LAUNCH OUT – PART 3: PASTOR (DR) MENSA OTABIL – SPECIAL SUNDAY SERVICE, 12TH MARCH, 2023.
SPECIAL SUNDAY SERVICE WITH PASTOR (DR) MENSA OTABIL (GENERAL OVERSEER, INTERNATIONAL CENTRAL GOSPEL CHURCH (ICGC) CHRIST TEMPLE, ACCRA GHANA)
TOPIC: LAUNCH OUT – PART 3 (AT YOUR WORD)
DATE: 12TH MARCH 2023
BIBLE TEXT: LUKE 5: 1-5
Let us rise up together as we make our “DECLARATION OF GATHERING” in this “YEAR OF GATHERING”.
Are you ready? Say with me:
I Proclaim Jesus Christ as my Lord and Saviour. The Lord is the Shepherd of my Soul, my Shelter by Day, my Light by Night.
In His Name, we Plough our fields, by His Spirit we gather the Harvest, in His Light we seek and find.
In this Year of Gathering, the Lord of the Harvest has commanded: Launch Out into the Deep. At His Words, we cast our Nets, we gather in Souls and Substance for God’s Kingdom.
The Lord is our Reward; in this Season I received God’s Portion set aside for me: Full Measure, Pressed down, Shaking together and running over.
Nothing is Lost and Nothing is wasted in Jesus Name – Amen!
This is Part 3 of the Series: “LAUNCH OUT” and our Sub Title is: “AT YOUR WORD”.
And we are looking at an Encounter between Jesus Christ and the Apostle Peter and how Jesus Christ led him to do something out of the Ordinary and how he launched out and set out to do something Great.
I believed that for each one of us, there is something that we have to “Launch Out” into.
And this Story between Jesus Christ and Peter teaches us how we can also “Launch Out” into the things that God has for us.
So we will go back to our Bible Text in Luke 5: 1-5. Of course, my focus will be Verse 5 but we will bring the Context from Verse 1 and land at Verse 5.
Luke 5: 1-5
- 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.
- 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.
4 When He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon, “Launch Out into the Deep and let down your nets for a catch.”
5 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 I’m focusing on Verse 5 for this Sessioj of the Series – 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.”
In other to “Launch Out” and do anything of Significance, we must determine to go beyond what we normally do comfortably – Something must drive us to “Launch Out”.
Because in a Year such as this (2023); where we have Words for Countries, for Businesses, for Individuals, for families; sometimes it is difficult for you to imagine yourself doing something bold.
When others are holding back, you feel that you too should hold back and say: This is not the time to Advertise or Venture to do something Great.
And that was the situation that Peter was in – And Jesus Christ came to him and told him: Well Peter, it is a Bad Season of your Life but “Launch Out” anyhow. It is a Bad Experience in your Life but “Launch Out” into the Deep. And Peter had a conversation with Jesus Christ.
Now, to Properly situate the short conversation between Jesus Christ and Peter; Jesus Christ told Peter in Verse 4 – Launch Out into the Deep, let down your Net for a Catch.
And in Verse 5, Peter responding to Jesus Christ, in other to fully understand Peter’s response; I want you to look at how he addressed Jesus Christ – He (Peter) called Him (Jesus Christ) a Master!
It is a very important word that he used to describe Jesus Christ – Master!
That Title is used to describe one of the “Highly Ranked”, with Power to Supervise or Instruct a Group. It is a usually a word that is used by Apprentices to describe their Bosses.
Very similar to how we use it in Ghana – When you go to maybe a Teaching Shop and People learning from Somebody; they call the Person they are learning from: Master!
And that is the same way that Peter is using this word – Master!
In the Greek word, it is the “Vocative Word” – That means that it is used for People in the Vocational Training.
So, Peter addresses Jesus Christ as Master and this word is very Unique with the Gospel of Luke.
And when you read the Gospel of Luke, you will noticed that usually Unbelievers or Outsiders will refer to Jesus Christ as “Teacher”; but His Disciples will refer to Him as “Master”.
So, it uses those two (2) words – Teacher and Master to distinguish who is a Disciple and who is an Enquirer.
The Outsiders or Unbelievers saw Jesus Christ as a Teacher and the Insiders or Disciples saw Jesus Christ as Master.
And that was the word Peter used – Master! And that defines the rest of the conversation.
But the important thing that I also want you to Note at this Point is that: Peter has not been called to follow Jesus Christ. He knows Jesus Christ but yet he has not been called to follow Jesus Christ.
