3/21/21 A.M. “Tag” Matthew 4:13-22 School Games #2
A couple of weeks ago I preached an IMPORTANT MESSAGE on, “RED ROVER, RED ROVER let Mitch come on over.” If you missed it, you’ll be OK.
This morning I want to go back to the SCHOOL YARD. I guess I’ve been REMINISCING too much lately. But I want to look at another school yard game. Are you ready? “TAG”
Now when I was a kid there were three different versions of the game of TAG. You had REGULAR TAG where if you were touched by the TAGGER then you were OUT.
Then you had the MORE EXCITING version of the game called FREEZE TAG. When you were touched by the TAGGER you had to FREEZE. You couldn’t move until someone who hadn’t been tagged touched you and UNFROZE YOU. Now THAT’S the VERSION I liked to play. You see, in the REGULAR VERSION of TAG only one person got to go around and TAG people. But in FREEZE TAG if you saw a PRETTY GIRL get TAGGED you could make your way over there and “UNFREEZE” her. Then you were the HERO. I mean, things like that are pretty important in Grade School!!!
But then you had the version, “TAG YOU’RE IT!!!” That’s where, when you got TAGGED, you had to RUN AROUND trying to catch people and TAG THEM and then they were with you TRYING to TAG OTHER KIDS until everyone had been TAGGED. And that’s the VERSION I want to talk about today. TAG ... YOU’RE IT!!!
Man those were EXCITING TMES. Doesn’t that make you want to go out and play some TAG?
This morning I want to go back to the Book of Matthew. Matthew 4. In this chapter Jesus had FASTED for 40 days in the wilderness and afterward Satan had come to Him and began to TEMPT HIM.
A. He had TEMPTED Jesus in the FLESH.
“Jesus, I bet you’re hungry. If you’re really God make these STONES into BREAD.” And Jesus answered in Verse 4,
“But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.”
B. He is then TEMPTED with the PRIDE of LIFE. He takes Jesus up to the TOP of the TEMPLE. “Hey Jesus, if you’re REALLY GOD’S SON then he’ll take care of you. Right? Just throw yourself off.” He then quotes Psalms 91. Jesus answered in Verse 7,
“Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.”
C. Jesus is then TEMPTED with the LUST of the FLESH. Satan takes Him up to a HIGH MOUNTAIN. “Look around Jesus, everything you see I’ll give you if you’ll just BOW DOWN and WORSHIP ME.” Jesus then answered in Verse 10.
“Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.”
Each time Jesus RESPONDED to Satan with scripture. Jesus TEACHING US how to HANDLE temptation when it comes our way. Go to the Word of God.
And so at this point, Jesus HEARS that John the Baptist has been thrown into PRISON. And so He departs for Galilee. And that’s where we will begin reading. Matthew 4 beginning at Verse 13.
“And leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is upon the sea coast, in the borders of Zabulon and Nephthalim:
14 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying,
15 The land of Zabulon, and the land of Nephthalim, by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles;
16 The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up.
17 From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
18 And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.
19 And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.
20 And they straightway left their nets, and followed him.
21 And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them.
22 And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him.”
As I was reading this it kind of STRUCK ME that, as Jesus came walking along, He basically said, “Tag you’re it.” “You’ve been chosen.” “You’re the one.” And what’s so AMAZING, these guys, WITHOUT FAIL, accepted the CALLING. And as they accepted THE CALLING they basically left EVERYTHING BEHIND. You know it’s NOT POPULAR PREACHING TODAY but when Jesus TAGS YOU, there’s going to be things you’re gonna need to LEAVE BEHIND. So that’s what I want to preach to you today. “Tag, you’re it.”
Let’s Pray
Brother ____, would you lead us?
First of all, Jesus CALLED the 12 DISCIPLES to follow Him but NOW, TODAY, He calls everyone to Him. He DRAWS each one of us. And when Jesus calls it REQUIRES an ANSWER.
ILLUS: I saw a friend of mine this week at Lowes over in Owasso. We worked together for years. His name is Mike. He’s a very likable guy. We always got along. But we hadn’t seen each other in over 7 years. We talked about what he’s doing these days. Small talk.
And then he asked me what I was doing and I told him I was a PASTOR here at the church. He said, “Ok”
And I said, “You know, it’s just right down the road from where you live. You outa come and see us sometime.” And Mike said, “Well, I don’t know I uh ..... NO, No I’m not gonna stand here and tell you I might because I’m not going to. I have NO INTEREST in going to church.”
