Episode 797
Fishing in Deeper Waters: A Spiritual Call to Action | Ep 797
This episode delves into the profound narrative of transformation as illustrated in the Gospel of Luke, specifically highlighting Simon Peter's encounter with Jesus. We explore the theme of embracing uncertainty, as Simon is called to venture into deep waters despite his initial reluctance and the apparent futility of his efforts. The discussion unveils the concept of holy disruption, emphasizing how faith often demands that we relinquish our comfort zones in pursuit of divine possibilities. Furthermore, we reflect on the revolutionary nature of Jesus's call to fish for men and women, advocating for radical inclusion within spiritual communities. Our actionable step encourages listeners to identify areas in their lives where they may be treading safely and to courageously step into deeper waters, fostering both personal growth and social justice.
The "Daily Bible Refresh" is presented each day by Rev. Dr. Brad Miller who has a goal of speaking a bit of the bible into two million ears (one million people) in three years (2025-2028).
He is the author of "The A, B, C-1,2,3 Bible Study Guide" Free to you by clicking HERE.
Brad served as a local church pastor for forty years and has a background in radio and podcasting. Moreover, he is a life-long student of The Bible.
He believes in the words of Jesus that “scripture is fulfilled in your hearing” (Luke 4:21)
The "Daily Bible Refresh" is available seven days a week by 6:00 am ET. The episodes are no longer than ten minutes long and are...
- Understandable: A reading from the New Testament (usually the Gospel) selected from the Revised Common Lectionary using "The Message" translation.
- Relatable: You will have a couple of "points to ponder" from the text which will relate to your life
- Applicable: Every episode includes a way you can take action based on the reading
- A recommended resource to help you go deeper in biblical study and spiritual direction.
- A prayer for your day.
A companion resource to the Voice of God Daily Podcast is the “ABC Bible Study Guide” available by clicking HERE.
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Remember… “All scripture is God-breathed and useful”(2 Timothy 3:16)
The discussion presented in this episode revolves around a profound reading from the Gospel of Luke, specifically Luke 5:1-11, which recounts the miraculous catch of fish. This narrative serves as a pivotal moment in the ministry of Jesus, illustrating themes of transformation, trust, and the audacity to venture into the unknown. The speaker articulates the significance of Simon Peter's initial reluctance to fish in deep waters during the daylight hours, a task that defied conventional wisdom and challenged his expertise as an experienced fisherman. This act of faith, prompted by Jesus' directive, becomes a metaphor for embracing uncertainty in our spiritual journeys. It compels us to reevaluate our assumptions and encourages us to step beyond the confines of our comfort zones, suggesting that true growth often emerges from a willingness to challenge the status quo.
Furthermore, the episode delves into the notion of holy disruption, emphasizing how Jesus' call to Simon Peter fundamentally altered the latter's routine and expectations. This disruption reflects a broader theme within progressive faith, which often necessitates leaving behind familiar frameworks and embracing new possibilities for justice and community engagement. The speaker posits that divine encounters frequently manifest in ways that upend our meticulously constructed lives, urging us to remain open to the transformative potential of such disruptions. Additionally, the inclusion of women in Jesus' mission serves as a radical testament to the inclusive nature of his teachings, challenging societal norms and advocating for a spirituality that actively dismantles barriers and amplifies marginalized voices.
To conclude, the speaker offers listeners an actionable step: to identify areas in their lives where they have been 'fishing in shallow waters' and to take a concrete risk in pursuing deeper engagement, whether through difficult conversations or challenging long-held beliefs. This call to action is framed within a prayer that seeks divine guidance in overcoming the inertia of comfort and familiar routines, ultimately encouraging listeners to embody a spirit of love and liberation in their faith journeys.
Takeaways:
- In our podcast, we emphasize the importance of engaging with scripture daily to enhance spiritual understanding and personal growth.
- We present a fresh reading of the Bible each day, utilizing the Message version for clarity and relatability.
- The transformation and trust illustrated in the story of Simon Peter invite us to embrace uncertainty in our spiritual journeys.
- We encourage listeners to challenge their assumptions and step out of their comfort zones to experience profound spiritual growth.
- The call to radical inclusion reminds us to break down barriers and expand our circles of community and acceptance.
- Listeners are urged to identify areas in their lives where they can take risks and engage more deeply in their faith and social justice work.
Links referenced in this episode:
Companies mentioned in this episode:
- voiceofgoddaily.com
Transcript
Hello good people.
Speaker A:Welcome to Daily Bible Refresh with Dr.
Speaker A:Brad Miller, brought to you by voiceofgoddd daily.com the home of the ABC 1, 2, 3 Bible Study Guide.
Speaker A:We come to you every single day with a fresh reading of the Bible from the New Testament.
Speaker A:We read from the Message version to make it understandable.
Speaker A:We make it relatable by giving you a couple of points to ponder and applicable by giving you a point of action to take.
Speaker A:We come to you every single day with a selected reading from the Revised Common Lectionary.
Speaker A:We're in Year C in Today's reading is for the fifth circle Sunday after the Day of Epiphany.
