Fishers of Men

Dr. Michael you sat with a word about following Jesus. Jesus follow me on will make you fishers of men who follow Jesus means that you are willing to sell for him to follow Jesus means that you are willing to be more concerned about him and his kingdom and his word and his heart, then you will following Jesus is not adhering to a set of religious rules of guide fires willingness to give up everything for God's kingdom today are leading the way.

Dr. Yousef continues his series called divine discontent, looking at when Jesus called his disciples to be fishers of men means for Christians today to listen with me as Dr. Michael used to weekends when they all knew the member so you who served as a chief financial officer of Coca-Cola for many years. Most often, when he asks you for something he would skip in such a way that you could never say no to develop that somebody else and without something you develop in the Middle East.

This is no Alonso than New York, so Sam comes into my house one day and banged on the table and he said we are going fishing as it were, doing what he said were going fishing and immediately in my head dumb and all I know about fishing is that people with loads of time and patience and know-how.

I guess it is all I see them standing there for hours fishing that's mild billfish, said Sam without Eliza courses no use trying, although I did try, but he was not going to take no for an answer. Well, finally I said Sam where we going fishing. He said Canada so this kind of time, I'm on the town for Islamic history and I'm giving you time off.

Is it all right. Finally he walked out the door and he said see you at 5 o'clock on Tuesday wherever the day was at the airport flight such as such, but what about anything else to bring a close fish before my life I knew nothing about fishing.

I try to explain that there was a W understand that I never fit not care just to show up so I showed up with you to Minneapolis and from there we drove 300 miles into Canada and the Canadian border.

I was very apprehensive from you and I cannot tell you I just felt it was just going to be a futile trip. I love Sam a lot to be with Sam but I don't know how to fish. I don't want to finish.

I wish Sam hadn't gone to all this trouble bought me a ticket on and on and on and off, but my biggest fear by far is that will get on the plan. Sam would say we going to be camping for three days. Sam enjoyed camping not to tell you something.

Those of you who don't know me I am not made for camping. This body is not made for camping. The closest to camping. I want to go is a holiday in so I was so worried about that. And finally we got to our destination and it turned out to be a very nice fishing resort. I did no such thing exist when we got there a lot of people from everywhere from Indiana from Ohio there from all over the United States and this is a very nice place as a masters, the people of the fanatical about that. Sorry if you are forgive me. I think it's all right for you. I said okay, now is not camping but all but tomorrow will be a whole new day.

So we get up in the morning and in the dining room. This of the wonderful breakfast. I do need much because I was worried I might get seasick in the lake so the two of us get on a boat and a guide is a Canadian Indian who knew those parts of Canada. Like the back of his mean those guys there.

From there they know the area. They understood all that needs to be understood so that give me some comfort. Then I saw the resort management loading the boat with all kinds of stuff. I got a sneaking suspicion the wing of a come back for lunch so we took off into some deep waters and the guide said stop here there is fish here.

And boy, he knew what he is talking about. I mean the fish was asking us to catch.

So what do I do I don't know which end is that thing with all of the raw language in this he hands it to me. He said just hold it this way okay I can do that. Peter, the hook up with the right bait on the hook and said you think you can sort in the water sit on this too technical, but I try and I saw the blonde into the water and few things less literally two minutes later he still cannot assume what you mean, is it really is, and how do you know he's a big fish.

You know this by looking at this line is this is not just really really not riveting related. Sure enough, it wasn't seaweed or shoe or something.

It was huge fish, not hunting something I'll never forget that feeling I had at that very moment when I caught this big fish.

No apprehension whatsoever about fishing where where was was my fear wears my reluctance about going fishing Minnesota canister.

This again this is good I'm good at this. What about my total ignorance of how to fish and I've never done this I've done nothing. What about my complaining and moaning and soaking well all disappear that moment when I caught the big one. I caught the big fish. All of a sudden I became an instant expert fisherman. I felt like I am an instant quality on fishing. I felt instantly that I have all the knowledge that needs to be know about fishing well I've had a couple of humbling experiences then but that's all right.

I want tell you about those police for that moment I become an expert.

