4 Things we Need when Fishing

OPENING

Natasha wanted to “belong”

She was trying to find her “identity”

She had a lot “anger issues” and “emotional problem”

Natasha craved for “approval”

She felt that she didn’t have any “purpose”

She felt “lost & alone”

She wasn’t sure why she’s here on earth for

She slipped to deep “depression”

She realized that she was “not in control”, she thought she was

There was “no life” inside of her

Until one day, a warrior of Jesus Christ, one of her professor “invited” her to church

A church where she felt God’s love

Natasha came to know Jesus because somebody “invited” her to church

I came to know Christ because there was one Pastor Sam Talaver who "invited” me to church

Do you have any idea how many Natashas are out there waiting to hear about Jesus?

The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention said, “Suicide claims more lives than war, murder and natural disasters combined

25 Million Americans suffer from depression each year

Peter said:

2 Peter 3:9 NCV

The Lord is not slow in doing what he promised—the way some people understand slowness. But God is being patient with you. He does not want anyone to be lost, but he wants all people to change their hearts and lives.

But Paul said:

Romans 10:14 NCV

But before people can ask the Lord for help, they must believe in him; and before they can believe in him, they must hear about him; and for them to hear about the Lord, someone must tell them;

BREATHE!

Agape is an evangelical church, and being such, evangelism or “sharing Jesus”, should be ahead in our way of life

From the facts that I presented to you last week, only 3 out of 10 christians believed that it is their responsibility to witness for others

That means that I need to help the 70% of our church family to understand that, indeed, evangelism or proclaiming the good news about Jesus is our responsibility

Dr. Luke said:

Acts 1:8 NCV

But when the Holy Spirit comes to you, you will receive power. You will be my witnesses—in Jerusalem, in all of Judea, in Samaria, and in every part of the world.”

And Paul said:

2 Corinthians 5:20 GW

Therefore, we are Christ’s representatives, and through us God is calling you. We beg you on behalf of Christ to become reunited with God.

BREATHE!

Last Sunday we started this “Back to Church” Sermon Series

The Lord used a parable to illustrate the Kingdom of Heaven

He told His disciples that His kingdom is like a wedding banquet

He commanded them to

Matthew 22:9 NLT

Now go out to the street corners and invite everyone you see.’

Matthew 22:9 GW

Go where the roads leave the city. Invite everyone you find to the wedding.’

As His disciples, we are commanded to the same

It is not a choice, it is a “command”

It may also be worth noting that many biblical figures were shepherds

Among them the patriarchs Abraham and Jacob, the twelve tribes, David

Abraham, Moses,

And when Jesus picked His first Disciples, He chose fishermen

The relevance of why He did that is because:

First, He wants us to fish

Then, He wants us to shepherd for them

BREATHE!

Jesus said, “go and invite, in other words “go and fish”

Last week I mentioned to you 5 things to remember if you want to be effective in fishing for men

Know what you’re fishing for

Go where the fish are biting

Learn to think like a fish

Go where the fish are biting

Catch fish on their terms

Use more than one hook

And I also shared with you some 4 Ways to FISH for Men

Focus on Receptive People

Initiate a Conversation

Share the story how Jesus changed your life

Hear them out

BREATHE!

Today I’d like us to look at some things we need when we go out fishing for men

TEXT: Jesus Sends Out the Seventy-Two

Jesus was already on His way to Jerusalem to fulfill what He came here on earth for

After sending out the 12, still, Jesus knows that a large number of people are ready to to receive His kingdom message

And so He sent out another batch of herald, this time He sent out seventy / seventy-two

I’ll explain in a little later why some Bible translations said 70 and not 72

Meanwhile, let me read to your text today

BREATHE!

Luke 10:1 NCV

After this, the Lord chose seventy-two others and sent them out in pairs ahead of him into every town and place where he planned to go.

