Ever feel like you’re doing everything you know to do, but it just doesn’t amount to anything? Or what your trying to get never materializes? Sometimes we can find ourselves close to Jesus and still feel like our nets are empty. Listen to this message and build your faith to fill your nets. This is the message “Empty Nets” in our Change Your City series. Follow along here:

Luke 5:1-11

One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, the people were crowding around him and listening to the word of God. 2 He saw at the water’s edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. 3 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.

4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.”

5 Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.”

6 When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. 7 So they signaled 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.

8 When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” 9 For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, 10 and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners.

Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.” 11 So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.

1. The Shallows vs The Depths

• Shallows – Where Jesus speaks to us
• The depths – Where Jesus calls us to action

James 2:14-17

What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

James 4:17

So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.

Doing Life Together – 

What is your depth with Jesus? What is He calling you to take action on?

Luke 5:1-11

3 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.

4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.”

In the shallows and the depths there was Jesus, Peter, and a pile of empty nets.

A continual empty net is an indicator that you need to move from the shallows to the depths

If you feel like you are unproductive, if you are missing something even though you have Jesus. I challenge you to move to the depths like Peter and Jesus; and take action on the word of God. Take action on what the Holy Spirit is speaking to you about.

You might say but I’ve tried before and it didn’t work…in order to change your city…. you gotta try again.

Luke 5:1-11

5 Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.”

6 When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. 7 So they signaled 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.

Your faith-lead actions in changing your city will inspire others to do that same.

2. What does it take to be a successful fisherman?

5 Skills all fishermen need (and we need to change our city):

1. 1. Navigate the seas – position ourselves to fish where the fish are at.
   2. Catching fish – know what tool to use for the situation. How to communicate with our friends, family, neighbors, co workers….
   3. Prepare the fish – they had to salt and brine the fish to last the journey. Are we equipping and our loved ones to last the journey of life?
   4. Export the fish – are we discipling our fish/family/friends to go change their cities?
   5. Repeat – keep fishing.

Next Steps – Which part of the fisherman’s step are you on? Finish your step and move onto the next one. 

How do you find hope in a hopeless situation? It is so hard to keep hope alive when it feels like there’s no way out, no other side, or no possibility for a good outcome. We are continuing in our Can’t Cancel Hope series. That’s why it’s so important to be tethered and connected to HOPE. Like an anchor. During this series we will explore characters in the Bible that have found themselves in caves, caverns and dark places. Today we visit Lazarus.

Follow along here:

John 11:11 – 15

11 He said these things, and then announced, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep. I’m going to wake him up.”

12-13 The disciples said, “Master, if he’s gone to sleep, he’ll get a good rest and wake up feeling fine.” Jesus was talking about death, while his disciples thought he was talking about taking a nap.

14-15 Then Jesus became explicit: “Lazarus died. And I am glad for your sakes that I wasn’t there. You’re about to be given new grounds for believing. Now let’s go to him.”

Disciples – Their hope was based on perspective, not Jesus

John 11:17-22

17-20 When Jesus finally got there, he found Lazarus already four days dead. Bethany was near Jerusalem, only a couple of miles away, and many of the Jews were visiting Martha and Mary, sympathizing with them over their brother. Martha heard Jesus was coming and went out to meet him. Mary remained in the house.

21-22 Martha said, “Master, if you’d been here, my brother wouldn’t have died. Even now, I know that whatever you ask God he will give you.”

Mary – Her hope was based on results, not Jesus

Martha – Her hope was based on her timing, not Jesus

John 11:41-44

41-42 Then, to the others, “Go ahead, take away the stone.”

They removed the stone. Jesus raised his eyes to heaven and prayed, “Father, I’m grateful that you have listened to me. I know you always do listen, but on account of this crowd standing here I’ve spoken so that they might believe that you sent me.”

43-44 Then he shouted, “Lazarus, come out!” And he came out, a cadaver, wrapped from head to toe, and with a kerchief over his face. Jesus told them, “Unwrap him and let him loose.”

Lazarus is all of us. we are dead without Jesus.

Let’s look at the 4 things Jesus did for Lazarus.

1. Gave a New Life
2. Removed His Obstacle.
3. Called Him to Next steps.
4. Vulnerably connected

•   Lazarus is all of us – and we are called to be the Church, take the next steps, and do life together.

•   When we have these 3 things happening in our lives. we will find hope in any hopeless situation.