Conventional wisdom has it that Billy Graham got his big push toward success from newspaperman William Randolph Hearst. In 1949 Graham's first major crusade was being launched in Los Angeles, and Hearst owned both major newspapers there. Supposedly, Hearst sent a brief message to his editors, saying, “Puff Graham.” But Billy Graham has a different understanding of his launching. In his autobiography, Just As I Am, he tells about a retreat he attended just a few months before that crusade. One night he was restless so he got up and took a walk. The moon was out, and the shadows were long in the San Bernardino Mountains. Dropping to his knees there in the woods, he opened the Bible at random on a tree stump in front of him. That tree stump became an altar. Graham prayed a prayer that went something like this: “0 God, there are many things in this book I do not understand. There are many seeming contradictions. Some areas in it do not seem to correlate with modern science. ...NEVERTHELESS, Father, I am going to accept this book by faith! I will believe and declare this to be your inspired Word.”

Graham writes, “When I got up from my knees that August night, my eyes stung with tears. I sensed the presence and power of God. Not all my questions were answered, but a major bridge had been crossed. In my heart and mind, I knew a spiritual battle in my soul had been fought and won.” There is another way to describe what happened that night. Billy Graham launched out into the deep with Jesus Christ. He bet his life on the truth of the Gospel as revealed in the Holy Bible. Through him, God has won millions of souls.

You can never know the thrill of Christ's company until you dare to get out of your comfort zone and launch out into the deep with him. When you risk and sacrifice something to follow Jesus, the experience becomes exhilarating!

Our scripture for today, Luke 5:1-11, is about daring to launch out into the deep with the Lord. Let me set the scene for you. This incident comes early in Jesus' ministry, soon after he called the disciples to follow him. The disciples had signed up, but their commitment was shallow. Could that describe some of us? One morning Jesus was teaching a throng of people down by the beautiful Sea of Galilee. It must have been near the town of Capernaum, Simon Peter's hometown, because his boat was there. Jesus sat in his boat and taught the crowds. When Jesus was through teaching, he turned to Simon Peter and said, “Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a

catch.” Simon Peter replied, “Master, we fished hard all night and

caught nothing.” What Simon Peter was really thinking was something like this: “Master, if you were a professional fisherman, you would know that the chances of catching fish right now are about as good as my becoming Emperor. During the night is the time to catch fish. Goodness knows, we tried hard all last night without luck. But here in the morning with the sun dazzling across the water, you can't catch fish. The net will spook them. Besides that, we are dog-tired. I caught myself nodding quite a bit while you were teaching this morning. I need a nap something awful. Master, with all due respect, you know a lot about God and scripture and sin and salvation, but you don't know dip about fishing. I am a professional fisherman. Who are you to tell me how to fish?"

Have you ever felt the way Simon Peter did? Have you ever suggested to the Lord that you know more about your business than He or the Bible do?

It sounds something like this: Lord, I realize what your book says about forgiving enemies and doing good to those who would harm you, but in the corporate world that makes no sense. The only way to deal with a corporate enemy is to bash him, and do it hard.

Lord, I know what your book says about sexuality, but frankly, it's hopelessly old-fashioned. Modern science and psychology have rendered scripture obsolete on this subject. There are ways to take precautions and be protected against sexuality's dangers.

Lord, I know what your book says about tithing, but look, I'm a CPA. There is no way that you can take 10 percent off the top without being hurt by it. Maybe some preachers believe that tithing works, but those are the type folks who see Elvis and buy underwater property at Pickwick.

Return with me now to the Sea of Galilee. Now we see the greatness of Simon Peter. Perhaps this incident is one of the reasons that Jesus chose Simon Peter to be the president of the early church. Simon Peter said to Jesus, "NEVERTHELESS, if you say so, I will let down the nets." "Nevertheless" is a great word of faith. In Hebrews 11:6 we read, "Without faith it is impossible to please God." Max Lucado says that "faith is the grit in the soul that puts the dare into dreams." Faith is hanging tough when the evidence would have us bailout. Faith is launching forth when everyone but Jesus says, "Stay put."

What a glorious faith word is "Nevertheless"! Are you willing to say it today whatever your circumstances may be?

An 80-year-old man says, "Lord, I have cancer and my chances of beating it are almost nil. I really would like for my doctor to help me overdose so I can just exit as quickly as possible. What possible purpose could I still have on this earth? (But here comes that word) ..."NEVERTHELESS, if you want me to model a faith that not even cancer can touch, if you want me to cast my burden upon you and allow you to sustain me, if you want me to show all these younger people how to die as well as live, with courage and conviction. ..then Lord, I will launch into the deep with you."

