"Building a Church Through Outreach"
Fishers of Men
ELCOG 5/6/07
Text: Matt. 4:18-22
Tonight I want to encourage you to take up your nets and follow Him. In this story we see Jesus walking by the sea shore and he sees Peter and Andrew finishing a day of work and calls them to drop their nets and come follow him because he has something better for them to catch. He has an offer that they can not refuse. He is going to make them fishers of men. He is promoting them from regular fishermen to mighty fishermen.
God is calling you to a higher calling. He has something greater in your life than just regular fish. He wants you to drop your nets and follow him. He wants you to trust him with your life.
Luke 9:57
57And it came to pass, that, as they went in the way, a certain man said unto him, Lord, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest.
Luke 9:58
58And Jesus said unto him, Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.
Luke 9:59
59And he said unto another, Follow me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.
Luke 9:60
60Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God.
Luke 9:61
61And another also said, Lord, I will follow thee; but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house.
Luke 9:62
62And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.
In this passage we read about a man who had a great desire to follow Jesus until he was not determined. Many of us have the desire to follow, but we are not determined. Oh, Jesus I’ll go. I want to help win the loss; I want to be a fisher of man. Yes! But then when it comes time our determination lacks the same passion.
Ex. 3:9
9Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel is come unto me: and I have also seen the oppression wherewith the Egyptians oppress them.
Ex. 3:10
10Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt.
Ex. 3:11
11And Moses said unto God, Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?
Ex. 3:12
12And he said, Certainly I will be with thee; and this shall be a token unto thee, that I have sent thee: When thou hast brought forth the people out of Egypt, ye shall serve God upon this mountain.
God was calling Moses to a higher calling. He was calling him to be a greater fisherman. He wanted to use Moses to be a great deliverer. And of course he had a big question, "God, who am I that I should go"
Is God trying to use you to be a great deliverer? Is He calling you to a great work that you feel like you are not adequate for? Do you feel under-qualified? Remember the words that God gave Moses. "I will be with you"
Rom. 8:31
31What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?
If God is calling you to become a fisher of men the realize that the task ahead of you is not greater than the force behind you.
Phil. 4:13
13I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
Drop your nets and follow Him. Stop making promises and never keeping them. The world needs to see your light. Don’t try to hide your light. Hold it up and let the world see the God that is in you. He is calling you to a higher calling. He wants to overflow your boat with fish.
If you have failed in the past…try again. Failure should not stop you, just refocus you!
Luke 5:4
4Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught.
Luke 5:5
5And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net.
Luke 5:6
6And when they had this done, they enclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake.
Luke 5:7
7And they beckoned unto their partners, which were in the other ship, that they should come and help them. And they came, and filled both the ships, so that they began to sink.
Some of you have tried and failed. There was no fish last time…. There was not activity last time so I’ll never try again. NO, Jesus is saying tonight, "It’s time to try again." This is a word for you tonight. Try again! The waters are now anointed and the fish are biting, so drop your nets and catch a boat load. If you try again, you may catch more than you could have the first time. If you obey God your baskets will be full.
God is calling you to a higher calling, Hear and answer the call. He needs fishermen that will cast another net.