WHERE HE LEADS, I WILL FOLLOW

Keith O’Connor

Woodland Church

Wednesday, August 20, 2025

(Luke 5:1-11, NLT) “One day as Jesus was preaching on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, great crowds pressed in on him to listen to the word of God.  He noticed two empty boats at the water’s edge, for the fishermen had left them and were washing their nets. Stepping into one of the boats, Jesus asked Simon, its owner, to push it out into the water. So, he sat in the boat and taught the crowds from there. When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Now go out where it is deeper, and let down your nets to catch some fish.” “Master,” Simon replied, “we worked hard all last night and didn’t catch a thing. But if you say so, I’ll let the nets down again.”  And this time their nets were so full of fish they began to tear!  A shout for help brought their partners in the other boat, and soon both boats were filled with fish and on the verge of sinking. When Simon Peter realized what had happened, he fell to his knees before Jesus and said, “Oh, Lord, please leave me—I’m such a sinful man.”  For he was awestruck by the number of fish they had caught, as were the others with him. His partners, James and John, the sons of Zebedee, were also amazed. Jesus replied to Simon, “Don’t be afraid! From now on you’ll be fishing for people!” And as soon as they landed, they left everything and followed Jesus.”

(Mark 1:16-18, NLT) “Called out to them, come follow Me and I will show you how to fish for people. And they left their nets at once and followed Him”

(Deuteronomy 31:6, NLT) “So be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic before them. For the Lord your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you”

(Joshua 1:5, NLT) “No one will be able to stand against you as long as you live. For I will be with you as I was with Moses. I will not fail you or abandon you”

(Hebrews 13:5, NLT) “Don’t love money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said, “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you”

1.  Trust in Jesus’ Leading

(Proverbs 3:5-6, NLT) “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take”

(Luke 5:4-7, NLT) “When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Now go out where it is deeper, and let down your nets to catch some fish.”  Peter answered Jesus and said, “Master, we worked hard all last night and didn’t catch a thing. But if you say so, I’ll let the nets down again. And this time their nets were so full of fish they began to tear! A shout for help brought their partners in the other boat, and soon both boats were filled with fish and on the verge of sinking”

(John 21:17, NLT) “Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you”

(John 21:19, NLT) “Follow me”

2.  Respond to Jesus’ Call

(Luke 5:1-3, NLT) “One day as Jesus was preaching on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, great crowds pressed in on him to listen to the word of God. He noticed two empty boats at the water’s edge, for the fishermen had left them and were washing their nets. Stepping into one of the boats, Jesus asked Simon, its owner, to push it out into the water. So, he sat in the boat and taught the crowds from there”

(Psalm 119:105, NLT) “Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path”

(Matthew 4:19-20, NLT) “Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!”  And they left their nets at once and followed him”

3.  Embrace your new Identity and Purpose

(Luke 5:8-11, NLT) “When Simon Peter realized what had happened, he fell to his knees before Jesus and said, “Oh, Lord, please leave me—I’m such a sinful man.”  For he was awestruck by the number of fish they had caught, as were the others with him. His partners, James and John, the sons of Zebedee, were also amazed. Jesus replied to Simon, “Don’t be afraid! From now on you’ll be fishing for people!”  And as soon as they landed, they left everything and followed Jesus”

(2 Corinthians 5:17, ESV) “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come”

(Genesis 12:1, NLT) “The Lord had said to Abram, ‘Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you”

(Hebrews 11:8, NLT) “It was by faith that Abraham obeyed when God called him to leave home and go to another land that God would give him as his inheritance. He went without knowing where he was going”

(Luke 5:10b-11, NLT)  “Don’t be afraid! From now on you’ll be fishing for people!” And as soon as they landed, they left everything and followed Jesus”

Growthwork

1.  Recognize His Voice

(John 10:27, NLT) “Jesus said, My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me”

2.  Obey His Leading

(James 1:22, NLT) “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves”

3.  Rely on His Strength

(2 Corinthians 12:9, NKJV) “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore, most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me”

4.  When He Calls, Leave the Shoreline Behind