What's the secret of my success. Although several things actually that had to take place. First, I have to realize that my apprehension in my fear and my uncertainty stemming from the fact that I've never fished before and is not true that what we do not know is what really keeps us in our comfort zone. Since I hadn't been to fishing school, I thought. I don't know how to fish. Not only that, but I did not want to experience failure. I did not want to go fishing and staying there for hours like these dear people I see fixing and then have nothing to show for it. I don't want to experience failure. But when I did all of these apprehensions disappeared the moment I caught the big one. What happened to my reluctance and and and complaining well you know the answers that you say that some of the secret Santa took care of everything. Sam ensured that I would become a success. Sam made sure that an expert was in the boat with us. Sam trusted that this expert would take us to the right place where the fish were soon trusted. This expert will take us fishing and using the right bait and the right folks and all the right things. That's why become a success and I tried to do all this by myself.

How promise you I would know where to go with the use and with everything would've been wrong and often ended up in failure and disappointment and out of never fished again. What made the difference say so made the difference. Now I wanted to turn in your Bibles to Matthew chapter 4 verse 19 I'm going to put it in context. Verse 19 comes in arrived after Jesus had called his disciples after he call them I said follow me uses verse 19. Now remember, this most of not all Jesus's disciples were professional fishermen. They were not hobby fishermen. These were fishing men for living. Some of them had a lucrative fishing business very successful fishing business. And Jesus said to them. Verse 19 after he called them to follow him. He said follow me and I will make you fishers of men. Now this is one of those messages that has only two points. Some of you heard me say this before when I was in seminary, a seminary one, asked the professor he said how many points the sermon should have said at least one well this is to what did Jesus mean by following him in order that he might make them. And secondly why fishers of men. The questions what is it mean to follow his will in the context here of this passage, Jesus means that you are willing to abandon yourself to him to follow Jesus means that you are willing to be more concerned about him and his kingdom and his work and his heart, then your own world to follow Jesus means that you are willing to sacrifice what is near and dear sometimes that's your strong opinion. Sometimes that means you gonna sacrifice your ideas. Sometimes that means that you going to sacrifice.

Will that standing in the way of following Jesus means that you are willing to place him above you needs a new once you notice I said, willing willing willing willing because sometimes God does not necessarily ask you to do any of these, but you gotta be willing and that's what is looking for by each preacher from yesteryear once said visit if you're not willing, you can pray to God make me willing to be willing and I pray that many times.

Lord, make me willing to be willing look at the context he just called Lee's very successful fishermen. These very successful businessman who had a profitable business. And he called to follow him, at least for the time and handover the business to somebody else had just called Lee's leaders to be his followers had just called Lee's decision-makers to humble themselves and trust him completely anonymous when I don't want to miss. You see, we tend to forget that your fishing pond, whatever it may be. There are people around you who are watching you and they're watching you more than you even realize they watching everything they watching to see how you act there watching to see how you talk there watching to see how you react. They watching to see how you live and if they see no bait that tracks them if they see no bait to see no bait that they want. Listen to me, beloved friends if you see a person who claims to be a Christian. I believe in Jesus Christ, who is full of bitterness and anger and jealousy and envy and hatred and gossip's. They see us doing some shady deals. I'm not caring for the other person they see as being hypocrites, indulging ourselves while we are criticizing others for doing the same thing that fish will run away, run away and don't want this kind of life they got it all. Thank you very much. And so Jesus was saying to be fishers of people need to model him just as I had to trust Sam and follow his direction. Some instructions just as a had to depend on saying just that the trust to you and I have to follow Jesus completely and abandon ourselves to him and he's going to do the rest.

That's the thing he's going to do the rest. We see fishing is not hard when Jesus is in charge whenever he's in the boat you can be sure you can be a success. All you need to do is you place him first in your life you need to do is to emulate him in your life you need to do is copy and his example in your life and he will ensure that your success in the business of fishing for Jesus, why did Jesus and secondly say fishers of men. Why did he say hunters of men. Why didn't he say persuaders of men. Why did he say good salesman.

So the gospel command what why didn't he say teachers of men.

Actually, the answer is surprising, so simple it really is very simple to see Jesus was speaking to fishermen, so he speaking to them in the context of the life experience. He's talking to them in the context of their expertise in life for living Jesus talking to. How does this sound as of men for targeted group of sailors on this persuaders of men. I think you would vary at the very least he's talking to fishermen and so he speaking to them in the context of their life because all they know is fishing.

