A Lesson on Beginning

I'm a mechanic by trade.

I love fixing things.

I love getting my hands dirty.

! There's just something about actually accomplishing something sometimes

that just makes a difference.

But you know what?

God set for me an ability to be a mechanic,

just as he did Peter and Simon to be fishermen.

But then he called me to a different purpose.

And the question is,

will you be obedient to it?

Will you do?

Because what you do in life is important,

but how you follow Christ and what he has for you is more important.

Because Christ ought to be your identity.

Your work ought not to be your identity.

You know, sadly today, many people find work as their identity.

And when Peter is confronted by Jesus,

we see Jesus making a personal call on Peter.

And Peter's response to that call sets a course for the rest of his life.

Because I want you to understand,

this was not the call to be an apostle.

It was a call to be a follower.

Now, I believe God calls every believer to follow him.

You'll find that theme throughout the scripture.

That you ought to be a follower.

That God has called you to follow.

Just like you and I,

if we accept what God asks and we see he comes and says,

follow me,

we'll experience some of the greater things than we could even imagine.

You know,

what higher calling could you have than to follow the Savior?

Now,

I want you to understand the calling God has on your life and what you are to do

may not be a pastor or a missionary.

It very well could be.

But I want you to understand,

he builds Peter to that point.

He doesn't call him to be apostle from the beginning.

He says,

Peter,

are you willing to follow me?

To step away from those things.

For my purpose.

You know,

when we understand what Christ's calling is and what his purpose is,

because I want you to understand,

we're not called by God for our glory and our honor.

To understand that it's not for us.

It's for him.

You know,

look over to Revelation chapter four for a moment.

Revelation chapter four.

We'll get somebody to get that one for me.

How about first Corinthians 10 31?

You got that one,

Lou?

Yeah,

do Revelation four 11,

first Corinthians 10 31.

Who's got that one,

Matt?

You got that one.

Now I need a Romans 11 29.

Who's got that one,

Joe?

We'll get over to you,

James.

I got a few more coming.

All right.

What's Revelation four 11.

Tell us.

You know,

I want you to understand the picture is,

is for his pleasure.

We're all things that are and were created.

How about first Corinthians 10 31?

Whether they're for you,

eat or drink.

For whatsoever you do,

do all the glory of God.

Okay.

You know,

what thing about that overall purpose in our lives,

all the way from the beginning,

God has set forth a purpose in those that follow him.

You know,

think about Romans 11 29.

What's that tell us?

Okay.

In other words,

the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.

In other words,

when what God has gifted you and called you to do,

God hasn't changed his mind.

Our job is to follow because I want you to understand that the dynamic,

the calling on Peter's life,

because Peter wasn't saved.

He didn't recognize Jesus as the Messiah to sit around or even just to fish.

Now I want you to understand if Peter was going to fish the rest of his life,

he ought to do it all for the glory of God.

Because sometimes God gives us a vocation that we ought to do,

but we ought to do that vocation,

not for the glory of men,

but because we're doing it to honor the Lord by doing what we ought to do.

To look at what you do,

not for yourself,

but for what God can use it for.

Because you're saved not to sit,

you're saved to serve.

Christ is continually calling his followers to do certain thing.

And Jesus calls us to love,

to give,

to be a witness.

Each of us has a responsibility of what we're going to do with that call,

whether we're going to hear and heed what Christ has said.

Just as Peter and Simon this day had a choice.

But you know,

oftentimes we miss what God is saying.

Because think about Jesus came to Simon and Andrew and said,

follow me and I will make you fishers of men.

He didn't look at Peter and Andrew and say,

guys,

get over here.

He said,

you know,

I'm the Messiah.

I'm the one that's going to provide salvation.

What are you going to do in response to what I ask you to do?

Follow me.

You know,

Jesus tells us this in John 10,

27,

he says this,

my sheep hear my will,

and I know them and they follow me.

You know,

if you're one of Christ's sheep,

you'll listen and follow the shepherd.

You know,

part of the problem is,

is that oftentimes believers we hear,

but don't follow.

We hear,

but say,

not now.

We need to understand the importance of following him.

You know,

Christ's call is there.

