Excellent, what a special morning. These are always some of the greatest joys in our life
as a church when we see Jesus at work in people's lives. And it's just been so great to see what God
is doing in Reuben's. I just want to give a particular welcome, as I get my breath back,
used to think I was fit, to Reuben's friends and family. I haven't managed to say hello to you
this morning, but you're so, so welcome. It's a joy to have you. We love your boy. We will look after
him, but just know how welcome you are here today. And let me welcome you to the strangest group of
people on planet Earth. If you didn't know that before, churches are strange places and Christians
are strange people. Now here's what I mean by that. According to a recent survey, did you know
that there are something like 2.5 billion Christians around the world today? That's a lot of people,
2.5 billion. But let me take that overwhelmingly large figure and make it a much more manageable
one. So here's the figure. It's 100. So if 100 Christians represented all of global Christianity,
here's the stats. Take this in. 26 people would live in Africa. 24 people would live in Latin America.
23 people would live in Europe. 15 people would live in Asia. 11 people would live in North America.
And one person would live in Oceania. And get this, your average Christian in the world today
is a non-white woman living her life in the global South with lower than average levels of both
societal safety and access to proper healthcare. How does that strike you this morning?
In our world, it seems to be getting increasingly divided and fractured and seems to be shouting
across at each other. Let me put it to you that Christianity is the greatest social phenomena
the world has ever seen. This really is a strange going on. This really is, if you're a 90s
kid like me, this really is one for Mulder and Scully, isn't it? Welcome to the strangest group of people
on planet Earth. Strangest and how do you explain that? 2.5 billion people. A group that started in a
sense 2,000 odd years ago with a group of a dozen disciples following a 30-year-old carpenter turned
preacher who came from Nazareth. Remember Leicester City won the Premier League a few years ago. What
were they? 5,000 to 1. Who would have predicted that? Who would have predicted 12 to 2.5 billion in just
over 2,000 years? Who would have predicted that? Well, as it turns out, what we're going to see in this
passage, and I should have said this at start, we're going to be in Luke chapter 5 if you have a Bible.
1 to 11. We'll read it in a few moments time. Luke chapter 5. If you don't have a Bible, you can grab
one in the pews around about you, or the words will go on the screen in just a few moments as well.
As it turns out,
what we see in Luke chapter 5 is that Jesus predicted it. He predicted it. In fact, he did way more than just
predict it. He guaranteed it. You see, what Jesus says here in this passage is the explanation of days
like today. And it is the explanation of stories like Reuben's and like every single Christian who
follows Jesus around the world. This is the explanation of why that happens. So here's what
we're going to do. We're going to read from verse 1 of Luke chapter 5, and I want you to hear Jesus
predict it and guarantee it. So this is Luke chapter 5.
One day, as the crowds were pressing close to him to hear the word of God,
Jesus was standing by the lake of Gennesaret. He saw two boats moored by the land. The fishermen had
gone ashore and were washing their nets. He got into one of the boats. It was Simon's,
and asked him to put out a little way from the land. Then he sat down in the boat and began to teach
the crowd. When he'd finished speaking, he said to Simon, put out into the deeper part and let down
your nets for a catch. Master, replied Simon, we were working hard all night and caught nothing at all.
But if you say so, I'll let down the nets. When they did so, they caught such a huge number of fish
that their nets began to break. They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help
them. So they came and filled both the boats and they began to sink. When Simon Peter saw it, he fell
down at Jesus's knees. Leave me alone, Lord, he said. I'm a sinner. He and all his companions were
gripped with amazement at the catch of fish they had taken. This included James and John, the sons of
Zebedee who were partners with Simon. Don't be afraid, said Jesus to Simon. From now on, you'll be
catching people. They brought the boats into land. Then they abandoned everything and followed him.
So here is this first century doctor come historian called Luke, who's taken the time in this gospel of
Luke to do his investigatory homework to produce this well-researched account of the life of this man,
Jesus. And this is what you'll find in the early chapters of Luke's gospel. In the opening chapters,
he writes about Jesus's birth. We're going to be thinking about that over the next few weeks in church
and in our country. You read about Jesus's birth. Read it and you'll see that that birth is supernatural
and yet brimming with purpose. And Luke then moves on to tell you about Jesus's family tree. Again,
read it and you'll see the stock that Jesus is from, questionable and yet full of hope.
And the message that Jesus is speaking, read it and you'll see a message that is controversial and yet
is full of explosive power. Read it and you'll see that Jesus is wonderfully surprising.
Someone who does more than just flip the world upside down.
Here is someone showing human beings what it is to live the right way up.
You know, we had our boiler service the other day, flashing faults. Guy came to fix it, switch off the
heating, new part in, fires it back up again, firing in all cylinders again. We've get heat.
