“One day as Jesus was walking along the shore beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers – Simon, also called Peter, and Andrew – fishing with a net, for they were commercial fishermen. Jesus called out to them, "Come, be my disciples, and I will show you how to fish for people!" And they left their nets at once and went with him. A little farther up the shore he saw two other brothers, James and John, sitting in a boat with their father, Zebedee, mending their nets. And he called them to come, too. They immediately followed him, leaving the boat and their father behind.” Matthew 14:18-22 NLT
• This is a fishing pole
o If I was to rely on it to make a living, well I would soon be in a strict lifestyle of prayer and fasting.
o This represents life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
o We feel we have the right to do what makes us happy right?
• To really follow Jesus will always cost you something
o What did leaving that behind mean to those disciples?
Security, money, family.
1. Jesus calls you to sacrifice whatever will hold you back from His call on your life.
Jesus felt genuine love for this man as he looked at him. "You lack only one thing," he told him. "Go and sell all you have and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." Mark 10:21
• What is holding you back?
o Is not having something you want holding you back?
Fast food Christianity
God does not have to meet our demands.
• Whatever it is, Jesus calls us to sacrifice it.
• “But God!!!! How can I do this?”
Jesus looked at them intently and said, "Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But not with God. Everything is possible with God." Mark 10:27
• How many things in our lives does this apply to? We don’t see how we can give up what we need to in order to follow Jesus.
o But God.
2. When we leave something behind for God, we always come out ahead.
Meanwhile, Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, "I will give half my wealth to the poor, Lord, and if I have overcharged people on their taxes, I will give them back four times as much!" Jesus responded, "Salvation has come to this home today, for this man has shown himself to be a son of Abraham. And I, the Son of Man, have come to seek and save those like him who are lost." Luke 19:8-10
• We look at life in a very short-term way. God sees the big picture, and He knows the plans He has for our lives.
• Sometimes there are immediate benefits.
• It’s a good deal.
3. There is nothing we are called to sacrifice that compares to what Jesus did for us.
“What should I do with Jesus who is called the Messiah?” And they all shouted, "Crucify him!" "Why?" Pilate demanded. "What crime has he committed? “But the crowd only roared the louder, "Crucify him!" Matthew 27:22-23
• He gave His all for us, how can we give Him less than our all.
• We can’t compare to what He did, but I for one hope I can give Him more and more every day. Lord help me to hold nothing back.
Sacrifice – Thuo – To Immolate
• What has God called you to do?
• What are you holding back from Him?
• Give up, what Jesus has for your life is best!
