Today I didn’t come in to the office, as I usually do. As a matter of fact, I skipped that part of my Saturday routine. Why? I felt it was important to go out on the lake with some brothers in Christ and throw some fishing line in. We didn’t catch anything, but that time spent with my brothers in Christ was amazing! It got me thinking: sometimes, we put so much emphasis on what happens within the church-building that we forget what it means to be the Church. We are called to BE the Church and not go to a church-house!
Jesus said that we’re to be fishers of men. This week, on multiple occasions I got to do just that. I was wearing a shirt that depicted the Gospel message and shared with a waitress when we went out and celebrated our oldest son’s 12 birthday, I shared the Gospel and invited some folks we helped with food and gas to church, and I made sure to invite folks to fellowship on Sunday Morning and our Saturday night event this week. Loved ones, we’re here to get people to Jesus. Your fishin’ trip may be like mine, where you set your lines and don’t pull anything in, but you’ll never catch anything at all unless you throw your nets and lines out! Jesus called us to be fishers of men. We’re here to draw men to Christ and to give God glory! Go out in to the world and make disciples of all nations! Go fishing!
Mark 1:16-20
Passing alongside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” And immediately they left their nets and followed him. And going on a little farther, he saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, who were in their boat mending the nets. And immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants and followed him.
Matthew 28:16-20
Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
1 Peter 2:4-12
As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For it stands in Scripture:
“Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”
So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe.
“The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,”
And
“A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense.”
They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.
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