"INTO THE DEEP WATER"

Into The Deep Water   Isaiah 6:1-8; Luke 5:1-11  02/09/2025

In today’s gospel, we meet four fishermen: Peter, Andrew, James, and John. They had worked all night but caught nothing. By morning, they were exhausted and were washing their nets, preparing for the next night’s work.

As they finished, a large crowd gathered on the beach, listening to Jesus. Just as people came to Jesus in the morning, we gather here today to worship. To speak to the crowd, Jesus got into Peter’s boat and asked him to move it slightly away from the shore. He continued teaching from the boat, and when He finished, He turned to Peter and said, "Put out into the deep water and let your nets down for a catch."

This was an unexpected request. Peter was a professional fisherman—he knew the right time, place, and conditions for fishing. He and his crew had already worked all night without success. They were tired, discouraged, and had already cleaned their nets. But Jesus told them to try again, in deep water where they didn’t expect to catch anything.

Peter hesitated and said, "Master, we’ve worked all night and caught nothing. But if you say so, I will let down the nets." Even though he didn’t understand, he trusted Jesus enough to obey. That is what faith looks like—trusting and obeying even when we don’t fully understand.

When they cast their nets into the deep water, they caught so many fish that their nets began to break! They signaled for help, and John and his brother, James came in their boat to help them. And soon both boats were so full of fish that they started sinking. It was a miracle—something that shouldn’t have happened in deep water.

Seeing this, Peter fell at Jesus' knees and said, "Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man." He was overwhelmed by the holiness of Jesus and his own unworthiness. When we experience God’s miracles, we may feel small and sinful, but God’s grace is not about our worthiness. Through God’s mercy and love, our faith grows, and we respond with gratitude and repentance.

But Jesus reassured Peter, saying, "Do not be afraid. From now on, you will catch people." He gave them a new mission—to bring people into God’s kingdom. So, Peter and his friends left everything on the lakeshore, including their overflowing boats, and followed Jesus.

Similarly, in today’s Old Testament passage, Isaiah encountered God in a life-changing way. King Uzziah had died, and Isaiah was grieving, worried about the future of his people. He went to the temple to pray and had a powerful vision of God—seated on a high and lofty throne, the King of all creation.

In the presence of God's holiness, Isaiah felt unworthy and cried, "Woe is me! I am lost, for I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips!" Just like Peter, Isaiah was overwhelmed by his sinfulness. But God responded with grace, removing Isaiah’s guilt and calling him to lead the Israelites. When God asked, "Whom shall I send?" Isaiah answered, "Here am I; send me!" He dedicated his life to proclaiming God’s message.

In life, we all experience failure and feelings of unworthiness. Sometimes, guilt and shame hold us back from healing and wholeness. But God calls us beyond our fears into a deeper faith. The four fishermen experienced God’s holiness and left everything to follow Jesus, dedicating their lives to spreading the Gospel.

Many people stay in the shallow waters of life because it feels safe. We hesitate to step out of our comfort zones, fearing disappointment and failure. But Jesus calls us to go deeper. He said, "Put out into the deep water and let down your nets." The disciples obeyed and witnessed a great miracle.

God may seem distant in power, but when we experience God’s holy presence in love, our faith deepens. When the Holy Spirit stirs our hearts, we must respond. James 2:17 reminds us that faith without action is dead. When we act on Jesus’ words, we experience miracles beyond our imagination.

The message is simple: When Jesus says so, go into the deep waters. Trust Him even when you don’t understand. Commit to deeper faith. If Jesus says so, just do it—it is worth it.

Let us pray for the courage to obey Christ and step into deeper faith. May we experience the miracles Jesus has for us and the abundant life He promises. Amen.