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Show THE CALL TO SERVE WITH GREAT EXPECTATIONS "He saith unto them, Follow me, and I will you fishers of men." 19) is (Matthew 4: I know that this passage of Scripture one that most of us reserve for the preacher pastor We think God is only speaking to those in full time ministry. . want to the I suggest that all of us who claim name of Jesus would do well to hear this solemn call and to the Master. It's Jesus yield ourselves talking to those to who would do His will. Here is the context. John the has baptized Baptist Jesus in the Jordan River. John declared Him to be the Lamb of god 1 and a voice from heaven declared him to "My beloved Son in whom I am well pleased. He has fasted in the wilderness for forty days and been tempted by the devil. The Holy spirit has ministered unto Him. He is the light for those who sat in darkness and the "Kingdom of heaven is at hand." Then Jesus took a walk by the be . sea of Galilee and saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and Andrew his casting a net into the sea: for they fishers. (Matthew 4: 1-18) "And He brother were saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men." This might well be and one of the best place to recognize that God called realize us not to salvation and to communion bu to service also. Christianity is 2 not a sit only down, do-nothing religion. sermon in a nutshell: Work will not you, but the saved will get the Father's business. Jesus is to serve. Here is the busy and be save about example and He came gospel writer Mark sums our The it up, "For even the Son of Man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, give his life a ransom for many." (10: 45) Give me license to write my own verse of that ole Negro Spiritual: "If and to Jesus had to serve, what about me?" The mission of Jesus was not defined by what others did for Him but for others. He came by what He to seek and to He turned water into wine not for Himself but for others. He met he 3 did save. woman at the well not for water for himself bu to give her living water. took the fish and loaves not for His meal but for the five thousand He own hungry. He wept for the crowd and died on the cross for the whole world. He did what His Father told Him for you and I. He went about doing good. He came to serve not to be served. Jesus wants service. us to follow Him in He told Peter and Andrew to "Follow Me." The best way I know to learn how to do anything is to follow the best example. Find the one who does it best and pattern yourself after that one. Do what you see being done by the Master have . saying, "I example, that ye John quotes Jesus given you an 4 I have done to you. Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his Lord; neither he that is should do sent 13: as greater than he that 15-16). sent him." Just look how Jesus (John ministered to the sick, the lamb, the deaf, and the blind. Notice how He comforted and cared for the bereaved and the sad. He showed us how to deal with the hungry and the thirsty. He wants us to not just do as He says but do as He does. Imitate Jesus. Walk in His footsteps. Like the fishermen, to be successful you have to know where the good hole is, what bate to use, how to set the hook, and how to land the fish. You have to be patient, be confident in God's and expect Him to promise, supply the great 5 multitude of fishes. Jesus in saw us what we have not yet imagined. They were smelly fishermen, no doubt wet and tired. Yet, training in another type of fishing, they Jesus called them to and skills had never use their done before. The Master know how to take whatever we are whatever He needs. Fish for for souls. Fill the and make men. Fish gospel net. Bring people out of the waters of worldliness onto holy ground for everlasting life. 4.11' i" -+u., /Y\o I( "'" / rJoINe£ S '1 .,_J_5 1IJ06)"- rip.) 4 tJ 5 .. -.,J :;OWfr 4-,J -n»: wr :.t fb Wc<:.f-,-' 4,JcL .n1 )OWI-Pi ?t!> I-'N rI r.J : N r..J fV.NSljrJ r:va.rL? ,'.rriJ)j' LA} y- r11'wr sf- +i»: drwJ do J; (\) t) w'r"'t 1\9 d I..crnJvJ w ([!vi }rt!P7Y 6 |