You know,

he tells us what we ought to do,

hearing the word and not responding.

Look over to James chapter one.

We'll let James look this one up.

James one.

Can you read 22 through 25 for me?

Yep.

Nope.

James one.

22.

Okay.

Yep.

Sorry.

But be doers of the word and not hearers only,

deceiving your own selves.

Okay.

Okay.

Okay.

James is the practical application of faith and following.

He says, you can't say you follow or you trust Christ if you're not willing to do.

If you're not willing to accomplish what he wants.

You know, let's take a look at that call on Peter's life.

You know, I want you to understand that this was first personal.

Look at verse 18.

He saw two brethren.

Simon called Peter and Andrew, his brother, casting in it.

And they were fishers.

And he saith unto them.

It was a person, personal call by the person that was specific.

It was from Jesus, the person of the call.

You know, everywhere we turn, there are calls upon our life.

You know?

Well, I want you to understand, the Bible tells us that there's a lot of things competing

for our attention.

Can we all agree there's a lot of things in life competing for your attention?

Paul in Corinthians says this, they are, it may be also, many kinds of voices in the world.

You know, the world has a lot of things saying, hey, this, this, this, this, this is important.

You know, we live in a generation of advertising.

What's an advertisement?

This ought to be your priority.

You know, that's the purpose of advertising, to say you ought to move this up your priority

scale.

This is something you have to have.

It's a voice.

But we have to discern, is it the right voice?

Is it the voice we ought to be hearing and listening to?

Because sometimes we allow the world to drown out the things of God.

But the call of the Lord Jesus on our life is one of the preeminence importance because

he's God.

He's the one who specifically called Peter that day.

He says, follow me and I will make you fishers of men.

He said, follow me and I have a task for you.

I want you to understand, look what it tells us here.

Verse 20, and they straightway left their nets and followed him.

You know what?

We'll talk about that in a little bit.

They had a decision to make of the voice that they heard to say, what am I going to do with it?

When we understand that what Jesus did there for Peter, and Peter had to call or to trust

God's call because it'll lead us to what's best in our lives.

You know, when we consider that call that God gives to us.

Oftentimes we think, well, God, I can't do that.

You know what we're saying?

We're saying the thing as Moses did when God called him to go back to Israel.

But God, don't you know about this in my life?

Don't you know about this or that?

Don't you know I stutter and I'm thinking, well, think about God's response to Moses.

What did he say?

Who made man's mouth?

You know what he's really telling Moses?

Tell me something I don't know.

You know, you're throwing things up that he already knew before he even asked you.

But how often are we like Moses and make excuses?

Lord, don't you know?

Because oftentimes I think we hinder what God wants for us because we don't think it's in our best interest.

Who can look up Jeremiah 29 11 for me?

Jeremiah 29 11.

Got that, Lou?

And then 2 Corinthians 5 15, if you would, Jared.

Yep.

Jeremiah 29 11 for me.

I know the cost of nothing.

You're saying the Lord.

You know, let me ask you a question.

As a believer, what's our expected end?

Everlasting life with him.

Heaven's going to be a place of beauty, a place of peace.

You know why?

It's not because it's heaven.

It's because it's with him.

You'll be in the one that's perfect.

You'll be in his presence.

What's 2 Corinthians 5 15 say?

And that he died for all, and that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves,

but unto him which died for them and rose.

Okay.

Think about that for a moment.

When we understand the dynamic of the person of the call, it's the one who saved you,

because God extends that because you've accepted him by faith.

We see that picture.

That's the priority first is faith in Christ for salvation,

and then God gives you and gifts you to be able to do what he would have for you to do.

You know, we think about also the purpose of the call.

You know, to the Lord Jesus, the purpose of his own life had a specific purpose to it.

You know, Luke 19 tells us,

For the Son of Man came to seek and to save that which was lost.

That was Jesus' purpose when he came.

To seek and to save that which was lost.

To provide a way and means of salvation for us.

You know, when Jesus called Peter, he gave him a new purpose to become fishers of men.

You know, the purpose for the call on Peter's life was simply for him to bring people to the Savior.

As Peter had sought fish, he now sought to seek souls, to seek God's purpose, God's will for his life.

