Participants: Dwight K Nelson
Series Code: NP
Program Code: NP170422A
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00:08 ♪♪ >> ♪ Praise the Lord, praise the
00:16 Lord ♪ ♪ Praise the Lord, call on His 00:20 name ♪ 00:23 ♪ Declare His doings among the people ♪ ♪ Declare His doings ♪ 00:32 ♪ Mention that His name ♪ ♪ Mention that His name is exalted ♪ 00:47 ♪ Sing to the Lord ♪ ♪ Sing to the Lord ♪ ♪ For He has done ♪ 01:02 ♪ Excellent things ♪ 01:15 >> Will you bow your heads with me as we pray this morning? 01:21 Father God, what a blessing it is to have made it through 01:23 another week. No matter how long or tiring the 01:28 weeks can be, it is always easier when You are with us. 01:32 And so this morning, we come before Your throne, and we ask that You open up Your ears to 01:37 hear our praise, to hear our worship. Lord, we love You, and we come 01:40 to honor You and give You praise. So hear our worship, Lord, and 01:44 envelop us in Your bosom, Lord. We thank You in Your Son, Jesus', precious, holy, and 01:50 powerful name. Amen. >> Amen. 01:54 >> Good morning, church family. >> Good morning. >> This morning, we are going to 02:00 turn in our hymnals to page number 227. [ "Jesus Shall Reign" plays ] 02:22 [ Congregation sings ] 03:27 Amen. Praise God. You know, this morning, there's nothing like lifting up the 03:32 Lord. And He says if we do not praise Him, the rocks will cry out. 03:36 So this morning, as we get ready to try a new song, I ask that you do a little call and 03:42 response with us. The song's name is "I Will Lift Up Your Name Higher." 03:47 And is that not what we're here to do? We're always here to praise the 03:50 Lord. That's what we were made for. We were made to worship. 03:53 So let's lift up the Lord's name. Listen to it here. 03:58 I'll sing the first little part, and then our praise team will give you the little second 04:03 piece. So you try it. Follow us, okay? 04:06 ♪♪ 04:11 [ Performers sing ] 04:29 All right. It's your turn. I want to hear you sing it. It's really easy. 05:21 One more time. 05:36 Now "I know." 05:44 You sing it. 05:59 Again. 06:37 Now let me hear you. 06:45 Sing out. 06:53 Again. 07:16 ♪ Everybody ♪ 07:31 ♪ Everybody ♪ 07:41 Sing out. 08:23 One more time. 08:33 Whoo! Praise God. It's so wonderful to hear you all singing out to the Lord. 08:38 He is amazing. He gives us peace. He gives us that peace that 08:44 passes all understanding. He is the stillness in our lives. 08:50 He's what gives us calm when we struggle from day to day. So sing with us a familiar one, 08:56 "Still," as we rest in the Lord. ♪♪ 09:12 [ Congregation sings ] 11:02 He is our joy, and He's our strength. 12:55 It's time now to come forward and lay your burdens down before the Lord. 13:05 This is an older hymn that I feel touches my heart when I think about how sweet being with 13:13 the Father is and being in His spirit. So come and lay your burdens 13:18 down knowing there's a sweetness in that Spirit. 13:25 [ Congregation sings ] 15:58 Sing. 17:38 Choir, help us. Sing out. 18:28 One more time. 19:38 ♪♪ >> ♪ With a voice of singing ♪ 19:45 ♪ Declare ye this, and let it be heard ♪ 19:50 ♪ Alleluia ♪ >> ♪ Declare ye this ♪ >> ♪ Declare ye this ♪ 19:56 >> ♪ And let it be heard ♪ >> ♪ Declare ye this, and let it be heard ♪ 20:02 ♪ Alleluia ♪ ♪ Utter it even unto ♪ ♪ The ends of the earth ♪ 20:17 ♪ The Lord hath delivered his people ♪ >> ♪ Alleluia ♪ 20:23 >> ♪ Alleluia ♪ >> ♪ Alleluia ♪ >> ♪ The Lord hath delivered his 20:31 people ♪ >> ♪ Alleluia ♪ >> ♪ Alleluia ♪ 20:35 >> ♪ Alleluia ♪ >> ♪ Alleluia ♪ >> ♪ Alleluia ♪ 20:37 >> ♪ Alleluia ♪ >> ♪ Alleluia ♪ >> ♪ Alleluia ♪ 20:45 >> ♪ O be joyful in God, all ye lands ♪ ♪ O sing praises to the honor of 20:57 his name ♪ ♪ Make his praise to be glorious ♪ 21:08 ♪♪ 21:14 ♪ With a voice of singing ♪ ♪ Declare ye this, and let it be heard ♪ 21:22 ♪ Alleluia ♪ >> ♪ Declare ye this ♪ >> ♪ Declare ye this ♪ 21:28 >> ♪ And let it be heard ♪ >> ♪ Declare ye this ♪ >> ♪ Declare ye this ♪ 21:31 >> ♪ And let it be heard ♪ >> ♪ And let it be heard ♪ ♪ Alleluia ♪ 21:39 ♪♪ 21:44 ♪ Alleluia ♪ ♪ Declare ye this, and let it be heard ♪ 21:56 ♪ Alleluia ♪ 22:13 >> Man. 22:18 Thank you, Sanctuary Choir. Beautiful, beautiful, with the voices singing, "Declare 22:23 alleluia." Father, thank you for worship this morning. 