Intro. (Jn. 1:35-42, Mk. 1:16-20)

• ‍John 2-wedding, John 4-Capernaum, Mk.1- synagogue, Mk. 1- home, Mk. 1-city, Lk. 5-job
• Coincidences not (Lk. 4:42-5:3)
• Commands from Jesus (Lk. 5:4-7) - “Put out into deep water and let down your nets for a catch”
• Confession to Jesus (Lk. 5:8-10a)
• Calling from Jesus (Lk. 5:10b-11)

Life Response

1. There are no coincidences in the divine stream of life. We must learn to rest in His sovereignty! Fear not and walk by faith alone in Him!
2. God’s power is perfected in weakness (2 Cor. 12:9) but what about our strengths (spiritually and naturally)? Jn 15:5 and Zech. 4:6.
3. Peter’s response to Jesus in obedience was contrary to (a) what was normal, (b) to the experience of best fishermen, (c) to circumstances of previous night, (d) to failure of the night before, (e) to feelings and logic, (f) to what others would think, (g) to physical tiredness and frustration. There was no argument just obedience to Jesus’ words. Peter had passed a critical test for being a disciple.
4. Failure preps us for success!
5. Our Lord was drawing the 4 disciples to a life of obedience and holiness as He modeled how to evangelize with word and deed, as He taught them what to learn and what to unlearn, and as He trained them to be teachers of the Word (Mt. 28:19, 20). True disciples should reproduce reproducers which are in the image of Christ (2 Tim, 2:2, Jn, 15:16). May we hunger and thirst for righteousness (Mt. 5:6)!
6. “All Christians (all churches) are engaged in one of three activities: guarding the dead past, creating fleshly trifles that will perish with the flesh, or working in cooperation with the Holy Spirit in the constant creation of eternal treasures that will outlast the stars (A. W. Tozer (1989), This World: Playground or Battleground? pp.39-41). Let us pursue the latter with God’s help as we evangelize and make disciples.