Adequately Inadequate

Opening Joke

Poor Sick Little Boy

Marty, a little boy, was in church one Sunday with his mother Doris, when he started feeling sick.  'Mummy,' he inquired, 'can we leave now?'

'No,' his mother replied, 'the service isn't over yet.'

'Well, I think I'm about to throw up.' Marty announced.

'Then go out of the front door and around to the back of the church and throw up behind a bush.' said Doris.

After about sixty seconds, Marty returned to his pew, alongside his mother.

'Did you throw up?' Marty's Mum asked quietly.

'Yes,' Marty answered, embarrassed.

'How could you have gone all the way to the back of the church and returned so quickly?' Doris demanded.

'I didn't have to go out of the church, Mummy. They have a box next to the front door that says, "For the Sick" '.

Welcome

Welcome to youth Sunday! I love youth Sunday as it allows me to show off my amazing students and leaders that make up our own Illuminated Youth!

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Who are we as Christians. It is a question that has plagued me for months. The obvious answer is saved. It is the clear answer right. But is that all we are as Christians? In the Bible Jesus is clear. He gives us Salvation FOR FREE, but then it is our responsibility as Christians to go out and share that free gift with anyone and everyone. Acts 1:8

Acts 1:8 ESV

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

Yet we don’t. Why? Is it the world around us? Is it because we just don’t care? Is it because your scared. I believe it goes back to my original thought. Who are we as Christians? I took to the internet asked on facebook a simple question. In 1 to 2 words, how would you describe yourself as a Christian. I recieved quite a few responses.

Take a look with me.

Jake Shupe Christ's Righteousness Jake Shupe Unconditionally Elected

Jake Shupe Undeserving

Mary Perdue In progress Mary Perdue Humbly thankful Kelli Johnson Have faith Dawn Davis Loving Acceptance Cheryl Smith McDonald Always evolving

Melissa Mangis Loved. Hannah says Loves God David says tired Kimberly Rosales Daily giver! Gerri Fox Kern Undeservedly loved.

John H McDonald Struggling daily Teresa Emery Lawrence (Trying to be) Always Teachable Teresa Emery Lawrence Leaning on Him Janet Stromberger Definitely flawed! Valerie Ann Quigley Forgiven Heidi Kirstein Blessed Misfit Sandy Roloff Growing! Shilo Cain Forever Kept Darin Bruce Unfinished work! Janeen Preeo Joyfully grateful! Merri Nickerson Kingdom heir Emily Snow Perfectly imperfect Aubrey Green Transcendence

Mike Gerry Blessed beyond worthiness. Jennifer Kuster All above

Donna Clemence Learning everyday

Jean Forrester Graciously saved Nancy J Schwartz Living by faith

Talk about some amazing answers. As I spent the time and read through these over and over again I was thinking to myself that many of these answers I could easily use to describe my Christian life. However there was one word that kept running through my mind and heart and seemed to always rose to the the top for me. The word that I feel best describes me as a Christian other than Saved of course is inadequate. I wanted to make sure I knew what I was saying so I looked up my good old thesauras and they also used the words deficient, meager, lacking, and incomplete. I read these words out loud and they seem harsh yet I think of the word inadequate or any of these other words and I have to be honest, I couldn’t be happier with my choice.

I believe that there are three key factors that will point us to the the conclusion that being inadequate is EXACTLY what we want because being inadequate Christians proves to us that none of us are enough without Christ leading our lives.

The first point I want to make is the fact that....

No Theology Degree is Required

Look at the beginning of our text today either in your Bible or on the screen.

Luke 5:1–3 ESV

On one occasion, while the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, he was standing by the lake of Gennesaret, and he saw two boats by the lake, but the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, he asked him to put out a little from the land. And he sat down and taught the people from the boat.

First and foremost i don’t want anyone to say the crazy youth pastor is telling our kids that they shouldn’t go to school. That is not what I am saying AT ALL. You should always strive to learn and grow. Read your Bible fervently. Pray continuously! Never be satisfied with what you know about God. What I am saying is you don’t have to be a Biblical Genius to do the work that God has for you to do.

