Colors Series

Colors

Series "Hooked" week 2

with Pastor Tim Porter

Colossians 1:15-20 Matthew 4:18-20

Introduction:

** Re-Cap week one of hooked ** Our life is a fishing story - we considered the boat and learned the bot was a place of intimacy,instruction,irrtation - we disected the conversation of Jesus and Peter [Jesus said go out where it is deeper] You want to be deeper go out where it is deeper - The catch Peter obeyed went deep and let down and had a world record catch that 2 boats could hold - The Concern don'tbe scared to share the gospel

Today I want to talk to you about a really cool fishing trip that I had the pleasure of being a part of a few years ago.

As many of you know I love to fish. Fishing is a biblical sport, that’s why we’re calling this series “Hooked.” Jesus said followers fish. Basically, if you’re a follower of Christ you fish, fish for men. Matthew 4:18-20 (NKJV) 18 And Jesus, walking by the Sea of Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. 19 Then He said to them, "Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men." 20 They immediately left their nets and followed Him.

Well this fishing trip I went on was so unusual that I wrote it down in my journal and it will always be etched in my mind, so I’m going to try to give it to you exactly the way it happened.

ILLUSTRATION: FISHING WITH NICK

I’ve thought about fishing a lot and how it relates to the real fishing that God talks about in his word. There are three aspects of fishing, and I was involved in these three aspects on that monumental fishing trip I took with Nick a few years ago.

I] The Aspects of Fishing

The Presentation

When you fish, you present the bait. You’re presenting the lure. You’re presenting the fly to the fish. The Presentation.

The Attraction

You have to attract the bait. You’ve got to manipulate the fly, the lure, the bait, to attract the bait. The fish should go… <bubbling sound> “Whoa! What is that?” You’ve got to get the fish going. So that they suck the bait right up.

The Reaction

Then you’ve got the reaction. What kind of reaction is the fish having to the bait?

Three aspects of fishing.

So I found myself, that day on the Lake Keowee, fishing. The presentation, the attraction, hopefully getting a reaction. Then I found myself fishing for men. Because as Nick and I began to talk some really amazing things happened. We were under a old wooden bridge up on falls creek. I was telling Nick the story and history of the bridge, so bridges were on my mind. We were having a sub samwich and I heard thye spirit of God say now is the time to talk to Nick

II.] The Bridge

1 Timothy 2:5-6 (NKJV) 5 For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time,

God constructed a bridge from His side to man’s side so that the hurting, broken and far from God could experience the abundant life in Jesus.

This bridge was Jesus

So as God began to lead and Nick began to describe the change in his nice’s life, I decided to go deeper into the conversation. I had earned the right to do so.

I said, “Nick, I want to ask you a question, man. Just between me and you, have you walked the bridge? God built the bridge, the bridge is Jesus. Have you walked the bridge?”

And he dropped his head and he was like, “No, no. I… no. I don't know. I don’t know if I have enough faith. I’ve got some doubts.”

I said I have doubt but If you have doubt, you have faith

I said, “The bridge.” I said, “God built the Bridge. He constructed the bridge from his side to man’s side. The Bridge is Jesus. He lived righteously, died sacrificially, rose bodily. So God has built the Bridge from himself to us. In fact, right before Jesus died here’s what he said, ‘It is finished. The work has been done. The bridge has been built. It’s done.’”

Nick was like, “I’ve never thought about that.”

I said, “Think about the other world religions. Think about all the other man-made systems. We try to build bridges to God, being philosophical, or being nice, or helping charities, or being moral. They all fall short.” I said, “Nick, it’s not an accident that we’re together. I mean, I’ve spent all of this time working and fishing with you. How in the world did we even, , hook up, man?” Its not by chance.