Many good manuscript read 70 are the Revised Standard Version (RSV)

But there are also many that read 72

With evidence at our disposal, certainty is impossible

The numbers appears to be symbolic of the nations of the world

The Jews view on the Table of Nations in where there are 70 names in the Hebrew text

and 72 in the Septuagint | the pre-christian greek version

Some, however, associate the number with that of the elders appointed by Moses (see )

72 with 2 who remained in the camp

They see Jesus as the second Moses

Others think of the 70 members of the Sanhedrin

Whatever is the truth behind this conjectures, it is important for us to note that Jesus sent the disciples ahead in pairs

BREATHE!

Luke 10:2–4 NCV

He said to them, “There are a great many people to harvest, but there are only a few workers. So pray to God, who owns the harvest, that he will send more workers to help gather his harvest. Go now, but listen! I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Don’t carry a purse, a bag, or sandals, and don’t waste time talking with people on the road.

Luke 10:2-4

The harvest is plentiful means that there is much work to do

And they go to no easy task

Lambs in the midst of wolves are in no enviable situation

Jesus told them to bring nothing

In other words, He told them to always depend on the Lord

Greet no one on the road is not an exhortation to impoliteness

It is a reminder that their business is urgent and that they are not to delay by dallying with wayside acquaintances

BREATHEA!

Luke 10:5–7 NCV

Before you go into a house, say, ‘Peace be with this house.’ If peace-loving people live there, your blessing of peace will stay with them, but if not, then your blessing will come back to you. Stay in the same house, eating and drinking what the people there give you. A worker should be given his pay. Don’t move from house to house.

When entering a house, they are to give the greeting of peace

If the house owner is a “man of peace”, their peace will rest upon him and a state of harmony will exist

They must not refuse to receive if they offer them meals for free, because the laborer deserves their wages

Not going from “house to house” would mean engaging in a social round of being entertained

There is an urgency about their mission, so they myst press on

BREATHE!

Luke 10:8–12 NCV

If you go into a town and the people welcome you, eat what they give you. Heal the sick who live there, and tell them, ‘The kingdom of God is near you.’ But if you go into a town, and the people don’t welcome you, then go into the streets and say, ‘Even the dirt from your town that sticks to our feet we wipe off against you. But remember that the kingdom of God is near.’ I tell you, on the Judgment Day it will be better for the people of Sodom than for the people of that town.

They should eat whatever is offered to them

They must not be sidetracked into fussiness about food and food laws

They were to heal and to preach

But if the town’s people do not welcome them, they are to go into the streets and

Firstly, wipe or shake the dust off their feet - this is a Jewish practice when leaving a Gentile city, to show their separation from the gentile practices.

We don’t have to literally do it now because through Jesus the Jews and the Gentiles are one ()

Secondly, they are to say that the rejection of their message does not alter the realities that the kingdom of God had come near

In rejecting the preachers, they were not simply rejecting a couple of poor itinerants, but the very kingdom of God

And there will serious consequences

The use of name of the city of Sodom is proverbial to the Lord’s day of judgement

BREATHE!

Again, sending out the 72 is like sending them to a fishing expedition

And when you go out on a fishing expedition, you need a BAIT

So today, let me give you…

4 Things You Need when Fishing

Not material, but personal

Let me give you a BAIT

The letter “B” stands for…

Be Bold

Colossians 4:3–4 The Living Bible

Don’t forget to pray for us too, that God will give us many chances to preach the Good News of Christ for which I am here in jail. Pray that I will be bold enough to tell it freely and fully and make it plain, as, of course, I should.

Paul encourages the Colossians to partner with him in his preaching ministry through prayer

He particularly prayed for “boldness”

BREATHE!

The letter “A” stands for…

Always Depend on the Lord

Proverbs 16:3 NCV

Depend on the Lord in whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.

Depend on the Lord, trust Him and He will take care of you (Psalm 37:5)

Remember the Lord in all you do, and He will give you success (Proverb 3:6)

BREATHE!

The letter “I” stands for…

Invite them to come to the Church

Jeremiah 35:2 NLT

“Go to the settlement where the families of the Recabites live, and invite them to the Lord’s Temple. Take them into one of the inner rooms, and offer them some wine.”

Recabites is a nomadic tribe belonging to the Kenites of Hemath, of the family of Jethro

Father-in-law of Moses

They came to Canaan in order to preserve their independence

They chose to live in tents without fixed habitation

God told Jeremiah to invite them to the Lord’s temple

BREATHE!

