The authority of Jesus over Nature 01/22/2023

The name Melchizedek was introduced already in the reading, but

here in chapter 7 the writer goes into some detail about this Old Testament man

who was a king and a priest together in the days of Abraham,

and the writer says that this Melchizedek, this man was an Old Testament type of Jesus Christ.

The anti -type, in other words that which the type pointed to, Jesus Christ, is also

king and priest like Melchizedek.

And then it also speaks about Jesus Christ being a high priest, even though he was not

from the tribe of Levi, but rather from the tribe of Judah, and so his

priesthood, high kingship is emphasized for us here in Hebrews

chapter 7.

Hebrews 7, for this Melchizedek, king of Salem,

priest of the most high God, met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him.

And to him Abraham apportioned a tenth part of everything.

He is first, by translation of his name, king of righteousness, and then he is also king of

Salem, that is, king of peace.

He is without father or mother or genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life,

but resembling the Son of God, he continues a priest forever.

See how great this man was to whom Abraham the patriarch gave a tenth of the spoils, and those

descendants of Levi who received the priestly office have a commandment in the law to take tithes

from the people, that is, from their brothers, though these are also descendant from Abraham.

But this man who does not have his descent from them received tithes from Abraham and

blessed him who had the promises.

It is beyond dispute that the inferior is blessed by the superior.

In the one case tithes are received by mortal men, but in the other case by one of whom it is

testified that he lives.

One might even say that Levi himself who receives tithes paid tithes through Abraham, for he was

still in the loins of his ancestor when Melchizedek met him.

Now if perfection had been attainable through the Levitical priesthood, for under it the people received the law,

what further need would there have been for another priest to arise after the order of Melchizedek,

rather than one named after the order of Aaron?

For when there is a change in the priesthood, there is necessarily a change in the law as well, for

the one of whom these things are spoken belong to another tribe from which no one has ever

served at the altar.

For it is evident that our Lord was descended from Judah and in connection with that tribe Moses said

nothing about priests.

This becomes even more evident when another priest arises in the likeness of Melchizedek, who has become a

priest not on the basis of legal requirement concerning bodily descent, but by the power

of an indestructible life.

For it is witnessed of him, you are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.

For on the one hand a former commandment is set aside because of its weakness and uselessness, for the law

made nothing perfect, but on the other hand a better hope is introduced through which we draw near to God.

And it was not without an oath, for those who formerly became priests were made such without an oath,

but this one was made a priest with an oath by the one who has said to him, the Lord has sworn

and will not change his mind, you are a priest forever.

This makes Jesus the guarantor of a better covenant.

The former priests were many in number because they were prevented by death from continuing in office, but he

holds his priesthood permanently because he continues forever.

Consequently he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he

always lives to make intercession for them.

For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained,

separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens.

He has no need like those high priests to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own

sins and then for those of the people, since he did this once for all when he offered himself.

Up.

For the law appoints men in their weakness as high priests, but the word of the oath which came later than

the law appoints a son who has been made perfect forever.

Let's pray.

Lord God, we are so grateful for the priesthood of Jesus, that he is our high

priest and that he continues as such permanently.

We thank you Lord that he is our advocate, that he is our mediator.

We're thankful Lord that he advocates for us before the Father and that in

him we have.

Life.

And Lord we thank you for this tremendous blessing.

Help us Lord to understand who Jesus is.

Help us to live in light of his perfection.

Help us to live in light of his priesthood and his mediation.

Lord, we pray that you would help us to see Christ clearly as we open up the word, as we read it, as

we hear it, as we study it.

We pray Lord that as we open up the word of God today and Lars preaches it, help us Lord to see who

Jesus is and help us to live our lives in accordance with this truth.

We thank you Lord for this time together, in Jesus name, amen.

Well let's turn in our Bibles to Luke chapter 5 please.

As we have pointed out, this section of Luke's Gospel has a major theme of emphasis.

The Holy Spirit moved Luke to establish before his readers the sovereign authority of Jesus

as the promised Messiah.

Authority is the key theme in this section, particularly from Luke

4 31 through chapter 5 verse 26.

And last Lord's day we considered the authority of Jesus, that Jesus Christ manifested over

demons and today we'll consider the authority that God gave his son

over nature.

This is set forth in Luke 5 1 through 11.