A 37-year-old single woman says, "Lord, I'm angry with you. I have never wanted anything more than having a family. But so far no right partner has come along, and my biological clock is running out. It breaks my heart to think that I may never be a mother. It's not fair, Lord, and I can't help but blame you." (But here comes that word again.) NEVERTHELESS. ..My happiness is not dependent on any circumstance or person. It is in Christ that I live and move and have my being. Therefore, Lord, if singleness is my lot, I will trust you to deliver the peace that no other can bring. With your help I will be the most fulfilled, creative single person in Memphis, and to you be the glory!"

Consider another example. A middle-aged couple are heartbroken. Their 19-year-old son is hooked on drugs. He even steals items from the home in order to pawn them and buy drugs. These distraught parents cry out to God in all honesty, saying, “Lord, we don’t deserve this misery. We gave the boy every advantage. He grew up in the lap of luxury. Sure, we made some mistakes, perhaps we were overly indulgent. But, who doesn't make mistakes? We are tempted not only to kick him out of the house, but also to kick him out of our hearts. He no longer deserves to be called our son.” Then here comes that word again! "NEVERTHELESS, if you want us to persevere with that boy, we will try. If you will help us demonstrate tough love, we will. If you can break into his hard, cold, addicted heart, we will keep up our vigil of love and prayer.”

Back we go to the Sea of Galilee. So great was the catch of fish that Simon had to call to his partners, James and John, to bring their boats. Both boats were so overloaded with fish that they could barely make it to land. Nobody had to tell Simon Peter, a professional fisherman, that he had just witnessed a miracle. He fell on his knees and cried out to Jesus, "Lord, I don't deserve to be around you; I am a sinner whose faith is too small." “Get up,” said Jesus. " I have big plans for you. From now on, you’ll be fishing for people instead of fish."

The scriptural message should be abundantly clear. At crucial living, Jesus calls us to take risks, to launch out with him into the deep. Everything that is prudential, timid, and conservative tells us to play it safe. Dare we step up with Simon Peter and declare boldly, "NEVERTHELESS, I will launch out into the deep with my Lord!"?

Perhaps you are in a marriage that is in critical condition. For a long time one or both spouses have not been able to say with sincerity, “I love you." The marriage seems to have been a sad mistake. But could God be calling you to say, "NEVERTHELESS, we will not give up without a struggle!? We will pray fervently, get counseling, and fight for this marriage. When we took those vows before God, saying 'for better or for worse, till death do us part,’ we meant those words. Could there still be time for a miracle in this marriage? Let's ask for one!"

Suppose that your job is secure and pays a good salary. But your company's product or service is not one you feel proud telling Jesus about. True, the company has great benefits and for promotion. You are tempted to just swallow your doubts and hang in there. But could God be calling you to say, "NEVERTHELESS, I want to be in a vocation I am proud to tell Jesus about. I want my job to make a contribution to the well-being of people. If my kids follow in my footsteps, I want to be proud of them. Do I dare leave something comfortable in order to find something God-appointed?"

Today you are probably holding a pledge card in your hand, or there is one in the pew rack in front of you. The idea of committing a fixed percentage of income off the top may scare you to death, especially in view of what you owe on your credit cards. Everything safe and prudential says, "Don't take on more than you can handle. Just give whatever you can, and God will understand."

But are you willing to say with Simon Peter, "NEVERTHELESS. Lord, if you say the word, I'll launch out in faith and trust you for another miracle! I believe you are just as good with dollars as you were with fish."

One of the few creatures on earth that can out-jump Michael Jordon is the Impala. This is an African deer with a supercharged spring. It has a vertical leap of over 10 feet and can broadjump over 30 feet. You would think that the zoos of the world would find it impossible to keep such an animal enclosed. Not so! It's rather easy. Because the experts discovered something about the Impala. It will not jump unless it can see where it is going to land. Therefore, a solid wall even 6 feet tall is a sufficient enclosure. Lots of Christians have the Impala problem. They won't take a leap in faith unless they have all the answers in advance about where the leap will take them. But God is looking for some bold believers who, even in the face of the unknown, will leap when the Spirit says leap, will fly when the Spirit says fly, will launch when the Spirit says launch, all to the glory of the Lord.

Why must we be willing to launch out into the deep with the Lord? Because our Lord was willing to launch out into the deep for us. On one terrible night Jesus knelt in agony in a garden outside Jerusalem, with all the hate and sin of the world almost blocking out his relationship with God the Father. So great was the agony that he perspired sweat and blood. "Please Lord," he cried out. "If there is some way to fulfill my mission without facing that cross. ..."NEVERTHELESS. not my will but thine be done." Do you love and trust Jesus enough to launch out into the deep with Him in just one area of your life? Even when the whole world is telling you to play it safe and take no chances, are you willing to declare, "NEVERTHELESS. Lord, at your word I will launch out into the deep!"?