2-2-2025 Luke

You know, we're going to be looking today and the Book of Luke at being obedient, when God calls us to do something, and sometimes we're just tough. We're stubborn were hardheaded. We don't, we think there's a better way, but we have to be resolved to go in the way the master wants us to go let's conclude our sing Services, we offer for him with him. Number 290, I am thine. O Lord.

Are you home last invoice?

What is 5 / 8?

Library.

To me this week to go to the Louisiana Baptist evangelism conference. It was over in Covington and

you Pastor me today, you know sometimes I don't know anybody ever open the mail and just get disgusted when they open the mail. This this past week, I opened our mail and our insurance is coming renewable. And it went up 50%.

And I called the agent and I should whoop Elite, please explain to me, he said he said, 11, insurance companies that did churches in Louisiana have left the state. There's only two left, he said and the one who said, be thankful, you're in your situation. He said, I've had to mail letters out to 450 churches. Telling them they no longer have insurance cuz the company is no longer ensuring in Louisiana, all the church is from Lake Charles to Slidell on the I-10 Corridor have been dropped. 450 Baptist churches. And he said in the deal is there's their shaky pieces. We can put together, but you should come in and tell a church that they've got to pay $20,000 more than what they were currently paying. To do it. So he said be glad the eye 12/4, not any yet. And so then I was convicted that I was having a pity party.

It in perspective, Kishore wondering how much it's $3,000 more? That's a lot. I mean, considering we were paying 2000 and 3000 + 4000 + 6000. We're up to 9000, but, you know, that we were blessed. And when I went to the evangelism conference, there were some words that you're glad everybody needed to hear it but your pastor in particular needed to hear it and one of them, one of the speakers came out of the Book of Luke and I should write Were there for the Bob asked me will how come you skipped? You skipped a few chapters and I said, yeah, I know, I was like, but when I when I heard that message I said they got to hear it. So sort of like a message that I wish I had come up with But I didn't and Lord forgive me, I forgot the minister that I've got it written down somewhere, that shared it, but he he brought a word for us and it was kind of interesting cuz we're in Luke chapter 5.

We'll come back next week to the Miss chapters, because I think we're quotes chapter 9 of Jesus ministry going on.

And in this is where Jesus and I tried to get the video to kind of play into it that As Jesus calls people, we are called to go and share the message. They were trying to hit on with us and they said 167 people in Louisiana. Die every day.

And he said the shortness of our life that the time we have on Earth at the time, the ability to share times, we keep waiting and waiting and waiting and waiting. And they they had the fingers of how many people share their faith share would God's done to him, share a word about Things were bad but now they're better because of Christ. And

He went on to talk about.

the urgency that we need to have because the world is getting lost her

I can't care about you in here in the back cuz that that's not a word in and

What are words? I don't know. I got to think on that and I have, but the world is getting more lost. Their will go will be safe on that every day. There's more people being born. I was, I was seeing how many people are in India today. India has surpassed China has the most populous country in the world.

The gospel hasn't been shared. There's so many dialects and languages and people needing to to share at the missionaries, the mission field, they're seeing a reduction in the number of missionaries going, mainly because the families are putting so much pressure on it. I shared with you. The story about we were Church camp and the camp Pastor was talking to us. Please ask to church youth group to pray for him because they were going to a Muslim country. and they have two small children, and they said, pray for us because our family is in raged And and so one of the kids got up there and they were praying, dear Lord, help their family come to Jesus when they finish that this Camp Pastor was in tears. He said both our fathers are pastors And they want everybody else to go. But when it comes time to their own, it's up. We didn't mean you were, we meant everybody else and so the world that the pressure and it's a crazy world out there. But I watched the video this morning of, of the people in the restaurant where that plane Philadelphia just crashed. Came down in the restaurant Blue their hats off and everything and end we don't know we are you know our days are numbered crazy stuff can happen, but let's look at Luke chapter 5. where Jesus is Calling his disciples and starting his ministry and it says so it was As the multitude pressed about him to hear the word of God that he stood, by the way, kitchen are set and saw two boats standing, by the way, but the fishermen had gone from them were washing their Nets.