You know, I want you to understand that God has a purpose for you.

The problem with many believers today, I think, is we're not willing to step out by faith to trust him.

Because there's areas of obedience that here's,

Lord, you're tasking me to step outside my comfort zone.

Hey, preacher, you're making me uncomfortable.

Well, yeah, I'll take you outside your comfort zone because God takes us outside our comfort zone.

If God calls you to do something, if God gives that, he gives what's needed.

But you know what?

God will never give what's needed if you're not willing to trust him.

You know, we can make a lot of excuses.

I remember when I finally surrendered to God's call for ministry,

and one of the things in my mind, Lord, we were struggling financially.

And I'm like, Lord, where in the world are we going to get that covered?

You know, right after I committed to go,

we had a man in our church with a trucking company

that came up to me and says, don't worry about moving.

I got a truck.

We'll be there.

When do you want to move?

Where do you want it dropped?

You know what?

God didn't need to supply until there was a need for the supply.

Sometimes we want to wait.

Lord, you supply this, then I'll do.

And God says, do, and I'll supply.

When we understand that dynamic, you know,

just like we talked about this morning when Jesus was talking to the apostles,

ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you in our danger

that you should go and bring forth fruit and that your fruit should remain.

You know, you think about it.

Even before Jesus left that last time,

ascended up into heaven after the resurrection,

he gives them instruction of their purpose.

He tells them in Matthew 28,

it tells him this,

all power is given unto me in heaven and earth.

Go ye therefore and teach all nations,

baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost,

teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you.

And lo, I'm with you always, even unto the end of the world.

Do you know what he's saying?

Hey, here's the purpose.

Here's the direction.

I've set you to be an example as a foundation of the churches that I'm going to build

and to keep that doctrine pure, to teach people, not just win them,

but to teach them the truth.

You know, one of the problems I think we've had in America,

this is my opinion,

is that we've had a lot of churches that are focused a lot on just outreach,

but you know, outreach is step one and they miss the other steps.

Because you're to win souls and disciple them.

Teach them.

What part of discipling is teaching sound doctrine?

You know, I did this years ago.

Maybe I need to do that again.

Hand out a little survey, a doctrinal survey,

to see what people understand.

Because if you're sitting in the pew

under sound teaching,

if you're paying attention,

there's a lot of doctrinal questions you ought to be able to answer.

The problem is,

we've had people that have been saved for 30 years

and can't answer simple doctrinal questions

about who Jesus is.

Or how those things fit together in Scripture.

They have no clue because,

well, God loves me and I love Him,

so we're good.

Then they go about and listen to all the voices

and everything else going on.

You know, Jesus called Peter

to bring people to the table,

to be fishers of men.

He gave them a practical example

so he could understand.

Peter understood fishing.

Peter understood what God was calling him to do.

Peter was a commercial fisherman.

He needed that to provide both the sustenance,

the food,

but the income,

which were both temporary.

But he understood

the fruit of a fisherman

would be truly lasting

for eternity,

for fishing for men.

You know,

to understand the importance

that God placed upon it.

You know,

when we understand

that,

think about Jonah.

You know,

the book of Jonah,

when I read the book of Jonah,

I think of Jonah

as the grumpy prophet.

He really was.

He's the guy who says,

Lord,

I love you.

And now that you've beat me around

and got my attention,

I'll do what you asked me to do,

but I'm not going to do it willingly.

You know,

Jonah's kind of like the little kid,

you know,

that you discipline

and they finally do

what they're supposed to do.

It's kind of like the little boy.

I might be sitting on the outside,

but I'm standing on the inside.

But you know,

at the end of the book of Jonah,

Jonah,

even though he saw

a great revival in Nineveh,

he gets upset

because God withers the gourd up.

Jonah missed the fact

of how many souls

were spared.

God used him.

I want you to understand,

God can use grumpy people.

Why?

Because Jonah still obeyed.

But you know what?

Jonah could have had

a lot better experience

of following

if his spirit and attitude

would have been right about it.

Oftentimes,

we're more like Jonah.

Well,

if I have to.

