“Catch My Fish”
"Simon Peter went up, and drew the net to land full of great fishes, an hundred and fifty and three: and for all there were so many, yet was not the net broken." John 21:11 (KJV)
Intro: Every one of us has a story about fishing. Yours might be an early childhood memory of someone taking you fishing. The first fish I ever caught was (stretch out your arms as wide as they will go, then bring hands in and measure a very small fish with your fingers.)
Jesus often used stories about fishing to teach us about how to deal with people.
Some time ago I was counseling a guy who came to me because he was having trouble with his wife. After listening for a while he told me that they were constantly fussing and fighting. He said the biggest thing was that she always made them late. She took at least a couple of hours to get ready. So he was always trying to get her to hurry up so they would not be late. That never ended well. They would get mad and that would make them even later.
I shook my head and said, “I see…, I know exactly what your problem is.”
He was shaking his head, (YES.)
I said, “You are a control freak.”
The man’s jaw dropped. He stopped dead in his tracks. He asked, “What?” She is the one who is driving me crazy. It is her fault that we are always late.
I said, “No it’s not.” You already know your wife well enough…, you know her routine. You know what to expect. But instead of going along with her routine you want to be in charge and in control and so you tell her to get ready faster than she is willing to get ready in. You want to control her.
For a moment I could see the angry rising in him. I was afraid that what I said might even jeopardize our friendship.
It was almost a month later before he would even speak to me. You see most guys process things a little different. Men have to mull things over. We think about them. Then we forget about it. Then we remember it and start thinking about it again. Women did you know that?
Most men don’t accept criticism very well. We like to be in charge. We like to be told we are right. Especially when it is just two guys letting out steam. To not to take “his side” was a challenge to the “Alpha Male” in him.
But then I got the phone call. “Pastor. Thank you. We haven’t fussed or fought in almost two weeks.”
I said, great! How did you do it? He said, “You were right. I know how long it takes her to get ready. So now when we have to be somewhere at 7:00, I tell her we need to be there at 5:00 and she is ready in plenty of time. We both couldn’t be happier.” Seriously, you can’t make this kind of stuff up.
The bible tells us a story. It is a fishing story. But the bible wants us to know that it is not a made up story, because it gives us such great detail. It tells us the exact number of fish caught 153…
Here is the first point I want you to get.
I. God Will Provide the Fish
"And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net." Luke 5:5 (KJV)
Think about the word “nevertheless.” It means “in spite of the facts.” The fact is there was no fish there. Simon said “we haven’t caught anything; the fact is there is no fish here.”
Remember, “God will provide the fish.” "Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous…" Matthew 9:37 (KJV)
There are enough people who live near here to fill this church. We could build a church ten times this large and there would be enough people to fill that church. God will provide the fish.
The book of Revelations proves this. Revelations is the book of “God revealing the truth when we don’t normally see it or God revealing the truth even when we don’t want to see it.”
"for the harvest of the earth is ripe." Revelation 14:15 (KJV)
There are people of every age. Eighty year old people live near this church. They are coming to the end of the cycle of their life and they need to know Jesus and they need this church. There are kids and teenagers who live near this church. If they were to get in a car and have a wreck and not live, some of them would die lost. They need desperately to hear the Gospel, they need to be in this church. There are people of race and nationalities, and different denominations, (We do not believe in proselytizing people out of other Christian churches but we all know people who say they belong to a church but we know they are not going anywhere. They need to be in church. There are people of different socio-economic groups, people who live on a fixed income or who live on a government assistance check who don’t come to church because they think that all we want from them is their money. There are single parents. There are drug addicts who need to be in this church. (They need to behave when they come here but we want the sinner to come and join us in church.) There are those who are victims of domestic violence and abused kids who desperately need to be in this church. God will provide the fish. God will provide the fish! God will provide the fish!!!
Next, point number two.
II. I Will Catch ‘Em
"Now as he walked by the sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. (the disciples were “catchers.”) And Jesus said unto them, Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men. (What Jesus was saying is he would make them become “catchers of people.”) And straightway they forsook their nets, and followed him." Mark 1:-16:18 (They left their old way and began a new way of life and service to God.)
God will provide ‘em. I will catch ‘em.
Be clear that God will do the judging. Not me or you. "Judge not, that ye be not judged. "For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again." Matthew 7:1-2 (KJV)
1.---ALL For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:" Romans 3:23-24 (KJV)
2.---CONSEQUENCE FOR SIN "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Romans 6:23 (KJV)
3.---THERE IS SALVATION "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8 (KJV)
The cross was a place of guilt and shame. The cross was a place of pain, sorrow, and brokenness. But the cross became a place of love, forgiveness, salvation, and new birth. (If God can redeem a Cross---the symbol of crimes of death…, God can redeem you. God can redeem anyone no matter what their sin.
