Matthew 4:19-20 Message

Messenger: Tim Sagel
Opening Message, NIU COD Summer Bible Conference

Introduction to conference:
Welcome to the Dupage-NIU SBC entitled “Seek First God's Kingdom.” Praise God for gathering us here at Hamburger University to worship Him. You know, my father is a graduate of Hamburger University. He walked into a McDonalds during the great Blizzard of '67, and asked for his first job. They were so impressed by his determination that he was immediately hired. Our goal in life should be to seek God's kingdom first even in life's worst storms. Through this conference may we see the futility of seeking after the things of this world and make a decision to seek first God's kingdom.

Title: Follow me

Key Verse: Matthew 4:19,20 “Come follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.” At once they left their nets and followed him.

Prayer: Dear Lord Heavenly Father, thank you for sending your son to us, to save us from a life of sin and darkness. Please open each and everyone of our hearts to your word that we may all come away with one word from this conference. And grant me your Holy Spirit to deliver this message. In Jesus Christ we pray, Amen.

Part 1 A New Dawn
Jesus began his ministry in a very dark and oppressing time. John the Baptist was preaching repentance and was jailed when he called for Herod to repent. The people were led by politicians that were corrupt morally. Herod was rebuked by John for sleeping with his brother's wife. Godly men that did not compromise or water down their preaching were jailed. Herod ruled over the area called Galilee. This is where Jesus began his ministry. That day Isaiah's scripture was fulfilled.
15"Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali,
the way to the sea, along the Jordan,
Galilee of the Gentiles—
16the people living in darkness
have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of the shadow of death
a light has dawned."

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This not only tells us where Jesus would preach, but also explains the state of the people and who Jesus was. People don't like to hear the message that they are living in darkness. They have pride that blocks them from walking in the light. But, it was clear that the people were living in darkness under the shadow of death. Jesus, the great light, would bring a new dawn. A start of something great. Jesus is the light that shines on new beginnings. His response to the darkness is spelled out in verse 17
From that time on Jesus began to preach, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near."
Jesus responded to the darkness with the life-giving gospel. Jesus calls us to turn from our old ways through true repentance. God gave us this new light that we may turn back to him and once again be his children.
We come in contact with the darkness on a daily basis, don't we? My usual response is that of a non-response. I have become numb to the darkness around me. Without thinking or seeing I sidestep the darkness to avoid confrontation. It's as if slightly out of my perception, so that I can avoid it. Once in a while, I am led to share the gospel by God's grace and it is wonderful. I pray for each of us to take the time to confront the darkness with the gospel.

Part 2 The Life we live
Let's read verse 18
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.
Peter and Andrew fished on the Sea of Galilee. They worked very hard just to eek out a meager existence. This wasn't lazy day fishing sitting with your grandpa on the bank with a pole. Fishing was dangerous work, people lost fingers, when razor sharp nets got away from you. They developed rough calloused hands, the ones you get playing guitar pale in comparison. Their hope was to live a long life, and provide for a family. To grow their family business to include a few boats and have others working for them, to pass on the family business to their sons, really make a name for themselves. This isn't too far from the American dream of owning a small business. But, there is something lacking in these dreams, God. True hope and vision comes from Jesus. Today people's hearts have become numb and calloused. They have developed a non-response to the gospel. People tend to not care about anything in particular. They don't care or mind living in failure, especially when they decide not to try anymore. People believe nothing they do can change anything. So why bother? People live lives in fear of failure. They'll follow the path of least resistance to avoid it. People work hard- or just hard enough-
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in an insecure job for many years drowning in debt. Then at 40 they have a mid-life crisis reflecting on past failures with regret. Their hope is to work hard to the ever increasing retirement age to stay above the debt. I don't know about you, but I see a huge lack of fulfillment in that life.
Before my call to mission I was on a direct path to failure. I would have never gotten help with my ADD, only to struggle by on my own strength with limited success. With whatever I could have accomplished, I'd still be unhappy because of the high standards I often set for myself and fall short of. Someday I would get a job, marry a Sunday Christian, have direction-less kids, and then wonder why they were like that. Without clear mission and direction in my own life, what kind of family or life could I have.