I don't go on.

We're washing their Nets.

Then he got into one of the boats.

I grew up on the ocean. And it was not uncommon for people. You really didn't know to get into your boat or general you ask permission first. Could we come aboard could we come on your boat? I've always confess the story here that I was a poor kid. I had a 12 ft rowboat. That I kept strategically placed in the harbor. But the yacht club was there. Somebody, I would sneak over the yacht club and make sure everybody saw me. The yacht club and then I'd have to wait for them to all leave in their cabin cruisers and their Jets boats and everything else. And then I would row across and call my parents to come pick me up, cuz she was, it was a downhill ride on the bicycle to my house, but it was an uphill ride all the way back. So somebody would have to come get me and pick me up. But, you know, when you asked permission to come on the boat, and in here, we say Jesus and he got into one of the boats. It doesn't say he asked, it had been teaching the people. I would choose Simon, Simon Peter and ask him to put out a little from land, and he sat down and talked the multitude from the boat Jesus started his ministry and the more he talked, the more people wanted to come in here and they didn't have microphones, they didn't have you. No big screens for check stuff. So the people kept pressing closer and closer and Closer. And so Jesus decides, let me get in the boat, will go out a little ways here. They're not as likely to come wading. Through the water to get us, and I'll be able to It says that he sat down and talked the multitude from the boat. And when he had stopped speaking, he said to Simon launch into the deep and let down your nets for a cat. now, Simon Peter, he's the guy that's living on the edge. He's the one that.

Tries to walk on the water. He says, just say come to me, he jumps out, he starts thinking down, he's the one that cuts the ear off in the garden when Jesus, he's the one that denies Jesus, he's the one that You know, always has to say when Jesus was struggling with Patrol. I'll never leave. You not me, everybody else should go. And so Peter was kind of the You know what is the interaction is a 12 get together. They just sometimes we just close your eyes when Peter goes but Lord. Knowing what he says he's going to come out with. But Simon answered him. And said Master, we've toiled all night and we've caught nothing. You know, there's times in our lives.

that we feel like, We've been working and working and working and doing and doing it and doing it. It's gets us nowhere, where, where is bad as we were, you know, when we start. and so,

Jesus goes on.

You know, when you need to tell him go deeper and throw your nets down again. Now I would be I had a lot of friends that they were fishermen and they were big Nets cuz they catch the big fish. I don't know if you've ever been to the Tarpon Rodeo in Grand Isle and seen the monsters that they pull up from the depths down there. But after you cleaned your nets, you pull all the seaweed out, you fix the piece of the last thing. You want somebody to tell you is going to put him down again. You're tired, you're hungry. You don't want to do it. so,

first five.

Nevertheless at your word, I will let down the net. so, our work today is never the last

You know, what time should we try to make excuses? I love watching, interactions between student and teachers, children and parents parents in their bosses and in a lot of times we're in discussion with wow. Yeah, but I do it anyway. Just do it. I don't care about all the other stuff.

I had a painful lesson. When I was young, private in the army. it was cold, we were up cuz it was colder than it was last week we were in Northern Virginia. We were freezing in the acting or burn barrel but your 55 gallon drums that you burn anything you could burn in there and it came time for us to go out on maneuvers and our platoon Sergeant came up and said you, you and you Dump those burn barrels. And there was a Communications context, it's kind of abandoned looking over there. And he says, dumb people.