Speaker A:We do all that when we have a Bible, we have a prayer, and we do all that in under 10 minutes.
Speaker A:Here's our reading for the day from Luke 5:1 11 Reading from the Message Push out into Deep Water Once when he was standing on the shore of Lake Gennesaret, the crowd was pushing in on him to better hear the word of God.
Speaker A:He noticed two boats tied up.
Speaker A:The fishermen had just left them and were out scrubbing their nets.
Speaker A:He climbed into a boat that was Simon's and asked him to put out a little bit from the shore.
Speaker A:Sitting there, using the boat for a pulpit, he taught the crowd.
Speaker A:When he finished teaching, he said to Simon, push out the deep water and let your nets out for a catch.
Speaker A:And Simon said, master, we've been fishing hard all night and haven't caught even a minnow.
Speaker A:But if you say so, I'll let out the nets.
Speaker A:It was no sooner said than done.
Speaker A:A huge haul of fish straining the nets past capacity.
Speaker A:They waved to their partners in the other boat to come help them, and they filled both boats, nearly swamping them with the catch.
Speaker A:Simon Peter, when he saw it, fell to his knees before Jesus.
Speaker A:He said, master, leave.
Speaker A:I'm a sinner and I can't handle this holiness.
Speaker A:Leave me to myself.
Speaker A:When they pulled in that catch of fish, awe overwhelmed Simon and everyone with him.
Speaker A:It was the same with James and John.
Speaker A:That's Zebedee's sons, co workers with Simon.
Speaker A:And Jesus said to Simon, there is nothing to fear.
Speaker A:From now on, you'll be fishing for men and women.
Speaker A:They pulled their boats up on the beach, left their nets and all, and followed him.
Speaker A:What a profound reading of scripture.
Speaker A:A powerful story about transformation and trust and stepping out into the unknown.
Speaker A:Let's look at a couple of points to ponder here.
Speaker A:There is about the matter of embracing uncertainty.
Speaker A:Simon Peter, who is an experienced fisherman, was Asked to do something that seemed counterintuitive, fish in deep water during the daylight hours.
Speaker A:This story invites us to question our assumptions about how things should be done, especially in our spiritual lives.
Speaker A:Sometimes the most profound growth happens when we're willing to challenge traditional ways of thinking and being.
Speaker A:Another point is holy disruption.
Speaker A:Notice how this encounter completely disrupted the fisherman's normal routines.
Speaker A:Progressive faith often calls us to leave our comfortable spaces and conventional wisdom behind.
Speaker A:The divine frequently shows up in ways that interrupt our carefully planned lives, inviting us to imagine new possibilities for justice and community.
Speaker A:One more point has to do with radical inclusion.
Speaker A:Jesus call to fish for men and women was revolutionary for its time, explicitly including women in the mission.
Speaker A:This reminds us that authentic spirituality should always work towards breaking down barriers and expand our circles of inclusion, especially for those traditionally marginalized by religious institutions.
Speaker A:Here's your action step for the day.
Speaker A:Identify an area where you've been fishing in shallow water that is playing it safe in your faith or social justice work, and take a concrete step to step into deeper water.
Speaker A:That might mean having a difficult conversation about justice issues, or joining some movement of change, or questioning a long held belief that might be limiting your spiritual growth.
Speaker A:It means taking a bit of a risk.
Speaker A:We'll have our closing prayer in just a moment.
Speaker A:Just a reminder that here@voiceofgoddaily.com which is the website which sponsors Daily Bible Refresh, we offer to you a Bible study tool to use in your life and I hope that you'll take advantage of it.
Speaker A:It's called the ABC 123 Bible Study Guide.
Speaker A:You simply go to our website voiceofgoddaily.com and in our show notes there's access to that there.
Speaker A:Please, please get the ABC 1, 2, 3 Bible study guided voiceofgoddaily.com here's our prayer.
Speaker A:Oh God, you are the source of all being.
Speaker A:And we confess that we often prefer the safety of shallow waters, the comfort of familiar routines, the security of well worn paths.
Speaker A:Give us courage to push out deeper, to question our assumptions, to challenge our comfortable certainties.
Speaker A:Help us to see that our feelings of inadequacy, like Peter's sense of unworthiness, don't disqualify us from your call to justice and love.
Speaker A:Grant us the audacity to leave our nets behind when they no longer serve a greater good and the wisdom to know when it's time to fish in deeper waters in the spirit of love and liberation.
Speaker A:Amen.
Speaker A:What a joy and a privilege it is to be with you here on Daily Bible Refresh hope that you join me again tomorrow.
Speaker A:We usually drop our episodes before 6am Eastern Time.
Speaker A:That's every single day.
Speaker A:We can join me for a fresh reading of the holy scriptures.
Speaker A:That is relatable and actionable and understandable.
Speaker A:Bring your friend.
Speaker A:We'll have some fun here together.
Speaker A:My name is Dr.
Speaker A:Brad Miller.
Speaker A:Until then, remember that God's loyal love doesn't run out.
Speaker A:His merciful love hasn't dried up.
Speaker A:It's created new every morning.