22:30 We've been swept heavenward over and over -- the praise team, the choir, the children's story. 22:38 Thank you for Gabriel and that beautiful story. And now the Word. 22:43 We want to go heavenward on this Word. So please bless these few 22:48 moments we have. Energize it, this time, and us, we worshipers. 22:56 We humbly pray in Jesus' name, amen. 23:10 [ Footsteps ] 23:17 [ Birds singing ] 23:39 Before I share another fishing story today, I want to show you 23:43 some pictures. Because here's how you and I -- 23:45 When we think about going fishing, here's what we think 23:47 about. We think about a rod and a reel 23:49 and the little line and a hook and little earthworm wiggling on 23:52 it. And we're down by the sunshiney 23:55 banks of the St. Joseph River. "Ah, I got another one." 23:58 That's how we think. That wasn't how Jesus was 24:00 thinking. That was not how Peter was 24:03 fishing. 24:04 So I want to show you some pictures of Peter fishing. Really. No kidding. 24:08 This is Peter fishing. Peter's the son of Carey Carscallen. 24:12 Carey Carscallen's the dean of our school of architecture here at Andrews University. 24:16 They used to take their whole family -- That would be Peter, that would be Kristin, who's now 24:20 Kristin Parker -- three precious little girls and her husband, Jorden, members here. 24:25 She's a nurse -- and brother Jeremy, so three kids and dad commercial fishing every summer 24:31 up at Alaska. For years, they did this. So I was talking to Carey after 24:35 the Easter service last week. I said, "Hey, let me have those pictures." 24:38 Here they are. Take a look at the video first. Here is the boat heading out. 24:43 You got to go out into the deep. That's the deal. You can't fish along the shore, 24:48 folks. [ Indistinct radio chatter ] You got to go where the water is 24:53 deep. Carey told me last Sabbath, "Dwight, the reason you go to 24:56 the deep is because that's where the fish are." Look at those waves. 25:00 [ Imitates waves crashing ] Down. Oh, it's choppy. You get seasick out there. 25:06 But that's where you go. Little bit of discomfort, but you got to catch fish. 25:12 All right. Now they have dropped those nets, and they're bringing them 25:15 in. This is father Carey now. He's at the -- That winch is 25:19 just hauling these nets in. There's Carey right there, dean of the school of architecture. 25:24 Look at those -- Those are king salmon, by the way, king salmon. And they're coming in one after 25:30 the other after the other. Here are Peter and Jeremy, the two brothers. 25:35 I love this sunset shot. And look at the fish they're bringing in. 25:38 Look at the fish. They're just falling on the floor of the boat. 25:41 I always think, this is what it would be like with Peter, James, and John in their little fishing 25:46 skiff at night. They're pulling in the fish. Look at that fish. 25:49 And we're not talking about little minnows here, folks. Have you ever seen a king 25:54 salmon? Let me show you a picture of Kristin's, all right? 25:57 'Cause she's in the thick of this, too. That is a king salmon. Yeah. 26:01 Next picture is of Peter, and he's got two king salmon. And here's an aerial shot of the 26:07 now packed boat. That's what Peter fell in, all that silvery, slimy -- He was on 26:13 his knees saying, "Jesus, depart from me. I am a sinner," as he saw this 26:17 miraculous catch. That's what it looked like right there. 26:22 You got to go out into the deep. That's the deal. Jesus said, "Push out into the 26:27 deep. You'll catch fish." But be forewarned. 