Sermon outline "Fishing in Deep Waters"

[Pastor Gary]

I'd love to know also . . . can you give us a brief outline of your sermon?

I am pretty much an expository, verse-by-verse through the scriptures teacher, so my notes are --- odd. They are full of cryptic notes and pictures.

But here's the passage I was dealing with today, and some selected notes:

Luke5:1 -- One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, with the people 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.
11 Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will catch men.” So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.

• Opening: Dramatic monologue written by Max Lucado
• Lake of Gennesaret = A lake which takes its name ("Gennesaret" or "Gennesar"; Luke v. 1; and in Josephus) from the small fruitful plain which lies on its western side (Matt. xiv. 34; Mark vi. 53), the present Al-Ghuwair. It was also called the “Sea of Galilee” (Matt. iv. 18; Mark i. 16; comp. John vi. 1). In the Old Testament its name is "Yam Kinnereth" (or "Kinneroth"; Num. xxxiv. 11; Josh. xii. 3, xiii. 27).
• The lake is traversed by the Jordan, and is situated in a deep depression, its surface being 682 feet below sea-level. It is 20 kilometers long and about 9 kilometers wide; Its greatest known depth is 141 feet. It is especially rich in edible fish.
• At the time of the Gospels it was covered with countless fishing-boats and ships, which at times were in serious danger on account of the violent winds to which the lake was subject. At that time there was a chain of villages and towns around the lake, though now only a few ruins are to be seen.
• "One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, with the people crowding around him and listening to the word of God,…"

• Jesus was among the people;
• Isolation does not lend to evangelism
• Did you grow up like this…? (Quarantined?) (Personal story illustration)
• The crowds were not just drawn to the personality of Jesus, but to the WORD OF GOD, to the truth He spoke.

• "…he saw at the water’s edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets."
• ILLUST: Fishing where I grew up meant a pole, a hook, some worms or crickets… Andy & Opie at the fishin' hole… catch a fish…
• SERIOUS fishing in Hawaii… laying net, catching FISH (plural)... long-lines...
• …the fishing net gathers up everything in its path!
•
• Jesus chose net-fishermen!
• the fishing net gathers up everything it encounters --- a whole lot of stuff besides good-eatin’ fish (Matthew 13:47 says “the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish.”

The net does not discriminate; it picks up every kind of fish out there, good and bad alike. (At the end of the day the worthless ones have to be separated out and discarded.)
• Every fisherman has a story about “the one that got away!” -- The fish that escapes the net will grow a little bigger for the next time the net comes their way. The people who run from or dismiss the gospel are missing out on the best thing that could ever happen to them, and we pray that they might get caught next time the gospel net splashes down around them.
• "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."

• Teaching from the boat: What was He teaching?
• It doesn't say, but when he talked to farmers, He spoke of crops and seasons. To families He spoke of marriage and relationships. To fishermen, maybe – just maybe - he was teaching them that lesson from Matthew 13:47 that says “the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish.”

• "When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.”
• For us, deep water = out of our comfort zone;
• can’t see into the depths (in the shallows we know what is down there!);
• the deeper the net, the harder the pull;
• long row back to the comfort of shore;
• Can get caught in stormy waves;
• some sharks out there in the deep!

• "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.” "

• “Master” – epistata (others used Rabbi)
• Gentile audience / not Jewish

YABBUTS – (yeah, but…)
• YABBUT we were out all night, and we’re tired.
• YABBUT we have already cleaned the nets.
• YABBUT we are the fishing experts, not you.
• YABBUT we already tried that and it didn’t work.
? …because you (Master) say so…
? (not my will, but Thine…)
• "When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break."

• When they had done so… done WHAT?
• Same boats / same water / same nets / same fishermen
• totally different result!
• When they had done so — What?
• When they obeyed what Jesus said to do.

• "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."

• Not in competition with other fishermen any more – PARTNERS
• (Plenty of fish for everyone)
• When they obeyed, they couldn’t begin to handle the catch!

• "When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners."

• He wasn't bothered by last light's failure, but SUCCESS scared him.
(elaborate…)

• "Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will catch men.” "
• How amny times has God had to tell man to "FEAR NOT!"? (because our reaction is usually fear.)

• Fear keeps us from fishing!
• Fear of the deep water
• Fear of sharks
• Fear of the unknown
• Fear of SUCCESS? (we can’t handle…)
• Fear of losing control of the catch!


• Pulled their boats up on shore:
represents a surrender of their ambitions, surrender of their traditions,
surrender of their own strength,
surrender of their means of livlihood.
• Left everything – left the boats / nets / FISH they had just caught!!
• Followed HIM.

