Introduction

My wife has a few rules she learned from her mother and grandmother, having to do with things you give or return. First, if you give someone a purse (like when Kacy gives her niece a purse as a gift on Christmas), you’re never supposed to give them an empty purse. You always put something in it—even if it’s a dollar bill. Also, if someone brings you a dish of food, a basket of garden vegetables, or a carrier with a cake, when you return the dish or the basket or the cake taker, you’re never supposed to return it empty. Always give it back with something in it. Maybe these are old-fashioned rules of etiquette, but there is a similar principle that has to do with Jesus: When you give him something empty, he returns it to you full.

Hebrew School Dropouts

In Simon Peter’s day, the rabbis argued over the age a boy should start to study the Scriptures. Most seem to have started formal learning when they were six years old. The school was the synagogue—the place of worship—and the only subject was the Jewish Bible, the Old Testament. During one of the first lessons, as the rabbi taught the children God’s word, he would take honey and place it on each pupil’s tongue, reminding them that God’s word is sweet, like honey on the tongue, the most pleasing thing imaginable. The children would begin memorizing the book of Genesis, then Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy. Memorizing. There were no personal copies in those days; a boy took in the words, made them part of himself. By age ten, the students started to be sorted out. Some rose to the top, obviously, and would continue learning; they entered the next level of education and would have the whole Bible (the 39 books of the Old Testament) memorized by age 13 or 14. The rabbis would take these disciples in, stretch them with questions, and the disciples would follow the teacher wherever he went so as not to miss a single word from his mouth. That would be the brightest kids; they stayed with the rabbis. The other kids—the C and D students, the slow learners, the average ones—they dropped out to learn a trade, usually the family business. Something like fishing.

One day Jesus encountered some men by the Sea of Galilee, fishermen. Why are they fishermen? Because they weren’t disciple material, they couldn’t make the cut down at the synagogue with the scholars and scribes. So they took up fishing. And Jesus chooses them. Jesus chooses the Hebrew-school dropouts, the not-good-enough. Jesus takes one look at these rough boys and says, You’re just what I’m looking for. Of course to be his disciples, they’d have to change their whole way of life, give up their livelihood, walk away from everything they know. But why would anybody do that?

Shallow-Water Obedience

Peter does it—he leaves everything, boatloads of fish, the haul of his life. Just walks away to follow Jesus. It may not be as out-of-the-blue as it seems. Remember, Jesus has already met Peter—he’s already been to his house. He healed Peter’s mother-in-law of a deadly fever (4:38-39). We don’t know how much they’ve talked, but we know they’ve met, and we know Peter has seen his power. Jesus spent the night in Peter’s village, healing the sick, casting out demons, and it’s possible he stayed the night at Peter’s house. By the time Jesus and Peter meet again at the seashore in chapter 5, they’re past the casual stage. Jesus sees Peter’s empty boat, steps in it, then asks Peter to take him out a little way from the shore.

There are 2 levels of obedience in every believer’s life: shallow-water and deep-water obedience. Shallow-water obedience is a response to Christ’s commanding you within your comfort zone. This level of obedience demands little courage or sacrifice—even so, obedience is not optional. Most of our failures are in “shallow water.” When Jesus steps into Peter’s empty boat and asks him to row him out just a few feet, that’s shallow-water obedience. It’s as far as a lot of people ever go with Jesus—just a comfortable distance, for only as long as it takes to hear a good message. But then, you’re hoping Jesus gets out of the boat, so that you can get on with your business. And Jesus could have done exactly that. He could have stepped out and left Peter there, floating around in knee-deep water in his little empty boat. However, that’s not how Jesus operates. Here’s one of the things you need to know about Jesus: When you give him something empty, he returns it to you full. And the fullness is usually found in deeper water.