26:30 Oh, hold on to your pew. When you fish in the deep, you pretty much catch anything, and 26:35 you got to be ready for that. Anything goes when you fish in the deep. 26:40 That's the point of the story that I want to share with you right now. 26:43 Once upon a time, there was a big fisherman who had a lot of little fishermen fishing for 26:48 him. And one day, the big fisherman sent them all out. 26:51 "Out, out, out, out. Go, go, go, go, go. Cover the deep blue sea." 26:55 And those little fishing dinghies went out over the rough waters till they got out to the 27:02 deep. They all threw over their nets, and the joy when they -- Ooh, 27:06 they felt the electric tug. Whoopee! As they pull in -- You just saw 27:11 it -- They're pulling in the nets. They can hardly wait to get back 27:16 to shore. They're dragging in their hauls, all of them up onto the sandy 27:20 beach, spread out the fish. And one by one, the little fishermen start sorting out the 27:25 fish. "This goes there. This goes there. 27:27 This goes there." When the big fisherman showed up, he showed up, and when he 27:31 saw what they were doing, he said, "Yo, yo, time out! Stop! Stop, stop. 27:37 No, no, no, no, no! I don't want you to do this! Do not sort the fish! Please! 27:44 I have my crew. They'll come in at the end of the day. 27:46 They know what to do. They will do the sorting. In fact, little fishermen, let 27:52 me teach you a lesson you must never forget. You do the fishing. 27:59 I do the sorting. The end." That was the end of the story. 28:06 But that "wow" point is so significant. I want you to grab your study 28:09 guide right now. Let's go. Scribble it down. We can't miss that line. 28:13 That is a huge line. And by the way, it has all the good news in the world wrapped 28:18 up in just that one lesson. Take a look at this. So, thank you, friendly ushers. 28:24 If you'll just raise your hand, here they come your way. You didn't get a study guide, 28:27 put your hand up. They'll make sure you get one. Up in the balcony, the same. 28:30 Those of you watching on a screen right now, live-streaming from wherever on earth you are, 28:35 we're glad to have you. 28:37 You don't need the website, but those of you watching on a 28:39 television right now do. There's the website. 28:40 You see it -- www.newperceptions.tv. 28:45 You're looking for a series that ends next week. 28:47 You say, "How can it end next week, Dwight, when we're not 28:49 gonna be here?" Oh, the series -- We're gonna 28:51 shoot the series on television first service next week. 28:55 So it'll go onto our archive site. 28:57 Live-streaming will be the new live fellowship. 29:01 But it'll all be there. 29:03 No matter where you go, it'll be ready for you the next week, all right? 29:06 So this is "Gone Fishin', Part 3." Ends next week with part 4. 29:10 Part 3, jot it down before we forget this little lesson. The Big Fisherman to the little 29:14 fishermen, what did he say? "You must learn this lesson, boys and girls. 29:19 You do the fishing. I do the --" what? >> Sorting. 29:24 >> Yeah, "I do the sorting, please. Let me do the sorting." 29:27 You say, "Dwight, did you make that story up?" Nope. 29:30 Open your Bible to the Gospel of Matthew chapter 13. Let's just check Jesus' bright 29:34 red letters out. These are red-letter words. Matthew chapter 13. 29:38 You're finding it. I'm in the NIV. You have it there in front of 29:44 you, Matthew chapter 13. Let's pick it up in verse 47. Jesus speaking now. 29:53 See that? 29:57 Oh, get a load of this. 30:01 In fact, would you jot this down? There's three little points to 30:04 this very short story. Here's point number one. Jot it down. 30:13 It does not catch one kind. It does not catch two kinds. It catches all kinds, 30:21 all kinds of fish. Keep that one in mind. Let's keep reading. 30:26 Now verse 48. 30:40 Hit the pause button again. Here comes point number two. Jot it down. Point number two... 30:51 Jesus just said it. You know, you can read this parable in a cursory, quick sort 30:55 of way. And you get the feeling that as soon as the fishermen get on the 30:58 shore, every time they go fishing, they're just sorting, sorting, sorting. 31:00 No, no, no, no, no, no. Jesus says, "The sorting only happens at the end of the age." 31:07 Ooh! That's a big deal. 31:11 Okay. Finish the story. Read verse 49 again. 31:25 ...Jesus asked these disciples. And they said, "Yep, we got it. Thank you, Master. 31:29 Great lesson." Do we get it? Here's point number 3. 