Fishing for Souls: Part 1

Mark chapter one. We're going to begin reading in verse 14. As you turn, I will catch us up a little bit on where we are in the book of Mark. Mark begins with discussing with introducing us to John the Baptist who in turn introduces us to Jesus Christ. We took time few weeks ago to look at the baptism of John and we talked about the spiritual baptism of Jesus Christ.

John said, I baptize with water but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit. Also, we looked at the baptism of Jesus himself and how that reflects our baptism as Christians. Baptism does not save. Faith in Christ alone saves. Baptism is an outward presentation of our faith to others to show them, to announce to them publicly that we have trusted Christ, that we have been saved, and it is our desire to follow him obediently with our life and service and then we looked last week at Jesus temptation.

You want to know how to beat temptation? Well, tackle temptation, Christ's way. Tackle temptation Christ's way. First of all, that means you need to be submitted to the will of God. That means you need to know the word of God and then, you need to use that against our enemy.

Trusting in the Lord that he will take care of us and give us the victory as we follow his word and submit our lives to it. Several times, I I I've said, as we look into the word of God, we do not need to look into God's word to conform the word of God to our lives or our opinions or beliefs but that we might conform our lives to the what? To the word of God. Today, we are beginning in verse 14 following Christ's temptation in Judea. It says, now, after that, John was put in prison.

That would be John the Baptist. Jesus came into Galilee preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God and saying, the time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent you and believe the gospel. Now, as he walked by the Sea Of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew, his brother casting a net into the sea for they were fishers and Jesus said unto them, come you after me and I will make you to become fishers of men. Straightway, they forsook their nets and followed him and when he had gone a little further, then, he saw James, the son of Zebedee, and John, his brother, who also were in the ship mending their nets, and straightway, he called them, and they left their father, Zebedee in the ship, with the hired servants, and went after him.

Let's go to the Lord in prayer. Lord, we thank you for your word, for the message. Lord, that you have brought us to this morning that we might feast upon we pray Lord that you might open our eyes, open our hearts, and our mind to take in the message and the word today. We pray that you would guide in it and Lord that you might do a mighty work through it that your holy spirit would bring conviction to our hearts would give us understanding and challenge us to live more for you each and every day. As you conform us to the image of your son.

We pray indeed that Jesus Christ would be exalted today and we pray if there be one here today that's never trusted the Lord Jesus as savior that today indeed would be their day of salvation. For it's in Jesus name we pray. Amen. Amen. The sermon this morning is about fishing now, some of you like to fish.

Like, raise your hand if you like to fish. Who in here likes to fish? Alright, good. There's few people in here like to fish. Raise your hand if you don't like to fish.

Who is that? Okay. Some of the, now, that's odd. Some people raise their hands for both. That seems kind of strange.

Now, for us, fishing is a a hobby or a pastime or something you do to relax. I like when I lived in Georgia. There were several little lakes and I had a couple people in the church that had boats and every now and then they'd invite me to get on a boat and go out onto the lake, you know, not a big boat, you know, just a little fishing boat and we'd go out and we'd fish. Well, what that meant is we had a good relax time talking and fellowshipping because I never hardly ever caught any fish. It seemed I was just it was just bad luck so to speak to take me fishing because they would tell me the week before, oh look we caught all these fish in this area.

They take me there week and well, there'd be nothing. So, so I guess I might be one of those people that raised my hands raised my hands for both. What we're looking at in scripture this morning is is not about just throwing a line out in the in the water. These men Peter, Andrew, James, and John didn't fish as hobbies. They that was their livelihood.

It's what did for a job and they didn't have a fishing pole. They had huge humongous nets that they threw out into the Sea Of Galilee to catch fish. Somebody brought me some tilapia the other day. It was really good and appreciate one who brought it. I found out when I was over in Israel that one of the fish now that they're harvesting from the Sea Of Galilee are tilapia.

They will they work well in many different parts of the world. Well, Peter, Andrew, James, and John were fishermen and Jesus wanted to introduce them to something even better than what they were doing that we're going to talk about this morning and you may not be a fisherman. You may not like throwing a pole. You may not throw a big net or a small one but you can be a fisher of men for Jesus Christ. While Jesus was in Judea, he became acquainted with John, the son of Zebedee and Peter and Andrew.

Not sure if he met James down there though it could be that he did. These men were down there probably for the Passover feast and they were also followers of John the Baptist whom Jesus introduced who John introduced Jesus to them and they became followers of him even while he was in Judea. Upon returning to Galilee, not only Jesus but also Peter and Andrew and James and John. He met Philip and Nathaniel along the way. We read about them in the book of John.

