We've looked at three steps to success found in the story in Luke 5:1-7, but now let's see what that success is, and better define a win. The story is below again if you'd like to read back through it.
On one occasion, while the crowd was pressing in around Jesus to hear the word of God, he was standing by the lake of Gennesaret. There Jesus saw two boats but the fisherman had gone out of them and were washing their nets. Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon's, Jesus asked him to put out a little from the land. And then he sat down and taught the people from the boat. When Jesus had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch. Simon replied, "Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets." And Simon had done this, they caught a large number of fish, so many that their nets were breaking. They signaled to 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.
What was a WIN for Simon and the others in the story? Obviously, catching all those fish. This was a necessary food for these people, how they survived, and how Simon made a living to support his family. This abundance of fish they caught was truly a blessing, it meant much more to them than a weekend fishing trip for guys in today's world.
In our personal life, what is a win? I think it's having/being good friends, raising good kids, having a good job to provide for our family, and of course having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. All of those things are good, but none of them come easy so we see that it takes works to obtain a win.
For the church, what is a win? Some of us may consider a successful church to be the one with the biggest building, the most people, the most programs, the least debt, the highest paid staff, or possibly the one with the best reputation. But are those things what a win for the church really is? I believe a description of a winning church is found in Acts 4:32-22; "Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and one soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common. And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon the mall." Read back through the verse and observe what this church had: Unity - Selflessness - Harmony - Testimony - Grace.
So was Simon's win really the fish, or was it something more? Luke 5:11 tells us, "And then they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him." I'm sure that Simon was pleased to catch the fish that day. But his ultimate win, just like ours, came when he left all of that to follow Jesus. Have you decided to follow Jesus as the master of your life? The road won't always be easy, but it will always be worth it.
On one occasion, while the crowd was pressing in around Jesus to hear the word of God, he was standing by the lake of Gennesaret. There Jesus saw two boats but the fisherman had gone out of them and were washing their nets. Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon's, Jesus asked him to put out a little from the land. And then he sat down and taught the people from the boat. When Jesus had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch. Simon replied, "Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets." And Simon had done this, they caught a large number of fish, so many that their nets were breaking. They signaled to 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.
What was a WIN for Simon and the others in the story? Obviously, catching all those fish. This was a necessary food for these people, how they survived, and how Simon made a living to support his family. This abundance of fish they caught was truly a blessing, it meant much more to them than a weekend fishing trip for guys in today's world.
In our personal life, what is a win? I think it's having/being good friends, raising good kids, having a good job to provide for our family, and of course having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. All of those things are good, but none of them come easy so we see that it takes works to obtain a win.
For the church, what is a win? Some of us may consider a successful church to be the one with the biggest building, the most people, the most programs, the least debt, the highest paid staff, or possibly the one with the best reputation. But are those things what a win for the church really is? I believe a description of a winning church is found in Acts 4:32-22; "Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and one soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common. And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon the mall." Read back through the verse and observe what this church had: Unity - Selflessness - Harmony - Testimony - Grace.
So was Simon's win really the fish, or was it something more? Luke 5:11 tells us, "And then they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him." I'm sure that Simon was pleased to catch the fish that day. But his ultimate win, just like ours, came when he left all of that to follow Jesus. Have you decided to follow Jesus as the master of your life? The road won't always be easy, but it will always be worth it.
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