ILLUS: Once there was a group who called themselves fishermen. And, where they lived, there were many fish in the waters all around. In fact the whole area was surrounded by oceans and bays filled with fish. And the fish were hungry.

Week after week, month after month, and year after year, these, who called themselves fishermen, met in meetings and talked about…
• their call to fish,
• the abundance of fish, and
• the latest and greatest fishing techniques.
Year after year they carefully defined what fishing means, defended fishing as an occupation, and declared that fishing is always to be a primary task of a fisherman.

They searched continually for new and better methods of fishing and for new and better definitions of fishing. These fishermen built a large, beautiful building called “The Fishing Center.” The taught their club members that everyone should be a fisherman and every fisherman should fish.

One thing they didn’t do, however, they didn’t fish.

After one particularly stirring meeting in the Fishing Center on “The Necessity of Fishing,” one young fellow left the meeting and went fishing. The next day he reported he had caught two outstanding fish.

He was honored for his excellent catch and he was scheduled to visit all the big meetings possible to tell others how he did it. So he quit fishing in order to have time to tell about the experience to other fishermen.

Imagine how hurt some were when one day a person suggested that those who don’t catch fish were really not fishermen, no matter how much they claimed to be.

Yet it did sound correct. Is a person a fisherman if year after year he never catches a fish?

? Call to action!
• FISHNET cards
• Prayer to become NET fishermen, to let down nets into the water and catch all kinds of fish!
----------------------------------------------------

(I am not sure my kind of outline/notes are of much help.)

[pastorables]

The net does not discriminate; it picks up every kind of fish out there, good and bad alike. (At the end of the day the worthless ones have to be separated out and discarded.)

Pastor Gary:

Great sermon. I still would like more clarity concerning discarding the worthless fish. I have felt that it was God's job to separate the good from the bad. This appears to place the burden of responsibility upon our shoulders as fishers of men. Your expanded thoughts?

pastorables

[deb]

Pastorables,
Don't you think these scriptures explain it? I copied this from the post on Tim Coalter's message.


Jesus spoke this parable in Matthew 13:47-49. “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind: Which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away. So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just,” Now understand who has certain responsibilities. Our responsibility is to cast the net into the sea of humanity and gather of every kind and fill this vessel. We haven’t been assigned the responsibility of determining which fish are keepers and which are to be thrown back into the water. The task of gathering the good and casting away the bad has been assigned, scripturally, to the angels at the end of the world. Jesus said they will sever the wicked from the just. That is not our job; our job is to fill this vessel. Earlier in the same chapter, Jesus gave the parable of the wheat and tares. They were growing together in the same field and the servant said to the Master, “Do you want me to go and gather up the tares?” Listen to the words of the Master; Matthew 13:29-30. “Nay”. We don’t use that word, do we? No, don’t do that. “Lest while ye gather up the tares, you root up also the wheat with them”. Here’s what the Scripture says, “Let both grow together until the harvest: (or the end of the world) and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers (the angels) “Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them into bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn”. Would you look at your neighbor and say, “You don’t look like an angel to me”. Hallelujah.

[deb]

? Call to action!
• FISHNET cards
• Prayer to become NET fishermen, to let down nets into the water and catch all kinds of fish!
----------------------------------------------------

(I am not sure my kind of outline/notes are of much help.)

Pastor Gary,
Enjoyed reading your outline/notes. Just curious...would FISHNET cards be the cards you have visitors fill out and pass on to those in the congregation who wish to go net fishing with you? It's kinda hard to drag in those nets all by your yourself, huh?

[Pastor Gary]

Enjoyed reading your outline/notes. Just curious...would FISHNET cards be the cards you have visitors fill out and pass on to those in the congregation who wish to go net fishing with you? It's kinda hard to drag in those nets all by your yourself, huh?

That's the problem with reading raw notes -- code.

We don't consider anyone a visitor (unless they are on vacation from the mainland) -- there are only regulars and first-timers. The second time, you are a regular.

I used a photo of an old rope fishnet in my presentation, and printed out a stack of cards with no words -- just that net. At the end of the sermon in which I hoped to get people to want to fish deep and catch big, I asked all who wanted to be stretched, to fish deep and fill the boat, to come take a card. They can put it on the fridge, hand it in a cubicle at work, paste it in a school notebook... just to be reminded that every time they look at it, God has called them to fish, and not with a hook (a fish at a time) but with a NET, hauling in a catch so big they will have to call to other boats to help haul it in!

