From Now On

A Turning Point: The Meaning of "From Now On"

Scott Uselman opened with a story about his own experience at trade school, where one decision forever changed the direction of his life. There was a clear line: from that moment on, things would not be the same. He connected this to the heart of Luke 5, where Jesus brings his listeners to a turning point: from now on, life is different.

"From that point on, I had no perspective in me that would say I can see me doing computerated drafting. All I wanted to do in that moment was just to go to work and make some money."

Scott reflected that change doesn’t always come smoothly, and as the world changes around us, people often find it hard to let go of what they knew. Still, the call "from now on" is central both to how the disciples met Jesus and what he asks from us now.

The Setting in Luke: A Story for Everyone

Scott emphasized that Luke’s gospel was written to include "the least of these", women, the poor, the outsider. Luke’s storytelling style relies on contrast, and this continues right into chapter 5, where Jesus approaches everyday fishermen. After a night of labor with nothing to show for it, Simon (Peter) and his partners are tired and frustrated.

Jesus steps into their boat, asks Simon to push out, teaches the crowds, and then gives Simon an unexpected instruction:

“Put out into deep water and let down the nets for a catch.”

Simon’s answer is both honest and obedient, even as it feels futile:

"Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything, but because you say so, I will let down the nets."

It was right then, not after a successful night, but in tiredness and disappointment, that Jesus reveals himself as the ultimate provider.

Labor Is Not in Vain: Listening to the Source

Scott lingered on this part of the story. The fishermen's effort had produced nothing, but at Jesus’ word their nets were overwhelmed with fish, so full the boats nearly sank.

He drew out how Israel, and like us, easily forgot who truly provides for them, not Rome, not their own power, but God. In a world where we rely on full grocery stores and working supply chains, Scott called us to remember:

“The source himself, Jesus, is the one who is able to provide every need. Simon learns that the labor he was doing was actually in vain... but when I listen to Jesus and remember he’s the one that does everything, I'll have fruit from my labors.”

He shared a story from his own years serving as a youth pastor far from denominational headquarters, without the comfort and access others might have. "Anything that was going to happen good, it had to happen because of Jesus," Scott said. The point: the closer we are to the source, the more we see fruit. Education, skill, and resources are no substitute for depending fully on the Lord.

Simon Peter’s willingness to do what Jesus said, even when it made little worldly sense, led to a harvest he could never have planned for. Scott challenged us: from now on, will we work in our own strength, or trust the voice of Jesus?

Sin is Owned in God's Presence: A Moment of Clarity

This miracle brings Simon Peter face to face with his own reality. Instead of basking in the success, Peter falls at Jesus’ knees.

"Go away from me, Lord. I am a sinful man."

Scott drew a connection to Isaiah’s vision in the Old Testament, where even the prophet cried out, "Woe to me, for I am undone." There’s a pattern: when someone recognizes God’s holiness up close, they see their own need honestly and deeply. The outcome is not intellectual agreement with Jesus, not simply admiring his teaching or miracles, it's confession.

"When you come face to face with the Lord Almighty, you know who you are. And I love the idea that what Simon is doing here is he's down on his knees because he’s being humble before the Lord."

Scott was real about his own journey, sharing how pride kept him from seeing his own sin, and how true healing only began when he stopped making excuses and confessed it to the Lord. He emphasized that confession is not about information for God; it’s for us. “If I don’t know that I have a problem, I can’t get well.”

He pointed out that unlike the crowds who merely listened or turned away, Peter’s response leads somewhere new. The call to own our sin in God’s presence is always a pathway to health and restoration, not shame. Confession comes from experiencing the overwhelming grace and nearness of Jesus, not just from fear or guilt.

New Life Is Available: Leaving the Old Behind

At this turning point, Jesus answers Peter’s confession not with condemnation but with an invitation:

"Don’t be afraid. From now on, you will fish for people."

The miracle and the confession together lead to a changed life. Scott unpacked how Peter and his companions "pulled their boats up on shore, left everything, and followed him." The meaning was not that everyone must literally quit their job, but that the direction, desire, and goal of their lives is now different. New life has a center: Jesus himself.

"When we're introduced to the source of everything, we confess our sin. And when we're introduced to the source of everything, here's what we do. We are no longer that same person."

Scott called this the "from now on" that should mark every believer: a shift from self-reliance and pride to dependence on Jesus, from hiding sin to honest confession, from chasing the world’s rewards to embracing a new life with Christ. He pointed to how changed life is the true fruit of meeting Jesus, not just hearing about him.

He challenged us: “From now on, I’m not going to be the same. From now on, I’m going to listen to the Lord. From now on, I’m not going to react in certain situations. From now on, I’m going to look to see how the Lord wants me to react in these situations. From now on, I’m going to put my trust in him.”

Scott closed by inviting anyone who hadn't yet experienced that "from now on" moment to lay their burdens before Christ, confess, and receive new life.

"With all heads bowed, the altar’s open. If you haven’t received that new life, if you haven’t gotten into that ‘from now on’ moment, you can come, or you can do it right where you’re at. But from now on, we want to be different."

Living It Out

This week, we ask ourselves: Where do I need to respond to Jesus with "from now on"? If we trust his word, confess honestly, and follow even when it costs, new life is always close. Our work, our confession, and our future have meaning because the source stands with us.

Discussion Questions

1. When have you obeyed Jesus even though it did not make sense from your perspective? What was the outcome?
2. What does confession mean in your own life? Is there an area where God is calling you to honesty?
3. How does the idea of “from now on” challenge or encourage you when you look at your daily routines and choices?