Put Out Into Deep Water

[Christsfreeservant]

“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.’” (Luke 5:1-4 NIV)​

Some people like to paint the Christian life as all fun and games. They think that the meetings of the “church,” which now largely target the ungodly of the world, should be entertaining, fun, comfortable, non-threatening, and appealing to the ungodly. So they avoid words such as sin, repentance, obedience, judgment and hell. And they teach that coming to Christ is merely saying a prayer, or just asking for forgiveness, and then they guarantee their adherents eternal life with God, regardless of how they live.

For they leave out the part that requires that we die with Christ to sin daily, and that we walk in purity and in righteousness, in the strength of the Lord, and as empowered by the Spirit. They teach that God is pleased with us no matter what we do, therefore many people get the idea that they can have the hope of heaven and still live like they did before, except maybe some things might change. This type of teaching gives free license to continue in deliberate and habitual sin. The Word of God, though, does not agree.

[Matthew 7:21-23; Luke 9:23-26; John 1:12-13; John 6:44; Romans 2:6-8; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; Romans 12:1-2; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10,19-20; 2 Corinthians 5:15; Galatians 5:16-21; Galatians 6:7-8; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:17-32; Ephesians 5:3-6; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 10:23-31; Hebrews 12:1-2; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 Jn 1:5-10; 1 Jn 2:3-6; 1 Jn 3:4-10]

When I think of Jesus saying to Peter, “Put out into deep water,” I can’t help but see a spiritual parallel to this story, especially since this story ends with a spiritual parallel. Ultimately Peter and the other disciples were being called to be fishers of men (human beings), in the sense that they were to share the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ so that the people could come to true repentant and obedient faith in Christ. So, if we think of fishing in these terms, what would it mean if Jesus told us to “put out into deep water”?

Symbolically speaking, deep water can mean a difficult or hard-to-handle situation. Deep water can also involve hardship, distress, or trouble. Also, the word “deep” can mean well below surface level, i.e. serious, complex, or profound. So, when we think of “surface level,” what comes to mind?

I think of those who are shallow, pretentious, or superficial, or those who choose to deal with life at an external level only because they don’t want to get too serious or because they like life to be about just having a good time. So, they don’t really dig deep down into thinking or talking about or considering serious matters of the heart and conscience. Also, they don’t want to think or talk about sin, repentance, or obedience, because they want to keep things light and fluffy so that no one is offended.

Spiritually speaking, though, when Jesus sends us out into the world to make disciples of Christ of people of all nations, and he sends us out as sheep among wolves to be his light in the darkness, and to call people to repentance and to obedience to God, so that people can be set free of their prisons of sin, he is sending us out into deep water. This is not light and fluffy stuff. This is not surface level stuff he is sending us out to share. For he is having us call the people out of their sins to obedience to our Lord.

For he is asking us to tell people about sin, judgment, and hell, as well as he is asking us to tell them about salvation, freedom, and heaven. And we will not be liked, and we will even be hated because we tell people the truth, and because it makes them uncomfortable. So, are we willing to get deep in our relationships with the Lord and to go beyond the surface level, spiritually speaking? And are we willing to speak the truth of the gospel and to endure persecution, rejection, and betrayal, for the sake of sharing the truth?

[Matt 5:10-12; Matt 10:16-25; Matt 24:9-14; Lu 6:22-23; Lu 21:12-19; Jn 15:1-21; Jn 16:33; Jn 17:14; Ac 14:22; Rom 5:3-5; Phil 3:7-11; 1 Pet 1:6-7; 1 Pet 4:12-17; 2 Tim 3:12; 1 Thess 3:1-5; Jas 1:2-4; 2 Co 1:3-11; Heb 12:3-12; 1 Jn 3:13; Rev 6:9-11; Rev 7:9-17; Rev 11:1-3; Rev 12:17; Rev 13:1-18; Rev 14:1-13]

Hear My Cry

By G. M. Eldridge

When my soul is worn and weary
And my eyes are filled with grief,
When my hands in desperation
Reach to heaven for relief,

Would I find the words there waiting
If I had the strength to start?
Could a mortal tongue interpret
All the sorrow of a heart?

Spirit, search me in my weakness,
And discern this growing gray.
Intercede in understanding,
Hear the things I cannot say.

Hear my cry, heav’nly Father,
You have known my ev’ry pain.
You have seen all my sorrow,
Hear my cry once again.

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