And it's easy to think of the human problem a bit like that, that all we need to do is just make a few
tweaks, make a few adjustments, get a few new parts and hey presto, everything will be fine again.
But when the Bible talks about the human condition, it's actually a lot less boiler.
It's a lot more like a bunch of flowers that you'd buy at a florist
that look great for three or four days, but after a while they'll die.
And actually they started dying the very moment they were cut off from the very thing that was
giving them life. You see, that's our problem as human beings.
It's the essence of what the Bible calls sin that is in the human heart.
There's a lot of images that the Bible uses to talk about sin because it's a
multi-dimensional problem that we all have. It's our natural inclination to turn away from our
creator, reject his rule and want to go it our way. And that is our greatest problem,
that we are not right with the God who made us. And yet here Jesus tell us how he's come to be
the greatest solution, the perfect solution to our problem.
And it all centers on why he's come, to rescue sinners like you and me from God's judgment.
But he does more than rescue people from the reality of hell. What he does is he transforms
people. He sets people free. He gives people purpose and dignity in life.
And he restores us to the very God who made us in his image.
And you read on the Luke's gospel, you see Jesus stand up in all places at a Jewish synagogue.
In verse 18 of chapter 4. And he reads from one of the most precious prophecies anywhere in the Old
Testament. If you scan your eye there, what you'll see is this prophecy from a prophet named Isaiah.
Keep that name in mind. And he's God speaking through him about someone who will come and bring a good
news message of liberation for the world. All the world to here, who will put things right,
who will make things new, who will set people free, who will deal with our biggest problem as human
beings, that sin problem. Jesus reads it and it ain't controversial.
It'll be getting whoops and hallelujahs, I'm sure. But what is controversial is that Jesus reads it
and he says, that person who's come to do that, it's me. Now that is a mic drop moment if ever I've
seen one in the gospels. And that's why from this point on in the gospel, Luke focuses on Jesus' word.
Because it's this word that Luke is helping us join the dots to see that it's this word that brings
liberation to the poor. And people say that about Jesus. The end of chapter 4 verse 31 is Jesus heals
this demon-possessed man. The crowd comment that his word has, and it's the word beginning with A,
authority. And Jesus has set, verse 43, on taking this message out. So from this point in the gospel,
word is going out. And so here we are then, opening verse of chapter 5, on the shores of Lake Gennesaret.
And the great crowd have gathered, not just to see Jesus, a great crowd have gathered, do you see it, to hear Jesus.
Because they recognize that he's not primarily a good man or a wise teacher or even a messenger from God.
When he speaks, they hear the very words of God himself. When he speaks, things happen. When he speaks,
life's change. When he speaks, change, change, break.
And who's there by the lake working away, do you see him? Is this man called Peter. Day job?
Fisherman. Owns a boat. Has business partners there. And he's washing his nets after a long night.
And Jesus says to him, I want to use your boat. And after he's finished teaching, do you see what he says,
verse 4, chapter 5? I want you to pull out into the deep again and drop your nets.
Now, Peter at this point, fisherman, experienced as he was, thinking to himself, to head out into the
busy waters during the heat of the day instead of the quiet waters of night is a massive waste of time.
If you know anything about fishing, the place and the chance to catch them is when the waters are still.
And this is a carpenter giving a fisherman instructions. This is like a circus performer going to a hospital,
donning the scrubs, heading to the operating table and telling the surgeon, I see that you've made the incision there,
but how about you just try and make it on the other side?
This is nonsense. And yet, Peter says,
at your word,
master. He perceives something about Jesus' word. He's maybe seen,
he's maybe heard. His mother-in-law has just been healed in the verses just before.
Peter recognizes there's something about Jesus' word.
Maybe it's a Dr. Pepper moment here in Peter's life. I don't know.
What's the worst that can happen?
And what follows is an unexplainable catch. Notice the eyewitness details if you've got the text there.
Their nets were breaking due to such a large catch of fish, so much so that they had to signal for
their partners to bring another boat. And even then, the boats were sinking. And eyewitness details
that Luke pummels the reader with, an attempt to show us how extraordinary this was.
And it's amazing, actually,
think about it. Jesus has turned a potentially financial devastating evening
into an unprecedented windfall.
But then we get an unmissable response.
Do you see how Peter's not rubbing his hands with
glee, cracking open a bottle of bubbly, singing,
I'm in, the money.
Yeah?
His reaction is that he's utterly undone by this encounter with Jesus.
This man has blown his mind
wide open.
Isn't it interesting
that the first thing he's aware of
in this encounter with Jesus
is not his smallness,
it's not his
his unimpressiveness,
it's his sinfulness.
Isn't that interesting?
Now, this is more than just
I was in the presence of greatness, right?
In our celebrity culture,
it's often what happens when you find yourself
having to be in the same shop as a famous person.
We go all, oof, don't we?