They were two men who also became disciples Christ. Almost all of Christ's disciples were from Galilee which is in the Northern part of Israel around the Sea Of Galilee not far from Nazareth where he grew up in Capernaum which was on the shoreline of the Sea Of Galilee where he sort of had his headquarters most of his ministry. Mark stresses here as we begin reading in Mark one four one fourteen and fifteen, he stresses the gospel of the kingdom that Jesus came from Judea in the South up to Galilee preaching the gospel of the kingdom. He says in verse 15 and saying, the time is fulfilled, The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent you and believe the gospel.

This gospel, this good news which Jesus came to share with the people of Galilee was this, that the promises made to Israel by the prophets of the Old Testament concerning the coming of the Messiah and his kingdom that these promises, the fulfillment of these promises was at their doorstep. That it was near, that it was at hand. Indeed, it was because the one who was talking to them was the Messiah himself, the king of kings, and the Lord of lords. But as it was drawing near, and as the Messiah had come, they needed to get right with God. They needed to repent of their self righteous hypocrisy and their sinful ways and embrace their Messiah sincerely by faith.

The long awaited Messiah that Isaiah spoke of numerous times and other prophets of the Old Testament. The one that was to be born in Bethlehem Of Judea in Micah five two. The one who is to be born of a virgin in Isaiah chapter seven fourteen. The one who will one day set up his kingdom and rule with a rod of iron and the one who is the suffering servant of Isaiah 53. Who was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities.

That Messiah, that long awaited Messiah, was there. Had come. And Jesus preached to them. They needed to repent. They needed to repent of their self righteous hypocrisy.

Many of them thought they were going into the kingdom. They were going to see heaven just because they were Jews or just because they kept the law better than somebody else. But they were sinners who needed a what? They were sinners who needed a savior. They were sinners who needed their Messiah.

They were sinners that needed to embrace him by faith. Jesus not only spoke of that in Galilee but he spoke to a Pharisee. In John chapter three, named Nicodemus in Judea. When he said, for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life. Verily, verily I say unto you, except a man be born again through faith in Jesus Christ.

He cannot see the kingdom of God. After Christ's resurrection, his death for sin and resurrection unto life took center stage in the message of the gospel. For without his death and resurrection, for without his atoning sacrifice for sin, no one can be saved. And he died not just for the sins of Israel but he died for the sins of all mankind. That if we should come to him by faith receive him as savior to save us from our sins we would all know that eternal life of which he spoke Romans one sixteen, Paul wrote, I am not ashamed of the gospel.

For it is the power of God and the salvation to everyone that believeth. To the Jew first and also to the Greek. Romans five eight but God commended his love toward us and that while we were yet what? Sinners, Christ died for us. The Messiah had come.

Jesus's message was that they needed to embrace that Messiah by faith. His message today is we need to embrace that Messiah by faith who died on the cross for our sins and rose again from the grave. That we might too be part of his kingdom. As he preached the gospel of the kingdom, he announced his coming and their need for faith in him and repentance toward God. Jesus was walking along the shores of the Sea Of Galilee.

And he spoke to these men that now remember he had already met them. James and John and Peter and Andrew had met him down in Judea already. They had already expressed interest in faith in Christ and in his message but now, he has something further, something greater. That he has to tell them and call them to today. If you look in Luke chapter five, hold your place in Mark.

You would and turn over to Luke chapter five. Luke chapter five I've asked this question many times and some of you can give me the answer without a moment's thought. Maybe new to some of you and that is this, why did Christ save you? Why did God save you? Is the only reason he saved you to take you to heaven?

Is that the only reason he saved you? If it is, where would you be? If that's the only reason he saved you was to take you to heaven, you'd be there but you're not there, are you? As I look out in this room, you're here. You're still here on Earth.

You know, heaven is better than Earth. Did you know that? I'm sure if you're Christian, you know that. Sure if you read the Bible, you know that. Heaven is a wonderful place and once we get there, we'll never want to come back.

So, why is it that you're still here? Because he's got something for you to do here. You see, he didn't just save you to take you to heaven. He saved you that he might glorify himself in you on this Earth. He saved you that you might be an ambassador for Jesus Christ on this Earth.

He saved you that you might be a witness and a testimony to the gospel of Jesus Christ. That you might tell others. That they might be saved also. You see, it wasn't just enough. It wasn't the only thing.

