Let's Go!
Notes
Transcript
Today I want to teach you something. As I get older I hear things that kids are saying and the reason I know that I am getting older is that I do not understand the things the kids are saying. When I say things that we used to say when I was younger the kids look at me like I am from another planet. One of the things that you will hear kids and young people say now is “Let’s Go!” It is a way of saying I am excited. You know like you would say No Way!, or Awesome! instead of that kids say, Let’s Go. Well I want you to learn Let’s Go! You are going to need to know this phrase so I want you to practice it with me so 1, 2, 3 “ LET’s GO! Ok now that you have it I want to tell you why you need to know it. First you need to know it because God is doing something big with our church and there is no room to sit around and wait on it, we need to Go! We need to be excited about what God is doing. Second is that we have been talking about evangelism for the last 6 weeks. Guess what time it is? Yeah that is right it is time to Let’s Go! This week I want to excite you about what God can do when you start moving in what He has been preparing your heart for. I will present something to you at the end of service and I hope you will be as excited about it as I am. Before we get there though I am bringing the Word of God this morning to show you that even you. Yes you can be used by God as an evangelist. Today our main passage will be Matthew 4:18-22 Go ahead and turn here in your Bible. As you turn there I want you to think about the following things that you will see in this passage. First, Jesus did not choose the best, He chose the willing. Second, He chose you, you did not choose Him. Third, we are to spiritually reproduce. Stand with me as we read the Word this morning.
18 While walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (who is called Peter) and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. 19 And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” 20 Immediately they left their nets and followed him.
Jesus did not choose the best, He chose the willing
Jesus did not choose the best, He chose the willing
18 While walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (who is called Peter) and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen.
When I talk about evangelism I know one of the first things that goes through your mind is that I am not qualified to evangelize. I have only been a christian for this many weeks, months, or years. There are others far more qualified than me to evangelize to others. You look at yourself and you say well I don’t have a masters of divinity, I am not a Bible scholar, I don’t even teach Sunday School. That’s great! Want to know why? Because Jesus don’t care about any of that! We are the only ones who put regulations on who and how God can use someone. We have come up with guidelines and rules and because of us having our own rules and regulations people who have no business being behind the pulpit or leading a church are leading mega churches around the world today. God does not care about our degrees or certificates. He cares that we are willing to do His will. It is amazing to think about all the people in the Bible that God used and they did not have colleges or universities. I just don’t understand how God got anything done in those days. Look at this passage again and I want to point something out to you. It says that Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee, while He was walking He called out to Simon who’s nick name was Peter and Andrew His brother. Its pretty cool here that it specifies that they were fishermen. Why is this so important? You don’t know? Ok let me tell you. First Hebrew boys went to Torah school starting at the age of 5. By the age of 10 all of the boys knew the Torah, the best were permitted to stay and study the remaining old Testament while the rest were sent back to learn their families business. The fact that Jesus found these guys fishing means that they were not the best of the best. These guys were probably like me in school. I loves school because it was my hang out. The classes and junk were OK but it was really a place to see my friends. I only did the classes because I had a healthy fear of my father. I picture Simon Peter as the class clown. You know they are talking about wondering in the desert for 40 years and he tells the teacher that he would rather wonder around in the desert for 40 years than to be stuck in his class. I see Andrew as the silent uninterested type, you know maybe the outcast. He is cool by association with his brother. They were not the brightest students, in the year book they were voted most likely to be fishermen. So the fact that Jesus found these guys fishing meant that the school did not see any need for them to continue in religious studies because they were not going to be the next Rabbi. At age 17 the Rabbi’s would go around and recruit the best of the best to follow them and to sit under their teaching. Jesus came to 2 guys that were for all purposes kicked out of school because they were not good enough. Jesus did not chose them because they had great resumes He chose them because they were willing. The only thing that God needs from you is a willing heart to seek Him. God does not need perfect people, skilled people, educated people. God can use you with all of your failures and shortcomings. Look at these Scriptures
Abraham- Genesis 12:10-20
10 Now there was a famine in the land. So Abram went down to Egypt to sojourn there, for the famine was severe in the land. 11 When he was about to enter Egypt, he said to Sarai his wife, “I know that you are a woman beautiful in appearance, 12 and when the Egyptians see you, they will say, ‘This is his wife.’ Then they will kill me, but they will let you live. 13 Say you are my sister, that it may go well with me because of you, and that my life may be spared for your sake.” 14 When Abram entered Egypt, the Egyptians saw that the woman was very beautiful. 15 And when the princes of Pharaoh saw her, they praised her to Pharaoh. And the woman was taken into Pharaoh’s house. 16 And for her sake he dealt well with Abram; and he had sheep, oxen, male donkeys, male servants, female servants, female donkeys, and camels.
17 But the Lord afflicted Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai, Abram’s wife. 18 So Pharaoh called Abram and said, “What is this you have done to me? Why did you not tell me that she was your wife? 19 Why did you say, ‘She is my sister,’ so that I took her for my wife? Now then, here is your wife; take her, and go.” 20 And Pharaoh gave men orders concerning him, and they sent him away with his wife and all that he had.
Abraham lied about Sarah being his wife and said she was his sister and have her to Pharoah.
Judah slept with Tamar because he believed she was a harlot. Genesis 38:15-18
15 When Judah saw her, he thought she was a prostitute, for she had covered her face. 16 He turned to her at the roadside and said, “Come, let me come in to you,” for he did not know that she was his daughter-in-law. She said, “What will you give me, that you may come in to me?” 17 He answered, “I will send you a young goat from the flock.” And she said, “If you give me a pledge, until you send it—” 18 He said, “What pledge shall I give you?” She replied, “Your signet and your cord and your staff that is in your hand.” So he gave them to her and went in to her, and she conceived by him.
