Maybe you are familiar with a simple little child’s
card game called, “Go Fish.” I take all
forms of competition seriously—but, after all it’s still just a game. But, for Simon Peter, and the brothers James
and John fishing wasn’t a game—it was the way they survived. Yet, Jesus told them He had a bigger fishing
job for them—to catch souls for God!
So
it was, as the multitude pressed about Him to hear the word of God, that He
stood by the Lake of Gennesaret, and saw two boats standing by the lake; but
the fishermen had gone from them and were washing their nets. Then He got into
one of the boats, which was Simon’s, and asked him to put out a little from the
land. And He sat down and taught the multitudes from the boat. When He had
stopped speaking, He said to Simon, “Launch out into the deep and let down your
nets for a catch.” But Simon answered
and said to Him, “Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing;
nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net.” And when they had done this, they caught a
great number of fish, and their net was breaking. So they signaled to their partners in the
other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so
that they began to sink. When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees,
saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!” For he and all who
were with him were astonished at the catch of fish which they had taken; and so
also were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon.
And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid. From now on you will catch
men.” So when they had brought their
boats to land, they forsook all and followed Him.
(Luke 5:1-11)
Church, Jesus has commanded us to, “Go Fish!” It’s not a game. This is deadly serious. Every day people are slipping out into
eternity without God and without hope! There
are some fishing lessons we need to learn from this text. It is our intention this week to examine
them. Load up your net, untie your boat,
and shove off because there are some fish to catch!
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