Depart From Me

Luke 5:8 - When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord.

I.   Verse 1 - In the press that followed Christ, some whom He had already called were not following.

A.     Jesus went after them.

B.     Compare with Matt. 4:18-22 when Christ called Peter and his friends to follow Him.

1.      John 1:40-42 - This is the first time Peter was introduced to Christ.

2.      Matt. 4:18-22 - This is the second time Peter was introduced to Christ.

a.       The healing of Peter’s wife’s mother is in Matthew 8:14,15 and Luke 4:38,39.

b.      Sometime after Peter’s wife’s mother is healed, he returns to fishing for a living.

3.      Luke 5:1-11 - This is the third time Peter was introduced to Christ.  Here he is back in his old rut after being commanded by Christ to follow Him.

4.      John 20 - This is the fourth time Peter was found by the seaside.

II.   John 1:40-42 - This is the first time Peter was introduced to Christ.

A.     Here is where Peter is saved, and no doubt baptized by John the Baptist.

1.      Andrew, Peter’s brother brings Peter to Christ, explaining that he is the Messiah, the Christ.

a.       It is true these men do not understand the death, burial and resurrection of Christ.

b.      But that does not mean they are not saved at this point.

c.       Acts 1:8 reveals that the early church did not understand their mission or the purpose of Christ, yet they were still saved, scripturally baptized, and members of that first church.

2.      Christ is the one they are looking for; therefore they trust him for completeness in their nation and in their individual person.

B.     Peter was saved at this point.

1.      Jesus knows who he is because he has known him from all eternity.

2.      Jesus gives him a new name.

a.       Abram and Sarai received new names as a result of the blessings of God.

b.      Jacob received a new name as a result of the blessings of God.

c.       Many others in the Bible receive new names as a result of a change in status.

d.      Daniel is an Israelite name, as Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego are Babylonian names.

3.      His name is Cephas, which means a stone.

a.       This name is “little rock” or “little stone”.

b.      Compare to Jesus Christ, who is the rock of ages, the giant unmovable stone.

c.       The term could refer to Peter’s stubbornness! (grin)

C.     According to John 1:35-40 – Andrew was with John the Baptist when Jesus came by and then introduced Peter to Jesus Christ.

1.      Luke 6:14 records that Andrew was an apostle, therefore John the Baptist baptized him.

2.      Acts 1:15-26 records that Peter was the one that stood on the Day of Pentecost and proclaimed that another apostle should be chosen to take Judas’s place.

3.      That man must fulfill two requirements:

a.       He must have companied with Christ all during his earthly ministry.

b.      John the Baptist must have baptized him.

4.      Peter knew that he fulfilled those requirements, and that the requirements were scriptural.

III.   Matt. 4:18-22 - This is the second time Peter was introduced to Christ.

A.     Peter and Andrew are fishing.

1.      There is nothing wrong with what they are doing.

2.      They are making a living for their families, which is a good thing.

B.     The material prepared by John the Baptist was ready and willing to forsake the nets and follow Jesus.

C.     The healing of Peter’s wife’s mother is in Matthew 8:14,15 and Luke 4:38,39.

1.      Sometime after Peter’s wife’s mother is healed, he evidently returns to fishing for a living as Luke 5 finds Peter fishing once again.

IV.   Luke 5:1-11 - This is the third time Peter was introduced to Christ.

A.     Here he is back in his old rut after being commanded by Christ to follow Him.

B.     It is evident from reading verse 1,2 that Peter is not with Jesus on his travels.

1.      Verse 1 – Jesus stands on the shore and sees two ships.

2.      The fishermen are washing their nets because they have been fishing all night.  See verse 5.

3.      Jesus did not berate Peter because he did not follow him, but simply asked him to push out a little from the shore so he could teach those that did follow him.

4.      Peter, of course, had to listen to the entire message, as Jesus was on his ship.

C.     Beginning in verse 4, Jesus begins to teach the lesson Peter needs.

1.      It seems to me Peter needs to learn the lesson that God will provide all his needs when he follows him.

2.      I think all of us must learn this lesson.

D.     I often wonder how Stephen and Philip earned money and what happened to their family.

1.      II Kings 4:1-7 – This prophet’s widow had no provision, but God provided for her when she asked him.

2.      God will always provide for his people when they ask.

3.      Most of the time, we have not because we ask now, or we ask incorrectly.

E.      Peter did not exactly follow the Lord’s commands.

1.      Verse 4 – Christ told him to put down the nets.

2.      Verse 5 – Peter put down the net.

3.      Peter did not believe Christ could provide what Peter could not provide for himself.

4.      There was so many fish caught that the net began to break.

5.      There was so many fish that both of the ships began to sink.

6.      That is a “lot of fish!”

F.      Verse 10 - Jesus told Peter not to fear.

1.      Fear is what stops most of us from accomplishing what we should accomplish.

2.      I John 4:18 states, “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.” 

G.     Verse 11 – Now they forsake all and follow Jesus.

1.      Compare to Matthew 4:20 where they leave their nets and follow Jesus.

2.      It is our place to forsake this entire world and follow Jesus Christ.

3.      Never fear – he will always supple whatever we need, whenever we need it.

V.   John 20 - This is the fourth time Peter was found by the seaside.

A.     Verse 3 – Peter went back to fishing and led others to go with him.

1.      It is not necessarily wrong for these men to return to fishing, because they did not know what else to do.

2.      Their hope for Israel and what Jesus would do is very uncertain.

B.     Here is a repeat of Luke 5 because they fished all night and caught nothing.

1.      A person who is called of God cannot make a living doing other than what God has called him to do.

2.      God always graciously supplies for those he calls.

C.     Jesus did not severely reprimand Peter, but gently coaxed him to follow him.

1.      He told Peter to cast the net on the right side of the net.

2.      No doubt the right side is the correct side, because Jesus said so.

3.      They received a great number of fish, a 153 total, but the nets were not broken.

D.     John recognized the Lord.

1.      None of the other disciples seemed to understand or at least vocalize their thoughts about who this man on the seashore was.

2.      John told Peter, who immediately covered his nakedness and jumped into the water.

a.       I doubt Peter was completely naked, without any clothes at all, but he was naked as far as the Bible is concerned.

b.      I think Peter was not trying to get away from Christ, rather hurry to him.

c.       Peter could swim faster than the boat could travel.

E.      When they all got to land, Jesus had a fire and fish on the fire.

1.      Jesus did not need their fish, just as he does not need our tithes and offerings.

2.      Nobody asked who Christ was, because they all knew.