It wasn't the end of the story for these men to meet Jesus or even to put their faith in Jesus. He had a call for them. He had a purpose for them. He has a purpose for you too. Look if you would in Luke chapter five and let's read verses one to 11.

It came to pass as the people pressed upon him that is Jesus to hear the word of God. He stood by the Lake Of Gennesaret. The Lake Gennesaret is another name for the Sea Of Galilee. It's actually one of the largest freshwater lakes in the world with the depth I think somebody told me of 142 feet. I heard the other day.

Pretty deep lake. Verse two and saw two ships standing by the lake but the fishermen were gone out of them and they were washing their nets. And he entered into one of the ships which was Simon's and prayed him, requested him that he would thrust out a little from the land and he sat down and taught the people out of the ship. Now, when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a draught. Simon answering said unto him, master, we have toiled all night and have taken nothing.

Nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net. And when they when they had done this they enclosed a great multitude of fishes and their net break. And they beckoned there unto their partners which were in the other ship by the way that would be John and James that they should come and help them and they came and filled both the ships so that they began to sink. When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees saying, depart from me, for I am a sinful man, oh Lord. For he was astonished and all that were with him at the drought or the catch of the fishes which they had taken.

And so was also James and John, the sons of Zebedee, which were their, which were partners with Simon. And Jesus said unto Simon, fear not from henceforth, thou shalt catch men. And when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all and followed him. Peter and Andrew had been toiling all night and had caught nothing worthwhile. With their partners John and James.

They were now cleaning their nets on the shoreline. When I was privileged to be in Israel and on the Sea Of Galilee, there is on one end of the Sea Of Galilee a large rock and there's a little spring that comes out near that rock and it was a custom and and a convenient place for the fishermen to dock and to wash their nets on the rock. That may have been where they were when Jesus came to talk to them that evening. There were a bunch of other people there. He was speaking to.

It was difficult for him to be heard and so he asked Peter if he could get on his boat as they were finished fishing and go out a little from shore and then he could speak to the to the whole crowd from out on the water. When Jesus had had finished speaking, at his command, Peter and Andrew cast their nets. One more time, into the waters, the sea and caught a tremendous number of fish. Remember, they had been toiling all night and caught almost nothing. And now, Jesus said, one more time.

He said, we haven't caught anything. Just one more time. Throw out the net. By faith, they did. And they caught so much fish.

They couldn't haul it into their boat. They had to call John and James and they divided it up between the two boats and both boats were almost so full. They sunk before they could get back to the shoreline. In faith, in fear, and in humility. Peter acknowledged.

His sinful condition. Before the Lord Jesus Christ there. Verse eight, it says, now, Simon Peter saw it. He fell down at Jesus' knees saying, depart from me for I am a sinful man. Oh Lord.

When Peter saw it, I'm sure he was excited to catch all the fish but he forgot about the money and he forgot about the fish. And what struck him was he was in the presence of a holy God. And immediately, he sunk to his knees and he cried out to the Lord. I am a sinful man. As he confessed before his savior.

What and who he was? If you hold your place in in Luke and turn to Isaiah. Isaiah chapter six and I want to read verses one through eight there. Isaiah Isaiah six one through eight. I'll give you a minute to turn there.

Was this the first time that that somebody responded to God when they knew that they were in his presence in this fashion? No, this wasn't the first time. Isaiah chapter six, Isaiah was a believer in God but God created and brought Isaiah into this world for a specific purpose To be a prophet to the nation of Israel to point their eyes to the Lord to warn them of the upcoming judgment of God for their sin and to announce the one day coming of the Messiah. And in Isaiah chapter six is God's call to Isaiah. It says in verse one, in the year that King Uzziah died, I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne high and lifted up and his train filled the temple.

Above it stood the Seraphim. Each one had six wings with twain or two, he covered his face and with twain, he covered his feet and with twain, he did fly and one cried unto another and said, holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts. The whole earth is full of his glory. The post of the door moved at the voice of him that cried and the house was filled with smoke. Then said I, woe is me.

For I am undone because I am a man of unclean lips and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips. For mine eyes have seen the king. Lord of hosts. Then flew one of the Seraphims unto me having a live coal in his hand which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar. And he laid it upon my mouth and said, low, this hath touched thy lips and thy iniquity is taken away and thy sin is purged.

Also, I heard the voice of the Lord saying, whom shall I send? And who will go for us? Then said I, here am I. Send me. You see, his response was similar to Peter's.