Here we read that our Lord revealed this arena of his authority to his disciples and to a few others

that were with them.

And so let's read these verses Luke chapter 5 1 through

11.

And so it was as the multitude pressed about him to hear the word of God that he

stood by the lake of Gennesaret and saw two boats standing by the lake.

But the fishermen had gone from them and were washing their nets.

And then he got into one of the boats which was Simon's and asked him to put out a little from the land.

And he sat down and taught the multitudes from the boat.

When he had stopped speaking he said to Simon launch out into the deep and let down your

nets for a catch.

But Simon answered and said to him master we have toiled all night and caught nothing nevertheless

at your word I will let down the net.

And when they had done this they caught a great number of fish and their net was breaking.

And so they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them.

And they came and filled both the boats so that they began to sing.

And when Simon Peter saw it he fell down at Jesus' knees saying depart from me for

I am a sinful man oh Lord.

For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish which they had taken.

And so also were James and John the sons of Zebedee who were partners with Simon.

And Jesus said to Simon do not be afraid from now on you will catch men.

And so when they had brought their boats to land they forsook all and followed him.

Our Lord's teaching is again shown by Luke as having been Jesus' primary calling of his public

ministry, teaching, preaching regarding the kingdom of God.

And this is set forth here in this passage by the large crowd gathered eagerly to hear the

word of God proclaimed by Jesus.

Verse 1 so it was as a multitude pressed about him to hear the word of God.

Crowds were growing larger with each passing week not only due to the impressive content of his teaching but

largely due to the popularity Jesus had gained as a miracle worker among the people.

We had read at the conclusion of the last episode now when it was day heat Jesus departed and went into a deserted

place and the crowd sought him and came to him and tried to keep him from leaving them.

But he said to them I must preach the kingdom of God to the other cities also

because for this purpose I have been sent.

And he was preaching in the synagogues of Galilee.

This was his principal purpose in his earthly ministry.

In this episode we see that the people clamoring to hear Jesus teach grew to such a large extent that

out of expediency Jesus requested use of a boat of some fishermen to enable

him to launch out a bit from the shoreline.

And in this way he could better preach to the crowd standing on the hillside on the shore of the Sea of Galilee.

Hill probably coming down to the shore.

And here by the way Galilee is called Gennesaret which is another name for the Sea of Galilee.

Gennesaret was probably derived from a fruitful plain that was situated just south of Capernaum.

So this is probably their location.

After speaking to the crowd Jesus then rewarded the fishermen for their time and use of their boat by

enabling them to gather a great number of fish into their nets.

And at the conclusion of the episode we read of Jesus calling Peter and the sons of Zebedee probably

Andrew also, Peter's brother, to become fishers of men.

And from this time onward these men became dedicated disciples serving with and on

behalf of Jesus.

Now if we read only Luke's account of the gospel story

exclusive of the other gospels we might assume that this was our Lord's first encounter with these men.

However, earlier it was hinted he went to Peter's mother -in -law's house.

Remember Peter's house where his mother -in -law was.

But it would be a mistake to think that this was Jesus's first encounter with these men.

The other gospels inform us that the close disciples of Jesus actually went through at least three

stages of development during the ministry of the Lord Jesus.

This event of Luke 5 was on the shore of the Sea of Galilee.

But the other gospels reveal to us that Jesus had known these men earlier when Jesus

first began to minister in Judea before John the

Baptist had been cast into prison which of course signaled the time that Jesus left for

Galilee.

All of our Lord's disciples had first been greatly influenced by the ministry of John the Baptist.

Every one of them had submitted to John's baptism, the baptism of repentance.

John had specifically identified Jesus to these men when he had recognized Jesus

returning from his wilderness temptation.

While Jesus was passing by the Jordan River John declared of him, behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the

world.

This is he of whom I said after me comes a man who is preferred before me for he was before me.

But it was on the next day that John identified Jesus as the Messiah to two

of his own, that is John the Baptist's own disciples.

We read in John 135 and following again the next day John stood with the two, with two

of his disciples, John the Baptist's disciples and looking at Jesus as he walked he said

behold the Lamb of God.

The two disciples heard him speak and they followed Jesus.

One of the two who heard John speak and followed him was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother.

He first found his own brother Simon said to him we have found the Messiah which is translated the Christ

and he brought him to Jesus.

