"CLARIFYING OUR ASSIGNMENT "

Look Up:       Matthew 4:18-20

Sermon preached by Dr. Wayne Poplin, Senior Pastor of
Carmel Baptist Church, Matthews, NC (Copyright 2007) 

INTRODUCTION:  It is frustrating when you are told what to do something without a clear idea of how to do it [“We’re just going to have to do something about that” or “We are going to have to do that better”—and we think:  “That’s great.  Just tell me how”].  It happens at school, at work, at church.  In fact, we are good at doing that at church.  We talk about building a stronger marriage, serving, studying the Bible, love God with heart, soul, mind—without a clear idea how to do that.  Granted, there are times when we ought to figure some things out for ourselves, but then there are plenty of times when we need help. 
              This is why I appreciate Jesus.  He tells us what He wants, but He also but tells us very clearly how to accomplish that.   Now this is what He wants-- He wants us to be evangelists [not necessarily the “Billy Graham” kind, but the personal kind].  But what He wants is the ‘Oh, no” of the Christian’s life.  This is the scary “E” word.   One of the most frightening things for a Christian is not the devil and death but the matter of personal evangelism.  We quake at the sound of those words.  We are all for it, but we feel anxious about it and guilty over our track record regarding it.  But the reason we feel that way may be because we know what Jesus wants, but we have not implemented the how-to.  This is where we may need another SHIFT in our lives. 
            Now, let me say this.  If we overlook a key set of verses, we may think that we have been told what to do without a clear idea of how to do it.  For instance, Jesus gave the Great Commission to us.  But He did not give specific instructions there, did He?  Individuals, churches, mission groups, etc. have been working on the “how-to” since Jesus ascended.  In another place [2 Cor. 5:17 -21], we are told that we are to be His ambassadors, representing Him to people.  That passage is a little thin on the how-to as well.  But before we were given the “go” passage and before we were given the “ambassador” passage, Jesus very clearly told us what we needed to do in order for these things to be accomplished.   Listen to what He invites us to do.   
            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 make you fishers of men.”  At once they left their nets and followed Him [Matthew 4:18 -20].   
            This is Jesus talking to those that He called.  These are some of the primary ones to whom He would entrust the “going” and “ambassadoring.”  So, if this doesn’t work, then the Good News in Jesus does not spread.  So, you know this is a sound plan.  Notice what He says.  “Go fish for men.”  No.  That is not what He said.  He said, “Come, follow Me” and I will make you fishers of men.”  
            This is where we need a SHIFT-- A SHIFT in our understanding of how personal evangelism happens.  There is only one command in verse 19.  It is “Come, follow me.”  Actually, it is an invitation.  After that, Jesus tells us what He will do—what He is responsible for—“I will make you fishers of men.”  Does Jesus make good on His promises?  Is He able to follow through with what He said He would do?  Yes.  And He will on this one.  From this passage, there is no doubt what Jesus wants us to be.  But then He clearly tells us how we are to be that.  Jesus tells us what He wants us to be in fishing terms.  I have never minded fishing.  I thoroughly enjoy it.  Fishing has never scared me.  Sleepless nights from anxiety don’t precede a fishing outing.  Fishing doesn’t embarrass me.  It doesn’t hurt my feelings even when I don’t catch anything.  There is a whole lot I don’t know about fishing, but I like it just the same.  I just like to fish.  People like to fish.  Kids love to fish.  What a great way to put it, Jesus!  Why then are we scared to death of personal evangelism?  Because we are focused on fishing rather than following and that makes evangelism awkward and scary.   
            Let’s do this.  Let’s just walk behind Jesus for a few minutes and see where He goes.  Jesus didn’t shout loudly from heaven.  He came in flesh and walked on the ground in the Middle East .  So we can follow Him as He walked on real ground.  So where would we go and what would we see if we followed Him?  “Follow Me”—means “back there”—look and learn from the one ahead.  If we do that, what kind of a SHIFT might be necessary?   