However, if you knows the Story very well, it ends in Jesus Christ calling him to follow Him. But at this time in Question, he has not been called but he (Peter) still calls Jesus Christ Master.
So, between Jesus Christ and Peter, a Relationship has been established – That is one is the Master and the other one is under the Master.
And that is the basis on which they have the conversation. If you don’t have this Context, then you will not be able to understand the Statement of Peter – He starts by saying Master.
And for each one of us, although we start at this Point that Jesus Christ is the Master, giving our understanding of our conversation with him.
And after he said Master, he started talking and Peter expressed himself in two (2) main ways:
- As a Fisherman.
- As a Man of Faith
And his expression as a Fisherman is very different from his expression as a Man of Faith.
- HIS EXPRESSION AS A FISHERMAN
He expresses his expression as a Fisherman by complaining!
It is almost as if Jesus Christ talking to a Ghananian and say: Hey John, do something Great, Launch Out into the Deep. I want you to do this, I want you to do that and we start talking.
Just the Fisherman Point of View of Peter, you said: You have no idea of what is happening in this Country. Do you know that the Domestuc Debt has been Skyrocketing? Do you know what is going on? Do you know this or that?
So, that is the expression of a Fisherman – He is talking about his Trade and his Trade has just suffered a devastation.
And many times, when we are talking to God, we talk from the Fisherman Point of View – The Normal Person Point of View.
And in talking that way, he expresses two (2) Predominant Sentiments:
I. Exhaustion – I’m tired as we have toiled All-Night.
… We can hear the word of Exhaustion – We have toiled All-Night.
As I said in the Part 2 of this Series – Launch Out Part 2 (Let Down Your Nets). Many times when we read the Bible, we read only the words but we don’t see the Actions.
So, I can imagine Peter saying: Sir, we have worked the whole Night the way we could – I have toiled and I have worked hard.
A. They told me hard work Pays – I have worked hard but it doesn’t Pay.
B. They told me that if I believed, it will happen – I believed and Nothing is happening.
And many times in Life, when we want to do something Great, we get tired because you have been doing the same thing over and over!
You tell People: Come to Service on time – You soon get tired.
I have toiled for thirty nine (39) years but they still come to Church late.
But He still say: Launch Out into the Deep. And so, we will still trust God that it will be done – That one day, one day; in this our Ghana, People will attend Church on time.
That was what Peter was trying to do – Master, I have tried to work on this Marriage and toiled All-Night – The Man has not Changed, the Woman has not Changed, the Children are not Changing and the Marriage is not responding.
II. Then the Exhaustion moves to Frustration – Not just that I’m tired but we caught Nothing.
Can you feel what he is feeling? After working so hard the whole Night and ended up with Zero.
I can feel Peter like each one of us – Now, you can see him displaying Unbelief except that before he started speaking he said Master.
So, he is not disrespecting Jesus Christ – He is stating the fact as he feels it. That is the Fisherman Point of View or Local Point of View.
If you talk to the Average Ghanaian – Many of you after Church, if I start talking to you; you will complain about Ghana no matter how much Faith you displayed in the Service.
Right after then, three (3) People will gather and complain because where two (2) or three (3) Ghanaians are gathered; there will be Complaints.
So, no matter the Faith that you have, something “Petering” is in each one of us – Which is Complaints, Frustrations, Efforts made and no Results.
So from Frustrations, Peter moves on – And when you look at his Complaints, you get the impression that the Failure he is talking about is not just about Last Night Failure.
You get an impression that Last Night is just Part of the System that has been happening – This is not the first Night that he went there and caught Nothing!
Because if you have been Catching every other Night and just didn’t catch Last Night, you won’t be frustrated – You will say: Its just a Bad Night, tomorrow we will bounce back.
But you get an impression that this has been going on for a long time – This going and Catching Nothimg is a Pattern.
- But it didn’t stop there – As he is speaking and then he introduces a very interesting word called “NEVERTHELESS”.
Nevertheless means a Pause and a Turnaround!
Normally in English Grammar, “Nevertheless” is a Conjunction. And there are different kinds of Conjunctions – “Therefore”, “And”, “But” etc.
But “Nevertheless” is like “However” – When you introduced “However” or “Nevertheless”; it means you are about to negate everything that you have said in the Previous Statement.
It is like you go to Somebody and say: Oh, Please can you loan me Money? And he said: Oh, you know that you are my best friend and I have always desired to help you and I know how Needy you are.
But you know that … – Everything he said about you being his best friend is gone once he said “But” or “Nevertheless” or “However”.
But this “Nevertheless” is a “Good Nevertheless” because the Previous Statement is not a Positive One!
