'tis The Season To Be Expectant Series

Matthew 4:18 - 22

Intro:

6 - ’Tis The Season To Be Extravagant

To Love Him with all of our being!

13 - ’Tis The Season To Be Confident

To Know He is there no matter what!

20 - ’Tis The Season To Be Jubilant (Part 3 of 4)

To Trust in Him alone for our Joy!

27 - ’Tis The Season To Be Expectant (Part 4 of 4)

To Believe He is going to use us to do great things!

Jesus grows up in a world that was incredibly hostile. He was a Jewish man in a Roman world. He was in extreme poverty. In the heat and stench of the world.

Three facts about the world system:

1. We live in a negative, hostile world.

-just look at the newspaper to see this.

2. We are engulfed in a system that just seeks to get by.

-people at work "Slow down we have to do this all day."

3. Most choose not to live differently.

-"don’t make waves." or "Who cares?"

These three facts about our world system cause major experience to happen to you and me:

We begin to lack courage!

This strong desire in us to be the best of the best. To stand up and be counted! To make a difference with our lives!

In Matthew chapter 4 Jesus comes along the lake and finds 4 ordinary people, fishermen.

People which the world would pass by every day, not seeing their potential.

And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. And they straightway left nets, and followed him. And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them. And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him. -- Matthew 4:18-22

I want you to notice some ways that Jesus began to recruitment and place an expectancy in the heart of the people He sought out for ministry.

I. His choice

And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. -- Matthew 4:18

Look at the people Jesus chooses for ministry.

Fisherman, not rabbis.

When I get to heaven I have some questions for God.

Do you have any questions that you want to ask Him?

Question #1. "God, why would use people like these to advance Your kingdom?"

If I was God I would not use people. Not use me. Don’t look at me that way I wouldn’t use you either!

God, why would you tie your hands?

Question #2: If He chooses to choose people why does He choose some of the people He chooses?

I wouldn’t have chosen...

...fatherless Abraham to be the Father of the nation Israel.

...spoilt boy Joseph to become the wise Prime Minister of Egypt.

...stammering Moses to be the spokesmen for Israel.

...quiet overlooked David to be the leader of Israel.

...unclean Isaiah to be the Old Testament prophet.

...disobedient Jonah to be the evangelist of Nehinvah.

...lowly Mary to be the mother of Jesus.

Nor would I have chosen an unstable Peter to launch off the early church.

You wouldn’t have chosen any of them either. Isn’t that right?

ILL: I want you to look at the person you are sitting beside. Just look at that person.

They are kind of a sorry lot aren’t they? Look at them. Not much are they?

Some of you husbands should be agreeing with me so quickly!

One of you tell the other, “I wouldn’t have chosen you”. Just tell them.

Now to keep that person humble, look right back and say, “I wouldn’t have chosen you either”.

It’s amazing at the people God chooses to use.

There are 3 reasons why we are

important to God:

a. Who I am.

God the Father created us. In His own Image. That gives a great deal of importance to us. Who we are.

b. What I cost.

Jesus Christ God’s Son gave up His life on calvary for us. It literally cost God’s only Son His entire life. What I cost makes me important to God and thirdly.

c. What I can become.

I am important to God because of the power of the Holy Spirit can make me today what I was not yesterday, and give me more power for tomorrow.

But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. -- Acts 1:8