31:32 Jot it down, please, before we forget it. 31:43 Did you get that? The people who do the sorting at the end are the angels, not the 31:49 fishermen. Now, remember, the parable is actually a snapshot of the very 31:53 end of time. It's a great judgment day. In fact, the Book of Revelation, 31:59 you remember, has this loud cry that goes to the whole planet. 32:07 We're in the judgment. This is that moment, which means 32:12 it's sorting-out time. And Jesus informs us, "It's the 32:16 angels who are the ones who assist the big fisherman in the 32:19 sorting on the judgment day, not the little fisher people, if you 32:23 prefer, not you and me. We fish. God what? God sorts. 32:31 Let's say that again together. We fish. God sorts. 32:36 That's what we do. We fish. God sorts, which, by the way, turns out to be very good news 32:43 for the likes of little fishermen and little fisher-women like us, because 32:50 we've been called to this. We've been called. Jesus has called us all to be 32:53 fishers. How did he put it to Peter when Peter's knee-deep and kneeling 32:58 at the feet of Jesus in that overflowing boat? Put it on the screen, those 33:02 words. We've read them before. Luke 5:10. 33:05 "Don't be afraid, Pete." 33:13 So, for all of us as fisher-people, this short, punchy parable actually ends up 33:17 being very good news. You say, "Ah, come on, Dwight. There's no good news in this 33:22 parable that you just read." Hold on. There's some very good news for 33:29 fisher-people. In fact, embedded in this parable are three 33:34 anxiety-relieving insights, three anxiety relievers, three of them, three of them, three of 33:43 them. Jot them down. Let's go. Number one. 33:45 What's in this parable that's good news? Get this. 33:47 Anxiety reliever number one -- 33:53 I don't have to decide. That's not my mission. That's not my responsibility. 33:56 Somebody with a higher pay grade and a lot stronger love than mine will make the decision. 33:59 I don't have to do it. All I have to do is take a little net and go, "Whee." 34:03 And the net goes over, 'cause there have to be fish there when you throw the net over. 34:06 The net goes over. I pull the net in. That's all I do. 34:10 It's called non-anxious fishing, non-anxious fishing. No worries. He's in charge. 34:18 Because there isn't a fisherman in the world who, when he goes fishing, he says, "Yo, fish, not 34:22 you. I'm not looking for you. Go, go, go, go, go, go. 34:25 [ Whistles ] You, you, come over here." Nobody does that. 34:28 When you throw a net in, what do you do? You take everything the net 34:32 pulls in. Isn't that right? Everything? Of course it is. 34:35 You take it all. Am I worried about it? No, I don't have to be worried 34:39 about it. I just fish. All I have to do is throw my 34:43 little net in for Jesus, with Jesus. Man, that's an anxiety-reliever 34:48 right there. That's number one. There are two more. 34:50 Here comes number two. Anxiety-reliever number 2, jot it down. 34:56 Not only who gets netted for Jesus, but even for eternity. While the parable is absolutely 35:01 clear -- Not every fish that's caught is kept -- Nevertheless, you and I are relieved of having 35:08 to make the decision who gets kept and who gets left. We don't have to touch that. 35:12 Someone at a much higher pay grade who has all the love of the universe in his heart, He 35:19 will make the decisions. We don't have to. Is that good news or what? 35:23 >> Yeah. >> We don't have to. Talking about non-anxious 35:27 fishing. No worries. He's in charge. All I have to do is take my 35:31 little net. "Is this -- Are there fish around?" 35:34 "Yes, there are people." Throw the net over. That's all I have to do. 35:38 He does the rest. But there's one more, anxiety-reliever number 3. 35:48 Just to drive it home... 35:54 What? >> Fishing. >> Yeah, all I need to do is the 35:56 fishing. Who gets kept, who's left, who's good, who's bad -- pfft, not me. 36:02 Not me. The big fisherman with the biggest heart, I repeat, is the 36:07 one who makes the decision. I do the fishing. He does the sorting. 36:13 Let's do that out loud together one more time. I do the fishing. 36:16 He does the sorting. I do the fishing. He does the sorting. 36:21 It's called non-anxious fishing. No worries. He's in charge. So, please, here's the question. 