So, the “Nevertheless” cannot be Negative again but Positive this time.
So, Peter is talking about Ghana’s Problem or Nigeria’s Problem but he says “Nevertheless”.
In other words, I am about to introduce a “New Thought” and that “New Thought” will take just what I just said.
And I have always wondered – What was going through the Mind of Peter for him to say “Nevertheless”? What did he remembered because something must have strucked him while he is complaining for him to Change his Narratives.
And although the Bible doesn’t tell us that – I have a sense that Probably Peter remembered something that made him snap out of the Negative Thoughts.
Because Failure is alright if it is just Failure. But this Failure is not just a Failure as it is also giving you a “Mental Conviction” – When you failed before, you feared to try. You expect Failure and it creates a “Mental Blockage”.
So for Peter, he is in this “Failure Spot” but he said: “Nevertheless”.
Why did he Changed it?
I will just give you my thinking because the Bible did not tell us why he said “Nevertheless”.
Because as I said: At this Point, Peter is not an Apostle of Jesus Christ. But Peter has been following Jesus Christ for a while, so this is not the first time they are Meeting.
Peter started following Jesus Christ from the day John the Baptist Pointed to Jesus Christ and say: Behold the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world.
Because Peter and his brother Andrew were Disciples of John the Baptist – They were following him. And one day, John the Baptist said to them: I am not the Messiah. Then he Pointed to this Guy that this is the Messiah, this is the One that I have been talking about.
So, Peter and his brother started following Jesus Christ but they are not “Full Disciples” of Jesus Christ.
So, they followed Him (Jesus Christ) for a while – See Him wrought out Miracles, they see Him do Stuffs. And so He is not a Stranger to them.
That was why he (Peter) gave Him (Jesus Christ) his boat – You don’t give your boat to a Stranger.
He (Peter) knew Him (Jesus Christ) before and he had some sort of Relationship with Him (Jesus Christ).
As a matter of fact – If you go to Luke Chapter 4: 38-39. Talking about Jesus Christ – He followed and entered into Simon’s House.
So, before He (Jesus Christ) entered his (Peter) boat; he had already entered his house.
And Peter Mother-in-Law was sick with Fever. And He rebuked it, the Fever, left her and this Woman cooked and served them.
So, Peter has had an Encounter with Jesus Christ before. His “Nevertheless” is not an empty “Nevertheless” but based on an Experience he has had with Jesus Christ.
So, what made him snap out from his Negative Mindset is because of his Previous Encounter with Jesus Christ!
He remembered that this is the guy casting out demons, working out Miracles, came to my home and cured my Mother-in-Law.
So, if He says that I should Launch Out into the Deep; then I think that this guy can do something about it.
For you to arrive at “Nevertheless”; you have to remembered what Jesus Christ has done for you in the Past!
I. Is there a time that He did something for you?
II. Maybe He didn’t do something for you but you heard the Testimonies by Somebody that God did that for me and I believed and that happen.
That can be the basis of your “Nevertheless” because you remembered what the Lord done.
When you remembered what God has done for you, you will Change your Narratives.
And not only that – If you remembered what He has done, you can Trust what He says about your situation!
If Jesus Christ could do all of that, then I can Trust that He can give me a Catch at the “Wrong Time” of the Day because He did it in another situation.
The Question I wanna ask you is: Do you have a Testimony of what God did for you? Has He done anything at all for you? Is there moments that you know in your Life but for God, I would never have Pulled through? But for God, this situation won’t have Changed? But for God, I will never be walking here alone?
If you have such a Testimony – Then inspite of the situation you are faced with; you can say: “Nevertheless”. Because I know who I Trust and I am Persuaded that He will do it.
So, when Peter said: “Nevertheless”; he moved from a Fisherman to a Man of Faith!
Now, Peter is about to speak with Confidence and let us hear his words of Confidence – He says: Nevertheless, at Your Word.
That is Faith Speaking!
He moved from building his Life around his “Failed Experiences” to building a Word of God.
What does it means when we say: At Your Word?
It means that we are taking hold of the Word of God, we are grasping the Word of God.
Faith begins when we believed God’s Promises are Reliable!
Until you can grasp God’s Words – Not your Peter’s word and you hold on it for yourself and say: This is God’s Word to me. I believed it that God is speaking directly to me.
You have to Personalised the Word of God!
Then Peter said: At Your Word “I will” – He brought his Will to the Picture.
When Jesus Christ said: Launch Out into the Deep – He used a Singular Verb. That means that He was advising one Person.
When He said: Let down your ‘Nets” – He used Plural and it means that He was talking to all the People to let down their Nets.
