"MOVING OUT INTO DEEPER WATERS."
READ TEXT: LUKE 5:1-12
He had known him for about 1 year now. The first time he met Jesus was when his brother Andrew, came running out to where he was in an ecstatic state telling him that he had found the Messiah... Andrew brought Peter to Jesus and from that very moment Peter’s life began to change...
He had been with Jesus now, for about a year, he had heard Jesus’ teachings, he was there on the mountainside when Jesus said, "blessed are the poor in spirit for they will inherit the earth..."
He was at the wedding feast, when Jesus turned water into wine, And he stood almost paralyzed as Jesus with intense force cleared out the temple of all the money changers... Peter was there that night when a pharisee by the name of Nicodemus came to Jesus and was told how to be born again.... And he watched with confusion and amazement as Jesus spoke to the sinful women at the well....telling her of living water and of how God is seeking true worshippers, men nd women who will worship him in spirit and in truth...
And apparently though we don’t why, Peter and the others, after that 1st year, had gone back to their nets.. while Jesus conducted his early galilean ministry.
Our text opens up with Jesus standing on the shores of the sea of Galilee (which was also called lake Gennesaret), It is a fresh water lake resting 680 feet below sea level..
It is surrounded by mountains on all sides -- so it is kind of like a huge bowl... The lake is 13 miles long and 9 mile wide at it’s widest point. In Christ’s day 9 cities of 15,000 or more stood on it’s shores. This lake was the scene of much of Jesus’ Galilean ministry. It was noted for it’s sudden and violent storms which were caused by the cold air sweeping down from the vast northern plateaus and converging on the tropical humidity of the lake below.
On this particular day -- Jesus was teaching the people along the sea shore. And by now His fame and popularity were widespread... So the crowd that day was very large, and they were pushing and shoving each other, jostling for position to see and hear Jesus... And they kept pressing upon Jesus moving Him closer to the water.... And Jesus glanced down the lake and he saw by the waters edge 2 boats, by their fishermen, who were washing their nets ready to call it a day, after a full night of catching nothing...
One of the fisher men was Peter, and Jesus got into his boat and told Peter to put out a little from shore.... And this natural pulpit allowed Jesus to be seen and heard by the multitudes. And as he taught Jesus sat down in the boat, which was the way that Jewish teachers taught.... Jesus’ great sermon on the mount was delivered with Jesus sitting on the mountainside..
And after Jesus had finished teaching he turned to Peter and said, "PUT OUT INTO DEEP WATER, AND LET DOWN YOUR NETS FOR A CATCH..."
And I am sure that in response to that request many thoughts must have raced through the seasoned fisherman mind... He was tired, he was ready to call it quits, he had worked all night long, his back was tired, his hands sore and calloused from hours of casting his nets, and he had caught nothing, not one fish. And to go out in the middle of the day to catch fish in deep waters... Well, every galilean fishermen knew that the way to catch fish was at night and in the shallow waters.... I don’t imagine that Peter was really in the mood for this... but he answered Jesus....
"MASTER, WE’VE WORKED HARD ALL NIGHT AND HAVEN’T CAUGHT ANYTHING. BUT BECAUSE YOU SAY SO, I WILL LET DOWN THE NETS..."
And so Peter rowed out into the deeper waters, probably with a mixture of doubt and expectation pumping through his veins... And he let down his nets and he caught so many fish that his net began to break, So he signaled for his partners (Andrew, John and James) for help and the 4 of them keep pouring in the fish again and again, until there was so many fish that both boats began to sink... (that’s a lot of fish....)
From empty nets being hung to dry, to boats sinking with fish is quit a turn of events.....
Have you ever felt like Peter.... as he was putting his net away.... have you ever felt tired? discouraged? have your efforts ever seemed to go without results? have you ever toiled all night long and then when you looked into your net found that it was still empty? You haven’t caught what you were looking for... Your dreams have gone unanswered... You’ve tried real hard to be the best husband or wife, or parent, or child, or worker, or servant in the church.... But your net is still empty...
So you figure why bother anymore... And you slowly row your boat back into shore and you begin to put away your net... Maybe I’ll try again sometime, but not now, I have had enough for now -I can’t handle it anymore -- I can’t handle this futility...
Peter was discouraged and ready to call it quits, at least for time for the time being -- that is how our text began.....
But that is now how it ends, it ends with Peter not only having a full net, but a full boat as well.
