Sermon Central
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"A Gazillion Resons To Follow Jesus"
Contributed by Jerry Depoy on Jan 19, 2004 (message contributor)
Summary: When Jesus told them to launch out into the deep and take cast out their nets that night, something divine was about to take place. Gazillions of fish flooded into their nets and even more got away when their nets did break...
Greetings, January 19, 2004
It was a pink morning. Really. When the sun rose this morning from the East, it made all of the clouds over the big lake look pink, and the pink reflected down into the ice crystals floating on the water. The trees where framed with white fluffy snow. It was just beautiful. I even took my camera out and took some pictures.
Had a great day in Church yesterday. The attendance was back up and it was good to see visitors again. We have made a couple of changes to encourage more children and teens to come. Sunday School starts with an open assembly program and we also take time for a "children’s moment" during our morning worship service.
One announcement: Judy and I are going to be renting a room at the Days Inn in Grand Haven this coming Friday night. We have asked the motel to set aside ten king size rooms at the rate of $59 a room. How about joining in? The rooms are not all taken yet. The motel has a pool and hot tub area... kind of like going to Florida for a day. Give me a quick email back if you have any interest.
Here is a the message outline that I preached this Sunday Morning, enjoy:
Text:
(Read Luke 4:37-5:11 KJV)
When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord.For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the draught of the fishes which they had taken:
Title:
“A Gazillion Reasons to Follow Jesus”
Introduction:
How did Jesus get Peter to forsake all and follow him?
I don’t know how old Peter was at this point of his life when Jesus was choosing his twelve disciple. Peter was married, had his own home, his Mother-in-law was living with them, he was established in business, and, it seems, that he had his own line of ships. How does one get an established middle aged fishermen to fall to his knees and cry out, "Depart from me Oh Lord, for I am a sinful man." How do you get a man to "forsake their all to become "Fishers of men?"
Jesus made Peter his target.
When figured out that all the things that were happening to him, happened, not by chance, but by God’s perfect design, he fell to his knees and cried out to Jesus, "Depart from me, Oh Lord." And then in the next breath, "Jesus, don’t ever leave me." That is: And they left their ships and followed him.
I call today’s message, "A Gazillion Reasons to follow Jesus." When Jesus told them to launch out into the deep and take cast out their nets that night, something divine was about to take place. Gazillions of fish flooded into their nets and even more got away when their nets did break. There were so many fish that they managed to pull into their ships, that the their ships began to sink! Suddenly, Peter had a "Divine moment," this was happening by God’s design. Every fish that was pulled into the ship, proved the Lordship of Christ. Peter now had a "gazillion" reasons to follow Jesus.
Let’s look at some things that were happening to Peter that could not have been just a coincidence.
It was not a coincidence…
That Andrew, the brother of Peter had come to Christ.
It was not a coincidence…
That Andrew talked Peter into attending a meeting where Christ was healing all manner of diseases.
It was not a coincidence…
That Peter’s Mother-in-law was sick with a great fever.
It was not a coincidence…
That Jesus came to Peter’s house and rebuked the fever of Peter’s Mother-in-law.
It was not a coincidence…
That the next day, Jesus took his preaching to the beach front.
It was not a coincidence…
That Jesus needed the platform of a ship to preach from.
It was not a coincidence…
That Jesus choose Peter’s ship from which to preach from.
It was not a coincidence…
That Peter was made to sit and listen to the preaching of Jesus as he sat in his ship.
It was not a coincidence…
That Jesus sent all of the people away and gave the invitation to just Peter, "Launch out into the deep."
It was not a coincidence…
That a gazillion fish just happened to be at the place where Peter let down his net.
It was not a coincidence…
That the net did brake, so did the heart of Peter!
And...
It is not a coincidence that you read this sermon today. God has you in his sights. He wants you to "follow him!" Will you let him teach you to become a fisher of men?
