This is Global Reachout, and welcome aboard on the first part of this 7-part series on Jesus and the Boat!

I am Pastor Luke from Kingdom Life Church, in Singapore, and my passion is all about the Kingdom of God, and the abundant life that Jesus came to bring to us.

I am so glad that you can join me on this series, which is really the word in season that I received from God in January 2020. Fires were burning in Australia then, in an unprecedented scale, and Covid-19 was the mysterious disease that was just being discovered.

I believe that this word was given to prepare us for the times of uncertainties ahead that we are bound to face.

As these messages had blessed us, I am sure it will bless you too.

All passages quoted from the bible, will be from the New International Version.

We start this series, by looking at Jesus’ calling of his first disciples, in Luke 5:1-11.

¹One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret,^[a] 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.”

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

We begin our journey with Jesus and the Boat here in Luke 5.

We see a crowd listening to Jesus preach.

We see some fishermen washing their nets, not interested in the great teacher.

Jesus borrows a boat to teach from the sea, so that the audience can see him teach.

Then after teaching, Jesus asked Simon, the fisherman who owns the boat, to go further out to the sea, and let down his nets for a catch.

Jesus was not just returning the boat to Simon with a mere “thank you”. 

Jesus wanted to bless Simon.

Simon told Jesus that he and the other fishermen worked hard all night but caught nothing.  No wonder they were not interested in Jesus’ teaching earlier.  They were tired, frustrated, hungry and depressed.

Friends, I am sure many believers of Christ can relate to this.  They have believed in Jesus, yet their problems are still there.  We are working hard, trying to earn a living, and troubles still come.  Are not all these teachings ‘impractical’, and only important for the time just before we die?

But because Simon respected Jesus, the seasoned fisherman heeded the advice of the non-fisherman.  How many times have we stopped a breakthrough in our lives because of our pride in our experience and knowledge?  Out of respect, Simon drops his pride, and drops his net.

The result was not just positive, it was astounding!  Not just a token few fishes, nor a normal catch of fish, but an abnormally abundant catch!

Jesus wanted to reward Simon for the use of his boat.  He received 2 boats of fish!  Jesus reflects our God.  Generous, abundant, and supplies to overflowing.

If Simon when instructed by Jesus, had let his pride get to him, and refused to obey, he will not have received his reward.  We might think that in his angst, he could have smirked at Jesus, insulted him, and boasted in his own fishing experience.

But because he honoured Jesus and followed Jesus’ instructions in spite of his doubts, he reaped a harvest for his faith in Jesus.

Now, I would have thought that Simon would have stopped there, thanked Jesus for the supernatural catch, and gotten busy trying to process and sell off the fish.  It is certainly a windfall!  But his response ran much deeper!

Yes, Jesus rewarded Simon with an enormous catch of fish.But for Simon, his reward is really a visitation of God!

Look at Simon’s response to the abundant catch.  It was not holding on to the ‘god of fortune’.  It was rather, an overwhelming sense of his own unholiness in the presence of God.

He fell at Jesus’ feet.

He told Jesus to go away from him, because he is a sinful man.

They were afraid.

How do we respond to God when He visits you?

Peter understood then that Jesus knew his situation:- his catchless night, his frustration, his lack…

That although he was not interested in God, God was watching him.

Jesus had come into his situation to deliver him.

God came to deliver us from ourselves.  From our pride, selfishness, and short-sightedness.

It is only when we know that God knows us better than ourselves;

and even loves us better than we know how to love ourselves,

that we trust Him, and desire to follow Jesus.

Now comes the invitation from Jesus.

He tells them, “Do not be afraid. From now on you will fish for people.”

Simon and his gang, the fishermen from these two boats, had worked hard all night and caught no fish.

They were not interested in Jesus even though a crowd was listening to him.

They were immersed in their real problems.

Here is Jesus’ invitation to follow him to do something else.

They have seen the miraculous catch of fish, yet they know that after all the fish had been sold and eaten, they will be back to their life before.

My friends, Jesus’ invitation to them is open to us too.

If you have been touched by God before, do not settle and just go back to your old life.  There is so much more if you follow him!

The account ends, with the response of Simon and his friends.

They left everything and followed Jesus.

They did it straight away, without hesitation.

It is not just the fish they have caught, they have seen the Lord.

It is a human inclination, that we look for the blessing, and pray to whatever that can give to us our wish for that time.  Some may be praying for a child, for money, for a difficult phase to blow over.

This is the good news my friends, that God wants to have a relationship with us and it is not a Master and Slave relationship.  Rather, it is a Father and Child relationship, that Jesus came to demonstrate.  Let us seek the Giver and not just the gift!

Simon and his gang chose to follow Jesus.  As we will learn later, it will not be a bed of roses.  But through this, these fishermen, became Jesus’ first and closest 3 disciples, Peter, James and John.

These three followed Jesus closely, and witnessed many things the other disciples did not see.

Peter, James and John started their journey of following Jesus here.  They were actually not always interested in him initially, and were distracted with life’s problems.  Yet Jesus chose them, and called them to a higher place.  I am sure that many of us face similar challenges to that of Peter, James and John.  You may have been working hard for a season, and the results are not satisfying.

You may just be hoping for more of this, or more of that… More food, more time, more favour, more talents…

But God has come to give us the most important gift:- Himself.

Yes, you can have God in your life!

While we pray for more of these created things, God has come to offer us a relationship with Him. That of a Father and Child. Just like Jesus and Father God.

He knows what we need, so much more than we know it ourselves.

The boat, represents our life, our business, our experiences, our knowledge…

Will you let Jesus use your boat today?

Will you let Jesus steer your business?  How will your business change, if you allow him to head it?  Will you obey or be trapped by your pride and experiences?

When Jesus invites you to do something else for the kingdom of God, are you ready to leave all that is familiar to you?  Will you trust God?  Will you have enough faith to follow the leading He has placed in your heart?

What is Jesus calling us to?

He is calling us to follow him, and to do what he has done.

In short, we will act like Jesus, and grow to be more like him.

Then in this new life, as we follow the example of Jesus, others will follow our example.

The life that Jesus demonstrates, is one where our heart for the kingdom is greater than our concern for ourselves.  It is one of humility and love that enables people to live together in harmony. It is one where we will always persevere to become better, according to the standards of God that the word of God has shown.  It carries a culture of honour, to one’s parents, the elderly and government.  It teaches the leader to lead by example and through service.  It blesses us, to be a blessing in our land.

Now, what do you think?

Who is Jesus?

Will you follow him?