I said, “And you and God, what about that relationship? He said, “Nope, don’t want it, I know you’re just doing your job but NO THANKS.” I told him if he ever got to the place that he wanted to talk about it just let me know and I’d be glad to talk.
Here’s my point. If I would have tried to ARGUE the FACT that there is a GOD right there in the middle of Lowes I can tell you I wouldn’t have been successful. In fact, it would have just made him mad.
Listen, SALVATION comes by FAITH. Romans 10:17,
“So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”
Listen, I KNOW that according to John 12:32, God is going to draw Mike to Himself. God is GOING to TAG him and then it will be up to him to either REJECT that TAG, that PULL or ACCEPT Him by FAITH. Maybe what I said to him, God will use. I don’t know that but I do know God is going to say to HIM and EVERYONE OF US, “TAG, YOU’RE IT”.
I. SO as Jesus walked along the Sea of Galilee, He came upon Peter and Andrew doing their job. Casting their NETS. Hoping for a BIG HAUL. A GOOD CATCH. And Jesus called out to THEM. “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Basically He said, “TAG, YOU’RE IT.”
And it tells us there in Verse 20 that they FOLLOWED JESUS. And also there in Verse 20 it tells us that they LEFT their NETS behind. I think this is significant. They didn’t tell Jesus they’d catch up with Him in a DAY or TWO, NEXT WEEK or the next time He came through the area. No. They FOLLOWED HIM IMMEDIATELY. That’s WHY the Bible tells us that they LEFT their NETS. They weren’t CLEANED and STOWED AWAY. They weren’t SOLD to other fishermen. They LEFT IT ALL BEHIND. “TAG, YOU’RE IT” Now get into the GAME. It’s time to go out and catch SOME MEN. It’s TIME to get busy doing GOD’S WORK.
And I have to tell you today that it is TIME to go out and DO the LORD’S WORK. TAG, YOU’RE IT!!!
We are so soft in this country. Things are so EASY!!! We have SO MANY THINGS to keep us BUSY. And most of these things won’t amount to a HILL of BEANS when it comes to ETERNITY. We need to LEAVE a lot of this JUNK BEHIND and PLAY SOME TAG. Hey, it’s NOT the best game around but it’s better than RED ROVER!!! Tag some people for the Lord.
Hey folks, this is NOT FREEZE TAG. So many Christians seem to think it is. The LORD TAGS you and then you FREEZE. You don’t do ANYTHING.
NO, this is TAG YOU’RE IT. Leave the STUFF behind and go out and tag others. Then they will leave their STUFF behind and go out and TAG OTHERS until everyone has been TAGGED. That’s EXACTLY how the EARLY CHIRCH was built. The DISCIPLES went about telling others about Jesus. These folks then told others until there were MILLIONS of CHRISTIANS all around the world. Just as God told Noah to go out and PHYSICALLY MULTIPLY we need to go out and SPIRITUALLY MULTIPLY. And that’s done by TAGGING OTHERS for Jesus.
LEAVE the STUFF behind and tell others about Jesus.
II. And so then we see Jesus walking down the shore of Galilee. Following behind Him are Peter and Andrew. He comes upon three more fellows. James, John and their father Zebedee. Evidently they’re done for the day. They’re MENDING their NETS. Getting ready for the next evening of FISHING. And what happens? Jesus calls out to James and John. “Hey James and John ... TAG, YOU’RE IT.”
I wonder what Peter and Andrew thought about this. Jesus just CALLED their COMPETITION to join in with them. Maybe they were friends or maybe they were enemies.
They, no doubt, knew each other.
They, no doubt, had crossed paths out on the Sea of Galilee.
And now they’re going to be on the same team.
You know what, it doesn’t matter what happened in the past. It doesn’t matter what might have been said. All that mattered was doing God’s will.
In Matthew 9, Verse 9, Jesus calls MATTHEW, “TAG YOU’RE IT.” I bet Old Peter had something to say about this. Matthew was one of the most HATED MEN AROUND. A ROMAN TAX COLLECTOR. I’m sure many called him a TRAITOR but yet he ACCEPTED the CALL and became a FOLLOWER of Christ. Man that’s pretty good ain’t it.