These and a few others began to follow Jesus having become believers in Jesus as the promised.

Messiah.

They had entered what may be referred to as the first stage of their relationship with Jesus.

They accompanied Jesus to a Passover at Jerusalem we read in John's Gospel.

They were with Jesus when he left Judea to go to Galilee.

These men were with Jesus when he passed through Samaria on his way to Galilee and they rested at

Jacob's well there meeting the Samaritan woman as well as the people from the town of Sychar

where the Samaritan woman lived.

They were with Jesus at a wedding in Cana of Galilee when Jesus had turned water into

wine for both Jesus and his disciples had been invited to the wedding.

These men had been with Jesus for quite some time but they had not yet fully committed themselves to be

his disciples so as to be fully engaged as his servants in furthering the kingdom.

Yes they were followers, yes they were believers but that was really the first stage

of their relationship with Jesus.

But here in Luke 5 9 through 11 we read that Jesus had called these men into what may be

seen as a second and a more significant stage of relationship with Jesus.

The words of A .B. Bruce who wrote a classic book in the 19th century called The Training of the

Twelve.

In the second stage fellowship with Christ assumed the form of uninterrupted attendance on his

person involving entire or at least habitual abandonment

of secular occupations.

The present narratives bring under our view certain of the disciples entering on this second stage

of discipleship.

The third and final stage for these men took place after our Lord spent all night in prayer.

He then chose 12 of his disciples commissioning them to their apostolic office.

They became apostles and we'll read of this when we arrive to the next chapter

Luke chapter 6.

The twelve entered on the last and highest stage of discipleship wrote one when they were chosen by their master from

the mass of his followers and formed into a select band to be trained for the great work of the

apostleship.

This important event probably did not take place till all the members of the apostolic circle had been for

some time about the person of Jesus.

So we see a development of relationship of these men.

As we look over our passage of Luke 5, 1 -11 we may discern several points of emphasis.

First we read of our Lord Jesus' concern for the multitudes verses 1 -3 but

secondly we see our Lord would give most of his effort to the training of a few

verses 4 -7.

Third we read that Jesus manifested himself in a special way to these few on this occasion

verses 4 -10a

and then fourth we read of the reaction of these men to Jesus and his calling of them to become fishers of men.

And so we'll take each of these matters in turn.

First let's consider Jesus' concern for many.

Our Lord was concerned about reaching the masses.

He stated so on several occasions he told his disciples I have compassion on the multitudes.

In another place it's recorded that when he saw the multitudes he was moved with compassion on them because they

fainted, were scattered abroad as sheep without a shepherd.

The multitude standing before Jesus on this occasion was not simply a gathering of people that might be found anywhere.

This mass of people had an intentional purpose for gathering, they wanted to hear the word.

Of God.

Verse 1 again, so it was as the multitude pressed about him to hear the word of

God and Jesus would not disappoint them.

Now this of course is why we gather principally on the Lord's day

to worship our Lord together to fellowship with one another and perhaps primarily to listen to the word of God

and if we're eager to do so prayerfully desire to hear from God the Lord does not disappoint us as well.

He didn't disappoint that crowd and he won't us, Lord willing, for we who have the spirit of

God do regard the preaching of the Bible as the proclamation of the word of God.

We believe that God speaks to his people when this book is open, this Bible is open and

expounded properly and correctly as Paul could thank

God for the Thessalonian Christians we can thank God for you, for you receive from us the word of

God's message, you accept it not as the word of men but for what it really

is, the word of God which also performs its work in you who believe.

God is at work when his word is taught and proclaimed, we believe that.

Well in order to teach this large gathering better Jesus made use of a boat from which to proclaim his

teaching to the gathered crowds on the shore and so we see the

boat pushed away from the shore bit the people Jesus and the disciples in the boat

and Jesus then sat down was his common posture, the posture of a Jewish teacher declaring the

word of God to them and so we see his work for souls was not just performed in the synagogue but

wherever people were found.

I wish we had time to speak about the great change in the way

the public preaching of the word of God changed with the ministry of George

Whitefield.

Back in those days in the early 18th century you only heard the word of God preached in church

buildings but when Whitefield was forbidden to preach in

churches, the established churches he began to preach in the fields and tens of

thousands of people would gather morning and night and listen to Whitefield preach and God bless that,

the great awakening flowed from that and here we see it was a practice that

Jesus exhibited here on the shore of Galilee.