So, we Pressumed that he has other People in the boat – Most likely Andrew and one (1) or two (2) other Apprentices are in the boat too.
So Launch Out into the Deep – All of you must do it. But Peter response was Personal: “I will”.
In other words, God is speaking to each one of us but I choose to believe it – I choose to act on it.
Unless you Personified your Commitment to God, it will benefit you Nothimg!
Because at this Point, I am speaking to the whole Church but Someone here must say: I will let down my Net, I will Launch Out, I will believe God, I will Breakthrough, I will not Give Up.
It moves from a “Group Instruction” to a “Personal Instruction” – I will let down the Net.
Because many of us come to Church and you hear the Word of God as a Group Thing. But your Life is not Group, your Pain is not Group, your Frustration is not Group, your Difficulty is not Group, your Failure is not Group – You have your Failures to carry.
And at a certain time, you have to say that the Word came to all of us but I will let down the Net, I will act, I will take Personal Responsibilities.
That is what Peter did – He Changed Narratives and take Personal Responsibilities.
We have to choose to do the Right Thing by God!
The other thing that should be Noted in the Greeks Language – There is a different word for Net.
But the word used for the Net that Peter is dealing with is “Night Time Fishing”.
“Night Time Fishing” is for Deep Sea Fishing. But when you come to the Daytime, there is “Shallow Fishing Net”.
Now, when Jesus Christ instructed Peter to Launch Out into the Deep and let down the Nets; the Net He is talking about is the Deep Sea Net – The one for the Night! But the Instruction is occurring in the Daytime.
So Logically, Peter should have said: Okay, since it is Daytime that Jesus Christ is giving the Instruction and I must Change the Net and go and Pick the Daytime Net for Shallow Fishing in the water.
But Peter didn’t Change the Net – The Fishimg is Daytime but the Net was for Night Time because God is about to give Peter a Night Time Harvest in a Daytime.
That means that something that should have happened in the Night Season; God is bringing it to Pass in the Day Season.
I. Something that should have happened when you are a Young Man, God is bringing it to Past when you are an Old Man.
II. Something that should have happened Yesterday, God says that the Season has Changed but my Promises are the same. And I am visiting you and I will give you a Miracle at the Wrong Season of Life.
It may seems to be a Wrong Season, but God will visit you – Amen
It may seems your times is over, but God will visit you – Amen
It may seems as if you missed the Opportunity but God will visit you – Amen
III. What should have happened Yesterday but didn’t happen; what should have happened 10 years ago but didn’t happen; what should have happened 20 years ago and didn’t happen; what you toiled and toiled and toiled for and you returned Empty 20 years ago – God says that you should go back for it.
He (God) says that it is the Wrong Season but don’t Change the Net because I’m about to give you what you expected 20 years ago in this Season of your Life – Amen!
I don’t know about you but God is about to give Somebody a Night Time Harvest in the Daytime – Amen!
Somebody said: Your Season is over. You thought the toil is over and there is Frustration. But there is going to be Replenishing – Amen!
This Morning or as you read now on the Label of DMC; I want to come into Agreement with you – In this House, God will give you a Night Time Harvest in a Daytime (Amen).
If you are believing God for Full Restoration, just Stand Up with me in Prayers and be like Peter and say:
I am letting down my Net, I am grasping the Word of God, I am taking Hold of the Word of God, I am Standing with the Lord that He will give to me a Night Time Harvest in the Daytime.
CLOSING PRAYER
Father this Morning, we Thank You that You are a Faithful God – You are a God that will never Change; You are a God who is Faithful in the Daytime and in the Night Time.
Today Lord, we come like Peter in the Daytime – The Night has Passed and the Season has Changed; the Right Time is gone, we missed the Opportunity, we missed the Season and we caught Nothing when we should have caught something.
Lord, in this Wrong Season; we Trust You that You will give us Night Time Harvest in our Daytime.
So Lord, I Stand in Agreement with every Members of this Church and the entire Discovery Media Crew (DMC) Family Members; who is believing You – That You will visit them in this Season and caused them to receive that which they missed in the Previous Season.
Let there be Season Reversal in the Name of Jesus Christ.
And we Thank You Lord that as we let down our Nets, as we Trust You again for the Second Time; You are Changing the Story of our Lifetime.
And we Thank You for the Harvest that You are bringing to Your People.
Thank You Lord for lives in this Place that You are Restoring and Thank You for the Abundance that You are bringing to Your People.
We give You Praise Father!
In Jesus Name – Amen! Amen!! and Amen!!!
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