From the Pulpit

In 1995, I was driving for UPS and was also the part-time youth pastor at our church. One night my wife and I were praying together, and we sensed God leading us in our Bible to Luke 5:4. This may sound weird to you, but we sensed that God was speaking to us through this scripture.

In this account, Jesus stood in Peter’s boat to teach people who were standing on the shore. Luke 5:4, “When He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon, ‘Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.’ 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 when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking. So they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink.”

We sensed that God was saying it was time to leave UPS and go into full time ministry.

Launching out into the deep was total reliance upon Him; out in the deep where your anchors can’t reach and you can’t get back to shore is where you have to trust God. We would be leaving behind the insurance and benefits that UPS offered. Out in the deep is also where the big fish were.

That night we felt a little like Simon Peter, as we had many questions. How could we do this? I couldn’t just waltz up to my pastor and say, “God told me you are to hire me.” Plus, I don’t want to leave my church to find a full time position somewhere else. But in the end, we said the same thing Peter said: “Nevertheless at your word… ”

The next day, my pastor calls me and wants to have lunch. At lunch he offered me a full time job as the children/youth pastor. We knew we were supposed to take the position even though it was less money and no benefits, because God had already spoken to us.

Thirteen years later, this word continues to impact us. Even the name of the church we started here in Destin, Shoreline, comes from this passage.

This story is actually a classic example of a very simple relational principal about God. When most people hear it, they say, “That’s it? That is too simple.”

Another time in Matthew 14, when Jesus had sent the disciples on ahead to cross the Galilee by boat, He caught up with them later walking on the water. When the disciples saw him, they were afraid He was a ghost or something. After calming the disciples down, Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, if it is you, tell me to come to you on the water.”

I have heard many people teach on this, but could it be that Peter made this request, not because he didn’t recognize Him, but because he understood that when Jesus spoke, things happened. When Jesus gave a command it was obeyed, whether it was a servant, sickness, demons, or nature. Could it be that Peter knew that one giant leap of faith begins with one small word from God?

Peter didn’t just walk on water; he walked on the word “come.”

It really just boils down to this.

To believe God, you have to hear from God. It is a very simple relational principal. Here is how Romans 10:17 says it, “So then, faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”

The faith that comes is the faith you need for your everyday walk with God, so you are not shaken by current events or by just having a bad day.

I knew someone whose faith took a beating because of an episode on the History Channel. That is why it is important to hear the Bible taught, to read it yourself, and to spend time with God maintaining a relationship, so when He speaks, you can trust Him.

But it is also that same faith you need when it is time to take that giant leap, like leaving a secure job, forgiving an adulterous spouse, starting a business during an economic downturn, or getting out of a safe boat and walking on water.

One giant leap of faith begins with one small word from God. 

Pastor Eric Partin is the lead pastor of Shoreline Church in Destin and can be reached at epartin@cox.net