But we ought to be more like

Peter and Simon

Lord,

you called,

I want to.

To do those things,

to understand the importance

because a decision

to answer God's call

also involves leaving.

To truly follow Christ,

we're going to have to leave

certain things behind.

You know,

there's things in life

that anchor you.

And the devil's going to put

things that are going to

anchor you.

The question is,

what are you going to

allow that anchor to be?

Is it going to be

the things of this world

or is it going to be

the anchor of Jesus Christ

in whom our hope is?

But something's going to hold you.

There's going to be offers

and opportunities.

But if it's not what God

wants you to do,

you're going to miss

the greatest things

God has.

To truly follow

Christ's call,

we're going to have to

leave things.

You think about even

in marriage,

you know,

one of the problems

we have in marriage

is people don't understand

the leave and cleave thing.

You know,

the leaving is important.

Genesis chapter 2 says,

Genesis 2 · chapter mention

therefore shall a man

leave his father and mother

and cleave unto his wife

and they shall be

one flesh.

You know,

before a husband

can truly become

one with his bride,

he has to emotionally

leave his father and mother.

Let me put that also,

the wife needs to

emotionally leave

mom and dad also

to a point.

You know,

mom and dad's

caused a lot of problems

in marriages.

But when you're married,

you have to leave,

make a choice,

I'm going to leave something

because this is more important

than the other.

Leaving and cleaving,

that concept

is important

before we can serve

our master,

the Lord Jesus Christ,

there are things

we need to leave

behind.

You know,

when you understand

that principle,

you know,

you think about

1 Kings chapter 19.

1 Kings 19 · chapter mention

You know,

we find here

Elijah and Elisha.

Elijah sets forth

a call to Elisha

and it says this,

and he left the oxen

and ran after Elijah

and said,

let me,

I pray thee,

kiss my father

and my mother

and then I will

follow thee.

And he said unto him,

go back again

for what have I done

to thee?

And he returned

back from him

and took a yoke

of oxen

and slew them

and boiled their flesh

and the instrument

of the oxen

and gave it unto

the people

and they did eat.

Then he arose

and he went after

Elijah

and ministered

unto him.

I want you to understand

Elisha gave up

something

to follow.

He's another individual.

He had servants.

His father was prosperous

but he said,

Lord,

he even slew the oxen

that he was plowing with.

In other words,

he says,

Lord,

I've made a choice.

I'm going to follow.

I'm going to leave

certain things behind

to go forth.

To understand

that dynamic.

Think about Abraham.

You ever thought

that God's call

on Abraham's life,

there was some

important leaving?

It says,

the Lord said unto Abraham,

get thee out of thy country

and from thy kindred

and from thy father's house

unto a land

I will show thee.

Let me put it to you

another way.

He told Abraham,

get out from where

you're comfortable

and trust me.

Abraham obeyed

and God blessed him

greatly.

You know,

a little later

in Luke 18,

Jesus,

it says,

now when Jesus

heard these things,

he said unto him,

yet lackest thou

one thing.

You know,

he's talking to the rich man,

he says,

sell all that thou hast

and distribute unto the poor

and thou shalt have treasure

to heaven.

Come,

follow me.

Now the principle

that Jesus is bringing forth here

has nothing to do

with the money

but has everything to do

with the heart attachment.

Because the man said,

I have too much responsibility

to follow you.

And you know what Jesus said?

If you're going to follow me,

there's going to be some leaving.

There's going to have to be

some letting loose.

You know,

sometimes one of the things

that keeps us from following Christ

is our pride.

To let loose of our pride

is sometimes the hardest thing to do.

But pride keeps us

from following him.

It talks about leaving earthly pursuits.

You know,

Peter was called

to leave his comfort zone.

It was his occupation.

It was a family tradition.

He had his own boat,

his own nets,

his own people.

It was his professional occupation.

Yet he received a higher call

and he was willing

to leave these behind.

You know,

sometimes we get caught up

in laying up the wrong places.

The reason Jesus tells us

in Matthew 6

is lay not up for yourselves

treasures upon earth

where moth and wrath

does corrupt

and where thieves

break through and steal.