Here he brought the word forth and be the workplace of fishermen, the shore, of

course the church is to be a haven for souls that have come to Christ or coming to Christ where care and nourishment can be

provided but it is in the world that converts will be obtained through the witness of each of us,

yes some come to Christ here, notice this was not a

convenient time or place for the work but our Lord seized the moment and made use of what was

available for the work.

We're not to wait for every difficulty to be solved, every obstacle to be overcome before we seek to serve Christ in

speaking to others.

It should be our desire and our effort to proclaim the word of God to as many that we may

possibly gather together whether it be in this church building, in the workplace or when they

tune into the radios or whatever it means that God has provided for us.

However although Jesus' concern was for the multitudes of people who would gather to hear him his

primary concern and focus was on a few.

He would instruct them personally and more fully as they followed him as his disciples and so we see this in verses

four through seven, Jesus' primary focus on a few.

Let's read it again, when Jesus he stopped and stopped speaking he said to Simon launch out

into the deep and let down your nets for cash but Simon answered and said to him,

master we've toiled all night, caught nothing, nevertheless at your word I will let down the net

and when they had done this they caught a great number of fish and their net was breaking and so they signaled to their

partners in the other boat to come and help them and they came and filled both the boats

so that they began to sink, caught a lot of fish.

We regard home as Fort Bragg, California, Mendocino Coast, halfway between San Francisco and

Oregon border.

Fort Bragg was at once a real center for salmon fishing.

50 years ago there was a lot of salmon fishing and I remember hearing of a

fisherman, lots of independent fishermen have small boats 28, 30, 35 feet

and one boat that was particularly suitable for rough seas had like a double bow, the bow and the

stern were both pointed and it would handle rough seas and then there was

a small cabin in the middle and one man had caught so many fish he filled the whole

hold with his fish and he stacked them on the deck, he

nailed his hatch shut and it was a smooth sea and he came into Noyo Harbor with

just the bow and the stern sticking out of the water in the cabin above.

I mean he had caught so many fish.

I thought of that when reading about these boats that they began to

sink.

Well the familiar expression, God a debtor to no man can certainly be substantiated here.

Jesus asked Peter for the temporary use of his boat and Peter apparently without any thought of

compensation complied and what was the result?

Well they had fish for supper and then some.

The Lord always takes care of those who invest in his kingdom doesn't he?

He promised to do so and here we see our Lord blessing these fishermen with a great catch and it would

be a fish story they would retell often I suspect.

Simon Peter is the focus here but James and John are also mentioned, sons of Zebedee.

We can assume also Peter's brother Andrew was there also.

Again these men had met Jesus in Judea and followed him from there into Galilee but they were

primarily fishermen and here they were fishing all night.

Granted they were believing fishermen but they had not yet forsaken all to follow Jesus.

They had believed on Jesus, they heard of him often, heard him often but with this event they became

committed full -time followers of the master.

They became in the true sense disciples of Jesus Christ and some of us maybe have gone

through some stages of discipleship development as well.

The Lord brought us to a crisis maybe when we became more committed than

we ever thought we had been.

First let's consider the important need for perhaps a few dedicated followers of Jesus Christ.

Now Jesus was concerned with the multitudes but his primary interest and effort was placed in a few.

He knew that if he would reach the multitudes he'd have to invest his energy in a few and so he called to

himself certain persons who became his closest of disciples who would later

become his apostles who would eventually reach the world with the gospel of the kingdom.

As one described Jesus has called to these men to follow him.

Follow me Jesus said to the fishermen of Bethsaida and I will make you fishers of men.

These words show that the great founder of the faith desired not only to have disciples but to have about

him men whom he might train to make disciples of others.

You think of Paul's words to Timothy don't you?

The faithful men will teach others to cast the net of divine truth into the sea of the world and to

land on the shores of the divine kingdom a great multitude of believing souls.

Both from his words and from his actions we can see that he attached supreme importance to that part of his

work which consisted in the training of the twelve.

In the intercessory prayer he speaks of the training he had given these men as if it had been the principal

part of his own earthly ministry and such in one sense it really was.