Today I want to talk to anyone who is beginning to put away their nets.... who is ready to call it day in their life. You see, there are good reasons why Peter at the end of our text -- had net full... As a matter of fact I see 4 reasons why Peter had a net full. And today we are going to talk about those reasons And I think we need to... because I see many discouraged, husbands, wives, parents, and kingdom workers out there... Who need to know how to have a full net.
IF WE WANT OUR NETS TO BE FULL....
I. WE LIKE PETER, MUST HAVE JESUS IN OUR BOAT...
For us to be a successful fishermen -- Jesus must be in our boat...
Is Jesus in your boat? -- is He in your life?
How does Jesus get into our boat to begin with?
Well, we hear about Jesus... We develop faith in Him -- We become convicted that we are sinners. We realize that no one comes to the father but through Christ. We repent of our sin of our rebellion against God. We submit to Jesus Lordship over our lives and we are immersed into his name... And He is now in our boat...
Let me ask you this, who was Peter fishing for -- when Jesus was not in his boat? for Peter
The word of God reads in Col 3:17,
"AND WHATEVER YOU DO, WHETHER IN WORD OR DEED, DO IT ALL IN THE NAME OF THE LORD JESUS, GIVING THANKS TO GOD THROUGH HIM..."
Sometimes even after Jesus is in our boat -- we at times ask Him to step ashore -- to get out....
And when Jesus is on the shore -- who are you/we fishing for? We are fishing for ourselves....
We are not serving in the church, "in word and deed," to bring glory for Jesus.... But we are doing it for ourselves.... To receive praise from men, to maintain our spiritual reputation, to try to win merit points to make up for the sin in our lives that we refuse to let go. Or we do it for some other selfish reasons....
And we are also not striving to be the best husband, wife, parent or employees to the glory of God -- but rather to manipulate our world to make us feel good about ourselves, to make us happy...
And when Jesus is not in our boat, our nets will be empty... You see we will be just as God said in Jeremiah 2:13 of the nation of Judah, as they kicked God out of their boats/lives
""MY PEOPLE HAVE COMMITTED 2 SINS; THEY HAVE FORSAKEN ME, THE SPRING OF LIVING WATER, AND HAVE DUG THEIR OWN CISTERNS, BROKEN CISTERNS THAT CANNOT HOLD WATER... (TORN NETS THAT CANNOT HOLD FISH).
YOU MAY BE SAYING -- STEVE ARE YOU SAYING THAT WITH JESUS IN OUR BOATS ARE NETS WILL ALWAYS BE FULL? YES THEY WILL?
YOU SEE, WITH JESUS IN OUR BOAT MANY FISH THAT WE WOULD NOT SEE AS APPETIZING OR WORTH EATING -- WILL NOW BE SEEN AS A DELICACY A CAUSE FOR REJOICING -- FOR EXAMPLE; THE "FISH OF TRIALS AND SUFFERING," A FISH WE WOULD NEVER EAT WHEN JESUS WAS NOT IN OUR BOAT -- BUT, WITH JESUS IN OUR BOAT WE NOW "CONSIDER IT PURE JOY WHENEVER WE EAT THE FISH OF TRIALS AND SUFFERING BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT THE TESTING OF OUR FAITH DEVELopS PERSEVERANCE... AND PERSEVERANCE MUST FINISH IT’S WORK SO THAT WE CAN BE MATURE, COMPLETE LACKING IN NOTHING..." OTHER FISH (MEEKNESS, MOURNING, HARDSHIPS, PERSECUTIONS AND WEAKNESS)
WHEN HIS NET WAS FULL PETER HAD JESUS IN HIS BOAT...
IS YOUR NET FULL?
WHO ARE YOU FISHING FOR?
IS JESUS IN YOUR BOAT -- ARE YOU SURE?
II. AND WE LIKE PETER, MUST ALLOW JESUS TO SET OUR COURSE.
Jesus told Peter to go out into the deep waters....And to go out into deeper waters I see as symbolic of, Jesus setting OUR course...
AND THE COURSE JESUS SETS IS ONE OF TRUST
As I said earlier to go out in the deep waters in that day -- went against everything Peter had ever known and experienced as a Galilean fisherman... It be would like Jesus saying to us "The fastest way to get to downtown Tampa is to take I-4 to I-275 at rush hour...." (that would go against everything we have ever known or experienced...)
