Who Will You Follow?

Once in every lifetime something happens on the world stage, which shapes the course of human events. It seems we have lived a lifetime in four years: September 11 and the Tsunami in Asia and Hurricane Katrina for us, have given us more than any one generation should endure. Four years ago today a rock was dropped in the pond of this world whose ripples are as large today as they were then. Consider for a moment what was set in motion by the terrorist attacks of that day: Our nation’s capital was attacked. Over 3000 people lost their lives. The Manhattan skyline was irrevocably changed. The financial trade center for 150 nations was completely destroyed. The world’s economy was greatly tested.

We waged a war against the Taliban in Afghanistan. But, a long-standing almost invisible war is being fought, and will be fought for years to come around the world. Now consider for a moment what has been set in motion from Katrina: Unknown Thousands have lost their lives and families. 90,000 square miles of the United States was destroyed. 160,000 homes destroyed. 1 million US citizens have been displaced.

6000 hospital beds were cut off from a major city. 80% of New Orleans was flooded. Thousands of children are attending schools in other states. 100,000 Military, Coast Guard, and Policemen have been deployed. Stressed to human limits, two policemen committed suicide. That’s the big picture and it says nothing of the tens of thousands of people here and abroad whose lives were changed. Try to calculate the human toll emotionally and spiritually and you cannot. Only God can weigh such matters. But we try in feeble ways to understand. Events like 9/11 and Katrina raise fundamental questions. Why is there so much evil in the world? Why does nature so overwhelm us and destroy our lives. Why do innocent

people suffer? The question always gets asked: Where was God on September 11, 2001? Where was God when 280,000 perished in the Tsunami? Where was God on the morning of August 29th?

Who will you follow? Luke 5:1-11

We find in the Bible that there were many who followed Christ. The reasons for following Him were many. There were some who were so thrilled that they found Christ they went and brought their friends. In His first year there were some who would follow Him for a while and then leave but return. They were what we would call spare time disciples. Some of these were fishermen which came to a full faith. In this passage today we find Jesus calling these fishermen. This was Not their first call, however, recorded in JN 1:35-42; nor their second, recorded in Mt 4:18-22; but their third and last before their appointment to the apostleship. That these calls were all distinct and progressive seems quite plain. How many times has Christ called to you before you have become totally His?

1. Jesus came to the place where they were.

a. Jesus did not avoid people but came to them in many places. He was not content like

May today who sit in church and say let them come to us? He went out to the lake with the

Wind blowing in His face and sun beating down on him. When we go out we can not expect

All to be good but find conditions that test us. He stood there to speak to let people know about the love of God. Who are you going to see to let them know about the love of God?

b. Jesus came to a people who were busy. Did you know that back in the 1960’s there was talk about all the time saving devices that were coming into being that by 1985 we would have the machines doing so much of our work that we would only have to show up for work for 22 hours a week. Guess what it did not happen and many today put in more than 40 hours a week. When Jesus found these men they were busy washing their nets. This was done by hand and needed to be done if they wanted to have a good business. This tells us that God is looking for people who are not lazy but want to and do work. Rom. 12:11

Never be lazy in your work, but serve the Lord enthusiastically. To be apathetic is a sin MT 25:26-30. A “I don’t care” attitude is not a virtue of a Christ follower. Jam 4:17 ‘Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it.” I have found in life we take time for what we think is important. As a boy when my mother would ask me to do some work around the house I would say I am just to tired or do not have the time. In the next few minutes if one of my friends called and said “Let’s go play ball,” my body was resurrected and I was bounding out of the house. What made the difference? My attitude because it was something I wanted to do. How are we spiritually speaking? Do we love to read the Bible? Do we have to take time to pray before we do other things? Is Church so important that all the things don’t matter I have to be here to worship God? Being lazy or making excuses will not stand before God and keep us from God’s best. Our attitude can keep us from growing to be like Christ and hinder God’s church from growing.