Into Deep Waters!

1 One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, the people were crowding around him and listening to the word of God. 2 He saw at the water’s edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. 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.” - Luke 5:1-5

Teaching:

When Jesus asks us to put out a little from shore, means that we have spent time with Him. He knew Simon already. He could have used the other boat, but He chose Simon´s because they spent time together. 

When Jesus spends time with us, or us with Him through His Spirit, we are able to respond when He wants to take us closer in a relationship, to live out a major experience.

When we put out a little from shore, means we have abandoned some of our agenda, to wake up in the middle of the night, at 3:00 am, or the time we are awakened from our sleep, to have an encounter with Him; to meet with Him. 

So our agendas stop for Him...they stop for us to respond to His wooing or instructions. 

When we put out a little from shore, we are releasing some control, and allowing the waters of His Spirit to surround us.

We cannot go into deep water, unless we first "put out a little from shore."

It was "putting out a little from shore," that Jesus taught the people, while He sat in the boat. Jesus sat and taught! 

When we "put out a little from shore, we are being ´taught´ through hours of sitting at His Presence, in His communion, as we learn to yield to His voice and His heart desires, to then follow His leading and instructions. 

When Jesus finished speaking while they "were put out a little from shore," He told Simon to "put out into deep water" and "let down the nets for a catch."

Again I say, unless we learn to spend time with Jesus, not "at shore," where it is a quick prayer, and we are not interacting with Him., and spend time soaking in His Presence, taught by Him, then, it is then, that we are able to cross over into "deep water," and let down the nets for a catch.

It is in the deep of water that we are totally surrendered to God. It is in the deep waters where we have the greatest experiences with Him! We have the greatest encounters in the "deep waters!"

In this parable, Jesus told Simon to let down the nets for a catch. You´ve heard or read this story. Although Simon had spent hours throughout the night working, he hadn´t caught anything. But notice how he responded to Jesus´instructions: "because you say so," and let the nets down.

It is these "because you say so" that Jesus is after!

"Because you say so, Lord, I will__________."

"Because you say so,"represents obedience. 

Sometimes, while growing up, I had to do as my parents said so, because "they said so." That is obedience. Sometimes, whatever instruction we get might not seem logical, like the one Simon got. He was told to throw down the nets for a catch, yet he had spent hours working and had not caught anything. 

When we are in "deep waters" with Jesus, led by His Spirit, we are to let go of our logic, our reasoning, and do!

While Jesus taught "put out a little from shore," Simon just learned; he didn´t do. 

It is when we are "into deep waters," that we do that which the Lord guides us to do.

This is an open invitation from the Lord Himself, for us to cross the shore, put out a little from shore, to then cross over into deep water, to have the most radical experiences that yield life transforming results.

What was Simon´s result of that experience in deep water? He walked away from his personal agenda and gains, to serve the Lord, whom he called Master.

Who did Simon become after this experience? He was told by Jesus, that he would fish for people.

Simon went through an inner transformation and in Matthew 16:17-19, Jesus told Simon, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, (another person) but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you (Jesus told Simon) that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."

Here it is! To this day, Simon/Peter is still living out the word that Jesus declared over him! Peter obeyed, and we, the church, are a result of his obedience! 

So how we respond to the leading of God´s Spirit, will transcend even after we abandon this earth! 

Let us cross over into deep waters to have the most rewarding, life-transforming experience!

Prayer:

Holy Spirit, help me to walk from the shore, and put out a little from shore, to then cross over into deep water. There is nothing more important than spending time with You. Guide me to live life-transforming experiences! In Jesus Name! AMEN!