NOT ONLY does going out into deeper waters require faith and go against what we know.. it can also be very scary...
Recently on and episode of FAMILY MATTERS -- Steve Urgle -- was having Karl teach him how to swim so he could graduate from high school.... It was pretty funny.... Eventually Steve began to get a handle on it -- and He and Karl were swimming along together... And Karl in an effort to encourage steve, said something like this, "STEVE YOU ARE DOING SO WELL -- EVEN IN THE DEEP END..." To which Steve shouted "deep end" and he sunk... You see, It can be scary to not be able to touch the bottom...
Like wise it is scary for us, to go into the deeper waters; to let Jesus set the course; to depend on the Lord and not on ourselves. It is Scary to not be able to touch the bottom..
But says in II Corinthians 5:7 that;
"WE LIVE BY FAITH AND NOT BY SIGHT..."
AND IT IS POSSIBLE TO LIVE BY FAITH.... IN HEBREWS CHAPTER 11 THE HALL OF FAITH CHAPTER OF THE BIBLE.... THE PHRASE "BY FAITH" IS USED 21 TIMES -- AS THE WRITER RECAPS EVENTS IN THE HISTORY OF GODS PEOPLE WHERE THEY WENT OUT INTO THE DEEPER WATERS OF FAITH....
BY FAITH NOAH, BUILT AN ARK TO SAVE A FAMILY YET TO BE BORN -- IN A LAND THAT HAD NEVER SEEN RAIN...
BY FAITH ABRAHAM, WHEN CALLED TO GO TO A PLACE HE WOULD LATER RECEIVE AS AN INHERITANCE OBEYED AND WENT, EVEN THOUGH HE DIDN’T KNOW WHERE HE WAS GOING...
BY FAITH THE PEOPLE, PASSED THROUGH THE RED SEA ON DRY LAND..
BY FAITH, THE WALLS OF MIGHTY JERICHO FELL...
TO LIVE BY FAITH IS TO TRUST JESUS -- AND NOT EVERYTHING HE TELLS US WILL MAKE SENSE IF STRICTLY WITH AN EARTHLY VISION.
IF NOAH VIEWED GOD’S COMMANDS WITH EARTHLY EYES -- WANTED ALL THE ANSWERS UP FRONT, HE NEVER WOULD HAVE BUILT AN ARK...
ABRAHAM WOULD HAVE NEVER LEFT HIS HOMELAND...
THE PEOPLE WOULD HAVE STAYED IN EGYPT AND NEVER CROSSED THE SEA.... AND THE WALLS OF JERICHO, WOULD HAVE NEVER FALLEN, BECAUSE IT DIDN’T MAKE ANY SENSE HOW MARCHING AROUND THAT CITY AND BLOWING A TRUMPET WOULD MAKE THOSE MIGHTY COME CRASHING DOWN...
YOU KNOW, I’D LIKE TO THINK THAT IF I WERE IN THEIR SANDALS, I WOULD HAVE BUILT THAT ARK -- LEFT MY HOMELAND -- CROSSED THAT SEA AND MADE THOSE MIGHTY WALLS FALL.... WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU WOULD HAVE DONE? WOULD YOU HAVE BELIEVED GOD AND TRUSTED HIM AND WALKED BY FAITH? OR WOULD YOU HAVE STAYED HOME
I GUESS ONE WAY TO DETERMINE WHAT WE WOULD HAVE DONE BACK THEN, IS TO SEE HOW WELL WE ARE DOING AT TRUSTING WHAT GOD HAS TOLD US TODAY?
DO WE WORRY ABOUT OUR LIFE? WHAT WE WILL EAT? OR ABOUT THE BODY, WHAT WE WILL WEAR OR DO WE TRUST GOD.
DO WE NOT BECOME WEARY IN DOING GOOD BECAUSE WE TRYST GOD TO GIVE US A GREAT HARVEST IF WE DON’T GIVE UP.
ARE OUR HEARTS NOT TROUBLED BECAUSE WE TRUST IN GOD AND WE TRUST IN JESUS, WE KNOW THAT HE IS PREPARING A PLACE FOR US AND WILL COME BACK TO TAKE US HOME...
DO WE SEEK GOD’S KINGDOM AND GOD’S RIGHTEOUSNESS FIRST, TRUSTING HIM TO ADD ALL GOOD THINGS TO US.
