to servants for Christ. In all that we do, in all that we say, we want to give glory and honor to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Thank you for tuning us in as we get into the wonderful Word of God. For the next few minutes, let's take the beautiful Word of God and share it with each and every one of you. as we have a sense of anticipation to take the Word of God and to listen to its truth for each and every one. A service for Christ as we get into our message from empty nets to overflowing blessings Take your Bibles over to Luke chapter 5 verses 1 through 11 Luke chapter 5 verses 1 through 11 word of God says and it came to pass that as the people pressed upon him and to hear the word of God. He stood by the lake of Gennesaret, and he saw two ships standing by the lake, but the fishermen were gone out of them and were washing their nets. And he entered into one of the ships, which was Simon's, and prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the land, and he sat down and taught the people out of the ship. When we look at verses one through three, Jesus was teaching by the lake, and he was sending two boats. He chose Simon Peter's boat to sit in and to teach from, asking Peter to push out a little from the shore. But in verse four, he said, and when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a drought. You know, Jesus told Peter, if you'll take this boat in the deeper water, cast your nets again for a catch. And so he goes on in verse five, and Simon answering, said unto him, Master, we've toiled all the night and have taken nothing. Nevertheless, at thy word, I will let down the net. In verse five, Peter explained that they fished to Jesus all night long without any success, but Jesus wanted him to obey the command anyway. In verses six and seven, the Bible says, and when they had done this, they enclosed a great multitude of fishes at their net break. And they beckoned unto their partners, which were in the other ship, that they should come and help them. And they came and filled both the ships, so that they began to sink. And so, in verses 8 and 9, when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord. In verse 9, for he was astonished, and all that were with him at the drought of fishes, which they had taken. We continue on in verses 10 and 11. And the Word of God says, And so was also James and John, the sons of Zebedee, which were partners with Simon. And when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all and followed him. You know, as let's open up with a word of prayer. Father, we come before you acknowledging your greatness and your loving care. You are the God that sees our struggles, our discouragements and our doubts. And just like those weary fishermen in the Word of God, We sometimes feel worn out and ready to give up. But Lord, we thank you for reminding us through your word that when we obey your voice, you will move powerfully in our lives. Open our hearts now to hear your instruction and to trust you enough to respond with obedience. Strengthen our faith, renew our hope, and fill us with the courage to step into the deep waters that you call us to. May your spirit guide every word spoken and every heart listening. so that we may leave today ready to say, at your word, I will. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen. We look at obedience despite doubt. Like Peter, we may sometimes feel our efforts are useless or that situations are hopeless, whether in our work, our relationships, or faith. And yet, when Jesus tells us to step out in faith and obey, even when it doesn't seem logical, miracles can happen. You know, not only obedience to spite doubt, but God uses our willingness, Peter's willingness to obey despite past failure, open the door to God's blessing. And today God invites us to trust him and to act on his word, even when we don't see the immediate results. And we need to recognize God's power. Just as Peter was humbled by the miraculous catch, we too must recognize God's greatness and our dependence on him because this humility leads to a closer relationship with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Leaving the past behind, Peter and his partners left their old lives to follow Jesus. And in our world today, we've got to follow Christ. And we've got to leave behind the habits, the jobs, and the mindset that keep us from fully living in his purpose. And I'm glad that this passage, that when we look, and as we read Luke chapter 5, verses 1 through 11, We see that this passage encourages us to listen and to respond promptly to God's direction in our lives, whether that's in ministry, whether it's in work, whether in daily choices, knowing that He will work through our obedience. Well, there was a story where I saw fishermen cleaning their nets after a fruitless night, and they were obeying a surprising command and finally witnessing their nets break from an overwhelming catch. Well, when we read the story, it's an amazing story because it shows a transition from failure of being out fishing all night to being with Jesus and making a great catch. And so when we look and realize that the moment that if we witnessed this, it shows that transition from failure to success. from discouragement to renewed purpose. And it's a vivid reminder that God can perform miracles and wonders beyond our expectations, especially in situations where we've lost hope. Verse 9 highlights the awe that Peter feel and the others, the astonishment born from God's miraculous intervention when all seemed lost. The secret to unlocking such divine surprises is found in Peter's response in verse 5. At your word, I