When you want to return to your nets

When it comes to leaving your nets I find two challenges; the first is to decide to leave your nets - I addressed that issue in Monday's blog. The second challenge is to stay true to the call when you want to return to your nets. Whenever you answer the call, there may be occasions where your run into opposition or difficulty and the net you left seems attractive. Remember Israel's dilemma at the Red Sea? The sea is before them the Egyptians are pursuing them; Exodus 14:10-12 gives the details; As Pharaoh approached, the Israelites looked up, and there were the Egyptians, marching after them. They were terrified and cried out to the LORD. They said to Moses, "Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us to the desert to die? What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt? Didn't we say to you in Egypt, 'Leave us alone; let us serve the Egyptians'? It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert!"   

It would have been better to serve Egyptians?!?! 

Egypt was a cruel taskmaster, but at this moment the children of Israel did not care, they wanted to return to their bondage rather than trust God in their trial. They wanted to return to their nets. 

Egyptian fleeing Israelites are not the only ones who want to return to their nets. We want to return to our nets when criticism becomes overwhelming or when the problems seem unsurmountable or the journey is lonely or you fill in the blank.

The apostle Paul gives us some practical advice when we want to return to our nets...

2 Corinthians 4:8-10, We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.  

Paul tells us he has faced a variety of afflictions, any one of them would make him want to return to his nets, yet he ends the passage with the phrase, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. When we continue to do the work of Christ, when we continue with our call, we reveal the life of Christ in our body. In other words, our actions point to Jesus. In reality returning to our nets is not an option, the only true option we have when we want to return to our nets is to continue to point people to Jesus. In doing this we stay focused on our call and not on our afflictions.

Before Paul told us how to handle our afflictions, Jesus gave the ultimate demonstration of stying faithful to the call. 1 Peter 2:23, When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.

When we place our trust in God, our nets have very little appeal to us! Thus we gladly leave the nets behind knowing the call has something far better than an empty net. 

Have you seen my net?

"Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men." At once they left their nets and followed him. Mark 1:17-18 


This has to be one of the most amazing statements of faith in the Bible. A stranger approaches a group of fishermen with a challenge to follow Him, upon hearing the invitation, they leave their nets and follow him. 


I wonder what happened to the nets?


Did their partners pick them up, did other fisherman take them as their own, after all we all know the rule, "finders keepers, losers weepers" Scripture does not say what happen to their nets, all it says is they left the nets. I wonder if the nets did not become a perfect marker of what it meant to be a Christ follower. I mean is it possible when people walked past the nets they thought about Simon and Andrew and the man who offered the invitation Follow Me! I wonder if people saw the nets and said, "Yeah they will be back it will never last or what kind of fisherman leaves a net"? 


When I think about my nets, I wonder what people would say if they saw me leave my nets today. I would hope I have a permanent marker in my life that says, "On this day I left my net and followed Him." What would people say if they saw my nets? Can the same be said for you? Is there a point in your life where people know you left your nets? What would people say about you if they saw your nets? Remember following Jesus always means you are going to have to leave something behind. 


So I ask you, have you seen my nets?

On Leaving Nets

Sunday Morning I was preaching from Mark 1:14-20. In the passage Jesus calls Simon, Andrew, James and John to be a part of his mission with the simple phrase, "Come, Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men" Upon hearing the invitation Mark records "At once they left their nets and followed him"

What was it about the invitation of Jesus that compelled these men to leave their nets and follow him. Understand nets were very important to the the fishermen. In Sunday's message I said, A fisherman knew his nets. His nets are his livelihood. The nets were the only thing that keeps his family going. Without nets he and his family would starve. Fishermen took care of their nets. Every day the nets would be cleaned repaired and stored away with great care. The fisherman not only cared for his net, he knew how to use the net with great detail. He knew when to cast and when to draw it back in. He also knew who the best net makers were and who knew best to replace a broken net. Fishermen knew their nets and their net makers. He knew everything there was to know about nets. So when Jesus gave the invitation to come and follow him; his was an invitation to leave the familiar (nets) and join him in unfamiliar territory.

While I challenged the congregation to leave their nets Sunday, I have to admit I am trying to figure out what does it mean to leave the familiar and and go into unfamiliar territory with Jesus. 

While I am not sure what the unfamiliar is today, I know what is familiar;

• The familiar is safe
• The familiar is certainty
• The famiar is security
• The familiar takes very little faith
• The familiar goes with the flow
• The familiar takes less effort
• The familiar known
• The familiar is routine
• The familiar is normal 
• The familiar is followed by the majority
• The familiar has more answers than questions
• The familiar if acceptable 
• The familiar is seldom questioned
• The familiar is the status quo

After to looking at this list, I am beginning to understand what it means to leave the familiar and follow Jesus into unfamiliar territory. Now all I need is the courage to do it!

Sunday Night Reflections

A Few Thoughts from an Amazing Day...