But lay up for yourselves

treasures in heaven

where neither moth

nor wrath does corrupt

and where thieves

do not break through

nor steal.

For where your treasure is

there will your heart be also.

Now,

I want you to understand,

Jesus isn't talking about

that you can't have resources

in this life.

I believe God blesses people

with resources

for his purpose.

The difference is,

do you own the resources

for God's glory

or do the resources

own you?

You know what the problem is today?

We live in such

a materialistic society.

Oftentimes the resources

you have own you

instead of you owning them

and say,

how can I use these

for God's glory?

How can I do those things?

Because it involves

leaving those things.

It involves leaving

personal ties.

You know?

Sometimes this is

the hardest thing.

Look at verse 20.

It says,

and they straightway

left their nets

and followed him.

You know what?

Sometimes your personal

connection is harder

to leave

than the financial

connections.

To say,

who do I trust?

God's asking me

to get outside

of myself

and what I want

and what I hang on to.

You know?

Sometimes it's

leaving people we love.

You know,

Peter and Andrew

were not only asked

to leave their profession,

they also had

also to leave

their lifetime friends

and co-laborers

in that to serve

what God would have.

And it says straightway

or immediately

they did.

You know,

every missionary

we have through,

have you ever considered

they gave up

a lot of personal

family ties

to go serve the Lord?

You know,

missionaries

when they go

to the field

surrender a lot

of things.

But you know what?

That same dynamic

doesn't apply

just for a missionary.

Sometimes it applies

exactly to us.

Because sometimes

we let tradition

and family dynamic

hold us

instead of letting

go of it

and say,

Lord,

I'm going to

obey you first.

I'm going to

hold on to you.

When we think

of that,

it doesn't,

it sometimes

makes us

uncomfortable.

But I want you

to understand

the moment

you're saved,

you're different,

you're transformed.

2 Corinthians

tells us,

Therefore,

if any man

be in Christ,

he is a new creature.

Old things

are passed away.

Behold,

all things

are become new.

You know,

leaving loved ones

whether to travel

thousands of miles

across the sea

or to suffer

spiritual separation

here at home

won't be easy.

You know what I find

a lot of times?

I've talked to a lot

of people

who I really believe

are saved

but you know

because of family ties

they won't follow

the Lord.

Yeah.

Because of tradition

they won't follow

the Lord.

Everybody in our

family is this.

It'll make my family

uncomfortable

if we do this.

But you know what?

Who ought to please

more should you

please your Savior

or what makes

other people

feel comfortable?

You know,

there's often times

that people allow

history,

tradition,

and family

to hinder them

from doing

what God's

called them to do.

What God says,

take this step

of obedience

and I think

it just stops

a lot of people.

And the devil

uses for them

to put down

roots of resistance

against the things

of God

because they're

unwilling

to be obedient

in one area

of their life.

To say,

Lord,

I surrender

my pride

and my

thinking about

I surrender

what everybody

else thinks about

to say,

Lord,

I want to

follow you

and to be

faithful

no matter

what area

that is.

To be obedient

unto the Lord

to say,

I'm going to

step out by faith

and I'm going to

be a member

of a church

that obeys

the truth

of the word

of God.

You know,

there's a lot

of things

that hinder

people

and they sit

on the sideline

because of pride.

God

but Jesus

says to

follow him

to leave

those things.

You know,

Jesus in Mark

10 says this,

he says,

and Jesus answered,

verily I say unto you,

there is no man

that hath left

house or brethren

or sister

or father

or mother

or wife

or children

or land

for my sake

in the gospel

but he shall

receive a hundredfold

now in this time

houses and brethren

and sisters

and children

and lands

with persecutions

and in this world

to come

eternal life.

You know,

there's a missionary

by the name

of David Livingstone.

If you've never

read his biography,

I'd encourage you to,

but he was an avid reader

and he loved books.

When he went to Africa,

he went into the heart

of Africa

to preach the gospel.

There was a point

in his journey,

all the books

that he was bringing

with him

because he wanted

to have them,

he had to leave them.

But you know,

that's the way it is.

Sometimes God

allows us,

we're stepping out

but we're still

dragging things

with us.

You know,

just like Abraham

brought his uncle

and his nephew

with him

when God said

to leave him.

