Church Mission
5 – Get Your Nets
Pastor Bruce A. Shields
The House of Faith Church | www.PS127.org | www.TruthDigest.org
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SERMON TIMELINE
· Introduction
o Step One: Where do we Begin?
o The Disciples
o Go and ‘Make’ Disciples
o Get Your Nets
INTRODUCTION
Today is Sunday. April 16th, 2023
We are returning to our series we began just before the three-part break for Palm Sunday, Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday Service.
We began this series, Church Mission, by examining what the Lord has called us, the church, to do in preparation for His return, as well as who exactly He gave the instruction to.
Matthew 28:16-20 “But the eleven disciples proceeded to Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had designated. And when they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted. And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to keep all that I commanded you; and behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
So, firstly, Jesus is speaking to Disciples. Not crowds of people, new converts, fresh listeners, but disciples, those who have dedicated themselves to the discipline and teaching of Jesus Christ.
What was it that took place before this command was given to the disciples?
· They lived with Jesus 3 ½ years
· They faced many trials and doubts over that time
But this begins with Jesus giving the disciples a command, and them obeying it, EVEN when some had doubts!
· Jesus told the Disciples to go to the mountain He had designated, and they obeyed
· When they saw Him, they worshiped Him
Jesus then explains to them that ALL AUTHORITY in heaven and earth had been given to Him.
“GO THEREFORE AND;”
· Make disciples of ALL nations
· Baptize them
· THEN teach them to obey all Jesus commanded
So, we are to make disciples of all nations, baptize them and teach them to obey all that Christ commanded. “Fishers of men,” or as the original text states in Luke 5:3, “Do not fear, from now on you will be catching men.”
Now this is the work of the disciples in the church, to bring people into the church. Makes sense. This is how we “make disciples,” after all. Bring people in, give them an opportunity to hear the Word of God, and allow time for the Holy Spirit to do a work in them, changing them from the inside out.
Go and make disciples can sound intimidating, difficult and scary. However, it is the Lord and the Holy Spirit doing the work, we just need to bring them in, and that is what we will be looking at over the course of the next few weeks, how to fish.
Let’s Look at Luke 5 Before Moving Forward
SCRIPTURE READING (Legacy Standard Bible)
Luke 5:1-11 “Now it happened that while the crowd was pressing around Him and listening to the word of God, He was standing at the edge of the lake of Gennesaret; and He saw two boats lying at the edge of the lake, and the fishermen, having gotten out of them, were washing their nets.
And He got into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, and asked him to put out a little way from the land. And He sat down and began teaching the crowds from the boat.
And when He had finished speaking, He said to Simon, “Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.” Simon answered and said, “Master, we labored all night and caught nothing, but at Your word, I will let down the nets.”
And when they had done this, they enclosed a great quantity of fish. And their nets began to break; so they signaled to their partners in the other boat for them to come and help them. And they came and filled both of the boats, so that they began to sink.
But when Simon Peter saw this, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Go away from me Lord, for I am a sinful man!” For amazement had seized him and all his companions because of the catch of fish which they had taken, and James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon, were also likewise amazed.
And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not fear, from now on you will be catching men.” And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed Him.”
TODAY'S MESSAGE
I. WE MUST BE CALLED AND RESPOND (Illustration)
Illustration:
I’m driving the car. My kids are in the back seat. I ask, “Did you get homework from school today?”
Silence.
“Hey, did you get homework from school today?”
They answer, “I shook my head yes.”
Did they answer my question the first time I asked? Yes, technically.
Was shaking their head the “proper” response to my question? No. I am driving and can’t see them.
They only answered properly when I repeat the question, and usually a bit upset at being ignored.
You must answer properly to the call of God, not partially, or “in your own way.”