• Preached on an unpopular, but much needed subject today - repentance.
• A lot of people are sorry they were caught in a sin, but how many genuinely repent?
• Remember without repentance there can be no transformation.
• Yes, I did say following Jesus always means you have to leave something behind.
• Nets are anything you cling to rather than Jesus.
• What nets will you leave for Jesus?
• It is easy to write a check to God for a million dollars, however God only wants a nickel a day!
• Christianity stripped down is as simple as Matthew 22:36-40 - Think about it!
• One of our members announced she was moving to Port Orange next week - We will miss you Elena, You have been such a blessing to PBCC.
• Next weekend is going to be a busy, but challenging week for PBCC - I hope everyone will take advantage of what will be offered!
• Hey, Walt and Jean enjoy the Mountains - you deserve it!
• I am really excited about what the young people of PBCC are doing to impact the culture.
• Whenever you feel like boasting on your cleverness or strength, remember Jeremiah 19:23-24; real good stuff.
• How can it already be August 1 - I kid you not, Christmas decorations are up in the Palm Bay Cracker Barrel.
• I have to be honest, over the last few weeks I have witnessed God do some amazing things in what looked like truly horrible circumstances. As Chris Tomlin sings,  "How great is our God"
• Next Sunday we continue the series Red Letters - Remember PBCC family; Guest are welcomed, members are expected.
• Preschool teachers return to work tomorrow at PBCC - looking forward to a new year and new opportunities.

Finding Satisfaction

Mick Jagger of The Rolling Stones turned 67 Monday. I will always associate Mick and the Stones with the song I Can't Get No Satisfaction. For many people that song has become an anthem to describe this life. Remember the chorus...

I can't get no satisfaction, I can't get no satisfaction 

'Cause I try and I try and I try and I try, I can't get no, I can't get no satisfaction.

I try and I try and I try and I try. The truth of the matter is we can try a variety of things and if you have followed Mick's career, you know he has tried a lot of things! However, this world simply has no answer for the longing we have in our heart. We are made for something more than this world could ever offer. C.S. Lewis said, If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world.The truth is we were made for another world. A world where God's will is completely followed and God's people find rest for their souls and satisfaction in him alone. 

Solomon was right when he said God has also set eternity in the hearts of men. We long for eternity and nothing this world will ever offer will satisfy our longing for the next life. 

I cannot image what you give an aging Rock Star for his 67th birthday, I only hope one day he will find the satisfaction that he and everyone else if looking for. 

   

Sunday Night Reflections

I was away on vacation this week so I did not have the opportunity to worship at Palm Bay today, but I thought I would give some reflections on my vacation from last week.

• Spent all day Monday doing yard work - I know it sounds crazy, but I actually enjoy doing yard work. There is something about finishing the job and looking over the work with a sense of accomplishment. That is not always true in ministry, there is always something that needs to be done. By the way Round Up is some serious weed killer.
• Tuesday was Anniversary day. Kathy and I celebrated 31 years of marriage on that day. We celebrated with dinner at the Melbourne Chart House, Great view of the River, but even better food! (I recommend the salmon, Kathy the scallops - you will not be disappointed) Todd was our waiter and he really knows what it means to put the customer first. If you ever eat at the Chart House, ask for Todd, he was great! 
• Wednesday was do nothing day and that is what we did - Absolutely nothing, kind of hard to completely disengage, but by noon I was enjoying "Do Nothing Day"
• Thursday began with our family going to a movie and lunch - It is amazing that movies are only $4 before noon at Cinema World - What a deal! Finished reading "The Good and Beautiful Life"  by James Smith - He really has a great take on the Sermon on the Mount - Hey FCC Friends this is NOT our James Smith! 
• Friday Night Kathy and I saw SALT - what an Adrenaline Rush - Keeps you guessing all the way to the end.
• Other Random Thoughts - Shrimp always taste better on the grill. This vacation I really feel refreshed and am looking forward to getting back to work. Maybe you never thought of it, but doing ministry is a gift; ministry blesses other people, honors God and we have the privilege to represent Christ - WHAT A GREAT GIFT! There are times our dog is a Diva! We are only 39 days away from the 2010 College Football Season.

Well that was my vacation - not real exciting, but I really enjoyed myself. Now I am ready and refreshed - Monday here I come!

Rest

I am on vacation this week. I must say the timing for vacation was near perfect. I plan to relax a little, catch up with family in Jax. and celebrate my 31st anniversary with my wife. We are not doing anything spectacular this week, we are simply changing our routine a little bit and already I sense that I am being refreshed.

There is something special that happens when we change our routine. We get a fresh perspective on a situation. We also find time to do a few little things that the day to day activities limit us. For example, our family went to Red Lobster tonight and we decided everyone could get what they wanted, don't worry about the prices on the menu. For an hour and half we simply relaxed enjoyed good seafood and reconnected. Why does it take a vacation for this to happen?

I am looking forward to the next few days, I have a few good books to read that do not have anything to do with ministry or church leadership, I plan on doing a few things around the house that need to be done and then I plan to celebrate 31 years of marriage with my best friend. This very well could be my ideal vacation!