36:30 Give me one reason, no kidding -- Just raise your hand, and we'll go to you -- Give me 36:35 one reason why we should be afraid of going fishing with Jesus for Jesus, just one 36:41 reason. Why would we be afraid? Why? 36:47 There is no reason. Non-anxious fishing. He's in charge. No worries. 36:53 I do the fishing. He does the sorting. Jim Cymbala, the pastor of the 36:59 well-known Brooklyn Tabernacle Church in New York City, describes the objections some 37:04 Christians have to this whole fishing metaphor. I want to share his line on the 37:10 screen for you. It's from his wonderful book, "Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire: What 37:14 Happens When God's Spirit Invades the Hearts of His People." 37:16 So, Cymbala's writing. His words on the screen. 37:32 Unless, of course, you're an Adventist like I am, and you live by the dietary code in 37:37 Leviticus 11, we don't ask God to clean the fish. We only fish for clean fish. 37:42 Can't have fins, can't have scales. 37:48 So we settle -- Here's what we've settled for -- "Finding Nemo." 37:54 Looking for Dory. I mean, we think the church is an aquarium where you keep 37:59 clownfish. And the whole world comes, and they press their little noses 38:04 against the cold aquarium glass, and they're saying, "Wow! Wow, look at all these fish! 38:09 Aren't they beautiful fish?" That's not what Jesus is saying. "Get out of here. 38:14 Get out to where it's deep. And then you throw your little net in. 38:17 You do the fishing. I'll do the sorting." Jim Cymbala again, his words on 38:21 the screen. 38:50 "You know what?" 39:00 Write that in. God loves differentness. 39:09 So instead of us trying to figure out those who look like 39:12 us or those who live like us or those who dress like us, we need 39:14 to be casting our little fisherman nets over the side of 39:19 the boat for any fish and all fish. 39:23 We do the fishing. He does the sorting. Ellen White, by the way, just 39:28 about a century ahead of Cymbala, makes the very same point. 39:32 This is from the classic "Christ's Object Lessons." You see the words on the screen. 39:48 "Ah, it's just a fake, just a counterfeit --" 39:53 Now here comes a line. 40:01 I mean, the disciples gather, and they take a vote, and it's 12-0. 40:04 Roman centurion, out. Jesus was pulling him in. The disciples take another vote. 40:11 Samaritan woman, out. Jesus was pulling her in. 10 lepers, out. 40:15 "I'm pulling them in." Two demoniacs, out. "I'm pulling them in." 40:19 One pagan mother, Syrophoenician, out. "I'm pulling her in." 40:24 Thief on the cross, out. "I'm pulling him in." 40:30 What's that last line? 40:36 And by the way, isn't it amazing that when Jesus dies, he makes sure that they nail his arms 40:43 open in a wide, open embrace? And he says, "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy-laden. 40:52 I'll take them all. Bring them all. Throw that net. 40:56 I take them all." Man. If you make the church an 41:03 aquarium, then you got this high bar for who gets in the aquarium, and then you're 41:08 keeping everybody out. That doesn't appear to be Jesus' M.O., does it, his modus 41:14 operandi? He says, "Just throw the net in. Take them all. 41:19 I'll take them all. And by the way, you do the fishing. 41:22 I do the sorting. Don't you worry about body parts. 41:25 Don't you worry about lifestyle. I'll do the sorting. You do the fishing." 41:35 Hmm. Because the very ones that you and I may be inclined to say, 41:41 "Whoa, not that one! Surely, God --" No. Turns out, he's pulling that one 41:46 in. Anxiety-reliever number one, I don't have to decide who gets 41:53 netted for Jesus. Anxiety-reliever number two, I don't have to decide who gets 41:56 netted for eternity. Anxiety-reliever number three, all I have to do is throw my 42:00 little fisherman's net into the waters where the fish are and pull. 42:03 That's it. "Yeah, but, Dwight, come on. Come on. How? 42:07 I mean, how am I supposed to fish? How?" Fair question. 