Luke 5:1-11

HOW HE WENT FROM FAILURE TO SUCCESS

Intro.--Peter had just failed and yet Jesus turned it into a great success! Gennesareth is probably of the old Hebrew name Kinnereth, but the Rabbis derive it from gannesarim ‘gardens of princes.’ This same inland lake is generally called ‘the Sea of Galilee’, the sea of Chinnereth, Num_34:11 called the sea of Galilee, and of Tiberias, Joh_6:1 and is, by other writers (b), as here, called the lake of Gennesaret, and said to be sixteen miles long, and six broad. Josephus says (c), it is forty furlongs broad, and an hundred long. The Jews say (d), that "the holy, blessed God created seven seas, but chose none of them all, but the sea of Gennesaret.''

NOTICE FIRST OF ALL THAT WHEN HE FAILED HE SHOULD HAVE SUCCEEDED:

1. He was fishing at the right time

2. He knew what he was doing...he owned the boat, and fishing was his business!

3. He had enough nets in the water.

4. He toiled at the task of fishing all night long.

AND YET...... HE FAILED!!

NOTICE SECOND OF ALL THAT WHEN HE SUCCEEDED, HE SHOULD HAVE FAILED:

1. He went out fishing again, but at the wrong time of day.

2. He wasn’t acting on what he knew to do, only the suggestion of Jesus.

3. He didn’t throw out the nets, but just one single net.

4. He didn’t have room for all of the fish that he caught, it took two boats! NOW...... WHAT MADE THE DIFFERENCE:

1. ADMITION (He admited that he had failed--vs. 5)

Prov 28:13 "He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy."

*Understand you must be willing to admit your problem before you get helped! (Salvation, Christian Growth, Finances, Marriage Difficulties, etc.)

*You must be “uncomfortable” with what you are before you will be changed! (Conviction!!)

Illustration: HA Ironsidespoke of Dr. FE March preaching on Confession & Restitution. A young man came up to him after the service very troubled. I have sinned he said. I work for a ship builder and we use copper nails because they do not rust. I have a small boat I too am building and I have taken of the nails to use at home on my project. I have stolen and those copper nails are piercing my conscience. Make it right Dr. March said. I cannot the young man said. My boss is an infidel and he would think me a hypocrite if he knew and I cannot do that. There is no other way Dr. March assured him. A week later the young man said: The copper nails no long pierce my conscience. What happen he asked? I could take it no longer, and so I told my boss and agreed to pay for all of the nails. He said that he had always thought that Christians were just a bunch of hypocrites, but when you came to confess to me what I would have never known, and offer to make it right, I realized there is something to this Christianity, and I too want to be one!!

2. AGREEMENT (He agreed to do what Jesus said. “nevertheless” vs.5) *We want an easy way to do a hard job. We must be in agreement to God’s Word!!

*We must to it like Jesus said!

*You may not be in agreement with your human reasoning, but you must be in agreement to God’s Word!

3. ACCOMPLISHMENT

(“enclosed a great amount of fishes and the net brake” v-6)

Isa 55:11 "So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it."

Josh 1:8 "This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success."

Illustration: In the spring of 1883 two young men graduated from medical school. The two differed from one another in both appearance and ambition. Ben was short and stocky. Will was tall and thin. Ben dreamed of practicing medicine on the East Coast. will wanted to work in a rural community. Ben begged his friend to go to New York where they could both make a fortune. Will refused. His friend called him foolish for wanting to practice medicine in the Midwest. "But," will said, "I want first of all to be a great surgeon...the very best, if I have the ability." Years later the wealthy and powerful came from around the world to be treated by Will at his clinic...the Mayo Clinic.

4. ASTONISHMENT (“he was astonished” vs. 9)

*God will accomplish more than you believe and will astonish you!

Jer 33:3 "Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not."

Eph 3:20 "Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,"

Dan 11:32b "but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits."

5. ASSIGNMENT (“fear not, from henceforth thou shalt catch men” vs. 10) *God has an assignment for all of us!

John 15:16 "Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you."

John 20:21 "Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you."

Illustrations: A missionary in Africa was once asked if he really liked what he was doing. His response was shocking. "Do I like this work?" he said. "No. My wife and I do not like dirt. We have reasonable refined sensibilities. We do not like crawling into vile huts through goat refuse...But is a man to do nothing for Christ he does not like? God pity him, if not. Liking or disliking has nothing to do with it. We have orders to 'Go,' and we go. Love constrains us."

6. ABANDONMENT (“they forsook all and followed him.” vs. 11)

Mat 16:24 "Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me."

John 10:27 "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:"

Illustration:It is said that Cyrus, the founder of the Persian Empire, once had captured a prince and his family. When they came before him, the monarch asked the prisoner, "What will you give me if I release you?" "The half of my wealth," was his reply. "And if I release your children?" "Everything I possess." "And if I release your wife?" "Your Majesty, I will give myself." Cyrus was so moved by his devotion that he freed them all. As they returned home, the prince said to his wife, "Wasn't Cyrus a handsome man!" With a look of deep love for her husband, she said to him, "I didn't notice. I could only keep my eyes on you- -the one who was willing to give himself for me."