You can see the pix on the website of people holding up the cards as we prayed for God to use them to remind us.

[deb]

We don't consider anyone a visitor (unless they are on vacation from the mainland) -- there are only regulars and first-timers. The second time, you are a regular.

I didn't see the pix with the cards. I think my Pastor considers people as regulars and first-timers, too. He says, "If this is your 1st time here, we consider you to be family we haven't met, yet."

[pastorables]

Jesus spoke this parable in Matthew 13:47-49. “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind: Which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away. So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just,” Now understand who has certain responsibilities.

Deb, the sermon was great as is Pastor Gary's recent sermon. What I challenge is a seemingly biased division of the scripture in question. The scripture says what it says: the fishermen gather the good... the fishermen cast the bad away. How then can we rightly divide as this?: The fishermen are to gather into nets... but, its the angels that will separate later. I am only attempting to rightly divide the scripture here. Pastor Gary and I have spoken briefly about this and it seems the better interpretation is that the bad fish separate themselves through due process of discipleship and training in the spiritual disciplines, etc....

pastorables

[scooter]

Deb, the sermon was great as is Pastor Gary's recent sermon. What I challenge is a seemingly biased division of the scripture in question. The scripture says what it says: the fishermen gather the good... the fishermen cast the bad away. How then can we rightly divide as this?: The fishermen are to gather into nets... but, its the angels that will separate later. I am only attempting to rightly divide the scripture here. Pastor Gary and I have spoken briefly about this and it seems the better interpretation is that the bad fish separate themselves through due process of discipleship and training in the spiritual disciplines, etc....

pastorables

Response: Isn't it funny how the Lord leaves room for this type of debate?

This reminds me of the great compassion of Christ to the woman at the well and how it compares to the go and sin no more of the text.

I know that many will use the text of separating the good from the bad as a reason to continue business as usual.

[dolfan]

This post was edited because I had misread part of the passage and posted something that was incorrect.

The parable says that the kingdom is like a net. When did the kingdom begin for us? When we were saved. The message of the kingdom, though, is from John the Baptist, and since then, "every man presseth into it". John MacArthur compares this net to the silent draw of God over time of all of us to the shores of eternity. There will be a time when judgment will come, and the angels of heaven will do the separation.

I think we have to read this passage eschatologically (I hate $5 words like this). I don't think the fishermen in the parable are to be compared with us as fishers of men. Jesus gives the explanation: the fishers are the angels.

Where do we fit into the picture? Perhaps we are more closely akin to the un-personalized net itself. The kingdom is the net, and the kingdom is within us. As we cooperate with God's plan, are the first contact with the fish.

Or, since we, too, are fish drawn into the net maybe it is our role to help the others avoid wasting away so that when the day of judgment comes, they will be ones fit for the vessel and not for being cast away.

Just some thoughts ....

[Methusala]

Hey, found this in hubby's old notes..Long sermon so I just cut to the chase..........

"Caught all kinds of fish", among them are those who love God and who do not, true believers, false prophets and many heretics. "The fishermen pulled it up on the shore". For the purpose of this sermon, we will look at the shore as being the church. When the fish are brought to the shore they have a place of safety from the world and its wickedness. They can finally escape the furious wind and waves of false teaching and flee from the open mouth of the shark (devil).

While the fishermen are out in the lake, they are unable to discern what is good and what is bad. They have to pull the net up on the shore and sit down to have a look.

Similar to this is life in church, in time all who gather there will live through trials of affliction, rebuke and discipline, insult and persecution. They will have left the confines of the net and in time it will become clear which are good and which are bad fish.
a. True believers are able to love God in whatever conditions, nothing can separate them from the love of God. (Ro 8:35). The false ones, however, will shrink back when they are asked to sacrifice and suffer for the Lord, when the will of God is against their own and when persecution and insults fall on them.

After we are pulled on the shore (experiencing the community of our church family) God will see who is humble and obedient, who is faithful and wise, who loves him with all his heart and all his soul and all his mind and who can submit to his will and labor for it.

Also he will see who is as covetous as Judas Iscariot, who loves the world like Demas and who is ungrateful and deceitful as Absalom.

Although the fish are caught in nets by the fishermen, and they are pulled to the shore by fishermen, and they are seperated by the fishermen, God is guiding the fishermen every step of the way.

Are you willing to be a fishermen guided by God. As a church are we willing to bring our net full of fish to the shore (the church), both the good and the bad.... before seperating the "good" from the "bad"? It seems that we are often picking out the bad fish while we are still out on the ocean, throwing them back in the water. Bad fish having something that disqualifies them from being in our net.