Deep-Water Obedience

After the sermon is over, Jesus asks that Peter take them both in the boat on out to sea, out to deeper water. Notice Peter’s reply; he calls Jesus “Master,” a title that recognizes his authority but could be used of anybody in authority. “Master, we fished all night and caught nothing,” Peter responds. It’s probably a polite way of saying that, if expert fishermen fished all night (when fishing is best) and came up empty, it seems silly to follow the fishing advice of a carpenter-slash-preacher. Nevertheless, he does what Jesus says. You don’t have to agree with Jesus, but you do have to obey.

This is deep-water obedience; it’s a response to Christ’s calling you outside your comfort zone, demanding some degree of courage and sacrifice. Deep water is where you are totally in over your head. It’s where you are completely aware of your dependence upon Jesus; if he doesn’t come through for you with power, you will drown, be humiliated, or both. Jesus never sends you alone into deep water—he always goes with you—and if he says you’re going to catch some fish, you’re going to catch some fish. Notice when Jesus first steps into Peter’s boat, it’s empty (2); and after Peter obeys in the deep water, it’s full (7). The biggest haul of Peter’s whole life. Peter is awestruck, amazed—and terrified.

Just Walk Away

What do you make of Peter’s response? “Oh, Lord,” he cries, “please leave me—I’m such a sinful man.” First off, he called Jesus Master before, but now he’s the Lord. Peter falls to his knees, because he recognizes he’s in the very presence of God. Jesus is not just the Master whose voice is to be obeyed. Jesus is the Lord whose holiness is to be feared.

“From now on” are powerful words, when Jesus says them. It’s a turning point, the start of an entirely new life. “From now on you’ll be catching people”(10). And when they got to the shore, Peter walked away from it all. Why would anybody do that? I believe I would have cashed it all in first, take the fish down to the market, pay off a couple credit cards, top off my IRA. But Peter leaves everything. After all, the boatloads of fish mean more to Peter, when they show him who Jesus is. And he’s worth a lot more. He’s worth everything.

Conclusion

In the end, Peter just walks away, following Jesus. He leaves everything, which means Peter’s got nothing now, nothing but Jesus. He’s walking off into a deep-water kind of life, totally dependent, having and holding nothing. As Peter walks off with Jesus, he’s empty. Empty. But of course you know what Jesus does, whenever you give him something empty.

Questions for Discussion

1. What does it mean when we talk about a person's "comfort zone"? What kinds of actions or behaviors would you say lie outside your personal comfort zone? When was the last time Jesus asked you to do something outside your comfort zone? What happened?

2. The story begins with the crowd's pressing in toward Jesus to hear the word of God. What does this say about the crowd? about Jesus? What would it take today to gather a crowd to hear the word of God?

3. Why does Jesus involve Peter and the other fishermen? What can we know about them already at this point in the story? (cf 4.38-39) What does Jesus first ask Simon Peter to do? How does Peter respond? What does Pastor Tim mean when he talks about "shallow-water obedience"? Why do you think he says that "most of our failures are in 'shallow water'?" What are the differences between "shallow-water" and "deep-water obedience"? What would have happened if Peter had only obeyed in shallow water?

4. Peter brings in the catch of his life; so why doesn't he feel like a winner (8-9)? Pastor Tim says, "Jesus is not just the Master whose voice is to be obeyed; he is the Lord whose holiness is to be feared." What does he mean by this? What does Peter leave behind for Jesus' sake? What will be different about his life from now on? In this story, fish stand for people. What does the story reveal to us about doing Christ's work in the world?

5. Pastor Tim says, "When you give Jesus something empty, he returns it to you full." How does this statement relate to the details of this story? What empty things have you given to Jesus, only to have him return them to you full?

6. Would you say we are a shallow-water or a deep-water church? Explain. What about you? Are you a shallow-water or a deep-water Christian? When was the last time you went off the deep end for Christ? When was the last time in your life that following Jesus called for real courage? When was the last time you risked everything for Jesus?

7. What would "launching out into deep water" mean for you at this moment in our life? Are you wiling to do all that Jesus asks of you? How can the group encourage you to follow Jesus beyond the bounds of your comfort zone?