Here's me, Sergeant there. They're still hot. And there's stuff in there. and, He said, I don't care. I gave you an order. I. We're like And so we know you want us to dump these hot barrels and there was boxes of stuff and, and junk, and everything in this, in their. Yes. And don't make me tell you again. So we drugged the burn barrels over there. And this was on in an Airfield, where the president's helicopter in the sector Defense helicopter, although the bigwigs birds were kept, we just threw it in there. The red Sparks were flying everywhere. And we go out on maneuvers and come back. Few hours later. You see fire trucks? And helicopters. Police and everybody else for the terrorist attack. The set the airfield on fire.

And the general is out there and everybody was going crazy and the Flames were coming out of all sides. And the general came over and said Who did that?

The kind of work. We were just privates, we just looked at each other and we said,

and who told you to do that and it this time the platoon Sergeant was kind of sneaking back, trying to hide and I said, why don't you you have to ask our platoon Sergeant, we just we threw him under the bus. We didn't like him anyway, but we went through the process of. Do you really want me to do that? And no matter what we said, nevertheless, what we said he said, do it anyway. And Peter comes back and says, nevertheless at your word. Now, I was kind of disappointed.

because a lot of the translations of the Bible, Doesn't have the word nevertheless in it. It's it's like a King James King's English word. We don't walk around the house going. Nevertheless, use that much. I will let down. The net. And when they're done, they caught a great number of fish and their net was breaking. Going through the process of obedience. When it's not easy, it is hard sometimes. Never the last means in spite of what notwithstanding all that was another one notwithstanding, we don't speak that word very much either, all the same. How old is Hema, I'll do it. And so

realize Peter hasn't Been Around Jesus at wall.

Few weeks. Maybe I've seen him around. He hasn't he's going through the process. Now of calling him to be a disciple.

The first part is, is it's a word of calm. Conversion. where,

Before Peter was just doing whatever he want, whatever he thought was the best. Jesus comes along and says I want you to do something and and throwing the Nets out of a boat that note was work. It wasn't like

Walking across hot coals or glass or a really tough deal. It's like they put the net on the other side of the boat.

Either, you don't know a lot about fishing. I will tell you it makes a difference sometimes. Right side of the boat left side of the boat. I had friends, they had all the high speed radar and fish, finders and stuff. And buy only tell you, they have that. Will trolling motor in the back. They would be on the fish and brother, Bill would be in the weeds in the, in the trees and stuff out there. So it makes a difference sometimes, what you fish on, the disciples Pinterest and look where it's big water. If the Fisher hear the Fisher here, but they said because you said it, Lord, we're going to do it. and so is its conversion from their heart in mind. Christ, heart and mind that they're willing to do with somebody else says, you know, and it's hard for us. As humans.

Take me to listen to people. We don't like even if they're right, we just you know, they come in the room and it could be a little thing, but it just your voice just Not just me. I know some of y'all are out there that way but he would Jesus it there wasn't there wasn't confrontation. There wasn't anything. He just met her Factory says hey take it out. Castanet. Compliance is is The Obedience now.

Psalm 111:10, and I read this talks about,

A fear of God. you know, when when I asked students, when I was a youth minister, Who are you more worried about mom or dad? And I'd ask why you know they tell me they said but I we don't mess with Mama. Mama does not play. She doesn't want to Mama's got a wooden spoon, Mama's got a shoe, Mama's got whatever she can throw. She's getting it. I had a redheaded, Irish, grandmother and, and That woman, she didn't care. She said, get out you best be gone because the next thing was was coming at your head but Psalm 111. Treated hair, second. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, a good understanding, have all those who will do his Commandments, his praise and doors forever.

You know, it it's not a fear.

A carer. It's a fear of.

