How To Fish, 1 April 2012
Big Idea: We can learn how to fish by seeing how Jesus sent out the 70.
Passage, Luke 10:2-12:
He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. Do not take a purse or bag or sandals; and do not greet anyone on the road.
“When you enter a house, first say, ‘Peace to this house.’ If someone who promotes peace is there, your peace will rest on them; if not, it will return to you. Stay there, eating and drinking whatever they give you, for the worker deserves his wages. Do not move around from house to house.
“When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is offered to you. Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ But when you enter a town and are not welcomed, go into its streets and say, ‘Even the dust of your town we wipe from our feet as a warning to you. Yet be sure of this: The kingdom of God has come near.’ I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town.
Introduction
What does it look like to go “fishing for men”? The best way for us to learn how to do this is by looking closely at the life of Christ and to explore how he trained his disciples for the important task of “fishing for men.”
The need is great (10:2)
This past week the world population reached 7 billion people! Millions and millions of people have never heard of Jesus. Billions more are skeptical, blinded by sin, have rejected Christ, or have never encountered an authentic Christian.
Before Jesus sends out the 70, He tells them to pray for more workers.
The mission is going to be dangerous (10:3)
John Piper recently made this observation: “Brothers are being beheaded for what we believe. The difference is location. O Lord, make us real.”
"Enemy-occupied territory - that is what the world is." –CS Lewis
Oh that God would give us courage to join Him on this dangerous mission. May the Holy Spirit give us courage and boldness (see Acts 4:23-31)!!!
Obedience is radical...and dangerous.
The mission will require dependency on the Holy Spirit (10:4)
Imagine Jesus sent you on a mission but said to leave behind your cell phone, wallet, purse, and money. What else is there, right?! They had to fully rely on God.
Do we? When is the last time you truly prayed, “LORD, I’m desperate for You. I’m lost without You?”
"The great people of the earth today are the people who pray. I do not mean those who talk about prayer; nor those who can explain prayer; but I mean those people who take time and pray. They have not time. It must be taken from something else. This something else is important, very important and pressing, but still less important and less pressing than prayer." S.D. Gordon
Look for receptive people (10:5-7)
As we engage pockets of people with the good news of the Kingdom Jesus instructs us to go looking for receptive people. A “receptive person” or a “person of peace” is a man or woman who God has sovereignly prepared to receive the gospel message. Jesus instructs us to stay with that person and receive their hospitality and welcome. This is a revolutionary concept/strategy that we see all throughout the New Testament.
Mike Breen (author of “Launching Missional Communities”) offers the following advise:
o Find the person of peace, the person who is open to you, interested in you, likes you, wants to be around you...
o Go to their turf, where they’re comfortable...
o Allow them to serve you, show you hospitality...
o Spend intentional time with them...
o Be ready to do the works of the Kingdom and speak the words of the Kingdom. ...
This is exactly what Jesus did this with Zacchaeus, the woman at the well, and Matthew Levi! They were all very open to Jesus. Jesus met them on their turf (household) and allowed them to serve/host him...it was in this context that Jesus did His kingdom work and spoke His kingdom words. Look for and invest in receptive people.
He sends us out to serve/bless/meet needs (10:8-9a)
Our mission statement includes the line that we serve our communities. Actions speak louder than words. We are on a mission with words and deeds. Speaking of words...
He sends us out to proclaim/declare the gospel of the Kingdom (10:9b)
Another part of our mission is sharing our story. It is God’s story. It is both God’s plan for all of humanity as well as your story. Nobody can argue with your story. How is your life different because of Jesus?
There is no greater time of year to share your story. 2WordStory restarts next Sunday, which is also Easter. Wear your 2WordStory shirt. Invite people to join you next Sunday for Easter, the day people are most likely to respond to an invitation.
If Jesus has done nothing in your life, why celebrate it? I don’t celebrate Mexican independence on September 16 (not Cinco de Mayo!). It is irrelevant to me. I appreciate it, but it’s not personal. I do celebrate Independence Day on July 4 because I have personally experienced the benefits of living in a nation of freedom, liberty, and opportunity.
The word “gospel” means “good news.” We are to proclaim the good news that there is hope and freedom and forgiveness and life available to every man, woman and child on our planet. If we all go to heaven because we’re good, Jesus was a lunatic for being butchered on a cross for us.
“The Greek term “gospel” distinguished the Christian message from that of other religions. An ‘ev-angel’ was news of a great historical event, such as a victory in war or the ascension of a new king, that changed the listeners’ condition and required a response from the listener. So the gospel is news of what God has done to reach us. It is not advice about what we must do to reach God.” –Tim Keller
Celebrating Jesus’ birthday on December 25 is great, but the real celebration occurs this week as we remember the greatest demonstration of passion and love on the cross (as we did earlier) and our risen LORD, Savior and King.
Every kingdom has a king. The subjects dutifully serve the king and obey whatever he says. Most kings are tyrants and rule out of fear. Our king is benevolent and rules with love.
Credits
Much of this message was created by E.A.C.H., everyone a chance to hear, www.eachtoday.com
You can listen to the podcast here.