Part 3 The Calling
Let's read verse 19 together.
"Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men."
These men knew this was it, the thing they had been waiting all their lives for. Jesus offered them hope and direction, and the promise to catch men. These words “Come follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” were the words that transformed these men into disciples. I want you to stop and think about the power of these words. How could these few words compel them to do what they did, drop everything and follow Jesus? I want you to close your eyes and picture this scene and these words. You are on the sea with your brother casting your nets, and Jesus comes up to you and speaks these words “Come follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” There are countless reasons not to go, but there is also that one reason why you would go. You have been searching for true meaning and purpose all your life, but didn't know it. You searched all over for it, only to settle for what you do know. Suddenly those endless days of searching seem futile. So, you drop your nets and follow the man that has promised life with meaning. Verse 20 reads “At once they left their nets and followed him.” What a beautiful story of men finding what matters and following a dream that led to a fulfilled life. We need to accept this gift Jesus offers with great expectation.
Jesus chose these men and saw great potential in them. They would become the first two apostles, and Peter the head of the early Church. Jesus really blessed them to become great co-workers, preachers, and disciple raisers . Jesus made them a blessing unto others. These men who would have led otherwise ordinary lives were blessed by God in order to do something wonderful and beyond their own dreams. These lowly fisherman had all this great potential. Jesus saw it and called them to follow a new path to glorify God.
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You may ask yourself, “fishers of men,” what's that? A fisher of men is someone that has a clear identity and mission before God, chosen to follow Jesus' example to actively pursue people and to lead them to God's truth and the life of faith and holy mission. Fishers of men have made a decision of faith to have God to use them to share the gospel. They have identified themselves as God's instruments in changing lives advancing the gospel.

Part 4 Sons of Thunder Fishing Company
Jesus went on to call James and John in verse 21
Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them
James and John were also fishermen. They lived with some success. They had a small fishing business with their father Zebedee, and a few hired men. They didn't live on easy street, but they had a taste of success which also could have kept them from following Jesus. “Good enough” is the enemy of “the best.” People become too busy continuing in what they know to change and follow Jesus. People value their time and find serving Jesus a bad investment. If it is in their portfolio, it's a low percentage. James and John were going through their daily routine preparing their nets when Jesus came by. This time let's consider this scene in a setting more familiar to you. Imagine you walk into the library to study, put down your backpack, start-up your laptop, choose a play list on your ipod, and gather your notes to work on your homework. Suddenly Jesus walks up to you, taps you on the shoulder, and says, “you come follow me.” What is your response? What do you do? Do you ignore him? Do you tell you're busy? Or do you leave everything behind to follow Jesus? Their response was immediate, they followed Jesus.
Jesus called me when I was a student at Triton College. After school one day, I dropped by the Triton Bible House just to pick up some gifts that my brother Chris sent from Korea. But Jesus had other plans. While we were talking Pastor Teddy asked me to study the Bible with Shs Charisma Magno, and accepted. I was socially awkward and still recovering from a shy childhood in a Christian home. Jesus saw great potential in me. Through Bible study life began to make sense. I found direction which became mission, and discipline became the way I live. God is growing me as a student shepherd and co-worker at NIU ministry. He has hope for me to receive an EE degree not just for a livelyhood, but to support a life of mission. Someday I hope marry by faith and have a family with direction and mission centered on Jesus and the kingdom. Jesus has hope for me to bring my faith with
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me everywhere I go, ultimately to join him in the kingdom of heaven. It's just not about me. This summer I am attending the ESBC and am praying for God to increase my world mission vision, to see the world as he does.
Conclusion: Jesus came as a light to a world living the darkness of spiritual poverty and ignorance. His response to the darkness was to share the gospel. Jesus went out and called the first disciples to become fishers of men. Jesus saves us from an unsatisfying life. When we answer the call to be fishers of men we are blessed with a truly meaningful mission and life with purpose. Those who have been called are intended to call others. God has chosen each of us to participate in his kingdom work, one heart and one Bible study at a time.

Prayer: Dear Lord Heavenly Father, thank you for calling each of us to become fishers of men. Thank you for bringing all of us together to worship and learn of you this weekend. Grant us each one word from this conference. Be with Pastor Kevin Jesmer and grant him your Holy Spirit to deliver the message “Seek First God's Kingdom.” And may we all wake up early for daily bread and bless the morning devotion message. In Jesus Christ we pray, Amen.

Key Verse: Matthew 4:19,20 “Come follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.” At once they left their nets and followed him.