Sermon for 1/12/03
Matthew 4:18-22
Introduction:
A. My fishing at the farm pond. Not serious, just wanted to get away.
B. Fishing with my grandpa. Little more serious. Fun but serious.
C. Fishing at a bass tournament
1. Pay a registration fee and then an entry fee. Compete for cash, new boat, etc.
2. Fishers of Men is a Christian Fishing Tournament. Friday night Pre-Tournament meetings where contestants receive a free meal, lots of door prizes, and an inspirational message. It is a non-profit ministry. Want to put the program on a Christian TV station.
3. National Tournament for 2002- Ladd Whicker and Steve Sink brought their record setting catch to the stage. Al heaved the heavy contents into the basket and placed on the lid. A hush came over the crowd as the scales were trying to settle down, then Al made the call, “23.52 pounds, looks like we have some new leaders!” For the first place finish the new Fishers Of Men National Champions received a fully rigged 2003 TR-20 Triton, powered by a 200hp Mercury.
WBTU:
A. Beliefs and attitudes toward fishing for fish affect the outcome.
B. Beliefs and attitudes and convictions toward fishing for men affect the outcome as well.
Thesis: 3 beliefs are detrimental to fishing for men, they come from the devil.
For instances:
1. Jesus Christ is not the only way to salvation.
A. Scriptures:
1. I am the bread of life.
2. I am the light of the world.
3. (John 10:9 NIV) I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture.
4. (John 11:25 NIV) Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies;(John 11:26 NIV) and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.
5. (John 15:5 NIV) "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.(John 15:6 NIV) If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.
6. (Rev 1:18 NIV) I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.
7. (John 14:6 NIV) Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
B. Buddists, Muslims, Jewish, Zoaraster, Shintu, Ancestor Worship, they’ll be OK even if they don’t believe in Jesus. Just as long as you are sincere. Many ways to get from here to Indianapolis. However, we should be thankful for the one way that God has provided.
C. Those groups who mess with Jesus. Jesus was just an angel. Jesus was a Son of God just like we can be. Jesus appeared to Indians, etc. (Gal 1:8 NIV) But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned!
D. (2 John 1:7 NIV) Many deceivers, who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh, have gone out into the world. Any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist.(2 John 1:9 NIV) Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ does not have God; whoever continues in the teaching has both the Father and the Son.
E. Most dangerous, there good people and surely God will let good people into heaven. Ethics, morals don’t save.
F. (James 2:10 NIV) For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.
G. Story of Great-Grandpa Strong and Hugh Strong.
H. (Heb 10:29 NIV) How much more severely do you think a man deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God under foot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace?
2. There is no such thing as hell.
A. Scriptures:
1. (Mark 9:48 NIV) where "’their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.’
2. (Luke 16:23 NIV) In hell, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side.(Luke 16:24 NIV) So he called to him, ’Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’
B. In college, Pop Lewis. (Mat 25:41 NIV) "Then he will say to those on his left, ’Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.(Mat 25:46 NIV) "Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."
C. God is such a loving God, he will not send anyone to hell. (Luke 12:4 NIV) "I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more.(Luke 12:5 NIV) But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after the killing of the body, has power to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him.
D. Make sure that you are not going there. (Mat 18:8 NIV) If your hand or your foot causes you to sin cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire.(Mat 18:9 NIV) And if your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell.
E. Do not believe in hell, we will not fish at all. Why bother others?
3. There is plenty of time.
A. Ephesians 5:15-16
B. Jesus is coming soon.
C. (Mat 24:36 NIV) "No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.(Mat 24:44 NIV) So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.
D. Do not attempt to go by the signs. Frantic search to figure out if he is coming soon. Last chapter of Revelation.
E. We will die. They will die.
F. The fishing tournament will be over.
G. Grandpa died.
H. I was unable to go back to the fishing pond.
I. Seize the day!
J. In a lifetime the average North American will spend:
Six months sitting at stoplights
Eight months opening junk mail
One year looking for misplaced objects
2 years unsuccessfully returning phone calls
5 years waiting in line
6 years eating
21 years watching television.
K. God did not give all of us the same amount of talent, nor the same amount of wealth, but He has given each of us the same amount of time.
Imagine that a bank credits your account each morning with $86,400. No balance is carried over from day to day. Any balance is deleted each evening. What would you do when you knew that you would not use all your daily balance? Why, withdraw every penny, of course!
You have such a bank and so have I. The name of our bank is TIME. Every day we are credited with 86,400 seconds. Every night, that which we have not used is debited from our account. TIME bank allows no overdraft, there is no going back for a second chance. TIME bank does not allow borrowing from tomorrow and of course, and there are no leftovers. The clock ticks away, never waiting for anyone to catch up.
A. Author Terry Muck tells of a letter he received from a man who used to have absolutely no interest in spiritual things. He lived next door to a Christian, and they had a casual relation-ship like neighbours often do. Then the non-Christian’s wife was stricken with cancer, and died three months later. Here’s the letter:
“I was in total despair. I went through the funeral preparations and the service like I was in a trance. And after the service I went to the path along the river and walked all night. But I did not walk alone. My neighbour - afraid for me, I guess - stayed with me all night.
He did not speak; he did not even walk beside me. He just followed me. When the sun finally came up over the river he came over to me and said, "Let’s go get some breakfast."
I go to church now. My neighbour’s church. A religion that can produce the kind of caring and love that my neighbour showed me is something I want to find out more about. I want to be like that. I want to love and be loved like that for the rest of my life.”
What made the difference in this man’s life? It was that one Christian dared to make the most of the opportunity he had to reveal Christ to his friend. There were few words . . . but the message came through. He had learned how to REDEEM THE TIME.
How about you and me? How are we handling this precious gift of time that God has given us?
Conclusion:
A. Bob Russell- Jesus gave his life to save the lost. He wants us to be fishers of men.
B. A fisherman is serious. Fishing was not an occasional diversion for Peter and Andrew- it was their livelihood. They fished nearly every day to feed their families and stay alive. Evanglism is not something believers do when its convenient; it should be our primary calling. If we really believe that salvation only comes through Jesus Christ then we will do everything within our power to seek and save the lost.
C. Don’t forget the cards. Be inviting people.
D. Scriptures from 2 Corinthians 5:11a, 16, 20; 2 Cor 6:2b