When he knew he was in the presence of a holy God, he recognized that he was a sinful human being. Unworthy to be in the presence of the Lord. Unworthy to serve worthy of judgement and it's not blessing He cried out in faith but he cried out also in fear and in reverence before the holy God who made them whom he had failed You see, before service comes confession. And forgiveness God can't use those who do not need his forgiveness and grace. Who cannot see their lack of righteousness.

And his abundant supply. There are many today as we sit here in this auditorium that are standing in pulpits. They're serving in Sunday school classes. They're serving in many different ministries today That have never bowed their heart and their knee before God. In reverence and fear in faith and in confession of their sin.

That he might save them and change their life. And they will never see the kingdom of God because they haven't been born again You see, you can do things for God all your life in his name. You can go to church. You can help your neighbor. You can fool everybody around you but there's one person you'll never fool.

That's the God who made you and the God who also will one day be your judge Luke five thirty two, Jesus said, I came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance. It's only when you are willing to acknowledge that you are a sinner and unworthy of his love, unworthy of his care, unworthy of his blessings, unworthy of eternal life. That you can actually receive. Those things by his grace. First John one nine, if we want, confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness but if you're unwilling to confess, you're unwilling to acknowledge before him what you are.

Then you'll never really know. The salvation that he has to give. It's when we come to Christ We cast ourselves at his feet humbly acknowledging our sin, repenting, and trusting him to save us that our life changes forever. But we are reminded day in and day out as child, as children of God That though God has saved us and God has forgiven us and though God has freed us from the eternal bondage of sin and its penalty in hell. That apart from him, I'm still just a what?

I'm still just a sinner undone. That it's only by his grace and by his power and his mercy and his love I filthy, rotten selfish sinner has the opportunity to serve the king of kings And the Lord of lords. Is only when we recognize that we are nothing without him. That we are sinners, undone without strength, that we can be something of eternal value with him. Romans seven eighteen, for I know that in me, that is in my flesh dwelleth what?

No good thing. For the will is present with me but how to perform that which is good, I find not. In myself, I do not possess the ability to serve the God who made me to bring honor to his name to please him In myself, I cannot do it in the flesh. I do not have that ability John five says, Jesus said, I am the vine you are the branches. He that abideth in me and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit for without me, you can do what?

Nothing. Jesus said to his disciples, I am the vine, I bring the nutrients, I bring the power, I'm the source, you are the what? You are the branches that grow out from me that bring forth fruit. That we will bring forth no fruit if we're not connected to the vine. We will bring forth no fruit if we're not abiding in the vine.

If we do not recognize that the power to change our lives. The power to get victory over sin. The power to serve and to be a light in a dark world and bring others to Christ is entirely dependent on the righteousness, the goodness and the grace of Jesus Christ, my Lord As Peter fell down on that boat before Jesus he knew who he was and he knew who Jesus was and because Jesus is who he is and because I have a god that is loving and merciful I also read this I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. Through him. And my God shall supply all your need according to his riches and glory.

By Christ Jesus. You can be a child of God through faith in Christ his son. If you will recognize your sin and your need of his righteousness and his sacrifice in your behalf If you will receive his gift and then as a Christian It says, if we will come after him, let him deny us deny ourselves, take up our cross, what's the next word from Luke? Do you remember? Okay, take up our cross daily.

Take up our cross daily. That's not in Matthew sixteen twenty four but Luke reminds us take up our cross daily and follow him You see, we need to be reminded and every day, we need to look to God to use us as his servants, to make us to be fishers of men. It was following this that Jesus using the metaphor of fishing called them that is Peter and Andrew, James, and John to leave their nets behind, to follow him, to learn how to snatch men and women, boys and girls from the clutches of sin and the fires of hell. By introducing them to the savior. Has he called you too?

I believe he has we may not be listening We may not be ready but if we will get ready and if we will listen I believe we will hear We must understand as they did the power and authority of God in this matter of fishing for souls. It isn't your choice You're not in charge. It's his choice Peter and Andrew, James, and John were happy fishing for fish. You see, but God had something greater for them This world is happy Just spending their wills going through life in many ways and and sometimes we as Christians get caught up in that as well. We're satisfied just you know, working a nine to five job and having food deed house to live in enjoying the pleasures and benefits of this world but if that's all we're doing then we're missing out For God has something greater for you and me.

And it's his choice. It's God's prerogative. Take just the last few minutes here. Just look at this from God's to to a of the the church. Of he can lead us to them.