This is more than just he's in the presence of greatness,
way more than that.
Peter recognizes that he's in the presence of God himself.
Just like Isaiah before him,
in Isaiah chapter 6,
his reaction
to being in the presence of God
is,
woe is me.
And there's huge connections.
We can follow up afterwards if you want
between Isaiah chapter 6 and Luke chapter 5.
Woe is me
because I am a man of unclean lips,
says Isaiah.
And Peter recognizes in this point
that he has got nothing to bring
to the negotiating table.
The only card that he's got to play
is not marked
me,
M-E.
The only card he recognizes he can play
begins with M-E
but ends in R-C-Y.
Do you see?
He goes
mercy.
And the ball at this point
is well and truly in Jesus' court.
The next move is his.
And what happens next,
dear friends,
you need to see this,
is Jesus to a T.
He doesn't go all
Oprah Winfrey on him,
does he?
And say,
Peter,
get up.
You need better self-esteem.
You need bigger goals.
You need to think better about yourself.
That will always be
the top sellers
in the Kindle store,
those kind of books.
But Jesus knows
that just doesn't work
when it comes to the human condition.
But nor has he gone
all Roy Keane on him.
Yeah,
if you know Roy Keane,
the notoriously harsh
Irish football pundit,
Jesus doesn't say,
Peter,
you're not fit to wear the jersey.
Sinful man,
you don't know the half of it, son.
This is Jesus.
Jesus does neither of those things.
Here is Jesus,
the one who was there
before the beginning
of anything.
This is Jesus,
the one who knows
all of Peter's mistakes,
past, present, and future.
And what does he say?
What's his opening line?
Just like Gabriel said to Mary,
verse 10,
he says,
do not be afraid.
Again,
interesting,
striking.
Do not be afraid.
What does he recognize
is going on in Peter's heart?
There's a lot of fear.
Do not be afraid.
And from there,
see Jesus make an unexpected call.
He says,
from now on,
you
will be fishing
for people.
And that's the punchline
of the drama here.
This is what it was
all about.
The great haul of fish.
I didn't really think about it
that much until this week.
Why fish?
Jesus could have done
all sorts of things.
Why fish?
Well,
I guess this is speaking
Peter's language in a way.
But he's always saying,
see this great haul?
Those fish,
they represent people.
That's what's going to happen
down the generations,
across the nations,
through history,
as my words,
as this gospel goes forth.
Here's what I want you to know.
If you're a Christian here today,
you are a fish.
You are a fish
who has been drawn
into Jesus'
gracious net.
You have been
hooked,
lined,
and sinkered
by the fishermen
par excellence.
Why do days like today
happen?
Why do stories like
Reuben's happen?
Because right here,
Jesus guaranteed
that it would.
And here's real quick
things
to see.
Number one,
it means that every moment
is a learning moment
with Jesus.
Do you see verse 11?
Peter,
James,
and John,
who would become
Jesus'
inner circle
of three.
And they left
everything
and they
followed him.
You could argue
that much of the rest
of Luke's gospel
is the record
of their three-year-long
apprenticeship
with Jesus.
Jesus invites them
to come and learn
from him.
Jesus invites them
to come and learn
his heart for people.
Come and learn
his father-shaped
priorities.
Come and learn
how life in his
kingdom works.
Come and learn
who they are.
Can I just say
it's only by coming
to understand
Jesus,
this God,
that we can truly
come to understand
ourselves.
Come and follow me
and most of all
learn what it means
for me to be
your savior.
You see,
way before this
is about
us serving
Jesus,
this is about
Jesus
serving us.
It's always
the way around
it goes.
when Peter says,
I am a sinful
man,
I just say
he's not wrong.
The rest of
this book
is full
of his mistakes,
but Jesus
will go to the
cross to die
for Peter's
sin.
He will go to
the cross to die
for my sin.
He goes to the
cross to die
for your sin,
and he rises
again
to show
that that
payment,
that debt
has been paid,
it's gone through
in the eyes
of a holy
God.
Peter,
as he takes
Jesus' word
in the power
of the Spirit
to the world,
will begin
to see
the beginnings
of this great
catch.
You see,
with Jesus,
every moment
is a learning
moment.
They followed
him.
It's what
to be a
disciple is,
to be a
lifelong
learner.
And with
Jesus,
every day
is a fishing
day.
Do you know
what I love?
I love that
Jesus could
have quite
easily
have commanded
the fish
to jump
into the
net all
by themselves.
Could have
done that,
right?
But he says,
Peter,
I want you
to be the
one to
drop down
the net.
You see,
Jesus is
guaranteeing the
work,
this is his
catch,
but he
wants to
do it
through
everyday
people like
Peter and
like you
and like
me.
Do you know
what I thought
as well this
week?
