We Are Strong As An Army. W372.

Monday, February 13, 2006

*The Church is a Fishing Boat!

Service Sermon 11-12 Feb '06
Preacher: Pastor Kong Hee

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Lk 10:1-2, 5, 7, 9
Jesus is sending us out to do 4 things in the following order.

1. Bless the lost
2. Fellowship with the lost
3. Meet their practical needs
4. Share the Gospel

However, many Christian didn't follow the order and jump to share the Gospel first or they simply ignored the first 3 steps. It is no wonder many people out there feel that Christians are cold and irritating.

Remember, people don't care how much you know until they know how much you care.

Jn 4:39-42
Jesus demonstrated to us by first fellowshipping with the Samaritans; half-blood Jews and Assyrians, who were greatly despised by the Jews. The seed of kindness that Jesus sowed in the Samaritans opened the window of opportunity for Jesus to share the Gospel and many believed.

Later in Acts 8, Philip once again reached out to the Samaritans and they were very open because they remembered the kind man, Jesus, who came to stayed with them a few years back.

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Jn 4:35
Jesus mentioned that we need to lift up our eyes before we reach out. 3 reasons we need to lift up our eyes.

1. Lift up your eyes from your own needs

Eph 6:8
Learn to see to the needs of others instead of being self-absorbed in your own needs. God will see to your needs when you see to other's needs.

2. Lift your eyes to God

We are not trying to sell a product here. As much as it is our duty to reach out, it is still God who brings in the harvest. So look to God and not rely on your natural talents.

3. Lift up your eyes in the way you see other people

You can never win anyone over if you see them with a jaundiced eyes. Jesus died for every sinner because He looks at every unbeliever with great potential.

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Lk 5:1-2
As Jesus preached and performed miracles among the crowd at the Lake of Galilee, Simon and his company went on with their own business and showed no interest at whatsoever in spiritual things, like any typical non-believer.

Lk 5:3
Instead of waiting for Simon to come to Him, Jesus stepped into Simon's boat and entered his life.

Lk 5:4-7
The story goes on where Jesus asked Simon to cast NETS in the deep to fish. However the reluctant Simon who had caught nothing the whole morning cast out only one NET with disbelief and had a net-breaking, boat-sinking harvest!

So we learn that:

Fact: We can work hard and end up getting nothing.
Truth: If we allow God to be in control, we can trust Him for success!

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What is the significance of Jesus asking Simon to fish in the "deep"?

It is another world out there in the deep. There are mountain ranges, caves, volcanoes and even hot springs in the deep waters just like in the land. Also, the deeper you go, the more strange, weird and dangerous marine creatures you will come across.

This illustrates the existence of two worlds, The Church and The World. The "deep" represents The World where it is dark and there are many kinds of people out there; back-stabbers, violent people, deceivers, workaholics etc.

Jesus wants us to reach out to these people so that His blood may cleanse them and they will become part of the body of Christ and serve the Kingdom of God!

***

Many churches functions like different boats out there.

The Love Boat
A church that talks about "love" all the time and the members does not need to commit to anything. Members are ill-disciplined and the elders are easy push-overs.

The Submarine
A church that focus a lot on Theologies and teachings and detach themselves from the unchurched. Members of such churches want nothing to do with the unbelivers, much less reach out to them.

The Floating Hong Kong Restaurant
A church where members just keep getting spoon fed with doctrines and revelations but does nothing to minister to God. To the believers of such church, attending church is just a good way to hear good teaching to improve oneself and nothing else.

The Aircraft Carrier
A church that goes to the extreme of spiritual warfare and can be very legalistic. Members can be very critical to the unchurched.

The Speed Boat
A church that is only busy with catching up with other churches that are doing well. Their main motive is to try to outdo other churches and not really reaching out to the unchurch or to serve God, as if in a competition.

However, like Jesus said, the true church is a FISHING BOAT! We are called to fish for the lost and bring them in into the body of Christ!

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In Conclusion:
Always reach out to the lost the way Jesus do. See a need, meet the need. See a hurt, heal the hurt. Listening to others gives you the right for others to listen to you.

Remember, people don't care how much you know until they kow how much you care.

Benjamin @ 10:06 PM

GOD IS GOOD!!!