The letter “T” stands for…

Tell them about Jesus

Romans 10:14 NCV

But before people can ask the Lord for help, they must believe in him; and before they can believe in him, they must hear about him; and for them to hear about the Lord, someone must tell them;

The necessity to proclaim the gospel arises

First to our family, to our neighbors, to our community

BREATHE!

As we are sent out today to go fishing, our BAITs are to:

Be Bold

Always Depend on the Lord

Invite them to come to the church

Tell them about Jesus

BREATHE!

We will divide our congregation today into seven groups

Seven is the most significant number in the Bible

Because it is the number of spiritual perfection

God created everything in 7 days

The rainbow is the covenant between God and Man, it has 7 colors

The command for Naaman is to bathe in Jordan river 7 times to complete the cleansing of his leprosy

And the command to Joshua is to march around Jericho in 7 days

And for 7 priests to blow 7 trumpets outside the city walls

BREATHE!

The 7 groups will be led by the following people

Pastor Justin

Pastor Mike

Bro. Pete

Sis. Connie

Bro. John

Pastor Clay

Pastor Anthony

These are the maps of the overall coverage of our JERICHO MARCH | Back-to-Church Campaign (show map)

And these are the maps of the designated areas for each Life Group (show maps)

Reminders:

Please wear your “You Belong Here” T-shirts

I hope you’re wearing sneaker shoes for comfort

Please wear hat or cap for sun protection

Most importantly, wear the full armor of God

Make sure to stay hydrated (bring bottled water)

Campaign materials will be issued to your Life Group Leaders

For more details, consult your Life Group Leader

Here’s what’s gonna happen after I gave my benediction | closing prayer

We will have lunch at the other room from 12-12:45pm

I need you to be back here at the sanctuary at exactly 12:45pm

Bro. Pete, our Elder Overseer for Evangelism, assisted by Sis. Arca and Sis. Connie will facilitate our 15-minute corporate prayers

then after that at 1:00pm sharp, each group will given 20 minutes to meet and discuss their game plan

at exactly 1:20pm, we’re going to have a church family picture taking outside the worship hall, by the stairs in front of the main door

Then at exactly 1:30pm, each group shall now proceed to their designated area of responsibility

At 4:30pm, everyone is automatically dismissed, you may go home

No debriefing, Save your stories to share during your Life Group meetings this incoming week

Are there any question?

Since none, the worship team will now help me close our Service

PRAYER

There's a fight between my heart and soul

Lord don’t let our pride to take control

It's hard to see what I was meant to be

And we are Living in a world without a cause

And there's a me that seems impossible

But I can hear

We hear You calling us

To raise a banner of love Up high in the city streets One hope for all the world to see Be my banner of love This love is the burning flame One voice crying out Your name You're my banner of love You're my banner of love

To raise a banner of love

Up high in the city streets

One hope for all the world to see

Be my banner of love

This love is the burning flame

One voice crying out Your name

You're my banner of love

You're my banner of love

Only You can see my destiny And only You can be the strength I need 'Cause my life is Yours, God So goodbye to pride and bitterness I'm gonna live out my purpose 'Cause Your life has shown me how

Only You can see my destiny

And only You can be the strength I need

Cause my life is Yours, God

It’s time to say goodbye to pride and bitterness

We’re gonna live out my purpose

Cause Your life has shown me how

We want to show Your love

We want to lift You higher

We want to reach out and touch this world

We gotta reach out and love this world

I want to show Your love I want to lift You higher I want to reach out and touch this world We gotta reach out and love this world We're gonna bring Your love We're gonna lift You higher We're gonna reach out and love Your world

We're gonna bring Your love

We're gonna lift You higher

We're gonna reach out and love Your world

I pray for Boldness

I pray that we all learn to always depend on you Lord

I pray that we have the courage to invite people to come to our church

And I pray the You’ll replace our fear with faith

Replace our excuses with excitement

Replace our hesitation with hyper action

Replace our shyness with gladness

So that can tell people about you Lord

Amen and Amen!