God knows who and where the lost souls are and can lead us to them. They are out there. Sometimes, we throw out the lifeline again and again and catch nothing. So, we give up. But they are what?

They are out there. Sometimes, right under our nose. God knows who they are. God knows where they are and God knows when to catch them. You see, Peter and Andrew, James, and John had been fishing all night.

Were the fish in the lake? The whole time? Were the fish in the lake? Yeah, they were. They just couldn't find themselves their way into the what?

Into the net. You see, but Jesus knew where the fish were. And Jesus is in charge and Jesus is in control. And when Jesus said, I want you to throw the net there He knew exactly what was going to happen because he knew where the fish were. Sometimes, as Christians, we go, well, yeah.

God has called me to tell others about Christ and I've done it. I knocked on doors and I handed out tracks and and I just didn't get anywhere. Well, maybe we were doing it for the wrong reasons. Maybe we were doing it in the strength of the flesh. Maybe we've got frustrated because we were forgetting that it's our job to tell others and it's his job to bring the bring the increase.

Maybe we were thinking not so much about them and the Lord as we were thinking about ourselves. And we give up but they're out there They're out there Jesus himself chose to go through Samaria on his way from Judea to Galilee because he knew there was a woman that would be sitting at a well that needed Jesus. He knew she was there. So, he chose an unusual path because he had an appointment. She didn't know it.

He knew it. A church plant in the city of Philippi in Greece began with the providential meeting and conversion of a businesswoman named Lydia in Acts chapter 16 that Paul ran into. When he entered the city of Philippi. An angel was sent to Philip instructing him to go to the middle of nowhere. I mean, literally, the Judean wilderness is nowhere.

Because God had arranged a meeting between Philip and an Ethiopian eunuch who got saved and took the gospel back to Ethiopia. You see, God knows what he's doing. God's in charge. They're out there. They're out there.

He knows who they are and where they are but he's called us to what? He's called us to go. You know, they might live right next door. I'm good to see Pedro here this morning and Damian and Kim. You know where they live?

Pedro lives on the yellow house on the corner and Damian Kim live on the next house beside them. And all three of them have come to know the Lord as savior in the last couple of years. Amen. You never know. Damian Kim didn't buy that house because this church was here, I don't think.

But God knew. God knew. He put him there. You see. Back about a year ago, Daniel walked through the doors of the church.

And then then we didn't see him for a while. And then here a few months ago, he walked back in and he got saved at revival. You see, God knows. God knows. They might be your teller at the bank or the cashier at the grocery or the waiter at the restaurant or the mailman or the dentist.

Don't give up. They're out there. They're out there. Give em a chance. Give God a chance.

They might be on the other side of the world in China It's good to hear from the Erken last Sunday night, our missionaries to China God hasn't called us to go there but God called them to go there and us to help them Praise the Lord and souls are being saved in China. God knows who and where the lost souls are and he can lead us to them. God has the power and means to convert the soul. See, God not only knows where they are and who they are but God has the power and means to save their soul and convert them. Not only does God have the knowledge, God has the means.

My friend, if you're using the wrong bait fishing, if you're doing it the wrong way or if you don't have the right equipment, guess what? You're not catching any fish. But you know something God has the right bait God knows the right way God has the right equipment He offers those things to us that we might take em out that he might catch men he might convert and save their souls. He is able. I'm not.

He is. And I'm so thankful. That he is. Hebrews seven twenty five, wherefore, he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto him by God seeing he ever live it to make intercession for them. He is able to save them to the what?

To the uttermost completely. Seeing he ever live it to make intercession on their behalf. In other words, God alone is able to completely and forever save them that come to him by faith. Seeing that he ever dwells at the right hand of the father. Where he intercedes for you and for me.

Only he could die on the cross. Only he could rise again from the dead. Only he can be my advocate before the throne in heaven and he is and he saves all who come to him by faith. He said, they will never perish. He said, I will never not cast them out.

No man will pluck them out of my hand. He saves to the uttermost. Praise the Lord. He has the means and the power to do it. For he is the only one who can Not only does he have the means and power but he has the authority to send us out in the task of converting souls.

He has the authority he sends out his missionaries. He sends out his witnesses and his children into a world to tell others It isn't our choice, it's why It's his Simply our choice whether we are going to obey or not So, he called and sent forth his disciples as he does us into a dark world which desperately needs the gospel. Matthew twenty eight eighteen and nineteen, Jesus just before he went back to heaven, he said this, and Jesus came and spake unto them saying, all power is given unto me in heaven and earth. Go you therefore and teach all nations. Teach them what?