DO WE PRAY OFTEN (EVEN IN DIFFICULT TIMES) TRUSTING GOD WHEN HE SAID THE PRAYER OF A RIGHTEOUS MAN ACCOMPLISHES MUCH....
IF WE ARE NOT TRUSTING GOD NOW, WE WOULD NOT HAVE TRUSTED GOD THEN -- WE WOULD NOT HAVE BUILT THE ARK -- LEFT OUR HOMELAND OR MARCHED AROUND JERICHO -- WE WOULD HAVE FOUND COUNTLESS EXCUSES TO STAY HOME.
THE COURSE JESUS HAS SET FOR US IS ONE OF TRUST AND
IT IS ONE OF OBEDIENCE
Let me ask this ?, If Jesus sets our course at 67 degrees north east -- if we do not sail that way, are we allowing Jesus to set our course? No we are not.
THE BIBLE SAYS;
"BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO HEAR THE WORD OF GOD AND OBEY IT.."
- LK 11:28
"WHY DO YOU CALL ME LORD AND NOT DO WHAT I SAY?
- LK 6:46
"WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE COME TO KNOW HIM IF WE OBEY HIS COMMANDS. THE MAN WHO SAYS, `I KNOW HIM," BUT DOES NOT DO WHAT HE COMMANDED IS A LIAR, AND THE TRUTH IS NOT IN HIM.."
- I JOHN 2:3,4
"IF YOU LOVE ME, YOU WILL OBEY WHAT I COMMAND"
- JOHN 14:15
I don’t have to tell you that we live in society that doesn’t think obedience is that big of a deal... Kids don’t obey parents, The juvenile centers and prisons are full of people who think that it’s not a big deal to break the law... An unfortunately since parents and the law don’t hold this rebels accountable through discipline -- it is really a big deal to them. NO PAIN/NO GAIN/NO LESSON LEARNED.
Most people think that rules are meant to be stretched, broken and ignored... And this "it’s just a little thing -- it’s not big deal attitude" has invaded the hearts and minds of God’s people..
Most Christians know that there are things that Jesus has told them to do or not to do -- that they are flat out ignoring. And since they have been raised in a society where disobedience is usually ignored and rarely disciplined.. They really don’t think it is big deal to disobey God/THEY THINK IT IS A LITTLE THING AND THAT GOD WILL LET THEM SLIDE...... they are not even concerned , worried or intending to change THEIR ways...
LITTLE THINGS MATTER -- WHEN GOD SAYS SOMETHING, HE EXPECTS IT TO BE CARRIED OUT AND OBEYED....
LET ME ILLUSTRATE THIS FROM AN ACCOUNT IN SCRIPTURE...
SAUL HAD BEEN KILLED AND DAVID HAD JUST BECOME KING OF ISRAEL. AND IN 2 SAMUEL 6 WE READ ABOUT DAVID BRINGING THE ARK OF GOD (WHICH REPRESENTED THE PRESENCE OF GOD), THEY WERE BRINGING THE ARK BACK TO JERUSALEM. IT SEEMS THAT THE WHOLE TIME OF SAUL’S REIGN THE ARK WAS NOT THERE NOR WAS GOD CONSULTED.
NOW, DAVID WAS EXCITED ABOUT THIS AND ALL OF ISRAEL "WERE CELEBRATING WITH ALL THEIR MIGHT BEFORE THE LORD, WITH SONGS AND WITH HARPS, LYRES, TAMBOURINES, SISTRUMS AND CYMBALS..."
THE ARK WAS BEING TRANSPORTED ON AN OX CART THAT DAVID HAD BUILT FOR THIS VERY PURPOSE (BUT THIS WAS NOT THE WAY GOD HAD COMMANDED FOR THE ARK TO BE MOVED)... AND AS THEY WERE TRAVELING UP TO JERUSALEM, THEY CAME TO A ROUGH SPOT THAT CAUSED THE OX THAT WAS PULLING THE CART TO STUMBLE. AND A MAN NAMED UZZAH, REACHED OUT AND TOOK HOLD OF THE ARK TO STEADY IT... (HE WAS NOT A LEVITE AND ONLY THE LEVITE WERE ALLOWED TO TOUCH THE ARK -- UNDER COMMND OF DEATH).. AND THE LORD’S ANGER BURNED AGAINST UZZAH BECAUSE OF THIS IRREVERENT ACT; AND GOD STRUCK HIM DOWN AND HE DIED RIGHT THERE BESIDE THE ARK OF GOD.."
