UNIQUELY LUKE
#2 – PETER’S BOAT
Luke 5:1-11
(This series deals with the non-Christmas
passages which are unique to the Gospel of Luke)
Have you noticed that God used many different things
to accomplish his purposes.
He used David’s sling, the jawbone of an ass to help
Samson, an axe head, five loaves and two fishes, a cross and an empty tomb to
mention a few things.
He also used Peter’s boat.
I know that God can use you because you are like
Peter’s boat mentioned in Luke 5:1-11.
Peter’s boat was the scene of the miracle of a
miraculous catch of fish.
This was not the first time that Peter had met Jesus.
There are at least two other previous instances of
Peter meeting Jesus.
Peter’s brother, Andrew, was a disciple of John the
Baptist.
Andrew was present when John the Baptist identified
Jesus as “the lamb of, which taketh away the sins of
the world”. John 1:40-42
The original call of Jesus to Peter, Andrew, James and
John is mentioned in Matthew 4:18-20.
The disciples appeared to follow Jesus on a part time
basis, and then went back to their fishing. It is at the end of a long night of
fishing that Peter’s boat comes into focus, and we see how we should be useable
like Peter’s boat.
LIKE PETER’S BOAT
YOUR HEART SHOULD BE A CHAPEL
Vss. 1-3 – Jesus was teaching by the
The crowds were very large and pressing upon him.
Nearby Peter, Andrew, James, and John were doing what
fishermen did after a long night of fishing. They were washing out their nets
and then setting them into the sun to dry.
Jesus requested use of the boat. So Peter thrust out a
little from land and Jesus sat in the boat and taught the people.
The hills surrounding the lake helped make the area a
natural amphitheatre.
The minute Jesus entered that boat it was not the
same.
Jesus entered the boat and the boat became a chapel.
It was the residence, at least temporarily of God the
Son.
The minute Jesus entered your life when you were saved
you were no longer the same.
2 Corinthians 5:17
You became new in many ways when you trusted Jesus as
Savior. A key way is that your heart
became a chapel or a temple. It is a
place where God dwells. 1 Corinthians
6:19-20
Because God dwells inside of me my body should be a
place where He is worshipped. God should
receive my reverence, my praise, my thanksgiving and my prayers. Psalm 89:1,7, Psalm 103:1-2, 1 Thessalonians 1:16-18
LIKE PETER’S BOAT
YOUR HEART SHOULD BE A CLASSROOM
Vs. 3 – Jesus taught the people.
The Teacher was present. Class was in session!
Did you know that like Peter’s boat, you have a
resident teacher?
It is God, the Holy Spirit. John 16:12-14
How does God teach us?
First of all, He uses his Word. 2 Timothy 3:16-17
Secondly God teaches us through the preaching of His
Word. 2 Timothy 4:2
Thirdly God uses us to teach each other.
We teach others when we share Scripture.
We teach others when we share our experiences.
Finally, God teaches us through experience.
We learn to trust God through our trials.
We learn to do what is right when God chooses to
correct us for what we have done wrong.
LIKE PETER’S BOAT
YOUR LIFE SHOULD HAVE A CAPTAIN
Vs. 4 – Did you ever have someone who knew
nothing about your job, tell you how to do your job?
Peter would have thought that Jesus knew nothing about
fishing. Jesus was a carpenter.
Jesus wanted Peter to go fishing when they had labored
all night and caught nothing. The fish were not around.
Jesus wanted Peter to go fishing in the broad
daylight, when nighttime would have been better.
Jesus wanted Peter to fish out in the deep, when it
was customary to fish along the shore.
Peter would have had to load the big, heavy, wet nets
back into his boat and go out for fish after having fished all night.
He was probably very tired, if not exhausted!
Luke 5:5 - And
Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have
taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net.
Did Peter feel like fishing? No.
Did Peter think it was wise to fish? No.
Was Peter afraid at being laughed at for fishing at
such an unusual time and place? Perhaps.
Did Peter understand what Jesus was doing? No.
Why did Peter concede to do it?
The moment that Jesus entered Peter’s boat, Jesus
became captain.
Peter recognized him as Master and did as He was told.
My friend Jesus wants to be more than a guest in your
life.
He wants to be Lord of your life!
He wants to call the shots!
He wants to tell you what to do.
He wants to be “Lord of all”. And, as someone has said, “If Jesus isn’t
Lord of all, He isn’t Lord at all!”
John
LIKE PETER’S BOAT
YOUR LIFE SHOULD BE A CHANNEL
Vss. 5-7 – Peter’s boat became the channel or
means of a great miracle.
Vs. 8 – Peter was amazed and convicted. He realized what a sinner he was and that he
did not deserve to be in Jesus’ presence.
When God works miracles in our lives, we will be
equally astonished and will realize how much we don’t deserve them.
For we, too are sinful men and women.
Vs. 9-10 – Jesus now tells Peter something
phenomenal and wonderful! From that
point on Peter would not fish for fish.
He would fish for men.
Peter, Andrew, James and John would all be those who
would become the channel through which God would work to bring men and women to
Himself and to lead them to life!
And so it is today.
We are God’s channels who are to bring men and women to Jesus. We are the ones who are to tell the Good News
of Jesus’ death burial and resurrection.
Mark
LIKE PETER’S BOAT
YOUR LIFE SHOULD BE A CAST-OFF
Luke 5:11 - And when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all, and
followed him.
The boat was left behind.
Peter and the others left all to follow Jesus.
In their case the fishing boats needed to be forsaken.
You may not have to leave your job in order to follow
Jesus.
But your life is to be such that you are willing to
leave behind whatever is necessary in order to follow Jesus. Luke 9:23-24
LIKE PETER’S BOAT
YOUR HEART SHOULD BE A CHAPEL
YOUR HEART SHOULD BE A CLASSROOM
YOUR LIFE SHOULD HAVE A CAPTAIN
YOUR LIFE SHOULD BE A CHANNEL
YOUR LIFE SHOULD BE A CAST-OFF