They grew up since little boys. That's all they know to do and so Jesus is saying, regardless of where you are regardless of what you do take your skills and use them for my kingdom. Take your talents and use them for the salvation of the lost day. Your expertise and your experience and use them for libel, already as I say new neighborhood, your office and your social club new sphere of influence.

Whatever it might be we saw your fishing poles got place today for the reason this is something I learned from Charles Spurgeon and I was struggling as a young preacher and I began to read this great man who suffered from a lot of depression is years of ministry. One of the great preachers of yesteryear and London.

One of his chapters. He was saying, don't ever forget that the childhood that you had was by God's will.

The parents that you had the grandparents the holes he lived in the school you went to my cousin God placed you always places so that you will be somebody else.

God is not interested in duplicating people is not interested in making copies. He's done all that is done for you in placing you where you are today for one purpose just to be you and the Jesus my live in you.

You don't have to go to a 10 year training school to be a good fisher of men. You don't need to learn a new skill hit on the to change and you do not need to be somebody else know.

Take what God gave to what God has placed you to clean God brings to you take all of that and follow Jesus is follow Jesus and you make a success. Just as my reluctance in going fishing was based on my thinking. I have to know everything I have to do everything and I have to have all the facts under my belt, as it were, so is so many Christians who are reluctant to witness for Jesus Christ. It really is. They think that they have to do everything they have to know everything they don't realize God did it all and he's going to do it through you. All you need to do this for the lawn and the water Jesus already has put the bait on the hook and God is going to do the rest just the Sam set everything up for me. God has already set up everything for you. He's taking care of all the details just invite them to the dinner invite them to life works.

Invite them to the church and find them to small group invite them. They are waiting to be invited with a of this as I conclude many years ago, an Italian recluse was found dead in his house and when his friends went over to the house to try to sort out what they thought the few things that he had left behind to their utter amazement, they discovered 246 expensive violins hidden all over the house 246 expensive violins. Virtually all the money that this meant having a very frugal all the money that he saved he would say and go and buy expensive violins and he stashed away in his house so misdirected his devotions to that beautiful instrument. He robbed the world.

He robbed the world of those beautiful sounds the violins make because he selfishly treasured these violins, the world never heard the beautiful music that it could been played.

In fact, I heard it was reported that the first file in the great strata virus grade violins ever made was not playing 447 years, a beloved I want to tell you something many Christians treat their faith like this man treated those violins, they really do they find the light tonight. The treasures from the stash. The great treasure. They don't realize that by not sharing the light by not sharing the treasure the most precious treasure of all the faith they are missing out on the joy of seeing others experience salvation.

They are reluctant like me to give away the most rigid position, with the result of the neighbors and friends continuing to live in darkness continue to live in poverty, spiritual poverty, just like my reluctance to go fishing. They think that they have to do everything themselves. They think they have to know everything while in reality all you have to do is follow Jesus.

He said follow me and I will make you fishers of men. You are listening to leading the way with Dr. Michael you sent. Would you like to speak with a pastoral team member to help you learn how to be fishers of men, or perhaps to see how you can experience true peace.

The place to begin is LTW.org/teen sex LTW.org/Jesus, and if you ready to have book to your reading library for this matter. Have a great one dimension it's Dr. Yousef's brand-new book matter give out no matter how hard these days may be, no matter how trying those times might become, no matter how challenging the situation is no spiritual endurance overcome spiritual burnout rate of the next generation to stand firm on biblical truth Dr. Yousef new book, never give up in the in person. The apostle Paul urged his young disciple Timothy never give up on prayer never ever give up on the faith once for all entrusted to the six red ever give up. Dr. Michael unpacked all rich words (second Timothy works that will help you in the midst of danger and despair. The word of God to the point of recognition in this encouraging Dr. Yousef of bagels unique aspects of what it means to never give up timeliness like fresh get more details about never give up when you visit LTW.org LTW.org you can also call the ministry representative, 866-626-4356 866-626-4356 and we really do love getting mail funding for P like to chat if the note right to leading the way, PO Box 20100, Atlanta, GA 30325. Again, that's PO Box 20100, Atlanta, GA 30325 on behalf of Dr. Michael. You said you're invited to listen again next time for another edition of leading the way with Dr. Michael is present and is furnished by leading the way with Dr. Michael sent