“SIMON SAYS…”
REFLECTING UPON THE JOURNEY OF ONE WHO FOLLOWED JESUS.
(Hint: It’s about a lot more than playing games!)
Sermon One: The Power to Influence
Do you remember playing the game "Simon Says?"
(Don’t worry I’m not going to make you stand on one foot, pat your head and rub your belly!)
But I do want you to recall this classic children's game that is all about listening carefully and following directions.
The game is simple, right?
First, we choose a leader, A "Simon." The person who is going to give the commands for the players to follow.
Then the leader begins each command with either the words "Simon says..."
or without the words “Simon says.”
They could say "Simon says touch your nose" or
they might just say "Touch your nose."
Which brings us to the catch—players must only follow the instructions if they're preceded by the words "Simon says..."
If the leader says, "Clap your hands" instead of saying "Simon says, clap your hands," – well, then anyone who clapped their hands is out of the game.
The goal of course is to stay in the game as long as possible by listening carefully and not getting tricked into following a command without the words "Simon says."
There is actually a professional performer nicknamed the “Simon Sez Guy!”
He is Steve Max, and he has made a lucrative career out of playing “Simon Say’s” with fans as part of the halftime show at NBA and NCAA sporting events!
You’ll have to check him out on TikTok—preferably after this morning’s sermon.
So, “Simon Says” it’s a game, that’s all about LISTENING, FOLLOWING, OBEYING and MAKING IT TO THE END.
It sounds simple, but anyone who has ever played knows how easy it is to get tripped up in the game—the truth is it’s just not always easy to follow the directions.
In many ways, this simple game highlights some real challenges we face as we try to follow Christ.
The game is aptly named, “Simon Says.”
Simon Peter is a great example of how challenging it can be to follow Jesus.
As he journeyed with Christ the elements of LISTENING, FOLLOWING, OBEYING and MAKING IT TO THE END all proved challenging at one point or another.
Discovering how Simon overcame those challenges is largely what this preaching series is all about.
The truth is, most of us who desire to follow Jesus either have, will or are struggling with what it means to listen, follow, obey and to faithfully persevere to the end.
We struggle.
Simon Peter struggled,
But Peter’s journey ultimately reveals a powerful truth-- our failures don’t have to define us, defeat us or destroy us!
So, let’s get into it. Let’s start at the beginning of Simon’s journey…
and his journey actually begins with the indirect influence of John the Baptist.
That’s right, John the Baptist, the “voice of one calling in the wilderness,” who preached to “prepare the way for the Lord,” did indeed make a straight path for others to follow Jesus—and for Simon he did it through a conversation with two men who happened to be with him one day when Jesus walked by. (Quoting from Mathew 3:3).
Let’s pick up the story in John 1:35…
35 The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. 36 When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!”
37 When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus.
Five words, just five words about Jesus, drew two people to Jesus.
Those two would draw many others and eventually thousands would make Jesus Christ their Lord and Savior.
Remember that the next time you wonder if you should say something about Jesus to someone else!
WHAT YOU SAY ABOUT JESUS TO OTHERS MAKES A DIFFERENCE!
Don’t be afraid to share what you know to be true about Jesus.
So those two guys follow Jesus’ home and spend the day with him.
And John tells us that one of those two guys was Andrew, Simon’s Brother.
And the first thing Andrew does, well take a look at verses 41 and 42:
41 The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, “We have found the Messiah” (that is, the Christ). 42 And he brought him to Jesus.
Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas” (which, when translated, is Peter).
I love it! THE FIRST THING HE DOES IS FIND HIS BROTHER!
Andrew is like, “BRO YOU GOTTA MEET JESUS!”
I read that and I have to ask, “Who am I that desperate to bring to Jesus?”
So desperate that it’s my top priority, that I can’t rest, that I can’t do anything else until I get that person to Jesus?
And here is another thing I marvel at—once Andrew introduces his brother to Jesus—Jesus does the rest! Jesus takes on the heavy lifting.
Jesus takes on the responsibility of transforming Simon.
In fact, Jesus begins transforming Simon, before Simon ever says a word.
The first time Simon meets Jesus—Jesus is like, “You are Simon son of John,”
But one day you will be called “Cephas.”
Jesus sees something in Peter, that Peter might not yet see in himself—he sees his potential.
Now, we don’t get to know exactly how Simon felt about being called Cephas, which is another way of saying Peter, which is another way of saying “ROCK.”
I wonder what Simon thought about that name change.
However, Peter might have taken those words when they were first spoken, from our side of history we know for certain that when Jesus says one day people are going to call you “The Rock,”— well you better believe that one day people ARE GOING TO CALL YOU THE ROCK!
Jesus is seeing what Peter will become, not necessarily what he is at this moment!
Peter you will become something solid, unwavering, and dependable—a rock!
Peter you will withstand pressure, storms, and time—you will be a rock!
Peter, you will be a building stone in the kingdom I am creating, you will be a rock!
