THE VISION – Part 4 – Launch Out into the Deep

What effects has the nearly three-year pandemic had on you? Did you come out a better person in the end? Or did it sink you deeper into depression? Did it make you desire social interaction or did it make you feel more isolated and alone?

Each of us uniquely deals with stress. While our churches needed to move fully online for a while and close our physical doors, there is at least one, very simple reason why this has had an impact on the spiritual lives and emotional growth of our church members. The reality is: We need to be together as Christians.

Even though we are virtually gathering through Zoom and other online platforms, research from a wide range of fields shows that we as a people, experience a great deal of loneliness and isolation. This isolation, even with online connectedness present, is destructive to discipleship. The fear of gathering together has limited us from growing. We have become complacent or self-satisfied, we want convenience, and we want to be alone. As I reflect on the state of our churches nowadays, I see the need to grasp the importance of discipleship. The harvest is ready, but where are the Christians? Where are the workers of God in the vineyard? What are we doing with our time and resources?

WORD

Hebrews 10:24-25 – “24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” (NIV)

Hebrews 10:24-25 – “24 Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. 25 And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.” (NLT)

Why has the church seems to have lost its excitement for meeting together? The answer is isolation.  Even with online connectedness present, it has become a hindrance to discipleship. And these are the reasons:

1. Isolation is a contradiction of who we were created to be.

There is a unique design of God’s purpose for humanity. Genesis 1:26 says, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness.” (NIV). What does it mean to be made in the image of God? Being made in God’s image means that just as God is relational, so also were we created with a unique need, desire, and capacity for relationships. We were made to experience communion with God and fellowship with others. God even made this declaration: Genesis 2:18 – “It is not good for the man to be alone.” (NIV)

When we choose isolation over God’s intention of fellowship and connectedness with others, we are denying who we were designed to be. We deny the very God in whose likeness we were created.

2. Isolation will cause us to stray from the truth.

We tend to stay inside our own heads. We think about some issues in our lives—a relationship, a decision, a message from someone else—and we analyze them inside our minds over and over again. Our minds are an endless trail of insecurities, assumptions, and justifications. We overthink leading to depression and loneliness. But, when we start talking to someone else,  all of our fears, worries, and doubts that we were so focused on when we were alone seem much smaller.

When we isolate ourselves, we start to drift from the truth to the reality of God’s love for us, the knowledge that God is forgiving and compassionate, and the truth that He is in charge. When we are surrounded by Christian friends, we are reminded of all of these things. Even if they aren’t verbally expressed, Christians have always understood the value of community. But the necessity of us being together for our spiritual growth and discipleship is something we haven’t fully grasped and understood.

3. Isolation is a result of pride.

We should care about one another; we shouldn’t let each other go our separate ways; instead, we should encourage one another to love and do good things. This is the foundation of the appeal to continue meeting together. That’s because the author of Hebrews understood human nature. which is that we depend on one another to follow Jesus. We can’t do this alone. The inner voice that whispers to us that we can actually do just fine on our own never happens. We cannot manage on our own.  And so the need for Jesus and discipleship are very important for us nowadays. Everyone needs Jesus. They need someone to help them follow Jesus. And this begins with you.

Do you remember when Jesus called Peter to embrace a deeper call? Luke 5:1-11 – “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.” 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.” (NIV)

To teach from the safety of the shallow waters off the Sea of Galilee, Jesus borrowed Peter’s fishing boat as people pressed in so hard on Him. Crowds gathered on the beach for hours listening to Jesus speak because His message was so appealing. Jesus told Peter after He had finished preaching to Luke 5:4, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch (NIV).”  This command had a lot of weight. Peter had spent the entire morning listening to Jesus teach. But, Jesus wanted Peter to put what he had just learned into practice.

Peter knew fishing on the Sea of Galilee. He was in command because he was an expert on fishing. However, Jesus, the carpenter, took control of the boat and started delivering orders. Peter was aware that nighttime was the perfect time to go fishing when the fish were in the shallow waters. During daytime, the fish moved into the deep at the height of the day, making it much harder to catch them. So when Jesus told them to go deeper into the sea, Peter and his companions worked all night without catching a single fish. They may be saying it was pointless to follow a carpenter’s orders.

But, the following events shocked Peter. He carried in a big, massive catch that nearly sank both his and his partners’ boats as they tried to pull it in. Peter pleaded with the Lord, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” Peter was amazed and realized he was with the Son of God. Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.” Peter was being led to a deeper level of faith and discipleship by Jesus.

Do you want to be used by God to catch people for Jesus? Do you want your life to be a blessing to others by leading them to Jesus? Each of us has a fishing boat that we must give to Jesus. Peter realized he needed Jesus’ help in other aspects of his life, such as preaching, walking on water, and performing miracles. But Jesus entered Peter’s area of expertise and led him to depths he had never experienced before.

Does Jesus want you to launch out into the deep? Does he want to elevate your expertise to a new level? Have you become so concerned about your weaknesses that you neglected to invite Jesus to speak into your area of strength? Why don’t you let Jesus onto your boat, do what He says, and then be amazed?

CONCLUSION

There is no question that the pandemic needed our attention, but so does the condition of our souls. We know that relationships are essential for growth in Christ. There’s an opportunity to redefine what it means to be together. It doesn’t mean defining it in terms of location. It means defining relationships among Christians according to their true purpose. It means helping people connect not only for the sake of mutual interest but instead, to help people understand that discipleship is for the specific purpose of helping each other follow Jesus.

COVID has robbed us of many things, but it also presents us as a church with this opportunity – to help people embrace the nature of the true community of the faith through discipleship. To put our nets out into the deep water is to embrace the call to follow Jesus. Many Christians have the heart to step out in God and believe God for big things, but they never let down their nets. What is the net that you need to let down in order to see your net-breaking catch? It has to do with your faith. It took faith for Peter to do this. When Jesus healed the man, who was lowered through the roof that was broken up by his friends, the scripture says Jesus “seeing their faith” heals the man. The net you need to let down is faith’s corresponding action. Peter had to act in the very area of his greatest need. Likewise, you must act in faith in the very area you need something to happen.

People need the Lord. The gospel of Jesus results in roofs being torn up. It causes the perfectly good doctrines of men to be contradicted and set aside. It makes the container we use to frame legalistic, self-righteous ways burst and spill out because we haven’t learned to let go of the old and embrace the new thing God is doing. The gospel makes you turn your head and listen. It’s demanding. It’s inconvenient, but it does produce miracles!

What have we become as Christians today? Present Christianity is shallow, lukewarm, superficial, and individualistic. God’s people lack passion, purpose, and vision. They’re looking for mentors to inspire, to energize, to equip, to become agents of change. But we need more than that. We need shaking up.  Do you want to remain content in your situation right now, isolated, having shallow faith? Or will you launch out into the deep with the rest of us? Jesus’ coming is very soon. We need to take action now because people need Jesus. In Luke 10:2 He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. (NIV)

 

LIFE GROUP DISCUSSION:

1) What key principles did you learn from the message? How can you apply them to your daily life?

2) Imagine Jesus is coming to you, saying: “Come with me. I will make you a fisher of men.” Would you follow Him? Why or why not?

3) Peter and his friends left everything and followed Jesus. What do you think “leaving” means for you today? Have you ever taken a step of faith in the midst of your fear? Share it with the group.