            First of all, when you follow Jesus, you find Him around people who needed Him.  That includes the woman at the well, Zaccheus, Nicodemus, etc.  Why did He do that?  Because He was clear on His mission [Lk. 19:10 —and with the parables about the lost sheep, coin and son, He showed us how the lost mattered to God].  We probably need a SHIFT if we are mostly with the spiritually well.  I understand why we are mostly with the spiritually well.  It is our world.  They are our soulmates.  But if we follow Him, we need to expand our circles.  The disciples would never have gone to Samaria if they had not been following Jesus.  But as a result of His going there, many Samaritans came to Him [Jh. 4:39 -41].  We may never be with certain ones unless we follow Jesus.  In fact, because of who He was with, Jesus was called the friend of sinners [Matthew 11:19 ].  “Friend.”  What does that communicate?  That He loved them.  That He cared for them.  That He invested in them.  He risked.  When the Word cautions against friendship with the world it is referring to the world order which is evil—not the people in the world.  When we are told not to be in the world, it doesn’t mean to stay away from people of the world, but not to fall prey to things of the world.  Yes, we need to be careful and we need to not put ourselves in positions where we can fall.  But there is nothing wrong with being a “Friend of sinners.”   
            When you have the opportunity [lunch, meeting] to be with an individual that God loves and needs a relationship with Him, don’t be afraid.  Don’t be anxious about what you will say.  You get uptight thinking you are going to have to answer all of their theological questions, wrestle them into submission with your spiritual expertise, and sell them your religion.  No.  Enjoy your lunch and time with them.  By being with them, you have followed Jesus.  You are where He would be.  You are doing what He asked.  Now let Him use you to be a fisher of men.   
            Secondly, when you follow Jesus you see how He treated people and see that people liked Him.  He was approachable.  He had time for them.  Children got in His lap.  They knew He loved them and was not trying to manipulate them or chalk them up as a catch.  He shot straight, but was never judgmental.  He was authentic.  As we follow Him, will we need to SHIFT?  
Do they know we love them?  Do we act like we do?  Are we condemning and judgmental.  Are we approachable?  Are we authentic?  Spiritual inauthenticity won’t work.  They need to know and see us struggle with decisions, life, pain, fear—but know that Christ is with us in the struggle.  Emotional inauthenticity won’t work.  Pasted on smiles won’t work.  We can be real.   
            Here is a real problem that we have today—many are leery of Christians [the media has done a number on us and we have done a number on ourselves—hypocrisy antennas are at an all time high.  We are stereotyped as homophobic, abortion killers, extremist, and are known for what we are against.  You will have to understanding and patient.  But following Jesus and letting Him act through us will make a difference.  Many are leery of Christianity.  That is because they have a distorted picture of Christianity.  They are leery of the church—and really leery of Baptists [many of you are upset that Baptist churches would drop the name—but I understand].  The people who demonstrated at funerals of those killed in Iraq are “Baptists”. Most religious nuts that get in the news are Baptist].  But we still need to follow Jesus and let him take care of the fisher of men part.  
            Thirdly, when we follow Jesus, we will go to the cross.  In fact, He said:  “Take up your cross and follow Me.”  We must die to our self-centered, living only for myself ways.  We must be ready to say no to convenience, wanting it always safe and undisturbed and secure.  I need to be willing to lay my life on the line for Him.  Follow Him and He will make us fishers of men.     
            Let’s concentrate on the “following.”  Let’s ask ourselves:  Am I going where He would be going, am I acting like He would act, and am I willing to lay down my life for Him?  That’s when He will make you a fisher of men.  I think we are uptight about personal evangelism because we are too busy trying to hook somebody rather than following Jesus—we are too busy trying to sell our religion rather than sharing our faith—and trying to convict and convert people when that is not our job. 
            Follow Him.  Go where He would go.  Invest in people.  If you invest in people you can invite them and they will come.  We are striving to create environments here that will make it easy for you to invite them.  Listen to people—we are too busy worrying about what we are going to say to listen.  People pay people to listen to them.  Be a listener.  When you are talking to people say something spiritual.  Jesus did.  Be ready to tell them what Jesus has done for you.  Be ready to share special revelation with them—Jesus came and died for us.  Then see what Jesus will do through you.
            What motivated you to come to Christ?  I know that Christ drew you to Himself.  But what was the person like or the people like that He used?  Weren’t they people who followed Jesus, acted like Jesus and  people who were denying themselves to be on mission?  You can be that person to somebody else.    

            What if we were all committed to following Jesus?  It would be amazing what God would do.      
What SHIFT do we need to make? 
            This morning I want us all to follow Jesus—some to become fishers of men and others to become children of God.