But God brought him

to a point

where it's okay,

you're leaving him?

Okay,

you still got that,

we'll deal with that.

And Abraham eventually

parted ways

with Lot.

You know what,

that's when he fully

obeyed God

to leave behind

his family

and to trust God.

to trust him.

He understood

that his most

treasured books

weren't worth

what God

called him to do.

You know,

Christ is working

in our life

but look here quickly,

look at the following.

You know,

and they followed him

to recognize

how we ought

to serve.

That's a challenge

to us.

If we have recognized

the calling of God

and determined

to step out

and follow him,

we need to go forth

in faith.

It says,

and they straightway

left their nets

and followed him.

I want you to understand

following requires faith.

Moses forsook

Pharaoh's palace

to go into

the wilderness.

witness.

It took faith

for Gideon

to take

on the mighty

Midianite army

with just 300 men

carrying trumpets

and lamps.

It took faith

for Daniel

to reject

the king's law

and follow God's.

It took faith

for Joseph

to believe God

and not separate

himself

from Mary

after finding

she was expecting

a child.

It took faith

for Philip

to leave a revival

to go witness

to an Ethiopian eunuch.

It took faith

for Paul

to forsake

his plans

to heed

the Macedonian

call

when God

sent him

a different direction

from what he wanted.

That's reason

Hebrews tells us

that without faith

it's impossible

to please him.

You know?

Peter chose

faith.

But I want you

to understand

the picture here

we find

is faith

replaces

fear.

You know

fear keeps us

from a lot

of things.

Pride

and fear

are two

big stumbling

blocks.

And sometimes

they're interconnected.

We see here

the day

of Peter's

calling

and all the

thoughts

that were surely

running through

his mind

as he stood

up and

accepted

what God

had offered.

There was

no guarantee

of comfort

or safety.

Matter of fact

Jesus tells him

this in Matthew

16.

He says

then Jesus

said unto

his disciples

if any man

come after me

let him deny

himself

and take up

his cross

and follow me.

to deny

yourself

you know

what that is

that's saying

my pride

is less

important

than what

the Savior

has.

To understand

that important

you know

Jesus challenges

in Mark

4 40

and he says

why are you

so fearful

how do you

have no

faith?

Peter

later

or excuse me

Paul later

tells Timothy

in 2nd

Timothy

he says

for God

hath not

given us

the spirit

of fear

but of power

and love

and of a sound

mind.

If we're

going to

follow him

we have to

understand

there's going

to be times

that things

are going

to shake

us.

Think about

Psalms 56

matter of fact

turn over

there

quick

Psalm 56

We'll close

out here

think about

this verse

for a moment

if you're

going to

answer the

call

there's going

to be

things

that are

going to

challenge

you

and sometimes

put you

in

situations

where you're

not

comfortable

look at

verse 3

it says

what time

I am

afraid

you know

what

I'm not

going to

tell you

that following

Christ

is always

going to

be easy

there's

going to

be times

it's going

to feel

unsure

you're

going to

feel

nervous

there's

going to

be

things

happen

that

you

don't

understand

but

notice

what it

says

what time

I am

afraid

when I

have

those

feelings

of the

unknown

it says

I will

trust

in

thee

in

God

I will

praise

his

word

in

God

I

put

my

trust

I

will

not

fear

what

flesh

can

do

unto

me

you

know

I want

you to

understand

Peter's

willingness

to follow

Christ

wasn't a

promise

of everything

being on

the mountain

top

he said

there's

going to

be a

lot

of

valleys

and

challenges

too

and as

we study

Peter's

life

you're

going

to see

all

those

from

the

mount

of

transfiguration

to

standing

by a

fire

and

denying

the

Savior

Peter's

life

entails

a lot

of

things

but

the

choice

in

response

to

this

call

will

determine

your

future

will

you

listen

to

the

right

person

will

you

purpose

to

leave

things

that

weigh

us

down

and

will

you

choose

to

conquer

our

fears

and

step

out

in

faith

that's

the

first

education

that

Peter

received

was

who

are

you

going

to

trust

faith

or

fear

let's

pray

heavenly