The gospel. The word power there is the word exorcism in Greek. It means authority. Jesus said, all authority is given to who? To me.

And now, I send you. You go. You tell them. You tell them. You show them.

The truth of what God can do and the life of a lost sinner, of what Jesus did for them. Go you therefore. He and his authority has called us to go. In John twenty twenty one, then said, Jesus unto them again, peace be unto you as my father has sent me even so send I you as the father had authority over the son. So, the son has authority over everyone of us who know him.

And he sends us forth and as he obediently obeyed the will of his father, we are to obediently obey obey the will. Of the son. Go as his embe with the good news of the gospel God has the authority. The apostles who were to be the apostles, Peter, Andrew, James, and John, they recognized that authority that day because when he said, follow me, what did they do? They dropped it.

They dropped everything else. They followed him. Now, God hasn't necessarily called you to drop your profession and become a missionary because somebody has to be here working a job to help pay, to help support the missionary to go to China. But God has called you to be a testimony to the people at your workplace and the people across the street. God has called you to be a part.

He has commanded us to do so. God has also given us the message with that we are to take that we might convert souls. The message of the what? The message of the gospel. The message of which Paul was not ashamed.

For it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believe it. To the Jew first, and also to the Greek. In Acts sixteen thirty one, Paul said in response to the Philippian jailer who asked, how can I be saved? He said, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved. He spells it out in first Corinthians chapter 15.

He says, moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you which also you have received and wherein you stand by which also you are saved. If you keep in memory what I preached unto you unless you have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures and that he was buried, that he rose again on the third day according to the scriptures. What is the good news? The good news is this, you are a sinner and yes, there is the wages of sin is death and hell but the gift of God is what?

Eternal life through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Who died for our sins, who rose again from the dead, and the Bible says in Romans ten nine that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. God has called us to take the message if they will believe God says, they shall be what They shall be saved. Not because you and I have the power to save them.

Only God can do that. We have the privilege of being the messengers to take them the message. If you're here today and you know Christ as savior, you're here and you know it because somebody told you. Thank the Lord every day. That somebody told you.

The love of Jesus Christ. And now you have the privilege to be that person to take it. To somebody else. You see, we do have the equipment God has given us the tools necessary. If we will but use them.

God knows where they are. God has the power to save them. God has the authority to send us and God has given us the message to take. If you have come to Christ by faith confessing yourself sinful self and trusting him and alone to be the Lord and savior of your life, then you too are called to be a fisher of men. Maybe not to the extent that these men were called.

Maybe not to other parts of the world. Maybe not to die for his calls but you have been called. Equipped. Send forth. To be a fisher of men.

Just as sure as he has given you his spirit he has called you to go to someone. With his message. Look if you would at Acts chapter one verse eight on the screen. But you shall receive power after the Holy Ghost has come upon you. And you shall be witnesses both in Jerusalem and all Judea and Samaria and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

Now, you say, pastor, he was just talking to the disciples. No, he wasn't. He was talking to you because when you trusted Christ as savior, you received that same what? That same Holy Ghost, that same Holy Spirit, he entered your life, he baptized you into the body of Christ. You were born again.

And you were given a mission and the power to fulfill it. By God's grace alone and through his spirit to point the way to Jesus Christ that you too could be a fisher of men Are you willing to go Are you willing to serve Is there something in your life that keeping you from serving because there's a sin that you don't want to deal with him deal with? But you don't want to confess before God and get it right or maybe you're here today and you can't go because simply put, you're not Christian You have yet to receive God's gift and humble yourself to receive everlasting life and confess who you are who he is Would you do that today Christian, would you say to him today, yes I'll be that fisher of man Lord, help me I can't do it alone Lord, help me. I'm but a sinful man but I know by your grace I can Let's pray. Dear heavenly father, we thank you Lord We thank you Lord for the privilege of serving you for proclaiming your message today and we pray Lord We pray Dear heavenly father that we would be willing to answer your call We would not lay aside that which you have commanded us to do Lord, we might seek your face and and your help each day that we might be willing to confess our our sin.

That you might use us and Lord, we pray today if there's one here that's never come to Christ, never repented of their sins never trusted in him as savior Lord, I pray that you would catch them today I pray Lord that they would open up their heart to you and Lord as we give this hymn of invitation they would come. Jesus name we pray. Amen.