will let down the nets. You know, in very simple terms, from empty nets to overflowing blessings. I want to ask you a question. Will you trust God's command even when your efforts have failed before? Well, first of all, the first thing that I see about reading out of Luke chapter 5, verses 1 through 11, the thing that I see the most is the weary fisherman. You know, I'll be honest, I'm no expert fisherman. Back in my younger days, I had a dream of catching a giant big bass that was so big I could hang it on my wall and have it mounted. And so, but after years of trying, I began to give in and I admitted defeat. It turns out that I'm better probably at catching a nap than I am fish. But it reminds us of two fishermen buddies named Bob and Harry. Now, Harry was like a fish magnet. He was always really in the biggest catches. Bob, on the other hand, might as well have been fishing for compliments because he caught nothing but bad luck. One day, a trout popped his head up out of the water and teased Bob, hey, where's Harry? We're waiting for that real fisherman. Poor Bob felt so let down that he quit fishing altogether and took up bird watching, which was just him staring at pigeons and hoping they'd drop something tasty. The disciples in our story were professional fishermen. They were seasoned. They were skilled. And yet after a whole night of fishing, they had caught nothing. They were worn out. They were frustrated. They were ready to quit. But when we look at verse two, they were washing their nets, meaning they were done for the night. They were packing up, calling it quits. And many of us have felt that discouragement in God's work, wondering if our efforts are worth it. I personally had moments I wished I could quit preaching. But even biblical heroes like Jeremiah, Elijah, Jonah, and Peter all struggled with discouragement. And we all have moments where we want to wash our nets and give up. But I'm looking when I see the weary fishermen. First of all, I see the signs of their weariness. Verse 2 shows them cleaning their nets, a clear sign they had given up for the moment. And sometimes in ministry or life, discouragement tips us to stop trying. to give up on Sunday school, to give up on the choir, to give up on service, or to give up on prayer. And it's normal to feel this way, but we should be careful not to let discouragement win. And so we see the weary fishermen, the signs of their weariness, and secondly, the words of weariness, because Peter's words in verse five reveal a heart that is heavy with discouragement. He said, Master, we've worked all night and haven't caught anything. And so Peter's tone suggests hopelessness, skepticism about trying again. Maybe you're feeling hopeless right now about a ministry, about a prayer, or a personal struggle, but you're not alone. These fishermen felt that way too. And so when we look and we realize that each and every one of us, we see that number one question that we need to ask ourselves. Will you trust God's command even when your efforts have failed before? First of all, we saw the weary fisherman, but secondly, we see the commanded fisherman, because in this scene of frustration steps Jesus. He gets into Peter's boat. He teaches the crowd for a while, and then he gives a surprising instruction to Peter. Jesus tells Peter in verse four, put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch. And this is a very clear directive. Jesus doesn't just offer encouragement. He gives a specific command. Similarly, the Bible serves as our instruction manual for life. It guides us on what to believe and how to act. And God's Word tells us what he desires from us individually and as a church. And when God speaks, we're called to obey, no matter how unlikely or difficult it seems. And so we see the commanded fisherman. First of all, from that commanded fisherman, we see the Pacific instruction. Jesus had a call to launch out into the deep. And he challenges Peter to step out of his comfort zone and to trust God's plan. We all have instruction from God's word that sometimes asks us to step into the unknown in faith. And so that commanded fishermen with those specific instructions, launch out into the deep. Secondly, the response to that command, Peter's reply in verse five shows hesitation, but ultimately obedience. He said, nevertheless, at your word, I will let down the nets." You see, despite doubts, Peter obeyed. And this is all God asked of you and me, obedience. Even when we don't fully understand everything, our responses should be, yes, Lord. Yes, Lord, I will. And so, will you trust God's command even when your efforts have failed before? We see the weary fishermen. And in that weary fishermen, we look. And we see that through that weary fisherman, the signs of their weariness, the words of their weariness, amen. And we look and we see also that through that weariness that we observe, amen, through all of this, we look and we ask that through this particular thing, the commanded fisherman, the Pacific instructions and the response to the command But thirdly, we look again and we ask ourselves that same question, will you trust God's command even when your efforts have failed before? And so, the third thing we see, not only the weary fisherman, not only the commanded fisherman, but thirdly, the overjoyed fisherman. Because out of all of this, we look and we see that Jesus promised a great catch. And despite Peter's uncertainty, he kept his word. Verses 6 and 7 describe that miraculous catch that they had. That wonderful, miraculous catch that came on the scene, praise God. That even though that they went through the time that they went