Knowing that there is a reason. I think we can think back to the conversations we had when we were younger and I love it when, when I'm around young Youth and they're like, I never going to be like my parents. I'm never going to do that to my kids and then I pray. It will send. The parents are like dear Lord. Give them three, just like them. and we'll see how well, they they hold up on on that theory but but the fear is because there's a reason You know, don't put your finger in now but you're going to get shot. Don't don't do something at nnn so much. Of this, is there to help us to get to guide us to direct us and we don't like we like to do it my way. we're looking through the Book of Joshua and in one of the things that we're talking about is we obey ourselves, the things we do and the things God does, And sometimes we don't want to do it. God ways. We think we've got a better way to do it. When things were talking about this afternoon is the children of Israel. I walked around Jericho 13 times

And they couldn't talk. And I'm sitting there thinking, I'd be whispering to somebody. I'm just my LP ain't you could not keep his mouth shut. I mean my kids used to talk that I had talked to file rocks and answering back and stuff. You know that I just couldn't do it, but God said don't speak, do not speak and and in my mind I'm thinking there's a million people walking. Somebody's talking. I mean, there's just there's somebody out there and I kept looking through that, you know, somebody was struck by lightning or struck dead or something, cuz it didn't. I'm in maybe they were more obedient than I am about things. but here, when they're talking about the fear of the Lord in this, nevertheless, it's a compliance Scott. I'm going to do it your way.

We go on.

The word of faith.

Nevertheless. I believe. if you said Lord to do it and in the Bible is full of it, and in Jesus comes up more and more and more will, you know, the sermon of the mount in Matthew were reporters so much into blessed are Those.

The next part is it's a word of concession and surrender. Never the last. I'm going to do it. It is at an end. There's an involvement. Of this interaction between God and us. God has asked us directed us told us to do something. And and we have to do it. We don't want to eat, we don't, we don't understand it and that's one of the challenges that we don't always understand God. It work, we don't always see you at work. We don't understand why he's allowing me to go through something, but he's calling me to be faithful. He's calling me to be obedient and, and the results are in guaranteed. I'll never forget. I was a youth Minister and Georgia 1980, and a bunch of the rich businessman came in and we spend some money. We had a 3 million dollar gym for the kids and, and, I mean, it was at so they asked me, they said, how do you justify All the money you're spending on Youth and children's activities.

What's the return on the dollar they were, they were throwing business turned. What is your return? And I didn't really think about it and I said, you know, I don't know. I don't know how many preachers are coming out. I don't know how many church members are coming out. I don't know what, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 years. It's going to look like. We don't see a lot of Sunday morning. But we're still invest in and we're still pouring into him and I told him, you know, we're called to obedience not necessarily success. and we just have to do the right thing and keep on and keep on and keep on even But we don't necessarily see the results.

I got to check something here, before I misspeak for one of the

I'm not a baseball person. but the speaker, Curtis Babe Ruth.

And I was, I was in all sorts of trivia cuz I can't tell you who's on what ball team anything. But they said that Babe Ruth one year Hit 60 home runs. 60, broke the record. That was the record. No ballplayer had ever hit 60 home runs and they said, but would people forget Was that same year, he struck out 89 times.

And so there was the glory in the good but there was still almost 50% more of the bad. You know, people were waiting, where's our home run? Where's our home run? And yet he kept adding, he kept doing it, he was he was enduring through it. And that last part there.

Was it's a word of consistency? Nothing's worse.

For the world to look and see a believer.

That's up and down. You know, you need to come to church. You need to love Jesus. You need to

read your Bible, you have to do this and then you read some horrific thing that that person was guilty of and in your you're wondering which person What's that? I had a pastor friend, I admire this guy, he was incredible. He spoke in every state convention across the country. And I found out he was a molester. I mean, I, I literally saw, 800 people come to Christ under his message under his preaching and today, he's spending a thousand years in prison. For it. And I can't tell you how many of those kids have called me up coming at how they even found out about it. I don't know what they're like, brother, Bill was I really saved? Because the minister was such a horrible Wicked Center. And then we had to have the discussion. You know, we are saved by the working of God. In the Holy Spirit, in the grace of God, in spite of Who The Messengers are in spite of catching them on a bad day, what they look like, but it's the same time. The never the last word is calling us to be consistent. That when people look at us. Our wife walk. Should be an example to our faith walk.