42:12 Let me share with you three strategies, one story, and I'm sitting down, okay? 42:16 Three strategies. Here comes strategy number one. I was at House of Prayer this 42:20 week. And one of the people in the prayer group that I was in said, 42:24 "You know what I do? What I do before I go out of my room for the day, I ask God, 42:29 'Okay, God, is there somebody out there that I will meet today that You need me to reach out 42:34 to, You need me to help? I have no idea who it might be, but let my mind know so that 42:39 I'll respond.'" I think it's a great prayer. So this person ends up in 42:45 Walmart, of all places, in the line, and there's a woman in front. 42:49 There's a woman who's pulling the stuff out of her shopping cart. 42:53 But as she has it all spread up on the conveyor belt and it's moving, she whips her cellphone 42:58 out with the calculator app, and she's going like this. [ Sighs ] 43:06 [ Groans ] 43:10 And the next person back is watching, saying, "What's up with this?" 43:13 And finally, "Yo, why are you doing this?" And the woman says, "I'm doing 43:19 the calculations. I don't have enough money for these, and I'm pulling them 43:23 out." And just like that, this person who had prayed in the morning in 43:28 the room is impressed -- "Yo, yo, listen. I'll buy those for you. 43:33 Let me buy those, please. Please, please, let me." Is that some kind of Nobel Peace 43:39 Prize kind of behavior? It's nothing. It's called fishing. 43:42 It's called being there in the moment when the moment calls for you to be there, and you throw 43:47 your little net over, and you say, "I'm doing this for Jesus." That's all it is. 43:51 You fish. He sorts. "There are no questions about your background. 43:54 I'll take you just the way you are. Come to me, and I'll give you 43:57 rest." Wow. So jot it down. Here's number one. 44:00 I said there's three of these and then a story. Here comes number one. 44:02 Jot it down. 44:08 Sometimes it's only you that can offer that graceful word, that intervention. 44:13 Don't make this rocket science. Just be you with a little fishing net tucked away on your 44:22 side. Nobody sees it. Trust me. Number two. 44:26 One of our students applied for a job around here. I just learned about this last 44:29 week, too, so this is all fresh stuff. One of our students applied for 44:32 a job around here, went to work, and invited the employer to come to her church -- this one, which 44:40 he promptly did. Go figure. Yeah. 44:46 That's exactly what's happened. So what would happen if because Jesus says all fish -- "Come on. 44:53 I take them all. Don't you do the sorting. You just throw the net." 44:57 What would happen if you and I had in our hip pocket a little invitation tucked away? 45:00 Come on, choir. Just a little invitation that says, "If the moment arises, I'm 45:04 gonna say, 'Come with me to Pioneer. Just come with me. Come on.'" 45:10 Hey, listen. That's what we're gonna do this fall. 45:12 Did you hear Pastor Rodlie a moment ago? Man, we got a lineup this fall. 45:14 There's one he didn't tell you about. I'll tell you about it. 45:17 Number one in September, we're calling it "The Big Day," a series of three Sabbaths where 45:20 we plan our worship services to meet fresh, felt needs of this generation on campus and in the 45:26 community, because some of you are rooming with somebody on campus that needs Jesus. 45:32 We're calling it "The Big Day." This would be the perfect time to invite anybody on the planet 45:37 to come to church with you. Three Sabbaths in September. And then when those are over, 45:42 we're gonna do "Unlocking Revelation." Oh, my. You heard Rodlie. 45:45 This is gonna be something, getting into the Word. But he didn't tell you about 45:48 number three, 500th anniversary of Martin Luther. Get this. 45:51 We're gonna have what we're calling "God's Boot Camp" for 300 young adults who'd be 46:00 willing to go into some high-octane, 48-hour, going deep into what it means to be a 46:06 Bible-believing young adult in this generation. We'd like to tell you, we'd like 46:11 to share with you and then turn you loose for the big fisherman of the universe. 46:18 Wow. Yeah. So ask God to help you make an invitation. 