The careful painstaking education of the disciples secured that the teachers influence on the world

would be permanent that his kingdom should be founded on the rock of deep and indestructible

convictions in the minds of the few not on the shifting sands of superficial

evanescent impressions on the minds of many.

That is counter to much church ministry philosophy of these days

and as Jesus seemed always to be looking for workers so should we.

Jesus instructed us to do so he declared the harvest is plenty it was then

it is now.

The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out

workers into his harvest.

They're there ready for the picking and so this prayer should always

be one of the most ardent and frequent prayers of our church.

We're commanded to pray this let's consider the desirable qualities of

these followers.

What kind of followers would he call to himself?

These few would have to have unique qualities if they were to be effective in the work of

the kingdom.

Would he go to the courts of the temple and find the shining lights among the young priests and rabbis?

No.

The message of the kingdom of God was far removed from the prevalent teachings of the day.

His message was like new wine which old wineskins could not contain.

No these few had to have unique qualities if they were to be effective in the work of the kingdom.

Again to quote another the mirrors must be finely polished that are designed to reflect the image of

Christ amen and if they would one day be apostles who would reach

Gentiles they would need to be free from Jewish narrowness being liberated in conscience from the

yoke of Jewish ordinances free from stubborn self -will being teachable and

obedient free from pride and the desires of self -glory.

That's not how they were at this point in time however.

Let's consider the initial condition of these followers where we define such ones as this.

They were scarce in fact they were non -existent.

If he would have such followers he would have to make them.

He would have to find a few which had certain basic qualifications and

purpose to change and mold them into a forceful team and so Jesus

began to reveal himself to a few and unique and special ways so as to make them over

into effective fishermen of souls.

These fishermen lacked all of the qualities which we described a moment ago.

They were certainly constrained by their thinking of the Judaism of the day.

They were at times stubborn and self -willed and they all were for some time infected with desires

for self -glory.

They debated with one another as to who was regarded as the greatest.

They were exceedingly ignorant narrow -minded having sinful prejudices erroneous beliefs

and antagonistic attitudes.

In a word they're much like us apart from Christ.

Here's a good description of the spiritual condition of these men as they set out to fully follow Jesus.

The humble fishermen of Galilee had much to learn before they could satisfy these high requirements so much at the

time of their apprenticeship for their apostolic work even reckoning it from the very commencement of Christ's

ministry seems all too short.

They were indeed godly men who had already shown sincerity and their piety by forsaking all for their

master's sake but at the same time of their call they were exceedingly ignorant narrow

-minded superstitious full of Jewish prejudices misconceptions and

animosities.

They had much to unlearn of what was bad as well as much to learn of what is good.

They were slow both to learn and to unlearn.

Old beliefs already in possession of their minds made the communication of new religious ideas a difficult task.

Men of good honest heart the soil of their spiritual nature is fitted to

produce an abundant harvest but it was stiff and needed much laborious tillage

before it would yield its fruit and then once more they were poor men of humble birth low

station mean occupations who had never felt the stimulating influence of a liberal

education.

This was the 19th century writer.

They were of social intercourse with persons of cultivated minds.

They were simple people.

These men had much to learn and they had much to unlearn.

Their old beliefs entrenched traditions ingrained convictions had to be eradicated

and so in a sense they needed to become new men and so

we see Jesus training his disciples.

Essentially two matters regarding them had to be addressed right at the outset of their training.

First Jesus must reveal to them their deficiency they must be humbled

and then secondly Jesus must reveal to them his all -sufficiency he must be exalted before them

and so Jesus purposed to manifest himself to them in a very remarkable way on this occasion

and he accomplished both goals didn't he.

Again Luke wrote when he had stopped speaking he said to Simon launch out into the deep let down your nets for a

catch.

Simon answered said to him master we toiled all night caught nothing nevertheless at your word

I will let down the net.

They must be humbled and the best way to humble somebody is to outdo what he does best.

I imagine Peter's great point of pride was fishing.

He took pride in being the best.

He had been successful.

There are at least two boats in the family business and perhaps a number of employees.

If you wanted to know about fishing just ask Peter.

He was an expert but the Lord was about to show Peter that he could do better than what Peter could do

best.

Now the Lord was asking Peter to do something which was contrary to all reason encounter to all experience.

