Rock: What God Can Do With A Broken Man/Woman

INTRO. Two weeks ago we were challenged by individuals in our lives that have touched us by their character, their wisdom, their compassion, and their sensitivity to us. I introduced you to “Boss Man” Bro James M. Roberts, my parents, the character of Billy Graham. I also shared with you about another friend of ours that is very much like you and me. He was nick named ROCK by our Lord. Again we know that he was a very strong man, was the leader of the disciples, and was kind of crazy. We know that he spoke many times before he thought- (hoof and mouth disease) Many of us like Rock get ourselves into some very precarious situations

ILLUSTRATION: “MOOD RING, SQUIRT GUN, BOSS”

THE MOOD RING:

my husband bought me a mood ring the other day. When I’m in a good mood it turns green. When I’m in a bad mood, it leaves a red mark on his forehead.

THE WATER PISTOL:

When My Three-Year-Old Son Opened The Birthday Gift From His Grandmother, He Discovered A Water Pistol... He Squealed With Delight and Headed For the Nearest Sink. I Was Not So Pleased. I Turned To Mom and Said, "I’m Surprised At you. Don’t You Remember How We Used To Drive You Crazy With Water Guns?"

Mom Smiled and Then Replied..... "I Remember."

LIFE AFTER DEATH:

"Do You Believe In Life After Death?" The Boss Asked One Of His Employees.

"Yes, Sir," The New Employee Replied.

"Well, Then, That Makes Everything Just Fine," The Boss Went On. "After You Left Early Yesterday To Go To Your Grandmother’s Funeral, She Stopped In To See You!

Scriptures show us that Jesus cared very much for Rock. This was indeed obvious when he said Peter I’m going to build my church with people just like you. He liked Rock for at least He did something. He did a lot of wrong in an effort to do right.

With this reminder about Rock let’s look at the passage we read earlier.

-We see Jesus coming up and requests to use Rock’s boat for a pulpit, Jesus wanted to use his boat, his vessel for his purposes and work.

-Jesus gives Rock some fishing lessons.

-Jesus tells Rock to throw his net on the other side of the boat

-Verse 5 Rock says "Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets." In essence he was saying Hey we have worked hard all night, I’m tired and want to go home but I’ll do what you say Jesus.

-Then we see Rock calling the others over to help him bring the fish in. He wasn’t selfish with God’s blessings.

-Then Jesus calls Rock to come and be a fisher of men.

You know, we are so much like Rock in our lives for we tell the Lord the same thing Rock told him in Verse 5. We say Lord I have worked hard all day, night and I’m tired. We say we have worked at this job, worked trying to save my family, saved this relationship. We say I’m tired of trying to save my child, teenager, adult child from him or herself. You may be saying this morning I’m tired of trying to save my marriage. It is when we get to this point that we find ourselves broken and it is at this point God can and will do a might work in and through us if we will only let him.

The Lord says to us as he did Rock hey, try listening and following my commands. So what must we do in our brokenness so that God can truly use us to do something miraculous with our families, our jobs, our children, our marriage, our church and yes especially with our individual lives.

I. WE MUST KNOW OUR SINFULNESS.

A. As Rock saw Jesus as He really was he, in turn saw himself for who he really was.

1. In Luke 5:8 Rock says "Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!"

2. Here Rock took the first important step to brokenness which was humility.

3. Imagine Rock doing this in a boat and in front of all his fishing buddies.

B. The toughest thing for you and me to do is to be humble.

1. ILLUSTRATION: “Others taking advantage of us” $$$

2. This world in which we live, calls us to be everything but humble.

C. We must really see ourselves as the way we really are.

D. No matter how good we think we may be we are still filthy sinners.

1. Isaiah 64:6 KJV says “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.