Yet in this parable we are told to take them all to shore. We might be surprised at who God will qualify as a good fish, and He is certainly able to guide us fishermen as those fish who have no desire to follow Him are seperated from the good while at the shore.

This would not be all he said. he always wrote it out, and then changed it about a million times (wadded up papers flying into the waste basket) before preaching while changing it again. Says that's probably why he isn't preaching anymore,

anyway, another thought on the subject

Wendi

[forestwalker]

1 Corinthians 6:1-8

1 Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints? 2 Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters? 3 Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life? 4 If then ye have judgments of things pertaining to this life, set them to judge who are least esteemed in the church. 5 I speak to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you? no, not one that shall be able to judge between his brethren? 6 But brother goeth to law with brother, and that before the unbelievers. 7 Now therefore there is utterly a fault among you, because ye go to law one with another. Why do ye not rather take wrong? why do ye not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded? 8 Nay, ye do wrong, and defraud, and that your brethren.

What's your point here setapart? This seems to be speaking to legal matters, not the judgment of the destiny of a soul. The bolded section is future tense.

[Pastor Gary]

What does that say to you, Gary?

Several things:
• Pull fish into the boat; all kinds of fish.
• The ones you aren't fishing for? Pull 'em in.
• The net drags in all kinds of flotsam and jetsam, too, besides fish, but while you are fishing is not the time to clean nets and sort rubbish -- pull fish into the boat.
• The boat (as metaphor for the church) is not always neat, tidy, organized and pretty like the love boat -- fishing boats have sharks flopping on deck, some fish guts, old tin cans and rubber boots, some of the surrounding ocean water AND some dedicated fishermen risking their all for the catch. And, of course, the catch.
• The sorting of "eating fish" from junk takes place long after the catch.

More later?

[Little Sister]

*
Fist off, may I ask if the whole text you posted is yours? I got confused when I read the following:

• Opening: Dramatic monologue written by Max Lucado.

IF this was all yours, let me say that this was a big treat for me. I can't tell you how much I enjoyed reading this! I love your style of teaching... I could eat this up. If I lived in Hawaii I wouldn't miss a single service! I'm telling you, I'm hungry for this! I love the thought provoking questions throughout and the way you explain. For example...

• "…he saw at the water’s edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets."
• ILLUST: Fishing where I grew up meant a pole, a hook, some worms or crickets… Andy & Opie at the fishin' hole… catch a fish…
• SERIOUS fishing in Hawaii… laying net, catching FISH (plural)... long-lines...
• …the fishing net gathers up everything in its path!
•
• Jesus chose net-fishermen!
• the fishing net gathers up everything it encounters --- a whole lot of stuff besides good-eatin’ fish (Matthew 13:47 says “the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish.”

Wow! I love it! Makes a point (one you can easily visualize and understand!) and very clearly and yet personal... I dunno... am I rambling?
Would it be too much trouble/hassle to post some of your other (past or new, I'm not picky!!!) outlines and teachings like you did this one? They would be worth printing and saving, IMHO!

[Sherry]

Would it be too much trouble/hassle to post some of your other (past or new, I'm not picky!!!) outlines and teachings like you did this one? They would be worth printing and saving, IMHO!

Just a thought I'd throw out here......what about a forum with your sermons? Others could participate also. Could be very thought provoking! What do you think?

[Pastor Gary]

*
Fist off, may I ask if the whole text you posted is yours? I got confused when I read the following:

• Opening: Dramatic monologue written by Max Lucado.

IF this was all yours, let me say that this was a big treat for me. I can't tell you how much I enjoyed reading this! I love your style of teaching... I could eat this up. If I lived in Hawaii I wouldn't miss a single service! I'm telling you, I'm hungry for this! I love the thought provoking questions throughout and the way you explain.

If you mean did I construct the sermon and plan/insert a dramatic monologue at the top, yes. I have a team of very creative people who stand ready to assist with drama, dance, video, etc. but I am responsible for the overall flow and outline. Glad you like it.

One of my guys did a character: he did this <ucado piece as Simon Peter tired after a hard night's fishing.

Wow! I love it! Makes a point (one you can easily visualize and understand!) and very clearly and yet personal... I dunno... am I rambling?

I am not a good preacher; the only thing I know how to do is share my journey toward understanding each passage, and I use the Socratic method sometimes -- asking more questions than giving answers.

Would it be too much trouble/hassle to post some of your other (past or new, I'm not picky!!!) outlines and teachings like you did this one? They would be worth printing and saving, IMHO!

Do my notes make enough sense to follow??? There's so much not said in there...