Kingdom Treasure: Go Fish 3-24-24

Kingdom Treasure: Go Fish 3-24-24

 

INTRODUCTION

 

Week one we learned that the Kingdom is worth any price, and that no matter what we have to give up to live in relationship with Jesus, it is worth it. 

 

Week two we learned that God’s Kingdom starts small but grows to make a major impact in the world around us. 

 

Last week we discovered that when the Kingdom of God is planted in the hearts of faithful Christians, it takes root and produces a wonderful harvest in them and through them.

 

Today we are going to take a look at one more Kingdom treasure that helps us experience the full life of God. The imagery that Jesus uses in this passage is one that I love, because I love to fish.

 

FISHING ROD

 

Illustration: One of my favorite pastimes is to go fishing. My son loves to fish too.  When you go fishing, you go with one goal in mind: to catch as many fish as possible. I typically don’t care what kind of fish is taking my bait, just as long as I am catching something. Usually, the key to successful fishing is being in the right place at the right time. Making sure you are presenting something that fish want is important as well. That is the way to catch as many fish as possible.

 

I.  GOD WANTS US TO KNOW THAT HE IS A GOOD FISHERMAN

 

Jesus gives one more parable explaining what the Kingdom of God is like in the book of Matthew. There are multiple instances where Jesus is trying to give handles for people to get their hands around what God’s work in the world is like and how they can be a part of it. Once again, Jesus is speaking to a large group of people, and here is what He said.

 

“Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish. When it was full, the fishermen pulled it up on the shore. Then they sat down and collected the good fish in baskets, but threw the bad away. This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous and throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

        Matthew 13:47-50 NIV

 

           A.  God uses a net (not a rod).

         B.  God’s net can catch many fish (unlike a rod).

         C.  God’s net requires many workers (unlike a rod).

           1.  Teamwork

                    2.  Effort of many

 

NET

 

Illustration: So, a net looks like it is made up of one continuous piece of string that is woven together to make a tool that can catch fish. However, a net is actually many pieces of string or rope that are tied together to make a strong net for many fish.

 

Story: City Mission in metro Cleveland.  Suburban kids reaching out to inner city kids.  The early church was diverse.

 

II.  GOD WANTS US TO FISH LIKE SOMEONE’S LIFE DEPENDS ON IT

 

Fishing for a living v. Fishing for enjoyment

   1.  Vocation v. Hobby

  2.  Necessity v. Luxury

          3.  Need v. Want

 

Dr. Daniel B. Wallace has taught Greek and New Testament courses on a graduate school level since 1979. He wrote about this idea based on Matthew 4 “19 He said to them, “Follow me, and I will turn you into fishers of people.” 20 They left their nets immediately and followed him.” “It’s strange how we read the Bible: we filter everything through our own worldview, our own culture, our own life-setting. Then, when we discover that our perspective is not that of the Bible’s, we resist the truth. This even happens over simple interpretive issues—such as Jesus’ analogy of fishing. Even though passages like Matthew 4:18-22 are plain enough, we still often have blinders on our eyes. Many a preacher has elaborated on the analogy along the lines of a fishing pole, reel, line, and hook.”

 

The church has forgotten how to fish with a net. We keep teaching evangelism in a way that looks like fishing with a rod and reel so you only catch one at a time. Dr. Daniel B. Wallace makes several points about net fishing and evangelism:

           • They are both labor intensive

           • Greater focus on the work than the skill

           • The need for persistence and dedication to the task (often in spite of minimal results)

           • The infinite value of the new “catch” (people)

 

           A.  God is patient.

 

”The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.“

           2 Peter 3:9 NIV

 

           B.  God is looking for fishers of men.

 

”As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” At once they left their nets and followed him.“

        Matthew 4:18-20 NIV

 

           C.  God is calling us to work hard at our craft.

 

Rick Palmer writes:

 

While fishing in the dark in a very deep canyon can present very obvious problems it can produce some unexpected experiences as well.

 

It was a warm summer night about 2:00 AM, dark would be an understatement as the moon was nonexistent at least in the bottom of our canyon. Trout was the target in this midsize river. We were fishing in a pool below Rapids, at a bend in the River. Our bait of choice, grasshoppers With a small split shot weight about 10 inches up the line. A short cast upstream With a natural drift was producing very well. I decided to change it up a bit, Casting high and hard trying to reach the rapids around the bend, however my line kept peeling from my spinning reel. I closed the bail on the reel and my line pulled tight with my rod tip pointing up toward the night sky. It seems a bat swooped down and caught the grass hopper and was carrying it off.

 

You never know what you might catch when you go fishing.

 

III.  GOD WANTS US TO BE THE NET

 

“Come follow me.”

 

           A.  We are the net.

 

Mother Theresa - “Joy is a net of love in which you can catch souls.” 

 

           B.  We are to get our hands dirty.

           C.  We are the bait.

 

Illustration: There once was a young salesman who was disappointed about losing a big sale, and as he talked with his sales manager he lamented, "I guess it just proves you can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink." The manager replied, "Son, take my advice: Your job is not to make him drink. Your job is to make him thirsty." So it is with sharing our faith. Our lives should be so filled with Christ that they create a thirst for the Gospel. 

 

CONCLUSION

 

God is a good fisherman.  God wants us to fish like someone’s life depends on it.  God wants us to the be the net.

 

INVITATION

 

It is our custom to offer an "invitation" following the preaching of the Word.  You may want to follow Jesus.  You may want to proclaim your faith.  You may want to repent (stop doing ungodly things and start doing Godly things).  Perhaps you want to be baptized for the forgiveness of your sins and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.  Possibly, if you have already responded to God’s call in these ways, you would like to become a member of Kenwood Church.  If you have been moved by the Holy Spirit to make a decision in your life, you can come forward now.  If you would like, I would be honored to speak with you following the service about what God is doing in your life.