Unplugged Pre VBS
Notes
Transcript
We have VBS Coming Up tomorrow please be in prayer for that
This morning will be a bit different
Our worship was different
Lydia told me they were going to do something different
Sort of an unplugged version of worship
I though I could do something different for the sermon
Then I hit a road block
I pondered the question what was I going to preach on
I spoke with Randi
she mentioned faith
I struggled through the week with what I would preach on
I did think maybe on Sunday I would get up here with no notes and just my Bible and see what God does
Then Wednesday Morning came
I was reading a devo on the names of God
That particular day was
Jehovah Jireh
Meaning - The Lord will provide
I started to think about my sermon and somehow fishing came up
As a side note I do believe there are a lot of similarities to fishing and your Christian life
But I thought of the disciples fishing and Jesus going to them and saying let your net on the other side
1 After these things Jesus manifested Himself again to the disciples at the Sea of Tiberias, and He manifested Himself in this way. 2 Simon Peter, and Thomas called Didymus, and Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two others of His disciples were together. 3 Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We will also come with you.” They went out and got into the boat; and that night they caught nothing.
These were professional fisherman
They knew and understood how to catch fish
After all their families livelihood depended on them being able to catch fish
I have been fishing plenty of times and caught nothing
Not sure though how I would feel about someone coming to be and saying you should do this and you will catch fish
Maybe I would say sure I can try that
But I wonder at my heart
Would I have the faith to do what they say
4 But when the day was now breaking, Jesus stood on the beach; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. 5 So Jesus said to them, “Children, you do not have any fish, do you?” They answered Him, “No.” 6 And He said to them, “Cast the net on the right-hand side of the boat and you will find a catch.” So they cast, and then they were not able to haul it in because of the great number of fish.
This is exactly what happens
After they have spent all night fishing
They begin to come in because they are tired and the fish weren't biting
Let me tell you a secret about fishing
When they fish aren’t biting you set or I set a timer ok I am going to head in at 4 lets say
If I get a bit or any sort of something the timer either resets or gets thrown out the window
They are coming in because the fish weren’t biting
Some man on shore asks if they have any fish
No we haven’t caught anything
Jesus says go and cast on the right side of the boat
Church the amount of faith it takes to turn the boat around and cast on the right side of the boat
These were professional fisherman
They knew what they were doing
It doesn’t talk about the frustration they may have been experiencing after a night on not catching any fish
Or the hardness they may have had
They had probably cast their next on the right the left the front and the back of the boat
And caught nothing all night
It doesn’t talk about any of that stuff
Church the amount of faith it takes to stop what you are doing
Because lets face it you know better
You’re probably an expert and have been doing it for so long
I mean you know what you are doing
This isn’t anything new
The amount of faith it takes to stop and cast your net on the right side of the boat
It’s what we are to have
Faith
Why you ask
Because that is to believe that God is the
Jehovah Jireh
Meaning - The Lord will provide
Church even when we think we know better
It still requires faith and trust in the Lord to be just that
The Lord
our provider
The disciples had to have faith to throw their nets over the right side
Faith put into practice is done through obedience
Which is why James says
17 Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself. 18 But someone may well say, “You have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works.”
When we exercise our faith muscles we are being obedient to the call that God has given us
The disciples put their faith into action by throwing their nets on the right side which is to be obedient to what Jesus has said
When you and I have faith
And I know when we sit in church we all say of course I have faith
But what does your actions say about your faith
YOu have all heard the story of the 2 farmers who each prayed for rain
I am sure both said of course we have faith in God who brings the rain
But only one farmer had true faith because the story goes that only one farmer when and prepared for rain
Talk is cheap
6 And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.
Church just like the disciples we are to have faith
We are to step out in fiath when God calls us to something
We are to trust that the Lord is stil seated on the throne
We are to trust the Lord that He knows what He is doing with our governement
We are to trust the Lord when He calls us to tithe and give that He will provide
We are to trust the Lord when we are called to say something at work or when we are called to be quite at work
We are to trust the Lord during those new and weird seasons of life because God is good
When we have faith when we trust the Lord
Not cheap talking faith but true action faith
There is action involved with our faith and trust
Because when we put action to our faith it pleases God
Church we can trust the Lord to provide
10 Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish which you have now caught.” 11 Simon Peter went up and drew the net to land, full of large fish, a hundred and fifty-three; and although there were so many, the net was not torn.
The Lord Provider
The Jehovah Jireh
Does in fact provide
The disciples caught 153 fish
Remember they were the experts and had done this over and over again
Same for us older believers we can still have faith in the Lord
We can and should still trust the Lord to do a good and amazing work
Because the Lord provides
It might not always look like 153 fish
It might look like a check in the mail
It might look like an extra waiting period for God to prepared what He has for you
And so when God tells us to put our nets on the other side we put our nexts on the other side
When he calls you to minitrsy you say ok
When He calls you to give a little extra or to give then the proof of your faith is to be obedient church
Why because God is good and He loves you and I and church He provides
See some 2000 years God provided for you and I
See you and I were in need of someone to pay a debt we could not pay because of our sin
God said I love you so much I will pay for your debt
8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
Jesus demonstrated HIs love for you and I before we even accepted it He paid for your debt and my debt of sin that only He could pay
Thats the thing you and I could not pay that debt
God the provider did that
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.
Told you that you couldn’t pay that debt of sin
I am sure you can pay for a lot of your own debt but this one you could not
Even if you were as good as you could be you still wouldn’t be sinless
So because of Gods great love for you and I He provided his son
and we accept that grace of God which is getting soething you do not deserve
We accept that grace through placing our faith in Christ
The proof of your faith in God is your actions
Church throw your next on the other side of the boat
So as we come to a close this morning
We won’t have an invitation as normal
But we will challenge your to chew on that
Maybe you don’t know Jesus
Email me and we can talk
Maybe you need to stregnth your faith in Christ
Throw you net on the other side of the boat
What is that for you
Would you do that
Lets pray