BROTHERS WHEN GOD SAYS SOMETHING HE MEANS IT... WHEN HE TELLS US TO DO OR NOT TO DO SOMETHING, HE IS (HERA THIS), NOT OFFERING US SUGGESTIONS, BUT RATHER HE IS GIVING US COMMANDS. COMMNDS HE EXPECTS US TO OBEY EVERY BIT AS MUCH AS HE EXPOECTED UZZAH TO OBEY.
AND IF WE FLAGGERENTLY DISOBEY GOD’S COMMANDS, WE BEST NOT EXPECT HIM TO LET US SLIDE, LIKE MANY PARENTS DO AND OUR LAWS OFTNE DO. GOD DOES NOT GARDE ON THE CURCVE.
IS THERE A COMMAND OF GOD THAT YOU RIGHT NOW ARE DISOBEYING -- MAYBE IT IS SOMETHING HE TOLD YOU TO DO, OR MAYBE IT IS SOMETHING HE TOLD YOU NOT TO DO...
GOD WILL, HOLD YOU ACCOUNTABLE!!
THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A LITTLE THING WHEN IT COMES TO DISOBEYING A COMMAND OF GOD.... (I’D SUGGEST THAT IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO TAKE CARE OF WITH GOD YOU DO IT NOW! TODAY!!)
DO YOU WANT A FULL NET?
THEN YOU MUST LET JESUS IN YOUR BOAT AND YOU MUST ALLOW HIM TO SET THE COURSE -- YOU MUST YOUR SAILS YOUR FOR THE DEEPER WATERS OF COMPLETE TRUST AND FULL OBEDIENCE.....
AND IN ADDITION TO THESE, IF WE WANT A FULL NET;
III. WE LIKE PETER, MUST FULLY UNDERSTAND WHO JESUS IS.
He is God, and he is Holy....
Listen to verse 7 and 8 again;
"SO THEY SIGNALED THEIR PARTNERS IN THE OTHER BOAT TO HELP THEM, AND THEY CAME AND FILLED BOTH BOATS SO FULL THAT THEY BEGAN TO SINK... WHEN PETER SAW THIS, HE FELL AT JESUS’ KNEES AND SAID, GO AWAY FROM ME! LORD; I AM A SINFUL MAN!" PETER KNEW THAT ONLY GOD COULD PERFORM SUCH A MIRACLE.
JESUS IS GOD, AND HE IS HOLY!!
JESUS IS GOD, AND HE IS HOLY!!
AND WE, ARE NOT GOD, AND WE ARE NOT HOLY!!
YOU SEE, THE NATURAL RESPONSE OF A MAN IN GOD’S PRESENCE, IS TO RECOGNIZE HIS OWN SINFULNESS... IT NOT THAT PETER WAS SOME AWFUL SINNER -- IT’S JUST THAT HE WAS IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD....
A SIMILAR THING HAPPENED TO ISAIAH THE PROPHET IN ISAIAH CHAPTER 6, WHEN HE SAW GOD -- WITH ANGELS (2 - 6 WINGED -- FACE COVERED) FLYING AROUND AND PRAISING GOD SAYING,
"HOLY, HOLY, HOLY, IS THE LORD ALMIGHTY; THE WHOLE EARTH IS FULL OF HIS GLORY.."
And when Isaiah realized that he was in God’s presence he cried out "WOE IS ME I AM RUINED! FOR I AM A MAN OF UNCLEAN LIPS AND I LIVE AMONG A PEOPLE OF UNCLEAN LIPS, AND MY EYES HAVE SEEN THE KING, THE LORD ALMIGHTY.."
JESUS IS HOLY, AND JESUS IS GOD!
AND WHEN WE ARE IN HIS PRESENCE, WE will RECOGNIZE OUR UNHOLINESS...
LET ME SAY THIS, THOSE WHO ARE UNMOVED BY THEIR SIN/UNMOTIVATED TO CHANGE THEIR WAYS; -- OBVIOUSLY HAVE NOT BEEN IN THE PRESENCES OF GOD....
HOLY, HOLY HOLY IS THE LORD GOD ALMIGHTY -- WHO WAS AND IS AND IS TO COME!!
WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHO JESUS IS.... AND WE MUST ACT ACCORDINGLY; HUMBLY; FALL AT HIS FEET; REPENTANT; OF OUR SIN AND STRIVE TO BE HOLY, BECAUSE HE IS HOLY...
THAT IS, IF WE WANT A FULL NET....
IV. AND WE LIKE PETER IF WE WANT A FULL NET, ALSO MUST ACCEPT THE NATURE OF OUR CALL... (MANY DON’T)
A. IT IS A FULL TIME CALL
Peter had been with Jesus for a year -- but he did not realize (and neither did the others REALIZE) the nature of their call.. They thought that it was a part time call.... That it was okay to be with Jesus some of the time and, that it was okay to not be with Jesus, at other times....
But they needed to understand (and Jesus was teaching here) that it was a full time call... They were to be with Jesus all of the time...
WHAT ABOUT TODAY, ARE WE CALLED TO FOLLOW JESUS PART TIME OR A FULL TIME?
NOW IF WE WERE TO ANSWER THIS QUESTION BY THE WAY MANY PEOPLE LIVED, IT WOULD APPEAR THAT MOST PEOPLE FEEL THAT THEY HAVE BEEN CALLED TO PART TIME DISCIPLESHIP... THAT IT IS OKAY TO BE WITH JESUS, AND THAT IT IS OKAY TO NOT, BE WITH JESUS TOO....
I MEAN JESUS IS OBVIOUSLY NOT WITH PEOPLE (AT LEAST IN THEIR MINDS, HEARTS AND SOULS) ... WHEN THEY LIE, GOSSIP, WHEN THEY SAY THINGS THEY SHOULD NOT SAY, GO PLACES THEY SHOULD NOT GO, MISS CHURCH TO DO WHAT THEY WANT TO DO, HAVE RELATIONSHIPS WITH PEOPLE THEY SHOULD NOT HAVE, WHEN THEY SPEND MONEY MEANT FOR THE KINGDOM, ON THEMSELVES.... WHEN THEY LISTEN TO FILTHY JOKES OR WATCH DIRTY MOVIES... ETC ETC.
EVERYONE NEEDS TO UNDERSTAND THAT JESUS HAS NEVER MADE A CALL TO PART TIME Discipleship TO ANYONE -- WE TOO HAVE BEEN CALLED TO A FULL TIME WALK WITH CHRIST -- JESUS SAID, UNLESS WE PICK UP OUR CROSS DAILY AND FOLLOW HIM -- WE CAN NOT BE HIS DISCIPLES (DO YOU THINK HE MEANT IT WHEN HE SAID THOSE WORDS -- I DO!)...
YOU SEE, IT IS NOT OKAY TO ACT ONE WAY WHEN YOU THINK JESUS IS WATCHING (OR AT CHURCH) AND TO ACT ANOTHER WAY AT WORK, HOME, BAR, SECRET RONDAVOUZ OR ANYWHERE ELSE...
WE/YOU HAVE BEEN CALLED TO FULL TIME DISCIPLESHIP....
WE HAVE BEEN CALLED TO LEAVE EVERYTHING BEHIND
Have you ever been on vacation? When you are on vacation do you buy a house there? Set up bank accounts? Enroll your kids in school? Find a doctor? Join the PTA? Get a membership at the local health spa?
Probably not, and why not? because we don’t leave their and we won’t be there for very long... It would make no sense to do those things, would it?
Do see where I am going with this? Like the song says this world is not my home -- I am just passing through my treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue...
Am telling you to not by a home or have a bank account OR ANY OF THIS WORLDS GOODS? No I am not... But Jesus did say he must come first, before mother Father, spouse, home, job even ourselves....
And the wise investor will spend more time investing in the kingdom and laying up treasure in heaven, where rust and moth can not destroy... jesus said where treasure is/your time/effort/energy -- that is where your heart really is... WHERE IS YOUR HEART...
NOW I am not be a financial advisor -- but I can tell you the best way to invest your life.... LEAVE EVERYTHING BEHIND FOR CHRIST.... PUT HIM FIRST..
THE 3RD ASPECT OF OUR CALL IS THAT WE ARE CALLED TO BE FISHERS OF MEN
Jesus told Peter that he was to be a fisher of men... the term means to take man alive for Christ.... We are to pull men from the sea of sin and into the boat of life....
That is our most important mission/job until the day we die -- how are we/you doing at it.
"THE PARABLE OF THE FISHERLESS FISHERMEN"
NOW IT CAME TO PASS THAT A GROUP EXISTED THAT CALLED THEMSELVES FISHERMEN. AND LO THERE WERE MANY FISH IN THE WATERS ALL AROUND. IN FACT THE WHOLE AREA WAS SURROUNDED BY A STREAM THAT WAS FULL OF FISH, AND THE FISH WERE HUNGRY.
WEEK AFTER WEEK, MONTH AFTER MONTH AND YEAR AFTER YEAR, THOSE WHO CALLED THEMSELVES FISHERMEN MEET IN MEETINGS. AND TALKED ABOUT THEIR CALL TO FISH, THE ABUNDANCE OF FISH AND HOW TO BEST CATCH FISH. THE PLEA WAS THAT EVERYONE SHOULD BE A FISHERMEN AND THAT EVERYONE SHOULD FISH. ONE THING THEY DID NOT DO HOWEVER WAS FISH, THEY DID NOT FISH.
IN ADDITION TO MEETING REGULARLY THEY SET A BOARD TO SEND FISHERMEN TO OTHER PLACES WHERE THERE WERE MANY FISH. THE BOARD HIRED STAFF AND APPOINTED COMMITTEES. AND THEY HELD MANY MEETINGS TO DEFINE FISHING, TO DEFEND FISHING, AND TO DECIDE ON WHAT NEW STREAMS SHOULD BE THOUGHT ABOUT. BUT THE STAFF AND THE COMMITTEES DID NOT FISH.
LARGE, ELABORATE AND EXPENSIVE FISHING CENTERS WERE BUILT, WHOSE ORIGINAL PURPOSE WAS TO TEACH FISHERMEN HOW TO FISH. THEY ONLY TAUGHT FISHING, YEAR AFTER YEAR TEDIOUS TRAINING. MANY GRADUATED AND WERE GIVING FISHING LICENSES.
THEY WERE SENT OUT TO DO FULL TIME FISHING. TO GO TO THE DISTANT WATERS THAT WERE FULL OF FISH. BUT LIKE THE FISHERMEN BACK HOME THEY NEVER FISHED. LIKE THE FISHERMEN BACK HOME THEY ENGAGED IN ALL KINDS OF OCCUPATIONS.
AFTER ONE STIRRING MEETING ON THE NECESSITY OF FISHING, ONE YOUNG FELLOW LEFT THE MEETING AND WENT FISHING. THE NEXT DAY HE REPORTED THAT HE CAUGHT 2 OUTSTANDING FISH.
HE WAS HONORED FOR HIS EXCELLENT CATCH AND SCHEDULE TO VISIT AS MANY OF THE BIG MEETINGS AS POSSIBLE TO TELL THEM HOW HE DID IT. SO HE STOPPED FISHING IN ORDER TO HAVE TIME TO TELL OTHERS ABOUT THE EXPERIENCE OF FISHING.
NOW IT IS TRUE THAT MANY OF THE FISHERMEN SACRIFICED AND PUT UP WITH ALL KINDS OF DIFFICULTIES. SOME LIVED NEAR THE WATER AND BORE THE SMELL OF DEAD FISH EVERYDAY. AND THEY RECEIVED THE RIDICULE OF SOME WHO MADE FUN OF THEIR FISHERMEN CLUBS AND THE FACT THAT THEY CLAIMED TO BE FISHERMEN BUT NEVER FISHED.
THEY WONDERED ABOUT THOSE WHO FELT IT WAS OF LITTLE USE TO ATTEND WEEKLY MEETINGS TO TALK ABOUT FISHING.
AFTER ALL WERE THEY NOT FOLLOWING THE MASTER WHO SAID FOLLOW ME AND I WILL MAKE YOU FISHERS OF MEN.
IMAGINE HOW HURT SOME WERE WHEN ONE DAY, SOMEONE SAID THAT THOSE WHO DID NOT GO FISHING AND CATCH FISH WERE NOT REALLY FISHERMEN, NO MATTER HOW MUCH THEY CLAIMED TO BE.
YET IT DID SOUND CORRECT.
IS A PERSON A FISHERMEN IF HE NEVER CATCHES A FISH.
IS ONE FOLLOWING IF HE IS NOT FISHING...