46:22 Here's the last one, number three, and then the story. Number three, jot it down. 46:31 You might not know a lot about them, but you know who they are. You met them. You saw them. 46:35 You had just a brief conversation. Had someone come up to me 46:39 between services saying, "Let me tell you who I met -- big-box service provider just this last 46:47 week." He said, "Come to my church." I said, "Yeah, you come to mine, 46:51 and I'll go to yours." Boom. He goes then to a bank, and the 46:54 banker says, "I know who you are." Says, "Come to my church, and 46:59 I'll go to your church." Just like that. Listen, by praying for three to 47:03 five people, here's what happens. It's sensitizes your mind for 47:07 them. And along the way, the Spirit will come along and say, "Oh, by 47:10 the way, here's a perfect way to build a bridge, to throw a net." Three to five. 47:16 Three simple, humble, little suggestions. Tell Jesus you're ready to throw 47:21 a net, your little fisherman net in the waters where you live. Pray faithfully for these people 47:26 by name. You don't have to worry the outcome. 47:28 No, no, no, no. You do the fishing. He does the sorting. 47:33 Everybody. Nail out embrace, nailed wide open. 47:37 "I mean everybody, come to me." Wow. So throw your little net in 47:45 wherever you possibly can. That's the deal. Let me end with a story. 47:51 Jim Cymbala telling this story on himself. Okay. 47:56 "I shall never forget Easter Sunday," pastor of the Brooklyn Tabernacle. 48:02 "A homeless man was standing in the back of the church, listening intently," all right? 48:06 Just standing, not sitting down. "At the end of the evening meeting, I sat down on the edge 48:10 of the platform," right here, so you can picture that. "I sat down, exhausted, as 48:14 others continued to pray with those who had responded to Christ. 48:18 The organist was playing quietly. I wanted to relax. 48:20 I was just starting to unwind when I looked up to see this man with shabby clothing and matted 48:26 hair standing in the center aisle about four rows back," right there, "waiting for 48:33 permission to approach me. I nodded, gave him a weak, little wave of my hand. 48:39 And I'm thinking to myself, 'Look at how this Easter Sunday's going to end. 48:42 I know what he's gonna do. He's gonna hit me up for money. That happens often in this 48:46 church. I am so tired right now.' But when he came close, when he 48:52 came close, I saw that his two front teeth were missing. But more striking was his odor. 48:58 The mixture of alcohol, sweat, urine, and garbage took my breath away. 49:03 I had been around many street people, but this was the strongest stench I have ever 49:08 encountered. I instinctively had to turn my head sideways to [inhales 49:11 deeply] breathe in, inhale, and then look back in his direction while breathing out. 49:18 I asked him his name. 'David,' he said softly. 'So how long you been homeless, 49:23 David?' 'Six years.' 'So where'd you sleep last 49:27 night?' 'In an abandoned truck.' I had heard enough, and I wanted 49:32 to get this over quickly. I reached for my money clip in my back pocket. 49:37 And at that moment, David put his finger in front of my face and said, 'No, no, no, no, no. 49:41 You don't understand me. I don't want your money. I'm gonna die out there. 49:46 I want the Jesus that red-haired girl talked about.'" A red-haired girl had stood up 49:51 and given her testimony that night, and he had heard it. "'I want that Jesus.' 49:57 And I hesitated and closed my eyes. 'God, forgive me,' I begged. 50:03 I felt soiled. I felt cheap. Me, a minister of the Gospel, I had wanted to simply get rid of 50:08 him, when he was crying out for the help of Christ that I had just preached about. 50:12 I swallowed hard as God's love flooded my soul. David --" Now, listen. 50:18 "David sensed the change in me. He moved toward me and fell on my chest, burying his grimy head 50:26 against my white shirt and tie. Holding him close, I tried to talk to him about Jesus' love. 50:32 And these weren't just words. I felt them. I felt love for this pitiful 50:36 young man. And that smell, I don't know how to explain it. 50:40 It had almost made me sick, but now it became the most beautiful fragrance to me. 50:46 I reveled in what had been repulsive just a moment ago. The Lord seemed to say to me in 50:53 that instant, 'Jim, if you and your wife have any value to Me, if you have any purpose in My 51:01 work, it has to do with this odor. This is the smell of the world I 51:06 died for.'" "This is the smell of the world I died for." 51:15 "You fish. I sort." And, by the way, He also saves. 