Not sure where to start when it comes to growing your faith? The Chosen is the first-ever crowdfunded, multi-season TV show about the life of Christ...and it is binge-worthy! Throughout the show and in Luke 5:3-11, we see Simon Peter was impulsive, impatient, angry, and prone to violence. Yet, Jesus miraculously met him, just as he was, and called him to become the rock that Christ built the early Church on. Jesus didn't leave him in the shallow end with his faith - He grew it and led him to go deeper.
JESUS INVITES YOU TO GO DEEPER
Like Simon, you may feel your faith has been stagnant or even backsliding this year. If you're in that boat, know that Jesus is calling you deeper. He wants to guide you as you grow your faith. That's why today, our goal is to show you how you can build deeper trust, turn to God in deeper repentance, and watch Jesus reveal your deeper purpose.
#1) Deeper Trust: In Luke 5:3-11, we see that Simon Peter said yes to Jesus' invitation to cast his fisherman's net down, even though he was an expert fisherman and knew the fish weren't biting for his bait. Despite Simon's expertise, he received Jesus' invitation to cast his net down deeper. We see in this passage that Jesus was calling Simon to trust Him. If you want to grow your faith, you'll also need to develop deeper trust in God, like Simon did. What has God been asking you to do that perhaps you've been putting off? Revisit this invitation to deeper trust in God's guidance.
#2) Deeper Repentance: In the passage in Luke 5, we watch amazed as Simon Peter witnesses a miracle. Jesus miraculously filled his boat - and the boats of his partners, James and John - with so much fish that their boats practically start sinking! While Peter was all set to do things his way...he instead chose to obey Jesus and turn from his own way of thinking and understanding. Witnessing the miraculous catch led to his realization that he was a sinful man, deeply in need of Jesus. This is an example of repentance. When Simon Peter realized who Jesus was, He fell to his knees, turned from his sins, and acknowledged Jesus as the Holy Lamb of God. Following repentance, Simon also developed an understanding of his deeper purpose.
#3 Deeper Purpose: We see throughout Scripture that Peter was impulsive, brash, and angry at times. Yet, God chose Simon Peter to build His church. See, God can't use you until He breaks you. God can't use a man or woman until they get to the point of relying totally on God and not on themselves. Like Simon Peter, when you repent, trust God, and realize that Christ's power is in you, God gives you a deeper purpose to live for - Building His kingdom and enjoying relationship with Him!
GET OUT OF THE SHALLOW END
If you feel stuck in a state of spiritual shallowness, it's time to get out of the shallow end and dive in deeper with Jesus. Going deeper is about who you are becoming IN CHRIST - not about what you do or how you perform. Like Simon Peter, Jesus invites you to go deeper - Will you receive His invitation today and discover your deeper purpose?
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
For more of Liquid Church’s content related to The Chosen, consider exploring these resources:
- ARTICLE: Jesus Is Calling You Out - Like Jesus called Matthew out of his old life as a tax collector, discover how He is calling you out of your cages of isolation. Click here to read.
- ARTICLE: The Chosen: I Have Called You By Name - Learn about Mary Magdalene’s story as we look at how Jesus rescued, restored, and redeemed her… just like He can do with you! Click here to read.
- SERIES: To start binge-watching Liquid Church’s 5-part message series, The Chosen, click here. Or maybe you want to watch the hit show yourself? Download The Chosen App to watch all episodes for free. We hope your faith is renewed by watching the lives of the people that Jesus touched!