Missions Paul

3 questions.
Luke 5: 1-11
Simon Peter, Andrew, James and John had heard the call to accept Jesus as their Messiah (John 1:35-51). They had heard the call to follow for a little while (Matthew 4 and Mark 1).
But on this day they were at a distance from Jesus, washing their fishing nets.
In contrast there is a crowd of people around Jesus. The Greek word for crowd is epikeimai which means press around, press upon, be urgent.
There is the passion of the people and the distance of the disciples.
Which are you today?

Simon wished he had a bigger boat that day! Whatever the size of the boat it would have sunk under the weight of the miracle. Miracles are to be shared. They are not just for one boat but for many boats. Your miracle is not your miracle, it’s for everyone.
Is it all about one boat, your boat, or do you desire the miracle to be shared amongst many boats?

They heard a call: “From now on you will catch men.” The Greek word is zogmeo which means to capture alive, to spare life. The men had caught fish to kill them but now they would catch men to free them.
Are you killing people or freeing them today?

Be open-minded.
Luke 4:14-30
Gods ways are not your ways. Don’t be so sure about God’s response to situations. You may be wrong.
Isaiah 61 which Jesus read was a text of judgment, passed down generationally, steeped in their culture. Yet the revelation of the Messiah turned it upside down into a text of mercy.
Mercy offends when you are banking on judgment. They knew what Jesus was aiming at and they wanted rid of such mercy.

Be open-minded. Think less of yourself. Do not let your Christian community become a narrow minded cliquish community.
They thought the Messianic age would be a great moment for them. It would be all about them. Jesus shifts the text from, “Here is what you will receive,” to “Here is what you are expected to give.”
Before you met Christ it was all about you. But now it is never about you, it is always about others.

Jesus made it possible for us to change our identity.
Your life does not have to stay this way.
Whilst man was changing their identity by being plunged into the identity of God, Jesus changed his identity by being plunged into the identity of man.
Luke 3:21

How to get through confusion.
Luke 2
There are times when it looks like evil dictators are in control, v1
There are times when it looks like compliance is in control, v3
There are times when your historical background is in control, v4
There are times when inconvenient circumstances are in control, v5-6
There are times when it feels like rejection is in control, v7
But through it all remember 7 key messages:
Do not be afraid v10
A Saviour is here for you, v11
Give glory to God, v14
Search for Him and you will find Him, v16
Offer your sacrifice, v24
Fill your life with praise, prophecy and worship, v28, 36, 38
Some things you will not understand right away, v50

God uses ordinary people like you and me….
Luke 1
Ordinary people who will say Let it be, v38
It is a prayer of adjustment: I will adjust to what you want for my life God.
It is a prayer of conception: I am here, my mind understands, my heart receives, my body is ready, use me.
It is a prayer of faith: let it be. Amen. It is so. I agree. It is done.

Death
Not one of us has experienced it for ourselves, but no one doubts it. All of us have been effected by it, some have come close to it, some are very afraid of it, death casts a shadow over our lives.
Mark 16
Jesus lifts the fear of death.
I am the resurrection.

Most people of faith or no faith carry a cry in their heart that says, “There must be more than this.”
There must be more than the suffering I am going through.
There must be more than an allotted amount of years on this earth.
There must be more than being born, being alive, being dead and put in the ground.
We must be made for something else, somewhere else.
The majority carry a sense of eternity in their hearts.
Thee is another place.
It is because Jesus is the resurrection.

The Bible will hold you during your cross.
Mark 15:34
If only the religious had not been so blind to God’s Word.
Jesus in his greatest trial knew and recalled the Word.
Psalm 22:1
He is still my God.
Though I feel abandoned and punished because of the sin, I still trust Him.
And I know that later in this Psalm ( a Psalm prophesying about me) that there will be vindication after the suffering.
The Bible is holding me now.

Do what you can
Mark 14
You know where to go
You have what you need
You can give
V3
If we all just did what we can then our story would reach the world, v9

She did what she could, v8. Let us also.

Are you watching?

Mark 13
Are you aware of the deceptive Messiahs, v6?
Are you following the news of the wars, v7?
Do you see the natural disasters around the world, v8?
Are your praying for the persecuted, v9,11?
Are you involved in praying, giving and going to overseas work, v10?
Can you see the breakdown of families today, v12?
Are you understanding the happenings in Israel, v14?
Keep watching, He’s coming!

Who are ya?
So the English football fans chant to belittle the opponents: We have no idea who you are, you are nothing, you are not important.

Mark 12

I think a little bit of this attitude is needed in our hero-searching, hero-worshipping Christian culture.

The accusation towards Jesus was that he didn’t stand in fear of man, v14. The way of God and the truth is for everyone no matter who they are.

The warning of Jesus was to be cautious with the heroes, the stars, the crowd-pullers and those who get all the attention, v38-39. Those who desire such treatment will be dealt with.

The behaviour of Jesus was to see what people were missing, v42-43. The Kingdom of God is found more in poverty than anywhere else.

Who are ya?