God still used their line to bring about the Messiah.
Moses was a murderer
11 One day, when Moses had grown up, he went out to his people and looked on their burdens, and he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his people. 12 He looked this way and that, and seeing no one, he struck down the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. 13 When he went out the next day, behold, two Hebrews were struggling together. And he said to the man in the wrong, “Why do you strike your companion?” 14 He answered, “Who made you a prince and a judge over us? Do you mean to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?” Then Moses was afraid, and thought, “Surely the thing is known.”
So your sin is not something that will disqualify you from being used by God if you are seeking Him. Your education is not something to disqualify you. Look what happened in Acts. Acts 4:13
13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus.
So what excuse are you going to give me next? Don’t worry whatever it is I can find a scripture or a story in the Bible that will destroy your argument of being used by God. He does not call the equipped, He equips the called. Are you ready to finally let go of this idea that you must be more than a servant to God? That you should be perfect in some aspect, or very educated? Church God does not need your diplomas, or certificates and credentials. He will give you everything you need. You are being called today. I am laying on you a challenge from the Word of God to go out today and start reaching those in your fields. The fields are white for harvest. Let’s Go! Not only does Jesus call the willing and equip them. Jesus chose you, you did not choose Him.
Jesus chose you, you did not choose Him.
Jesus chose you, you did not choose Him.
19 And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
I explained to you already that the Rabbi’s would go and recruit their followers. Jesus went and recruited 12 men and ended up with many more following Him. Jesus looked for those who had failures in their lives and those who were not the greatest students. Jesus intentionally chose them. Simon Peter and Andrew did not wonder their way towards the temple holding signs asking for a Rabbi to take them in. Jesus took an intentional route along the sea of Galilee and called them intentionally. Whatever circumstances in your life that led to you seeking God. I can tell you it was not by happen stance. God led you to Him and brought you to Himself. John 6:44
44 No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day.
Jesus has chosen you to be His voice to a world in need. He came after you, called you to Himself and He is ready for you to get started. We have so many called who are sitting around waiting on someone else to start the work and they are willing to help but you know what. It is time for you to get up and get to work. There are no excuses. You don’t have time? Then quit misusing His time He is giving to you. You don’t have skills? He will grant you what you need. You are not a good speaker? He will do the talking. You are chosen and He does not make mistakes. You can come up with as many excuses as you want to but the fact is that Jesus chose you just like He chose Simon Peter and Andrew and the rest of His disciples. Guess what He chose Judas too for His purpose so even if you are not the best person in here He can still use you for His glory. You may be struggling in life but you need to remember that you are so special that Jesus chose you!
I like to say that I am the one who chose my wife. But let’s be honest for a moment men. We may have looked at our wives and gone, whew what a woman. She though had to look at you and say that you were worth her settling for. My wife settled with me I just want to make that clear. I did my best when we first got together to make her thing that I was the best thing that ever happened to her. That was a short lived dream for her. When the immaturity started shining through and the insecurities she could have run. Guess what she didn't. She has stuck it out. The fact is that she chose me and I did not chose her no matter how much I tell myself it was the other way around.
What does the Scripture say?
4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will,
28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.
16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.
Jesus did not chose the best, He chose the willing. You did not choose Jesus, He chose you, and lastly as the Chosen we are called to spiritually reproduce.
We are called to Spiritually Reproduce
We are called to Spiritually Reproduce
18 While walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (who is called Peter) and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. 19 And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” 20 Immediately they left their nets and followed him.
Jesus called these men and told them that He would make them fishers of men. They would be the ones who He started a revolution with. Jesus was ready to use plain ole country boys to start something the World would never forget. Jesus was calling them to bring about a new generation of believers under the new covenant in Christ. To do this Jesus taught them to love one another, to sacrifice themselves, to give to the cause of the Cross. How did He teach them this? By exemplifying it. Jesus was ready to show the disciples how to live so that they could reproduce this in their lives. Jesus did not call them to be His disciples to make His life easier. He called them so He could be a living example of what He was calling them too. Too many Christians today though are OK with the example stopping with Christ. It was good enough for Jesus to do it to get you into the Kingdom but when it comes to you having to do it to help others into the kingdom, all of the excuses come flying and all of the reasons why we cannot do it surface. It is time for us to realize that we have a command to reproduce spiritually. What was the first commandment? Genesis 1:28
28 And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”
Moving into the new covenant and the spiritual world this same commandment can be paralleled. In the Old testament it was a command to populate the world. In our day it is a command to multiply in the believers. We are called to make disciples. You are called to reproduce spiritually. Jesus did not call you into a relationship so you could ride the gravy train. Jesus called you to salvation so you could go and make disciples.
Why do people have kids? Is it because they are wonderful creatures? Yes sometimes they are. Sometimes they are not though. You know like when they tell you, Dad I’m sorry I accidentally put a hole in the wall. Or Dad the toilet is overflowing, leaving out that they just flushed a bouncy ball thats the perfect size to stop the toilet!. You have children because you want a family to continue on beyond yourself. A family is made by reproducing yourself and leaving behind someone to carry on your family name.
In the same way Jesus has called us to reproduce our family name in Him. We are not people of whatever last name you carry we are people of Christ and we are to carry His name to the end of the World. Today I hope that you see that there is no excuse you can give that the Bible does not destroy on why as a believer you are not out making disciples for Christ. We must do this. There is no time to wait and it is time to get up and get moving. When I see our church moving towards what Christ called us to do I cannot help but to get so excited I sound like a kid screaming Let’s Go!