The event apparently left Peter speechless because John doesn’t have Simon saying anything in response!
But that is about to change as we will see in Luke 5.
In fact, a lot changes between this chapter of Simons story and the next.
First, John the Baptist gets arrested and put in prison.
Then Jesus leaves the region of Nazareth and the Jordan River and heads north towards the fishing region between Capernaum and Bethsaida—an area which just happens to be the home base of Simon and Andrews’ fishing business.
As we pick up the story, we find Jesus is out doing some BEACH PREACHING on the same beach where Peter and Andrew have parked their boats.
In Luke 5:1 we read:
“One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, the people were crowding around him and listening to the word of God. 2 He saw at the water’s edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. 3 He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat.”
Now as soon as I read that I know what some of you are thinking—you are like, “Pastor, I think God might be calling me to start a “Beach Ministry!” “Is there any chance the church might send me to Sanibel or Daytona for a week?”
So, Jesus is preaching from Peter’s boat and when He finishes, he turns to Peter with a bold request.
WHAT SIMON SAYS IN RESPONSE IS POWERFUL!
4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.” 5 Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.”
Now I’ve got to ask you—who in your life has that level of influence?
Who has, “because you said so” influence?
Your spouse, your boss, your parents, a coach or maybe a friend?
For most of us there is probably someone who can get us to do things we don’t really want to do, but we will do it for them—because they ask or because they say so.
Why do we give someone power like that over us? Love, respect, necessity? You’ll have to answer that for yourself.
But it is an interesting thing to think about, especially regarding Simon.
Why does Simon, a professional fisherman, take fishing advice from Jesus, a carpenter’s son?
We know Simon has already spent some time with Jesus, before this visit.
We know his brother Andrew is convinced Jesus is the predicted Messiah.
And we know he was listening as Jesus taught that day.
But when Jesus asks Simon—already tired from a night of fishing—to go out again right at quitting time—Simon agrees to go—because Jesus is the one doing the asking.
It wasn’t convenient. It wasn’t logical. It wasn’t easy.
BUT IT WAS JESUS!
So, Simon goes fishing—AGAIN!
But what if he hadn’t? What if he had said no?
What an incredible opportunity would have been missed.
And what about us?
How do we respond when we sense God is calling us to the uncomfortable?
If you are like me, you haven’t always responded as well as Simon did that day.
But Simon didn’t say “No,” he said “Yes.”
And then this happened…
6 When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. 7 So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.
Simon’s obedience led to an unimaginable catch. Simon literally had a zero expectation—they hadn’t caught any fish—he didn’t expect to catch any fish—he went back out to be obedient to Jesus. And then Jesus went and defied his expectations. One of the lousiest fishing days of Simon’s life turned into the greatest fishing trip of Simon’s life.
What changed?
Jesus entered Simon’s story, again.
The first time, Jesus had changed Simon’s name. This time he changed his life!
And Simon Peter is overwhelmed. He’s disoriented.
Somehow Jesus transformed all that seemed familiar to Simon, into unchartered water.
And Simon Peter knows it…
He doesn’t say it, yet…
But Simon knows it…
Jesus really is the Messiah.
And Simon knows something else…
Simon knows he is unworthy to stand in the presence of the Messiah.
Simon is a sinner, not a saint.
So, he says something to Jesus, that too many sadly say…
8 When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” 9 For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, 10 and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners.
Just when Simon had thought it was time to stop fishing—Jesus shows Simon it was actually the time to start fishing—
Simon got it wrong. Jesus got it right!
And now, Simon assumes the Messiah would only want to associate Himself with the holiest of people—and Simon knows he is not holy, but a sinful man, so he tells Jesus to “Go away.”
Simon got it wrong, again.
But listen to the response of Jesus…
Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.” Luke 5:8-10
With both Matthew and Mark adding that Jesus says…
19 “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” 20 At once they left their nets and followed him. Matt. 4:19-20
Simon is saying, “Go away from me,” but Jesus is saying, “Come follow me!”
I wonder how many of us are living this out right now in our own lives—
We sense we are in the presence of Jesus…
And we sense our own unworthiness…
We don’t feel worthy of his love, his mercy, his help
So, like Simon, we find ourselves asking Jesus to “go away from me…”
But Jesus calls back to us—Come follow me…”
And we have to decide…
Do I hold on to what is…
Or do I let it go to see what could be!
<<PAUSE>>
What Simon says next is incredibly powerful….
But he does not say it with his words…
He says it with his actions….
He says it with his feet!
And sometimes ACTIONS SPEAK MUCH LOUDER THAN WORDS!
Simon left everything and followed Jesus…
11 So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.
Luke 5: 11
And what about us?
Are there some things we need to leave behind so we can follow Jesus?
We might not be standing on a beach…But JESUS IS HERE.
And he still asks WILL YOU FOLLOW ME?
What will be your response to Jesus?
Simon Peter was “all in” -- “Are we?”
**Feel free to use this message for the glory of God. You need not quote me as the author.