Peter knew you don't catch fish with a drag net in deep water in the daylight for drag nets are used in shallow

water at night and besides they had just exhausted the night fishing without

success there were simply no fish around and Peter knew it.

Nevertheless we read of Peter's obedience but Simon answered said to him

master we've toiled all night caught nothing nevertheless at your word I will let down the net.

Peter obeyed and that is commendable but perhaps he did so with some

doubt in his thinking I suspect so.

He did not really expect to catch anything perhaps.

His reaction when the catch was made seems to betray his skepticism

but this is how the Lord builds our faith.

He places us in situations where after we have failed and exhausted all our resources we're

told in his word to do something his way.

Even though our own experience and logic tells us that's not wise, it's not gonna

work.

How many times have you heard that Pastor Jason?

You tell him the word of it that won't work I've tried that so they say.

It's viewed as unwise, ill -advised, certainly it'll meet with failure

but this is what it is to exercise faith in God's Word to have your faith tried and proved thereby grow deeper and

stronger.

You do it out of faith and obedience not because you can figure out how it's gonna work out for you.

We read of the obedience more to faith in Jesus is rewarded in verses 6 and 7 when they had done this they

caught a great number of fish and their net was breaking so they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help

them and they came and filled both the boats so that they began to sink.

There's an emphasis here on obedience when they had done so

and obedience to Jesus's Word.

So often we want a sign before we step out.

This is why a generation is called evil and adulterous which seeks after a sign because they're

untrusting and unfaithful to the Word alone.

They want to be convinced that some course of action will work before they try it but the Lord would

have us do whatever his Word tells us to do showing forth our faith in him that he knows better than

we do and we're to obey his Word rather than test him.

God's blessing only comes when obedience is exhibited.

When they had done so then they caught us such a large number of fish that their nets began to

break and so after they had failed at what they did best

Jesus displayed his glory by showing his authority over nature commanding fish to come into

the nets placed in the sea at the place designated by him

and so we read in verses 8 and 9 the surprising but understandable reactions of Peter

but also the others with him when Simon Peter saw it he fell down at Jesus's knees saying depart

from me for I am a sinful man O Lord for he and all who were with him were

astonished at the catch of fish which they had taken and so also were James and John the sons of

Zebedee who were partners with Simon they were probably in the other boat.

Peter recognized two things in this miracle of Jesus.

Peter recognized the deity of the Lord Jesus.

Jesus has authority over nature only God can do what Jesus just did.

Peter saw the glory of God through what Jesus Christ had just performed in their presence.

The power and person of our Lord Jesus was now clear to him.

The demonstration of Jesus's authority over nature revealed to Peter that he was in the presence of the Holy

One.

Jesus indeed is the Almighty God incarnate.

Peter understood that Jesus had caused this great number of fish to gather together and to swim

into their nets that they cast into the sea.

It was Jesus that had commanded the fish and secured their obedience to him

for Jesus had authority over the fish of the sea

but actually as awestruck as Peter was with this event he probably did not at this time

comprehend the fullness of glory of Jesus Christ as he is in truth and I kind of want to

take that statement out perhaps he did because the Jews had a different worldview than what you and I

generally have today.

Let me explain.

We know that it was through Jesus Christ that God created all that exists and that all things continue to

exist and move by the authority of the Son of God.

We know that he didn't.

Jesus Christ Paul wrote he Christ is the image of the invisible God the firstborn over all creation

for by him Christ all things were created that are in heaven that are on earth visible

invisible whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers all things were created through

him and for him and he is before all things and in Christ in him

all things consist and so realize the

implications of this.

Jesus not only controlled the movement of these fish in this event but Jesus Christ himself had created the

fish.

He created the sea in which the fish swam.

He had ordained the movement of the fish not only on this occasion but at all times in all places that they

swim.

Perhaps Peter recognized this and so yes Jesus had commanded these fish to be caught

in the net of these men but Jesus had also commanded the fish not to be caught through the entire night

didn't he?

In fact it can be justly said that the Son of God was in sovereign control of every fish that was ever caught or

not caught in the nets of Peter and his fellow fishermen for all that takes place in history is under

the sovereign control of God.

The psalmist declared whatever the Lord pleases he does in heaven and in earth in the

seas and in deep places

and so this work of God's sovereignty shown in his governing of his creation through history is commonly referred to as

God's providence.

