Text: Matt 4:18-20, Title: Weigh In or Filet Out, Date/Place: NRBC, 9/9/12, AM
Opening illustration: Note the difference between the big time “rock star” fisherman at a tournament, and the guy who hits the pond early in the morning on his day off. “I have to be frank with you here. Why would anyone ever want to come to on a journey with Christ, if they look at our lives and don’t see that we clearly think of it as the most incredible mission ever given? Why would anyone ever be intrigued by the way we live our lives if we don’t live in such a way that shows that we think God called us off the bench into the national championship game of life? We must treat it as though He’s given us the most important mission ever given. It means something. It is not just a segment of our lives—this church thing—it is our lives. To be His letter of love to our family, our neighbor, into the marketplace, into the local and global community, and even on the web. In every sphere of life…realize that Jesus died so that I could live and give life away, not just so that I could have spiritual peace and spiritual victory as I live a good and right life.” –Dukes, Radical video
Background to passage: This is the next message in the series about the marks of a growing disciple. In the original calling of the first disciples, Jesus tells them that in the course of following Him, He will make them fishers of men. So how’s the fishing?
Main thought: another mark of a growing disciple is to be active in sharing their faith.
What does that mean?
Jesus used a very common picture, especially for the disciples (and everyone else in Galilee), of fishing to describe the person that He was going to turn disciples into—a fisherman. Simple: fisherman go fishing, and generally catch fish; Christians look for men, and attempt to catch them. Catching men is about helping move people who are not following Christ (spiritually dead) closer in their journey to trusting Christ. You are plan A for reaching others, and there is no plan B.
Argumentation
Illustration: Dukes also talked about how evangelism and discipleship begins early, even before someone trusts Christ. Alvin Reid (in The NET) uses the metaphor of a spider’s web to demonstrate how many Christian influences and witnesses may be used before one actually believes.
In the past this meant that we take a course on sharing your faith by way of a certain method or presentation. Or it meant going on “visitation” and doing some cold call evangelism. Or it meant inviting others to gather with the church on Sundays. There is nothing wrong with these, but don’t stop here, and you don’t necessarily have to start here either. Here’s the truth that needs to set you free: catching people for Christ isn’t something that you do at church or necessarily related to gathering with the church. Say that again. Huh? You might say. Catching men is a lifestyle mission, not a program. You are the church! Go and be it to others and you will catch men. Every facet of your life is your mission field and you are the missionary—your home, your workplace, your recreation, your friends, but not as a project, but by laying your life down in Christ-like loving service. God has called you and sent you into your station in life to be a living letter of Christ’s love to all that you come in contact with, but especially to those whom you have relationships with.
Don’t ask if we’ve caught anything
This is an easy thing to assess how we are doing. We don’t count it by the number of people that you hand tracks to, nor the number that comes through the door, nor the number of evangelism training seminars that you have been to. And we don’t even count it by the number of people that you lead to Christ (although we hope that occurs). The way you assess your success in sharing your faith is by faithfulness. Are you fishing? It is God’s job to do the saving, it is your job to share the witness. But another key that Jesus instructs us to do is to actively serve others to better their lives, building relationships on kindness and earning the right to share your story. But this is more than just living a good life.
Illustration: what’s the first question that someone asks if they hear that you have been fishing? In our evangelism class in seminary we had to write witness reports, two per week. The blanket that I brought back from Peru this week. I won’t bore you with the statistics about how many believers don’t share their faith, we all know that we don’t do it much…
Everyone has a story. The Proposal sharing time. If you are a believer, you know what happened to you. So the simple question is: are you sharing it? Think of the last person that you shared your faith with? Are you serving those within your sphere of influence sacrificially so that they may feel the loving touch of Christ through your selfless attempts to better their lives regardless of benefit to you. Think of the last time that you went out of your way to do something totally unasked for, totally out of the blue, and totally undeserved? We are the body of Christ! We are His hands and feet! And if we believe that He loves people, we must know that we are His instruments to show love to our enemies, to those that have hurt us, to the unlovable, to our kids, to our spouses, to our parents, to our friends, to our coworkers, to the cashiers and clerks and exercise partners, and if we are disobedient His love is not felt, and our hatred must be great. Do you really desire to be an instrument of God’s love?
Just walk across the room, REPEAT
This is not about confrontation. This is not about canned programmatic approaches. This is really about building relationships. A believer doesn’t have to be an evangelist, or have the gift of evangelism (which is not really a gift). Bill Hybels wrote a book that we have, but I can’t find (surprise), called Just Walk Across the Room. The best way to influence people in life is to build relationships with other people.
Illustration: 85% of people who visit our churches come because those already going simply invite them. Why? Relationship. Most don’t even get that (an invitation). Micheal sharing with the receptionists at doctor’s offices that he has to go to (sometimes the gospel, sometimes advice). They come to him. Margaret Treadway maintaining a relationship for 18 years with a woman who is avowedly lost. “If those who follow Jesus would open their homes and their dinner tables to the stranger, then we’d eat our way to the kingdom.” What might happen if we actually opened up our lives and homes to the lost rather than just attempted to get them into church? Who likes to hang around you? People don’t particularly like to hang around people who condemn them more than they offer hope, (love, and service) to them.” People like John Hughes and Mike Kennedy and Ronnie Owens who seem to encourage everyone.
Nothing wrong with cold call or on the spot witnessing. Even relationship here (names & prayer-Olive Garden). Often this is a mindset: I am a missionary (say it with me). Constantly remind yourself. Another part of this mindset is believing God’s promises that He will lead you to serve, and give you words to say in the same hour that you need them. We must also be intentional to make inroads into the lives of people and the community and the global arena (tonight). What opportunities has God provided you that he hasn’t provided others? Love to golf? How can you serve your buddies? Love to cook? How can you serve your neighbors? “But I don’t know my neighbors.” There is a place to start. Just by the way, most of this applies to relationships in the church too. "The health of a church is not based on the number of people who attend but the way in which people love one another and are walking relationally in life." “What areas of these areas are you serving in? Who are you serving? Remember, people are not looking for a friendly church, they are looking for friends. So who is the last person that you befriended (again, not because they are a project, but because you desire to serve and love (both verbs) everyone being the hand of love in life). What was the name of the last new friend that you had over to your home, or enjoyed a meal in theirs. Which of your unchurched/lost friends would introduce you to others as their friend? What if we paid you $100 each time you hosted someone in your home? I would almost be willing to do it, but that is not the reason that I ask that question. Pray that God will change you, not them.
Closing illustration: "the future of the people in our communities depends on the willingness & commitment of the church to walk in relationship with them" Atheist Perspective on Evangelism video
Recap
Invitation to commitment
Additional Notes
Is Christ Exalted, Magnified, Honored, and Glorified?