through, we see verses 6 and 7. And when they had done this, they enclosed a great multitude of fishes and their net break. And they beckoned unto their partners which were in the other ship, that they should come and help them. And they came. and fill both the ships so that they began to sink. And so when we look at verses six and seven of the miraculous catch, how often do we miss out on God's blessings because we fail to obey his commands fully. God desires to bless us beyond what we expect. Sometimes even to the point of overflowing. Let's not shy away from getting in the deep. and experiencing the broken nets and the overflowing blessings that God has in store for your life and my life. And so when we look and we see the overjoyed fishermen, we see the amazing miracle because the size of the catch overwhelmed the fishermen, requiring help from their fellow fishermen partners close by. This miracle shows that obedience unlocks God's power. And if we will act on his word, He'll show up in an amazing way. And so by looking at the overjoyed fishermen, we see the amazing miracle. But secondly, the humble heart. Peter's reaction in verse eight is telling. He falls at Jesus' knees and he admits, depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man. Peter was humbled by what he saw. He was aware of his own shortcomings and God's greatness. And this moment reveals how encountering God's power reveals our need for Him. And so, what do you long to see God do in your life? What do you long to see God do in your life? What miracles are you waiting for right now? Remember, the key is very simple. From emptiness to overflowing blessings. Because when we obey, He works. No matter how discouraged you feel, no matter how hopeless the situation seems, say with Peter, at your word, I will. Because obedience opens the door for God's astonishing power to move in our lives. And so when we look and we realize, why do we sometimes feel like giving up when our efforts don't seem to produce the results? Well, because of discouragement. from repeated failures, we lose hope and confidence in what we're doing. And like the fishermen who have worked all night without a catch, we can feel exhausted. And the question, the purpose of our continuing, our human perspective focuses on what we see, empty nets, closed doors, stagnant growth, rather than trusting God's unseen power and timing. It's a test of faith. God allows these moments to teach us patience. Reliance on him and the need for his divine intervention rather than our own strength. And so What does it mean to obey God's instructions even when they don't make sense to us? Obedience means acting on God's Word regardless of our doubts or our past disappointments Peter didn't fully understand why Jesus asked him to fish again after a fruitless night, but he trusted Jesus enough to follow his commands It's a step of faith and showing that we submit our will to God's wisdom. You see, obedience is not just about doing what's easy or logical, but about trusting the one who knows the whole picture. God's commands often lead us into deeper spiritual blessings and breakthroughs that we couldn't achieve on our own. Obedience positions us to receive his power and his provision. And so when we look and we realize that How should we respond when God shows up in our lives in powerful ways? Like Peter, who fell at Jesus' knees, acknowledging his sinfulness and unworthiness, our first response should be humility and worship. Recognizing God's greatness draws us into deeper repentance and dependence on him. We should respond with gratitude and a renewed commitment to follow Jesus wholeheartedly, as Peter, James, and John did when they left everything to follow him. You see, when we experience God's miraculous work, it should ignite bold faith and joy in us, encouraging us to share his power with others and to continue serving with a renewed passion. I'm glad that each and every one of us, when we asked ourselves, will you trust God's command even when your efforts have failed before? Because all of us have been weary fishermen at some time or another. We have the signs of weariness and the words of weariness upon our hearts. And we've been there where we need to be commanded, fishermen, the Pacific instructions and the response to that command. And we've been there. When we realize that when we obey the Lord, we can be overjoyed fishermen from the amazing miracle and the humble heart. What do you long to see God do in your life? What miracle are you waiting for? Remember, when we obey, he works. No matter how discouraged you feel, no matter how hopeless the situation seems. We need to be a Peter that says, at your word, I will, because obedience opens the door for God's astonishing power to move in our lives. Lord, thank you for the truth that your power is unlocked through our obedience. We confess that sometimes we hesitate and we doubt, but you are patient and faithful. Help us to follow your commands, even when the way seems uncertain or difficult. Teach us to trust your timing and your promises, knowing that you can fill our nets beyond what we can imagine. Lord, as we go from this place, may we carry a renewed spirit of hope and willingness to obey your word. Let our lives be a testimony of your mighty work. And when we choose to obey, bless each person here, strengthen our churches, our pastors, guide us all that we call on you each and every day. And we ask all of this. May you save that lost sinner before it's too late. May you bring that cold and indifferent church member back into the fold and renew them. In Jesus's marvelous, mighty name we pray. Amen. you