The world is full of competing messages, some in harmony some in disharmony. A good example is commercials on television. Last week advertisers shelled out on average $2.1 million dollars for a 30 second spot. In 55 ads we saw Tobacco giant Philip Morris advertised against teen smoking, Master Card advocating leaving dead presidents at home (cash) and charging everything. Of course they didn’t tell you your cash doesn’t charge interest. Fed-X delivered a package from a shipwrecked island promoting company honesty…the package had a cell phone and global positioning device, Quiozno’s chef Jimmy can’t remember to feed his bird, mow his lawn, wash his car, or put on his pants but he does make a great hot sub sandwich and on it goes with about 50 more. Each advertiser, working throughout the year with top ad agencies, to produce the one message that is going to spark interest in consumers to buy their respective products. The advertising dream teams, now being rated by the consumers on how well their efforts pay off.
Advertising has its dream teams, sports have their dream teams, people charged with criminal offenses assemble dream teams if they have the cash, and on it goes.
I want to look at a Christian dream team…the first assembled and how we can assemble such a team right here at New Hope. From our study in Matthew, today, chapter 4:12-21, I find three keys that are necessary to put together a successful, productive dream team.
I. Having the Right Message.
12Now when Jesus heard that John had been arrested and put in prison, He withdrew into Galilee. 13And leaving Nazareth, He went and dwelt in Capernaum by the sea, in the country of Zebulun and Naphtali--
14That what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be brought to pass:
15The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, in the way to the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles [of the peoples who are not of Israel]- 16The people who sat (dwelt enveloped) in darkness have seen a great Light, and for those who sat in the land and shadow of death Light has dawned. 17From that time Jesus began to preach, crying out, Repent
(change your mind for the better, heartily amend your ways, with abhorrence of your past sins), for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Matthew 4:12-17
What every advertiser at the Super Bowl was trying to achieve was a message that would last. Jesus, in Matthew 4, gave us such a message, Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. You might want to underline that in your notes. It is a timeless message, not a fad. While advertisers try to tickle your ears, Jesus came out with a message that does anything but.
Repent is a strong word. It is not a suggestion, it is a command. Repent. What does it mean to repent?
a. It deals with sin. Jesus is speaking to mankind concerning their nature to sin, to do what is wrong.
b. It deals with the heart. Sin is not something that happens by accident. It springs from the heart. It starts as a thought. Our minds are filled with them, and thoughts come and go unless we entertain them and then act upon them.
c. It deals with making a complete turnabout. It is a change that starts first inwardly, with the heart and then is expressed outwardly by walking away from the sin and the temptations which causes one to sin.
Jesus message is good medicine…it may not taste great going down but it sure makes you feel better once you have taken it.
So if you are going to have a great dream team, you need the right message. So let the message from New Hope be, Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Not only do you need the right message, the best dream team involves…
II. Having the Right People.
Look at verses 18, 19 and 21 18As He was walking by the Sea of Galilee, He noticed two brothers, Simon who is called Peter and Andrew his brother, throwing a dragnet into the sea, for they were fishermen.
19And He said to them, Come after Me [as disciples--letting Me be your Guide], follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men!… And going on further from there He noticed two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John, in the boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets and putting them right; and He called them.
Imagine all the people Jesus could have selected to form His dream team. There was the Pharisees, Sadducees, the rulers of the law He could have went to. There were people of political position and importance, key leaders of the community. Instead He chose some common people, fishermen, and businessmen, people who knew how to work for a living.
We might not have chosen Peter. Proud, boastful, gets his foot stuck in his mouth more than not because he doesn’t think through his thoughts. He ends up denying Christ three times before the crucifixion. James and John, the Sons of thunder, would call lightening down to torch you and looked to have great seats in heaven. Character flaws, seemingly wrong choices. Might have thought watching them interact during Jesus ministry they definitely were wrong choices, yet where the rubber meets the road, they proved themselves. It is more than just looking past the outward expressions, it is seeing potential, God given potential each one has, and then nurturing that potential along the way.
Through out lighthouse ministries, we are making a strong commitment toward mentoring, nurturing people along the way. I have been talking about empowering members to do the work of ministry. You look around and wonder whom I am referring to. I am referring to you. There are Peter’s, Andrew’s, James and John’s here. Maybe years ago someone gave up on you. Listen, God has never given up, and we at New Hope are not going to give up either. I believe in you and most importantly God believes in you.
Not only does it take the right message, and the right people, it requires…
III. Having the right response.
Verses 20, 22 20At once they left their nets and became His disciples [sided with His party and followed Him]… 22At once they left the boat and their father and joined Jesus as disciples [sided with His party and followed Him].
They left at once. They knew it was the right thing to do. They left what they knew to embark on the experience of a lifetime. Bruce Barton said
“Nothing splendid has ever been achieved except by those who dared believe that something inside of them was superior to circumstance.”
And this dream team of Jesus dared to believe. They didn’t know what was around the corner. They left the comfort zone of what they knew, the fishing business, for something that instantly took hold of their heart when they responded to the invitation of Jesus. And people have been doing it for centuries. People like Stan Dale who went to New Guinea in 1961to minister to the headhunters on that island. Following the example of Jesus, he gathered men around him and taught them the truth of Jesus Christ, giving them a passion to reach out to their relatives and beyond with the truth of the Gospel. Some of them lost their lives in pursuit of the cause of Christ. They faced tremendous opposition to the gospel message and the very people he came to save in 1968 killed Stan Dale. Immediately afterwards people started asking Jesus into their life. One man said “It was as if we realized this man really felt what he was preaching to us was worth dying for.”
Stan Dale is quoted as saying, concerning people staying back and not getting involved, living in the comfort zone instead of the God Zone, ”Comfort zones are plush lined coffins. When you stay in your plush lined coffin you die.” One day we will see Stan Dale, and he will have a special crown for his efforts that people who remain uninvolved and unattached never receive.
Are you on the dream team? God’s dream team is made up of the right message, the right people, and the right response.
Listen, we have the right message Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. You are the right people; the only thing to be decided is will you make the right response?
God has been speaking to some before you got here today. The message you have been hearing is It’s Time. It’s time to make a decision, not privately, but publicly. It is time for accountability. It’s time to get it on the record, I will follow Jesus. Your commitment may be for a decision to ask Him into your life. Your decision may be to renew your commitment to Him. Your decision may be to stand and be counted as part of His dream team at New Hope.
I want to pray for you. I want to lay hands and ask along with you for the power of the Holy Spirit to fall fresh in your life today. As the music plays, will you make that walk up here and respond to whatever Jesus is saying to you today? I know you will be glad you did.
Altar