A word probably we're all familiar with but do we understand its extent and its implications.

This biblical view of history is not in the minds of most people and probably not in

our minds all the time.

For the past several hundreds of years people have viewed the universe as operating according to natural laws and that there's

no intrusion from outside that can affect or change those laws.

This has led the Western world to deny the possibility of miracles but even

Christians who believe in miracles think that somehow things are going on normally and

then God intervenes and something happens

but that's a wrong understanding of God's providence.

Christians see the world functioning according to laws also granted laws determined by God but they wrongly

see that everything functions according to these natural laws unless and until God in some miraculous way

intervenes and intrudes in history.

All the health and wealth guys do it all the miracle workers so -called have that really that

understanding that worldview.

Everything's going on normally according to natural laws and then God intervenes and does a miracle.

That's really not the biblical worldview.

This is not how the Word of God sets forth God's involvement in his world.

The Word of God speaks of God initially creating the heavens and the earth and all that is in them and then God

rested the seventh day having completed his work of creation but upon the completion of creation

God then began the ongoing governance of his world.

R .C. Sproul produced a little pamphlet in which he described the manner in which

historically Christian people viewed God's relationship with the world through history not today

necessarily.

In the classical concept God's providence was very closely bound up with his role as the

creator of the universe.

No one believed that God simply created the universe and turned his back on it and lost touch with it or that he

sat back on his throne in heaven and merely watched the universe work out work by its own inner mechanism

refusing to involve himself in his affairs.

Rather the classical Christian notion was that God is both the primary cause of the universe and also

the primary cause of everything that takes place in the universe.

The basic concept here is that what God creates he sustains and so one of the

important subdivisions in the doctrine of providence is the concept of divine sustenance.

Simply put this is the classical Christian idea that God is not the great watchmaker who builds the watch

winds it up then steps out of the picture instead what he makes he preserves and sustains.

Herman Bavinck, I just read the second volume of his four volume work

at a lengthy portion in his writing that dealt with this and I put it in here I know this is a long quote

but I had to include it for our benefit.

When on the seventh day God completed his work that he had done he rested on the seventh day from all his work and

thus scripture describes the transition from the work of creation to that of preservation

and what he means by that is providence.

As scripture also makes very clear this resting was not occasioned by fatigue nor did it consist in God

standing idly by creating for God is not for creating for God is not work

and preserving is not rest.

God resting only indicates that he stopped producing new kinds of things

that the work of creation in the true and narrow sense as producing things out of nothing was over and that he

delighted in his completed work with divine pleasure creation now passes into preservation

and the two are so fundamentally distinct that they can be contrasted as labor and rest at the same time they are so

intimately related and bound up with each other that preservation itself can be called creating.

Preservation itself after all is also a divine work no less great and glorious

than creation.

That's an important statement we see it everything looks

normal it's all happening the same way.

We're not greatly impressed by it but we ought to be impressed at the way God orders every

detail of every day of our lives it should be as significant and remarkable to us

as if we were watching the original creation.

God is no indolent God he's not idle he works always and the world has no existence in

itself.

This is important from the moment it came into being it has existed only in and through unto

God.

Although distinct from God's being it is no independent existence.

Independence is talent to non -existence.

The whole world with everything that is it that is and occurs in it is subject to divine government.

Summer and winter day and night fruitful and unfruitful years light and darkness it's all his work and formed by

him.

Scripture knows no independent creatures.

This would be an oxymoron.

God cares for all his creatures for animals and particularly for humans.

He sees them all fashions the hearts of them all observes all their deeds.

They are all the works of his hands.

The rich as well as the poor God determines the boundaries of their habitation turns their hearts of

all directs the steps of all and deals according to his will with the host of heaven the inhabitants of the earth.

They are in his hands as clay in the hands of a potter and as a saw in the hand of one who pulls it.

And God's providential government extends very particularly to his people the entire history of the

patriarchs of Israel of the church and every believer is proof of this.

What other people meant for evil against them God turned to their good no weapon fashioned against them will succeed

even the hairs of their head are all numbered all things work together for their good and thus all created

things exist in the power and under the government of God.

Neither chance nor fate is known in Scripture.

That's why I don't gamble I might win might be cursed.

It's God who works all things according to the counsel of his own will and makes all things serviceable to the

revelation of his attributes to honor of his name.