51:24 Hallelujah. >> Amen. >> Now give me that amen. 51:27 >> Amen. >> Amen and amen. We got to go fishing. 51:32 We have to. Grab your Connect card. It's tucked away in your worship 51:35 bulletin. We'll have a prayer in a moment. Just grab that Connect card. 51:38 Have guests here today. Always nice to have you. Glad you're with us. 51:41 Do this with us. We do this at this moment in every worship service. 51:44 Front of the card, put your name, e-mail address, and you'll see why we need that address in 51:48 a moment. Turn the card over. "My next step today is --" 51:51 Here's the first box -- "I want to fish for Jesus. I'll let Him do the sorting." 51:56 Come on. Who wouldn't want to put a checkmark there? 51:59 "I want to fish for Jesus. I'll let Him do the sorting." Here's the next box. 52:02 "Sign me up for your next fishing expedition." 500 baskets. 52:07 We just went out last weekend. We got another one coming up in a couple weeks. 52:12 Put your name down an an e-mail address. We'll let you know. 52:16 Number three. Oh, here's the one we've already read. 52:18 "I/We would like to host a table and provide dessert for 10 guests at our Great Exchange 52:22 Grand Dinner Koinonia Day Event Sabbath." That's next week. 52:25 Just desserts, folks. Just desserts. Come on. Come and join us. 52:29 It'll be a Sabbath to remember. And finally, box number four, "I would like to join others who 52:33 are praying for our fishing mission at our House of Prayer." That's where I got two of these 52:38 stories, right there. 7:00 in the morning on Wednesdays or 7:00 in the 52:44 evening. Youth Chapel in the morning, right here in the evening. 52:48 We'd love to have you. All right. Friendliest ushers in the world, 52:54 would you please stand, and would you now receive from us the Connect cards? 52:58 Just turn your card over so that your responses are down side. And we'll ask you to come, 53:05 ushers, and let's go. Don't wait for me now. We're gonna sing. 53:08 We're gonna sing this beautiful Sabbath school song we grew up with, "I Will Make You Fishers 53:14 of Men." Stay seated. I'll let you know when to stand. 53:16 Let's go. [ "I Will Make You Fishers of Men" playing ] 53:31 Okay. Let's stand. [ Congregation sings ] 56:06 Oh, Jesus, thank you for making so simple, without the anxiety, this invitation to join You in 56:15 fishing. You'll teach us. We'll learn, because we choose 56:21 to follow You. Send us into the waters where the fish are this new week, and 56:28 give us a heart and a mind that will respond to your invitation. 56:37 And now may the God of grace and the love of Christ Jesus and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be 56:47 with you all. Amen. 56:53 >> I want to take an extra moment to thank you for joining us in worship today. 56:56 It's by the continued support from viewers like you that we're able to bring this telecast. 57:01 Today I want to invite you, though, to share with us how this ministry has blessed you. 57:06 Truth is, I get inspiring notes, e-mails, letters from viewers literally all over the world 57:12 sharing with us how God has blessed them through this program, and I'd love to hear 57:15 from you, as well. 57:17 It's not that hard. Simple, really. 57:18 Just visit our website, newperceptions.tv. 57:21 That's one word, newperceptions.tv. 57:24 And click on the "contact" link at the top of the page. 57:27 Shoot me that e-mail. Once again, thank you for being 57:30 with us. Thank you, by the way, for your 57:32 own support. That support is what keeps this 57:35 telecast week after week reaching America, reaching 57:38 North America, and reaching the planet. 57:41 That kind of generosity that you share is a huge boost and 57:45 blessing to us. And I hope you'll join us right 57:48 here next time, 'cause we'll be here. 57:50 In the meantime, God be with you and bless you real good. 57:57 ♪♪ |
Revised 2017-04-27