1st Corinthians chapter 3.

SS versus six and seven, but God gave the increase. So then neither Hugh plans nor he who Waters but it's God, that gives the increase. now, he He who plants and he waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward cording to his labors. Got someone working, he's working in our lives, she's working people around us, that word of hope. That word of encouragement that word testimony that we share. God is preparing the hearts to receive it and hear it. And what people do with it, we don't know.

We go on reading. The rest are in in in Luke. so they signal to the partners in the other boat to come and help them and they came and filled both boats so that they began to sink When Simon Peter saw it? He fell down at Jesus knees. Saying, depart from me for I am a sinful Man. O. Lord

Simon realize that it wasn't just a lucky day. That's how they were running. We got them. He realize that God was at work and even more so he realized his own condition and end and who he was. And then he knew that he had a perfect savior, a sinless. God And he's over here.

And in your own in Jesus says to him.

For he and all those who were with and worst honest at the catch of fish, which they had taken. And so also were James and John, the sons of Zebedee tease or partners. Assignment.

Jesus didn't give him a whole list of things they had to do. Give me right with him. He just spoke a word and they did it and end in for us. A lot of times, we think we've got our checklist, I've got to do this. I've got to do this so many people tell me before, I can become a Christian. I've got to get my wife fixed.

Wow. Tell me how to do that. It is all sorts of self-help books out there all. If you only do this, your life will be changed and ever different than ever new. And the new you is coming out and it may be why I asked for a little while, but ultimately, it's not. The new you is a repentance and acceptance of Jesus Christ at his word and accepting the grace that's offered for a change to the new life.

And Jesus said to Simon, do not be afraid from now on, you will catch men. so, when they have brought their boats to the land, they forsook all And followed him.

I'm sure there were a lot of disappointed parents out there. When their sons come in and say, you know what, we're not fishing anymore. we're going to go follow this preacher around and

Who is this? Are you nuts? Are you going to pay the bills? You know what we work. So hard for the family business. You were supposed to carry on with it and and some guy comes up to you and says, follow me I will make you Fishers of Men and you forsook all and it doesn't even say sometimes in the Bible that there was a ruler. Hey, give me some time. I've got to take care of my family. I've got to take care of my business cuz I got to take care of my interest. 880 West here. Instead, they forsook all and followed Christ. And for us, a lot of times, we go through the list of excuses, why we can't do something.

You do for us, were called to be obedient.

We don't know what the success rate will be. we don't know if I pour into that person, if I love them, if I encourage them, if I do, if it's going to make any difference,

but Christ working through, you makes a difference. and even though you don't always see it, You don't have to. You don't have to be praised all the time for look at what I'm doing. I love the people that that I find out years later that they invested in somebody, they poured into somebody. They help somebody they reached out to somebody and they never told anybody they did it.

It's sometimes when we do the hey look at me when I'm doing that we need to worry his heart's, not quite right. That at humble Spirit, the realization that it's not me doing it. It's God doing it. And I am blessed to be able to have the opportunity to do it.

There was a church in Livingston. That one of their greeters. Had no legs. At the church. And he would, we go out to people's cars in the rain and they'd open the door and he have the umbrella and be willing back in and he fights to get the door open to let them in an idiot. Such a servant's heart and it was never. That's just how he was 24/7 and see mccarter's. It was the same way and I was thinking man he's got lots of reasons. Why not to do it. That's a good reason and Yeti does and frost are challenges know what are excuses. Nevertheless God says, I've heard you, I've seen you, nevertheless, be obedient and go ahead. Let's pray, father, God, we thank you for your word. Lord, thank you. That you love us. Lord in spite of our sins, in spite of our shortcomings. I pray that you would give us a boldness, the faithfulness, the endurance To hear and obey your wonderful and precious name. Amen.

Call Babe.

Just a couple of announcements will be having Bible study this afternoon.

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