Fish Tales

Intro: Question, Experience, Story

Who wants to go fishing?!

Fish in the Bible: God created fish on the 5th day, reference in Leviticus 11 to which fish the people of Isreal could eat, the Israelites enjoyed fish while in Egypt (Num. 11:5), a great fish was prepared by God to swallow Jonah, Fish gate in the city of Jerusalem, Jesus feeds large groups with fish (5k, 4k), Jesus ate fish after his resurrection, several of the disciples were fisherman, Jesus miraculously causes a large catch, a coin is found in the mouth of a fish to pay taxes. Jesus tells the disciples that are fisherman that he will make them to become fishers of men.

the pathway of temptation is described in fisherman’s terms, James 1:14–15 “But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.”

Passage of Scripture: John 21

Fishing for Life: “Follow Me”

Summary/Point:

Illustration: The boey from the shores of Galilee,

Fishing for Life: “Follow Me” (Jn 21)

“I am going fishing” (vs.)

Luke 5:1-11 describes Jesus getting into a boat with Simon in order to teach the crowd on the beach. At the end, he tells Simon to put out in the deep and let their nets down.

Simon- “master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets”. They catch a large number of fish!

Sometimes in life, we think that we know what is best, or know more about what and how we should live.

Simon actually asks Jesus to depart from him because he is a “sinful man” (v.8)

“Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men”- they left everything and followed him.

After all of that, Peter follows Jesus for three years: hearing him preach, watching the miracles, ministering to the needed, confronting the religious leaders, etc. He also watches Jesus be arrested, escorted to the temple mount, beated, whipped, and murdered on a cross.

At this point, Peter has seen the resurrected Jesus 2x.

Have you accepted Jesus call to come and follow Him?

“Do you have any fish?” (vs.)

As Peter is living out his choice to return to fishing.

”Follow me” (vs.)

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Application/Implications:

Renew the Mind (the Scriptures):

What caught your attention in this section?

Which verses or words would you like to study a little more this week?

Engage the Heart (humility vs. pride):

Are you fishing for meaning in life? Are you satisfied with what you have, has it give you what you were looking for? Are you following Jesus?

Maybe this is the first time you have stopped to think about Jesus’ invitation to follow Him. One of the suddle challenges of this life is that we are rocked to sleep by the waves of our culture that leads us to believe that we can live life without Jesus.

Enlist the Body (Words, actions, emotions):

Summary/Point:

Illustration:

Prayer: