Latest / The Daily Word / September 22 – Take the Step of Faith
Transcript
- Cory Barnes: Hello everyone, it is September 22nd, 2026, and it is Pastor Jenny here as we continue in our life journal reading plan. We are in Luke chapter 5 today, and I want to jump right in with you in the first 11 verses reading through Jesus calling for fishermen. To be disciples. So probably gonna read most of the passage just for context. So let's just jump right in. It says this So it was as the multitude pressed about him to hear the word of God that he stood by the lake 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, and 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. I love this passage of scripture as we get to see the calling of the four disciples, four fishermen, you know, four ordinary men, Jesus goes, he teaches a multitude of people, but he specifically calls on four men who were changed. Now there's a couple things that happen in the story though before he makes that specific call to them. So of course they hear a teaching and then they have an instruction from Jesus. They follow that instruction, a miracle happens, and then they respond to the call. Now the question is is this a descriptive account or is this a prescriptive account? Meaning this is how when we see the life of a believer like how something has to happen. It's interesting and it's an important question that we have to ask ourselves because I've met people. in fact I can remember growing up, I was in high school and I had a friend who I knew had come to the saving grace and knowledge of Jesus, was a was walking in relationship with God. But she had come to me with concern because she's like, Ginny, I'm concerned I don't I don't really know God. And I said, Well, what's your concern? Why why do you think that? And she said, Well, I spoke with a mentor she had had at the time, who was probably about 15 years older than us, so someone in their early to mid thirties. And this woman had described to her and said that there was a certain way in which she had to come to know Jesus for her. In order for her to know it to be real. And so that's where she had really prescribed a certain way in which she needed to encounter Jesus in to fulfill that relationship. And it had caused a lot of confusion for her. So while we see a certain method in which these men were called, I don't know that, you know, you have to be a fisherman and that you're gonna have to go through this ex these exact steps. But I do want to Well, I am pointing out some things that I caught in how these men were found themselves in relationship and connection with Jesus, because maybe you find yourself relating to that too. But we all have our own journey and our own path and way in which we've come into relationship with Jesus just like we have our own way in which we've come into relationship with others. So I don't think that this has to be a prescriptive passage in how we hear our calling. But the important thing we have to take from this is that at the end of the day, Jesus is the one who does the calling. He is the one who invites us into relationship and asks us to follow him. And we have the opportunity to respond. Now, I'm already five minutes in, and I haven't even shared with you the primary thing I caught from this passage, which I want to come back to. And that's really towards the beginning when Jesus instructed Simon. He said, Hey, I want you to let down your nets. Plural. I heard a teaching on this many years ago and it's always stood out to me. so Jesus said multiple nets. But what did Simon respond? He said, We've been doing this all night. In other words, you're giving me an instruction on something I've already tried, but hey, you're telling me to do it, so I guess I'll give it another go. But listen to what he said. He he didn't really Go, what I'm gonna say was all in. He kind of went partially in. He said, Nevertheless, this is in verse 5, at your word I will let down the net. So I'm not gonna let down all my nets, I'm not gonna go all the way in, but I'll put my pinky toe in. I'll do a little bit because you've instructed me to. So there was some partial obedience. Now, some will argue, and I would say, too, partial obedience is disobedience. However, I don't know that in this response was with Simon that it was a matter of partial obedience, full obedience, as much as we see an example here of living the life of faith. And we are all in the process of growing in our faith. So I think we have an example here of Simon, you know, learning to walk in faith. And so it was like, Well, I'm I'm gonna I'm kind of trusting like This is hard to do because that's the same thing I've been doing, you're asking me to do again, and I've gotten no fruit, I've gotten no results, and you're asking me to do the same thing. So it took faith on Simon's part to do what Jesus was asking him to do. So I think this is more of a passage about faith than it is obedience. But regardless, instead of putting down multiple nets, he puts down one net. And of course, we see where a great number of fish comes in. So many fish, the net begins to break. He has to call onto others for help. The others, of course, come to the rescue. Now, my question is: if Simon had responded in full faith, put down all of the nets, would he have had to call on others? Maybe, maybe not. I don't know the scope of the miracle and what that would have required. But what I love is when we do jump down to the bottom, and Jesus finishes with, Do not be afraid. This is in verse 10. From now on, you will Catch men. The moral of the story is that that calling and following on Simon's life wasn't just about having faith in the task that was put in front of him, but Jesus had something even greater ahead. So we have to remember in our day by day things and what Jesus is asking us to do, he who is faithful with the least will be given even more. Most of the time when God gives us something, it's not about even the thing God's put in front of us, but it's about for the the greater that's ahead for what's in store. And even the comparison in this story, we know that Simon, also known as Simon Peter, was launched ahead. He was used to not only be fishers of men independently, but he ended up multiplying and you creating other disciples. who then reached other people to fish for men as well. So even this little act of faith where his net was breaking, I believe is a picture of the kingdom of God growing and what we have opportunity for even today and exponential growth as we will take a step of faith. When God calls us, before he ever calls us to sometimes even follow him, he's giving us those opportunities to take a step of faith. And in those steps of faith, it's always connected to things in the kingdom. So I encourage you today, look at what God's asking you to do. And whether it feels like it's secular or sacred, it's all connected, truly, I believe, to that which is in the kingdom and can ultimately leave to souls saved and disciples made. Lord, we come before you and we thank you for. The opportunity to be in relationship with you. Thank you, Jesus, that you go before us, that you are the one who calls us. And so as you call us, as you lead us, we come before you with open hearts and open hands to respond to that calling, to walk in that calling, so that souls can be saved and disciples can be made. Starting with our own lives, Lord, we respond to say yes, Lord. We want to be a disciple. And from that, we want to go and be fishers of men to help make disciples for your kingdom. In Jesus' name. Amen.