Scripture beautifully sums up all this and repeatedly speaking of God as a king who governs all

things.

God is king the king of kings the Lord of Lords a king who is in crisis is a father to his subjects

and a father who is at the same time a king over his children among creatures in the world of animals

humans and angels all that is found in the way of care for love toward protection of one by the other is

a faint enumeration of God's providential order over all the works of his hands his

absolute power perfect love accordingly are the true object and the faith and providence reflected

in Holy Scripture.

And so Peter recognized in Jesus Christ this is

God he's in charge of the everything not just bringing the fish into the net but

everything.

No wonder he recognized his own sinfulness and that was the

second element of this lesson.

Peter was not simply humbled he was slain as it were becoming acutely aware of his own

sinfulness.

So upon seeing the fish in their nets Peter declared to Jesus depart from me for I am a sinful man O

Lord.

Whenever a human being becomes aware he's in the presence of a holy God he becomes acutely aware of his own

sinfulness and you can mark this down a person who sees little of his own

sinfulness has seen little of a holy God because they go hand in hand.

John Calvin gave a good word on this although men are earnest in seeking the presence of God yet as

soon as God appears they must be struck with terror and almost rendered lifeless by dread and alarm

until he administers consolation comfort.

In other words fear not Jesus said to Peter.

They have the best reason for calling earnestly on God because they cannot have not avoid a feeling that they are miserable

while he is absent from them on the other hand his presence is appalling because they begin to feel

that they are nothing and that they are overpowered by an immense mass of evils.

In this manner Peter views Christ with reverence in the miracle and yet is so overawed by his

majesty that he does all he can to avoid his presence.

Depart from me O Lord.

Nor was this the case with Peter alone for we learned from the context that astonishment had overpowered all

who are with him.

Hence we see that it is natural to all men to tremble in the presence of God and this is of

advantage to us in order to humble any foolish confidence or pride that may be in us

provided it is immediately followed by soothing consolation.

And so Christ relieves the mind of Peter by a mild and friendly reply saying to him

fear not and thus Christ sinks his own people in the grave that he may afterwards raise

them to life.

Beautiful.

Well then Jesus commissioned them to become his disciples.

We read in Luke 5 10 11 do not be afraid from now on you will catch men.

So when they had brought their boats to land they forsook all and followed him.

So Jesus found himself a good prospect for a disciple.

Being a sinner does not disqualify you from being a disciple of Jesus Christ nor does it

exclude you from the possibility of fellowship with him as long as you recognize your sin and

sinfulness and humbly acknowledge it.

Sin is no barrier.

Peter upon seeing himself as a sinful man not able or worthy to be in the presence of Jesus Christ the

Holy One of God perhaps here exhibited the best quality he could have possibly had.

Jesus gave a prophecy as it were of their future ministry just as they could be assured of catching fish

as they follow and are obedient to his word so they too could expect to be successful fishers of men as

they follow their Lord's directives.

Well the disciples response verse 11 concludes so when they brought

their boats to land they forsook all and followed him.

There was the complete abandonment of all in order to follow him.

They left all.

There is a complete surrender resignation to serve him.

They left all and followed him.

The one quality which we see exhibited by all these followers is the willingness to obey

Jesus's word.

They didn't understand but they did not wait for understanding.

They were obedient to Jesus's word.

Master we worked all night caught nothing but at your bidding we will let down the nets

and this is the one quality that Jesus looks for and really values in his followers.

If you have but a little faith that's okay act upon it and he'll cause faith to increase in

time but obedience is a grace that must be present all the time.

May the Lord grant us both the desired ability to do his will amen.

Let's pray.

Thank you father for your word.

Thank you our God for the full revelation we have of Jesus Christ in your word.

He is Lord.

Thank you father for enthroning him and that he is

certainly as your eternally begotten son but also as one of us.

A man is ruling over history even now and accomplishing you good purposes

governing this world according to your will bringing your enemies our

God to their appointed end judgment and wrath but thankfully

also saving a wondrous group of people bringing them into the kingdom of Jesus

Christ.

Thank you our God for having mercy on us and bringing having brought us into his

kingdom and help us our God to be instrumental in proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom that we

can see many many in our day our God come to salvation through Jesus Christ

in whose name we pray amen.