Jesus by this point is well into His ministry. He has a following. In fact so many people want to hear what this wise man has to say that the Bible says the crowd was “pressing in” on him. Most scholars believe that he had a possible crowd of thousands that were there to hear what he had to say and see what he had to do.

SOAP BOX MOMENT: The people wanted to see miracles. The people also wanted to hear what Jesus had to say because Jesus was teaching the Scriptures. He wasn’t changing them to make people happy. He wasn’t talking over them, He was taking TO them!

As the people pressed in Him and Jesus’ bubble (we all have one) was getting smaller and smaller. He didn’t give up. He didn’t stop and run away. He looked for another option.

He didn’t meet Simon here. We see just one chapter before in Luke 4 that Jesus was performing miracles. One of the miracles that he performed was healing Simon’s mother in law. This means that Simon knew who the Master was. Chances are Simon and his brother and friends even followed Jesus.

As the crowd is pressing in, Jesus looks and see’s Simon’s boat on the shore and calls to Simon who along with Andrew, James and John had been working all night, and were cleaning their nets. Jesus hops in Simon’s boat with Simon. They take the boat and go away from the shore so Jesus could breath yet the people could still hear. Jesus came to Simon in need and Simon dropped everything to help Jesus.

Simon and Jesus go out from the shore. And Simon gets a front row seat to hear the Master preach to the people on the shore.

Did Jesus pick this boat by sheer chance, of course not. Jesus doesn’t make mistakes. So why Simon, why this boat? Simon was an uneducated man. He was a generational fisherman. His brother, also called was an uneducated fishermen. The other two men James and John were uneducated fishermen. Why not choose someone like religious leaders in the church who know everything about the Bible. Why not choose people who are trained and who are accustomed to speaking to people. Powerful people that could help in a war against the Romans.

Simon and the other disciples were chosen by Jesus because Jesus knew that they were clay ready to be molded. He knew they would follow him and soak up everything He had to say like sponges. There is nothing wrong with being a theological scholar. I am. I have a bachelors degree. We have a senior pastor with 2 doctorates! There is nothing wrong with studying and knowing the word. But being a theological scholar is not a prerequisite for doing the work that God wants us to do. The only requirement for sharing the message that Jesus COMMANDED us to share is Salvation and the willingness to share it.

The second thing that will help us when it comes to being inadequate is....

Being Willing To Say Yes

Luke 5:4–7 ESV

And when he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” And Simon answered, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.” And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking. They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink.

The second part of realizing that we are inadequate is to take the first step by saying yes! Agreeing to listen and follow what God has to say for our lives and plans no matter how hard and impossible they may seem in our head.

WE start the second part of our scripture here seeing that God instructs Simon to toss the nets one more time. Simon and his cohorts had been fishing ALL NIGHT and had come up with nothing yet this carpenter is telling them to fish again. They were tired. They had been casting these heavy nets with no results. They wanted to finish their work and sleep.

Simon must have either had unbelievable trust in Jesus or felt like he hade nothing to loose. “We worked hard and caught nothing!” You don’t understand, I know how this fishing thing works, I am tired and it is pointless.

We often think that we know better than God for some reason.

I like what Alistar Begg says. I just wish I could say it in his Scottish accent.

“If I don’t preach the gospel to myself all day everyday day then I will find myself beginning to trust myself, trust my experience, which is part of my fallenness as a man. If I take my eyes off the cross, I can then give only lip service to it’s efficacy, while at the same time living as if my salvation depends on me. And as soon as you go there, it will lead you either to abject despair or a horrible kind of arrogance. And it is only the cross of Christ that deals both with the dreadful depths of despair and the pretentious arrogance of the pride of man that says, you know, I can figure this out and I am doing wonderfully well.” - Alistar Begg

We need to understand that God isn’t going to make a command that makes us feel comfortable. It doesn’t matter how many times we try and do something that God has commanded. If it is something we are asked to do by the father we should do it until the day the task is completed. No matter what. Emphasis on the should in that statement.

Simon realizes that there must be a reason for this unreasonable request. Chances are there wasn’t going to be a single fish inside the net, however Jesus knew better than Simon and Simon knew that.

“But at your word I will let down the nets.”

