SERMON NOTES

The story in Luke 5:1–11 reminds us that sometimes God interrupts our ordinary moments with something extraordinary. It begins with fishermen who had reached the end of their strength — tired, discouraged, and empty-handed — when Jesus stepped into their situation.

"One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, the people were crowding around him and listening to the word of God. He saw at the water’s edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. 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. When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.” 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.” When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. — Luke 5:1–6 (NIV)

This passage is more than a fishing story — it’s a lesson about faith, obedience, and rediscovering the call of Jesus to be “fishers of men.”

Evangelism was never meant to be a project; it’s a partnership. Jesus doesn’t need our perfection; He needs our participation. The same invitation He gave Peter — “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men” (Matthew 4:19) — still echoes today.

This message, Casting Your Net, explores what happens when Jesus steps into our boats, calls us into deeper waters, and transforms our obedience into overflow.

1. Your Boat Becomes Jesus’ Platform

When Jesus saw Simon Peter, the crowds were pressing in around Him, eager to hear the Word of God. Peter, on the other hand, had already fished all night without success. He was cleaning his nets, disappointed and ready to give up.

The Bible says: "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." — Luke 5:3 (NIV)

The remarkable thing about this moment is that the same boat Peter had just stepped out of in frustration became the very place where Jesus chose to stand. What Peter saw as useless, Jesus saw as useful. The abandoned, empty boat — the symbol of Peter’s failure — became a pulpit for the Word of God.

God often uses the parts of our lives we consider wasted, broken, or disappointing as platforms for His glory. The areas you’ve written off may be the very ones He intends to stand on and speak through.

Before Jesus performs a miracle for you, He often asks to use something from you. Peter didn’t yet know that allowing Jesus to use his boat was the rehearsal for a greater calling. Once you let Him use your boat, He’ll soon use your life. Your workplace, your story, your struggles — all can become His platform if you’ll let Him stand in them.

2. The Shallow Is Safe, but the Deep Is Divine

After teaching from Peter’s boat, Jesus gave an unexpected instruction: “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.” — Luke 5:4

The deep is a place of uncertainty. In shallow water, you can still feel the ground beneath you. You can see what’s around you and stay in control. But in the deep, you lose sight of the bottom — and that’s where dependence begins.

Jesus wasn’t just asking Peter to change location; He was asking him to change perspective. The deep represents the space where trust replaces control, and obedience leads to breakthrough.

“Peter, I can’t reveal the miraculous while you’re still standing in the manageable.”

The shallow feels safe, but the deep holds the catch you’ve been praying for. Every fisherman knows that abundance isn’t found near the shore — it’s found in deeper waters. The same is true in faith.

When Jesus calls you into deeper water, He’s not trying to drown you — He’s teaching you to depend on Him. Psalm 107:23–24 (NKJV) says: "Those who go down to the sea in ships, who do business in great waters, they see the works of the Lord and His wonders in the deep."

Those who see His wonders are not the ones who stay on the shore, but those who go deep.

In the context of evangelism, this means going beyond what’s comfortable — speaking to those who might not seem ready, stepping into spaces that challenge you, and trusting God with what’s beneath the surface.

When Peter obeyed, the deep responded to divine command. The same lake that gave him nothing now overflowed with abundance. When you cast your net in obedience, you catch what’s divine, not just what’s convenient.

3. When Your Net Breaks, Your Neighbors Are Blessed

"When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. 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." — Luke 5:6–7

Peter’s obedience didn’t just bless his own boat — it overflowed into others. That’s what evangelism looks like. True revival isn’t when your net is full; it’s when others are filled through your obedience.

When your net breaks, your neighbors are blessed. Your testimony, your breakthrough, your answered prayer — all become evidence of God’s goodness to those around you. What overflows from your life draws others to the shore of His grace. When your boat can’t hold the blessing, it’s time to call others to share in it. The miracle God performs in you is meant to multiply through you.

The Invitation to Cast Again

After the resurrection, Jesus met Peter once more by the water. This time, He wasn’t asking for his boat — He was asking for his heart.

He broke bread with him and asked, “Do you love Me?” The same fisherman who once caught a miraculous haul of fish would soon become a fisher of men.

Communion reminds us that the One who fills our nets is also the One who gave His life for our salvation. Evangelism isn’t about convincing people — it’s about inviting them to the table where grace is shared freely. God is still looking for boats to borrow, for hearts willing to go deeper, and for believers ready to cast their nets again. You may feel tired. You may have tried and failed. But Jesus still says: “Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a catch.”

He’s not done with your story, your family, or your city. There’s a harvest waiting beneath the surface of your obedience. Let Him stand in your boat. Let Him speak from your life. Let Him fill your nets. And watch as your community overflows with His glory.