Passage, Luke 10:2-12:
He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. Do not take a purse or bag or sandals; and do not greet anyone on the road.
“When you enter a house, first say, ‘Peace to this house.’ If someone who promotes peace is there, your peace will rest on them; if not, it will return to you. Stay there, eating and drinking whatever they give you, for the worker deserves his wages. Do not move around from house to house.
“When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is offered to you. Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ But when you enter a town and are not welcomed, go into its streets and say, ‘Even the dust of your town we wipe from our feet as a warning to you. Yet be sure of this: The kingdom of God has come near.’ I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town.
Introduction
What does it look like to go “fishing for men”? The best way for us to learn how to do this is by looking closely at the life of Christ and to explore how he trained his disciples for the important task of “fishing for men.”
The need is great (10:2)
This past week the world population reached 7 billion people! Millions and millions of people have never heard of Jesus. Billions more are skeptical, blinded by sin, have rejected Christ, or have never encountered an authentic Christian.
Before Jesus sends out the 70, He tells them to pray for more workers.
The mission is going to be dangerous (10:3)
John Piper recently made this observation: “Brothers are being beheaded for what we believe. The difference is location. O Lord, make us real.”
"Enemy-occupied territory - that is what the world is." –CS Lewis
Oh that God would give us courage to join Him on this dangerous mission. May the Holy Spirit give us courage and boldness (see Acts 4:23-31)!!!
Obedience is radical...and dangerous.
The mission will require dependency on the Holy Spirit (10:4)
Imagine Jesus sent you on a mission but said to leave behind your cell phone, wallet, purse, and money. What else is there, right?! They had to fully rely on God.
Do we? When is the last time you truly prayed, “LORD, I’m desperate for You. I’m lost without You?”
"The great people of the earth today are the people who pray. I do not mean those who talk about prayer; nor those who can explain prayer; but I mean those people who take time and pray. They have not time. It must be taken from something else. This something else is important, very important and pressing, but still less important and less pressing than prayer." S.D. Gordon
Look for receptive people (10:5-7)
As we engage pockets of people with the good news of the Kingdom Jesus instructs us to go looking for receptive people. A “receptive person” or a “person of peace” is a man or woman who God has sovereignly prepared to receive the gospel message. Jesus instructs us to stay with that person and receive their hospitality and welcome. This is a revolutionary concept/strategy that we see all throughout the New Testament.
Mike Breen (author of “Launching Missional Communities”) offers the following advise:
o Find the person of peace, the person who is open to you, interested in you, likes you, wants to be around you...
o Go to their turf, where they’re comfortable...
o Allow them to serve you, show you hospitality...
o Spend intentional time with them...
o Be ready to do the works of the Kingdom and speak the words of the Kingdom. ...
This is exactly what Jesus did this with Zacchaeus, the woman at the well, and Matthew Levi! They were all very open to Jesus. Jesus met them on their turf (household) and allowed them to serve/host him...it was in this context that Jesus did His kingdom work and spoke His kingdom words. Look for and invest in receptive people.
He sends us out to serve/bless/meet needs (10:8-9a)
Our mission statement includes the line that we serve our communities. Actions speak louder than words. We are on a mission with words and deeds. Speaking of words...
He sends us out to proclaim/declare the gospel of the Kingdom (10:9b)
Another part of our mission is sharing our story. It is God’s story. It is both God’s plan for all of humanity as well as your story. Nobody can argue with your story. How is your life different because of Jesus?
There is no greater time of year to share your story. 2WordStory restarts next Sunday, which is also Easter. Wear your 2WordStory shirt. Invite people to join you next Sunday for Easter, the day people are most likely to respond to an invitation.
If Jesus has done nothing in your life, why celebrate it? I don’t celebrate Mexican independence on September 16 (not Cinco de Mayo!). It is irrelevant to me. I appreciate it, but it’s not personal. I do celebrate Independence Day on July 4 because I have personally experienced the benefits of living in a nation of freedom, liberty, and opportunity.
The word “gospel” means “good news.” We are to proclaim the good news that there is hope and freedom and forgiveness and life available to every man, woman and child on our planet. If we all go to heaven because we’re good, Jesus was a lunatic for being butchered on a cross for us.
“The Greek term “gospel” distinguished the Christian message from that of other religions. An ‘ev-angel’ was news of a great historical event, such as a victory in war or the ascension of a new king, that changed the listeners’ condition and required a response from the listener. So the gospel is news of what God has done to reach us. It is not advice about what we must do to reach God.” –Tim Keller
Celebrating Jesus’ birthday on December 25 is great, but the real celebration occurs this week as we remember the greatest demonstration of passion and love on the cross (as we did earlier) and our risen LORD, Savior and King.
Every kingdom has a king. The subjects dutifully serve the king and obey whatever he says. Most kings are tyrants and rule out of fear. Our king is benevolent and rules with love.
Credits
Much of this message was created by E.A.C.H., everyone a chance to hear, www.eachtoday.com
You can listen to the podcast here.