This week I was talking to an eight year old child. I asked him if he knew the meaning of “baptism.” He told me the best definition of baptism that I have ever heard in twenty-five years of ministry. He said, “Baptism is when you are covered by the water, when you come out, you live the rest of your life for Jesus.” That is out of the mouth of a child.
God will provide the fish. I will catch ‘em.
Number three.
III. You Clean ‘Em
God will do the “saving.” But the church must be a place of hospitality. " And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain." Matthew 5:40-41 (KJV) Think about the words “go with them two miles.”
Love---not just say be fed, be clothed, be strong… go your merry way…
“The Gift of Love” United Methodist hymnal page 408 “Though I may speak with bravest fire, And have the gift to all inspire, And have not love, my words are vain, As sounding brass, and hopeless gain.”
Forgiveness---
"That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." Romans 10:9 (KJV)
God will provide the fish. I will catch ‘em. The church’s job is to clean ‘em. To serve them. To teach them and show them God’s love.
I was in McDonald’s this week ordering two strawberry cream pies and a large mellow yellow for lunch. Seriously I’m not making this up. I love the strawberry cream pies. While I was standing there I saw a family who has visited one of our two churches on several occasions, but they have not been back recently. So I walked over to talk to them to see what they had been up to. They were very friendly... they have two kids a 9 year old and a 2 year old. They were telling me that they had recently moved just a few miles away. Their internet had not yet been hooked up at their new house. So they came to McDonalds so the wife could fill out a job application.
The 9 year old said he was skipping school because they were having a play day and he didn’t want to be out in the hot sun all day. I told him he had really cool parents for understanding and letting him skip play day at school.
While standing there the 9 year old spoke looked up and said, “Oh yea, I remember you…, you are the pastor of that “boring church.” Seriously I’m not making this up.
The dad’s face turned six shades of red. The mother immediately started to apologize. I stopped her and said, “No, he is right.” I understand and I agree completely. To a 9 year old, most of what we do on Sunday Morning must be absolutely boring!
When I said that the 9 year old kind of smiles, because he knew I had just rescued him from a “raking over the coals.”
The parents and I continued to talk. I laid out the goals for change that we have. I explain the vision our church has to open a “children’s church in August.” I shared with them the goal to start a new contemporary praise and worship service. The 9 year old and the parents said, “That sounds like the kind of church we want to attend.”
God will provide the fish. I will catch ‘em. The church’s duty is to clean ‘em.
The church has to welcome them. Love ‘em. Make them feel like this is a place they belong. This church has to have something for the whole family. Sunday school teachers you have to teach, not because no one else will do it. But because God has called you to it and because you love to teach children. Church your duty is to keep them coming back.
When I got to the car I realized I had been given two “apple pies” instead of two “strawberry cream pies.” Have you ever gotten the wrong order at a fast food place? Seriously you can’t make this kind of stuff up.
I wonder what would happen…, if we would look more at church through the eyes of a 9 year old?
I recently attended a New Church Leadership Institute with Jim Griffeth. Jim is a professional church coach offering “Effective Solutions for Ministry.” The best example I can think of in our church is if I want to know something about medicine I would ask Scott who is a professional pharmacist. If I have a question about finances I would talk to Allen our treasurer who is a professional accountant.
Jim Griffeth is a nationally acclaimed professional church leadership and growth specialist. One of the things he said during the training that has burned in my mind and heart for the past several months is the comment go back and tell your people, “I will catch ‘em, you clean em.” When he first said that I was offended. I did not understand what he was saying. That was in March. It is now May. I thought how arrogant. How condescending. How egotistical. BUT FINALLY I realized… He was NOT saying get ’em, drop ‘em, and leave ‘em. But finally I believe I began to understand what he was saying.
God will provide the people. It is my duty as a pastor to go out and bring them in to “catch ‘em.” And it is your job as a church to “clean ‘em.” To love them. To encourage them. To serve them. To lead them to Christ so that they will come back and keep coming back to this place of worship.
The pastor’s role as an effective leader is to bring new people into the church. It is the congregations role as the body of Christ to love ‘em, nurture them, disciple them, to care for the new people so much that they will know Christ and keep coming back for more.
"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind:" Matthew 13:47 (KJV)
Closing: Today I want to extend the invitation a little longer than usual. The altar call this morning is this. First give thanks to God for providing. Come to the altar and thank God for your family, friends, the church, the unchurched, the abandoned by the church, the least, the last, the lost. Thank God for providing. Second, pray for me as your pastor. Pray that I can be successful at “catching them.” Pray that God will use me to bring people into the church. And thirdly ask for the Holy Spirit to make this a warm and welcoming place. A place where people meet and experience God in a real, meaningful and powerful way and that they will keep coming back. "Jesus saith unto them, Bring of the fish which ye have now caught." John 21:10 (KJV)
The altar is open. Will you come? Will you make a decision? Will you hear and help when God says, “Catch My Fish?”