That is a spirit of rebellion. Not wanting to fully submit to the Lord.
a. The beginning and the end
i. Simon was called by Jesus in Luke 5
1. This was the beginning of discipleship
ii. The disciples were also called by Jesus in the Great Commission
1. To was the end of Jesus’ teaching and beginning of disciples making disciples
b. We MUST respond correctly to the call of Jesus
i. Ask yourself about Luke 5 when Jesus called Simon
1. What if he didn’t take the boat into the water?
2. What if he didn’t take the boat to deep waters?
3. What if he didn’t cast our the nets?
ii. The Lord can call you all day, every day, however, if you do not respond, or do not respond APPROPRIATELY, you cannot accomplish His calling!
c. What does that mean?
i. If Jesus told Simon to cast out his nets into the deep, but Simon;
1. Cast his nets on the shore
2. Cast his nets in the shallow waters
3. Left his nets on the shore and took the boat to the deep waters
ii. PARTIAL obedience to the command of God is FULL DISOBEDIENCE
Illustration:
If I tell my son to clean his room, and he shoves all his toys and dirty clothes into the closet and under the bed, was that obedience or disobedience?
The disobedient look for loopholes, partial compliance, a way to do what THEY want, while giving the appearance to do what you asked.
Purposeful partial compliance is DISOBEDIENCE.
Genesis 4:2b-10 “Abel was a keeper of flocks, but Cain was a cultivator of the ground. So it happened in the course of time that Cain brought an offering to Yahweh of the fruit of the ground. Abel, on his part, also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions.
And Yahweh had regard for Abel and for his offering; but for Cain and for his offering He had no regard.
So Cain became very angry, and his countenance fell. Then Yahweh said to Cain, “Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? “If you do well, will not your countenance be lifted up? And if you do not do well, sin is lying at the door; and its desire is for you, but you must rule over it.”
Then Cain spoke to Abel his brother; and it happened when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and killed him. Then Yahweh said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” And he said, “I do not know. Am I my brother’s keeper?” And He said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood is crying out to Me from the ground.”
God required firstborn from flock as an offering, which Abel provided and Yahweh had regard for. Cain, however, decided to give first fruit of the ground, instead of trading with Abel for a firstborn. Yahweh had no regard for the fruit of the ground.
Why?
Genesis 3:17b “Cursed is the ground because of you; In pain you will eat of it All the days of your life.”
God did not want fruit from the cursed ground, but an offering of the firstborn which teaches of the coming Christ, and salvation through the Lamb of God for the sins of man.
God called and commanded, Abel obeyed completely, Cain PARTIALLY OBEYED, by giving an offering to Yahweh, not what God wanted, but what Cain felt like offering.
We must obey, and obey completely without rebellion.
II. WE MUST GO WHERE JESUS DESIGNATES
a. The Lord instructs Simon to go into deep waters
i. The deep where all manner of creature reside
ii. Some useful, some not
iii. The net catches ALL without prejudice
iv. Just as the Lord instructs in Matthew 28…make disciples of all nations
b. What is important about this?
i. First, the Lord gives a command
1. Luke cast your nets into the deep
2. Matthew make disciples of all nations
ii. Secondly, they obeyed and did as the Lord said, fully
c. Obedience is important for many reasons
i. If the Lord says go to the deep waters, that is where He has prepared the harvest
ii. If the lord says meet me on the mountain, then that is where He will meet with you
iii. Obedience UNLOCKS the blessings, benefits and promises of the Lord!
The instruction (command) Go into the DEEP WATERS
Full obedience unlocked the blessing of So many fish they filled multiple boats!
III. COMPARE LUKE 5 TO MATTHEW 28
a. The beginning and end of Jesus teaching the disciples
i. The Lord didn’t change His teaching, cast out into the deep in Luke, and make disciples of ALL nations in Matthew.
b. We were brought in by a disciple who was obedient
i. I was saved by the Lord, but had no connection to the Body of Christ
ii. The Lord brought a man into my life who befriended me, and brought me to his church, where I became a member of a congregation of believers, and was no longer alone.
c. Now we too, must be an obedient disciple
i. Cast out our nets into the waters where the Lord sends us
1. Work
2. Neighborhood
3. Friends
4. Family
5. Strangers
ii. Bring others into the church as the Lord commands
Disciples, Cast out our Nets!
CONCLUSION
Being an obedient disciple means going into the deep waters where the Lord leads us, even if we failed there before!
Cast out your nets to bring people into the church, so they too can learn from the Word of God, and we can watch the Holy Spirit work in their lives, freeing them from the bondage of their sin and making them new creations.
The only question now is, when, where and how do we fish?
Next week: When, Where, & How to Fish
NEXT WEEK
Part 6 – When, Where, & How to Fish
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