Listen, these fellows had to leave ALL of their GRUDGES BEHIND.
Listen, there is NO ROOM for GRUDGES in a Church.
There is NO ROOM for ANGER over the PAST in a Church.
There is NO ROOM for PREJUDICES in a Church.
There is NO ROOM for different CLASSES in a Church.
ILLUS: Old James realized that. In Chapter 2 of HIS BOOK he says that a RICH MAN comes in to the church. Oh he looks fine. Nice clothes. A big ring on his finger. And we say, “Oh come on in here. Set down right here in the front.”
And then a poor man with bad clothes comes in and he can stand in the BACK or set on the FLOOR.
When Jesus says, “TAG, YOU’RE IT!!!” THAT KIND of STINKING THINKING has to be LEFT BEHIND. There’s NO ROOM in the church for HATRED, ANGER, or SOMEBODY THINKING they’re better than somebody else.
III. Now I want to look at ONE MORE THING that these fellows left behind when Jesus said, “Tag, you’re it.”
Verse 22
“And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him.”
James and John left the ship. I mean, that’s how they made a living. Just like Peter and Andrew left their NETS. That took COURAGE. Bravo for them. Good job guys.
But more than that, they left their FATHER behind.
According to Matthew 8, Peter left a WIFE behind as he followed Jesus.
In 1 Corinthians 9:5, Paul mentions that some of the other APOSTLES were MARRIED, so they also left their wives behind to follow Jesus.
Listen, that had to have been HARD. If they had wives they probably had CHILDREN. I can’t imagine saying GOODBYE to my PARENTS in their OLD AGE.
My wife, “Hey BABE, it’s up to you now to raise the kids. See you!!!”
My kids, “See you later. Be good for your MAMA. Obey her. I’ll be around to see you when I can.”
But yet that’s what some of these DISCIPLES had to do when Jesus said, “Follow Me” “TAG, YOU’RE IT.”
In Luke 14, it tells us that there was GREAT MULTITUDES with Jesus.
They want to SEE HIS MIRACLES.
They want to EAT HIS MEALS that He PROVIDES.
They want to HEAR what He has to say but then He turns to them and this is what He says in Verse 26 and 27.
“If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.
27 And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.”
This is a BOLD STATEMENT. Now let me make something clear. Jesus doesn’t want you to have HATRED for ANYONE, much less your mother and father, your wife and children and your brothers and sister. But what He is saying is that if you want to be one of His followers, then you have to PUT EVERYTHING ELSE aside and follow Him. HE MUST BE THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IN YOUR LIFE!!!
And as Jesus called John and Andrew to follow Him, Zebedee had to be left behind. Others had to be left behind. But get this. When they left the others behind they were with Jesus.
Listen, nobody said it would be easy.
Nobody said that we wouldn’t have to give up some things along the way.
But Jesus MUST BE the MOST IMPORTANT THING in your life. And I’m afraid there are churches all over America, full of people, who have NOT PUT JESUS FIRST.
You see, I believe Jesus has called them. “Tag, you’re it.” But they haven’t done anything since then. Do you remember the RULES of the GAME? You’ve been tagged and now you’re “IT” and you’re supposed to go around and TAG OTHERS. Lead OTHERS to CHRIST. Point OTHERS to the TRUTH.
You know what, I think there are those here today who have been TAGGED but you have REFUSED the INVITATION to serve Him.
I believe there are probably those who have been called to PREACH here today but you’re NOT WILLING to give up what you want to do.
There are those here today who really want to serve God but there are other things more important right now.
Am I right? Did I hit the nail on the head?
You know I’m right because ... you know who you are.
Nobody said it would be easy when God says “Tag, you’re it”. A lot of us here today could say there’s been some hard times along the way. But yet God has been there at every twist and turn. He has promised to never leave us nor forsake us.
The Rich Young Ruler came to Jesus and wanted to know how he could have eternal life. Jesus told him to keep the commandments. He went on to list them. And this young fellow says, “Oh well, I’ve done that.” And Jesus says, “Wonderful, now go and sell everything you have and give it to the poor. Then take up your cross and follow me.”
“TAG, YOU’RE IT!!!” And the young fellow walked away sad. Now this morning I believe the Holy Spirit of God is working on people’s hearts. I believe He is urging you to commit to Him. Now what will you do? “TAG, YOU’RE IT.”
Let’s Pray