Jesus if this is what you command it doesn’t matter how I feel. I will do it. Simon gave the most simple answer he could but it was the one the master needed. Yes.

What makes us think that if God gives us a task He won’t give us every tool we might need. Oh you need a little energy ok. Your scared, how about some courage. We are the ones that choose to fight this battle alone. Jesus wants to help and guide us every step of the way yet we are to proud to accept His help.

I recently saw a clip from a show. There was a trial and there was a priest on the stand who was asked the question Why doesn’t God answer your prayers? I love his response.

I asked for strength, and God gave me difficulties to make me strong.

I asked for wisdom, and God gave me problems to solve.

I asked for courage, and God gave me dangers to overcome.

I asked for love, and God gave me troubled people to help.

So you see God answered my prayers.

I hope we all agree that God knows all, is all powerful, sees all. If we believe that then why should we be surprised when what He says for our lives actually works?! Look how God looks out for us.

Matthew 10:29 ESV

Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father.

Nehemiah 9:6–7 ESV

“You are the Lord, you alone. You have made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them; and you preserve all of them; and the host of heaven worships you. You are the Lord, the God who chose Abram and brought him out of Ur of the Chaldeans and gave him the name Abraham.

Because Simon said yes, they had so many fish the boat almost capsized. He couldn’t even bring in the net! He had to call his friends. It took all four fishermen to bring that net full of fish in. A little act of faith reaped giant rewards.

When we listen to what Jesus says Jesus will reward us. He will reward us with what we need!

Finally after we realize that we need the father. After we say yes to the words He gives us. We need to take the next step which for me is the most difficult.

We Need To Be Willing To Listen

Luke 5:8–11 ESV

But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish that they had taken, and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.” And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him.

Simon has fully realized that he isn’t enough at this point. But instead of glueing himself to Jesus, He tries to send Jesus away. Simon knew that he was not capable of being in God’s presence. He needed Jesus’ reassurance that even though by himself Simon wasn’t enough with Jesus leading him he was more than enough!

Jesus reassurance was all that Simon need. They knew Jesus was exactly who He said he was. In fact Simon acknowledges in calling Jesus Lord that Jesus was God. That was a huge thing for a jew to say.

This didn’t meant that Simon wasn’t going to make more mistakes. Just the opposite. Simon who became Peter was a hotheaded screwup! Yet Simon is the man that Jesus chose to lead his disciples and Simon Peter was the man that we know as the man that started to church as we know it today! A uneducated hothead. A man who simply said yes Lord let me do your will.

One more important point to acknowledge here is the fact that this final conversation happened on Simon’s knees. When people finally acknowledge the father the outcome is something that cant be replicated. We are nothing without the father and EVERYTHING with Him.

Job

Job 42:5–6 ESV

I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you; therefore I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes.”

Ezekiel

Ezekiel 1:28 ESV

Like the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud on the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness all around. Such was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. And when I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard the voice of one speaking.

John

Revelation 1:17–18 ESV

When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, “Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.

Billy Graham

I can't live the Christian life alone. I'm a failure. Billy Graham cannot live the Christian life. I've tried, I can't do it. But with the help of the word of God and the help of the Holy Spirit I can live the Christian life, but he lives it through me. He produces the fruit of the spirit which is love and joy and peace. All of these things are supernaturally produced in you by the Holy Spirit when you receive Christ. Some people say I'm trying to hold on. You don't need to hold on he holds you just turn loose and let him come into your heart.

Close

I want to leave you with a thought. Be proud to be inadequate! Deficient, meager, lacking, incomplete, inadequate. Words that in regular every day life are not what you want to be referred to as, yet as a Christian, short of Saved I can’t think of many words that I would rather be called. God has called all who call Him savior to do a job. A job that none of us, even the smartest and most Bible read of us are qualified or worthy of doing. To share His message. Yet if we are willing, if we say yes, if we listen to our Savior and allow Him to lead us then even the most inadequate among us aren’t just adequate, we are God’s selected who are handpicked for whatever we are asked to do. Because God doesn’t make mistakes. And if God is for us, who even ourselves can be against us. Let’s Pray.