achievements. This lack of achievements led to his dissatisfaction in his life.

Today, we can see a person in the Bible, who had the same feeling about his life like that student. His name was Simon Peter. He was a fisherman who was very tired in his living. He woke up early every morning before sun rise and washed his nets for the next day till late evenings. In this life, he could not be satisfied and cursed himself for his poor birth and his ordinary life in difficult situations.

When we think about two people’s lives, what would you think? Their lives are very similar to yours? Or do you think they seem too pathetic to find another solution in their lives? We face various lives in this World. Some people say, “we can choose our way of living by ourselves”, while some say, “ We just follow our destiny determined from our birth”.

Whichever you are in one of them, there is something different in the Bible. In the Text, Jesus was teaching God’s Words when Simon Peter saw him. I think, although Jesus was talking to people who were there, He would be very interested in Simon Peter. In the middle of His speech, He approached Simon with positive attitude and then in the end, He asked Simon to sail out into deep water and let down the nets for a big catch.

Simon had the greatest encounter with Jesus in the World. He had to determine his way in front of Jesus. But the decision was already prophesied by God’s will and was in Jesus’ plan. Among the profound situation, Jesus told him to go into the deep and put his nets for fishing. Well, this action was so amazing. We can imagine his situation. He finished whole daily working in the sea and prepared for the next day’s fishing. At that time, Jesus came to speak and then asked him to do an unreasonable action. How could he accept it? Because Jesus’ speech before His request to Simon was wonderful? Even though His speech had been amazing to Simon, it must have been difficult to follow the order of Jesus. Actually, Simon knew much better about fishing!!! Nevertheless he did what Jesus said. He followed Jesus’ request.

The result is the following of the text. Simon had caught so many fish more than he ever caught in his whole life. He recognized finally the fact that Jesus was greater than who he was thought by Jesus’ speech, and at the same time, Jesus called him right away.

Some people asked me “how could we listen to God’s will and words to us?” or “why does not God give me any answers to my prayers?”

Well, in Europe, around ten years ago, the police caught one murderer. He claimed, “I just followed God’s voice and killed the people. They were sinners to God!!” If you can listen to God’s voice, are you willing to kill the victims like him? God always reveal Himself in the situation similar to that of Simon.

When we want to meet God and listen to His voice, we have to overcome our weakness, greed and selfishness. This is the main crucial condition to have a relationship with our Lord God, Jesus Christ, and Holy Spirit.

See the text; Psalm 32:6-10 (NIV)

“Therefore let everyone who is godly pray to you while you may be found; surely when the mighty waters rise, they will not reach him.

You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah

I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you.

Do not be like the horse or the mule, which have no understanding but must be controlled by bit and bridle or they will not come to you.

Many are the woes of the wicked, but the LORD'S unfailing love surrounds the man who trusts in him. “

Do you believe in the Lord’s unfailing love? And do you desire to experience the love in your real lives? Do so! launch out intothe deepest like Simon! When we read Today text as the KJV, it was written like that in the verse 4, "Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught."

We can find the meanings of ‘Launch out into’ as two.

Firstly, it is to get out or leave and secondly, to begin something. This sentence, ‘Put out into deep water’ in the New International Version is written by another ｅxpression in the King James version, it is “Launch out into the deepest”. Why did the KJV use the word? The translator could recognize Jesus’ intension to Simon like that. When Jesus asked the request to Simon, He may require something to Simon in his mind “Hey, Simon, Please leave your secular an selfish way of thought, Just start to do what I say! Now I am calling you to have relationship deeply within God’s love.”

What we experience the unfailing love is very simple, yet very difficult because of our limitation. However, we already know, God keeps watching over and waiting for us, wondering when we go out to the deepest. What are you waiting for? God is waiting for our answer instead of negative questions and viewpoint in our lives. We have to consider that so many people have experienced the lives that are similar to that of Simon. What they have experienced from the past to the present? The experience is to find out the meaning of individual lives within God, on the basis of Lord’s unfailing love.

If we are launching into the deepest to our Lord, what happen to us? Like Simon who caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break, we can get more blessings whoever given to us before. Moreover, like Simon, James and John who became fishermen caught men, our lives will be surely changed. Your lives must be changed and blessed! Why doesn't God touch you? We want to be blessed in much deeper relationship on the trust of Jesus unfailing love. The God must be our Lord.

I would like to ask you a question in the end of this preaching. Are you willing to launch out into the deepest or not?

Let us pray!!

Our Almighty and great love, Lord! We worship you now. Because of your unfailing love to us Because of your great power upon us. Because of your tender endurance with us

Now we are going to your World in the deepest of your creation.

Give us your grace to overcome our sins in which we refused you.

Come into our heart and provide eternal peace which nobody can give in this World. Thank you so much for your acceptance of us.

I love you, because there are so many reasons to worship you.

In Jesus Christ’s name, Amen.