That he's
also in
control of
the fact
that Peter
during the
night caught
nothing.
Think about
that.
He's also
in control of
the fact that
Peter during
the night
caught
nothing.
I wonder
whether in
this moment
he wants
Peter to
feel his
emptiness
and to
know that
without
Jesus,
he can
do
nothing.
So often
where the
Lord takes
us in life,
isn't it?
And from
this point
on,
Jesus goes
on the
biggest
recruitment
drive the
world has
ever seen,
calling people
to come and
to join the
work with
him.
While fishermen
snatch living
fish away to
death,
do you see
how it's
flipped?
The disciples
are going to
be involved in
snatching dying
people away and
giving them
life.
They leave their
family fishing
business and
they become part
of his family
fishing business.
Taking this
message about
him to
their immediate
neighbors,
the surrounding
regions,
and to the
ends of the
earth.
2.5 billion
people.
And that's just
across the world
today.
You multiply that
down to
generations,
that's a lot
of people.
Jesus says,
come and
follow me.
You know,
just as we
close,
just want to
show my
kids built
yesterday when
I was at
men's breakfast.
We had a
men's breakfast
up here between
9 and 11.
This is what our
kids did while I
was there.
As we were all
fighting to get
here to the
room, we were
almost clapping
every person that
came in the
door because it
was so difficult.
Johan even
managed to
come with his
crutches on the
bus and we
were whooping
and everything.
It was great.
But did you
enjoy the snow
yesterday?
Yeah?
This is what my
kids built.
Needless to say,
they are all my
hats and
scarves.
Here's the
question that
came at night.
As he
reflected,
as he told me
on these
things about
the carrot
for the nose
and about
the hats that
he put on,
about the
scarves,
about the
works to
build these
snowmen.
All the
snow that
fell, the
question came
to me last
night, do
you think the
snow will
still be there
tomorrow?
And here's the
picture today,
less than 16
hours.
Yeah?
And I
guarantee you
when I go
home, those
two stumps will
not be there
anymore.
It's crazy,
isn't it?
How that's
happened in
such a short
space of
time.
But here's the
thing.
We live in a
world that is
saying to us,
invest in
things, love
things, you
need things, that
friends just will
not last.
Do you know,
looks will fade,
jobs will start
and end, our
emotions will dip
and dive, people
will come and go
in and out of our
lives.
question for us to
think about,
particularly if you
don't know this
Jesus, is the
thing that you're
building your
life on going to
last?
Or is it going to
be like the
snow?
It's going to be
here looking very
impressive one day
and in a matter of
hours it could be
all gone.
What I want us to
see is that Jesus
is calling us here,
all those who
follow him, no
matter how
unimpressive you
think you are,
no matter how
short or how long
you've been a
Christian for,
he's inviting all
those who follow
him to come and
be part and
participate in the
greatest mission
this world has
ever known.
And to invest
ourselves in the
one thing in this
life that's going
to last.
When he says,
come and I will
make you fishers
of men, it really
is an invitation to
the greatest mission
the world has ever
seen.
So let's pause
just for a minute
and I'd love us
just to pray.
And maybe
particularly this
morning if you
don't know this
Jesus for yourself
is something that's
been said or read
or something that
Ruben said,
anything like that
or we've sung is
maybe just piqued
your interest.
Dear friends,
don't waste this
moment.
Grab somebody who
you've come with
maybe in the
quietness now bring
your own prayers to
this God.
Maybe today is the
day of salvation
for you.
So let's just have
a moment of silence
and then I'll pray
and then we're going
to stand to sing
our final song.
Come all you
who are thirsty
come to the waters
and you who have
no money come
buy and eat.
Come buy wine
and milk without
money and without
cost.
Why spend money
on what is not
bread and your
labor on what
does not satisfy?
Listen,
listen to me
and eat what is
good and your
soul will delight
in the richest
of fear.
Thank you Lord
that that's how
grace works.
Thank you that we
bring nothing to
the negotiating
table before you
a holy God.
Father, thank you
for your mercy.
Thank you for your
grace in welcoming
people like us.
I pray Father today
that as we think
about, as we've
seen the newness
of life that Jesus
brings, his death
on the cross, paying
the debt of our
sin, his resurrection
life that the
spirit gives.
Lord, I pray that
we would be, some
of us particularly
would be moved to
give our lives to
the Lord Jesus.
So Father, we thank
you for this time.
Thank you for each
other.
Be with us now as we
finish our time
together.
We just pray for
Reuben.
I thank you for him
Lord.
We thank you so much
for the way that
you've been at work
in his life, how
he's just come and
given himself over
the last little
season to the
life of the church
here.
And may today be a
special one, particularly
for him.
So Lord, thank you
for your love for
him.
Thank you for your
love for us.
And we just pray all
of these things in
Jesus' wonderful name.
Amen.