Worship call 0744 Fear not and serve the Lord

Robert, look to the Lord of blessing! Luke 5:3-11 Then He entered into one of the boats, which was Simon's, and asked him to put out a little from the land. And He sat down and taught the multitudes from the boat. When He had finished speaking, He said to Simon, "Launch out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch." But Simon answered and said to Him, "Master, we worked hard all night and caught nothing, nevertheless at Your word I will let down the nets." When they had done this, they caught such a great quantity of fish, and their nets began to break; so they signaled to their partners in the other boat that they should come and help them. And they came and filled both of the boats, so that they began to sink. But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Yeshua's (Jesus') feet, saying, "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!" For he was astonished, and all that were with him, because of the catch of the fish which they had taken, And so also were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Yeshua (Jesus) said to Simon, "Fear not, from now on you will catch men." So when they brought their ships to land, they forsook all and followed Him. Sukkot is a festival about rejoicing in the blessings that God has provided, but let’s be sure our focus is on the Lord of blessing – instead of the blessings! We read in Luke that Yeshua (Jesus) told His disciples to go into the deep waters and let down their nets for fish. When they did, their nets were filled up with fish to the point of breaking. Being fishermen and businessmen, they may have been tempted to start doing business. I mean, think how much they could make! But God had a different purpose. The disciples' occupation as fishermen was just a vehicle for God to demonstrate His great power and love. He wasn't blessing them with fish so that they would get excited about fishing -- He was blessing them with fish so that they could get their eyes off their fishing and on to the greater call He had for them! Thankfully, they left the fishing business and went off with the Lord to do great and mighty things. Let's make sure we're not getting up wrapped up in fish! We seek the Lord for His blessings, prosperity, and success. But true discipleship is focusing not on the blessings of the Lord, but on the Lord of the blessings! Robert, we can rejoice in our blessings this Sukkot season, but let's not dwell on them! Let's set our eyes on the Lord and the calling He has for us. When He sees that we have pure and willing hearts, He will be faithful to use us to accomplish His glorious plan! Your family in the Lord with much agape love, George, Baht Rivka, & Obadiah Old Town, Florida

Matthew 6:24 (NASB95) — 24 “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.

There remains someone or something that we all bow a knee to. There are no independent agents in this world. It is that which we bow our hearts to is that which dictates over our lives. we may hate it, or we may love it, but none the less it rules.

There is free will and there is free grace, how we exercise our freedom will determine our future and eternal destinies.

The temporal life is but the window of opportunity by which we choose what will rule our hearts, what we will bow a knee to. It is in the realm of time by which we can have our Joshua moment

Joshua 24:15 (NASB95) — 15 “If it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served which were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

Yes, this day is a day that we can make a free will and free grace decision to glorify God and to love the Lord with all of our hearts, minds, and strength, for there is coming a day when the window to free will and free grace will be closed and it will be that time when all will be made to, whether they want to or not, be caused to bow a knee and confess.

Philippians 2:9–13 (NASB95) — 9 For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. 12 So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; 13 for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.

Do you believe that your riches and position in life will account for anything in that day?

In the sermon on the mount Jesus speaks of the rulership of the heart.

Still, the righteousness of the Pharisees remains in view as it is that our righteousness that must supersede the righteousness of the Pharisees in order to enter into the kingdom of Heaven.

The Pharisees had double vision. They thought of themselves righteous and guaranteed a place in God’s kingdom and at the same time they had their eyes fixed upon this world.

You might think that we talk a lot about the Pharisees.

Well, the fact is they were a model of the way many thought a righteous life might look like. Even with the liberties that the religious leaders took. Their practices may have been a green light for others that it was alright to covet the things of this world. That it was alright to take liberties, to look at another with lust, to love worldly riches at the expense of one’s spiritual life, just as long as one stays within the boundaries of the Law, so that at the same time one can be assured of the kingdom to come. But remember what the message of both Jesus and John was.

Repent for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand.

And it is the Pharisees whose love was for the worldly at the same time deceiving themselves into thinking that they were devout whose master was none other than the evil one.

Jesus will tell them later that you are of your Father the devil.

It is not the wealth that becomes the problem, but it is the divided loyalty between The Lord and the things of this world. It is the Love of worldly treasure that will anchor the heart to the world.

1 Timothy 6:10–11 (NASB95) — 10 For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. 11 But flee from these things, you man of God, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance and gentleness.

The Lord requires the whole heart not part of it.

The problem that all of us must grow out of, is the fact that we come to compartmentalize the Lord. we generally, after salvation, go about our way with our lives as Jesus becomes the head of our spiritual lives but set apart and away from our secular lives.

We might set aside time on The Lord’s Day and on midweek bible class and we may even spend time in the morning reading our bibles but when it comes to our lives, we set aside our lives to attend the world’s business while we leave the Lord in Church. We basically tithe our time with God giving the Lord 10% and the world 90%.

How many decisions do we make in our lives without a thought about our spiritual priorities and values first, letting the things of this world, especially money and the quest to become rich, dictate over our lives?

And it is a promise of prosperity or the carrot that is hanging in front of us that may make each of us lose focus and cause us to drift away from our walk with the Lord.

When your ship does come in and with a newfound prosperity in some area of your life, you may be thanking God for it, but you might ask yourself if it was God who did the blessing or was it the evil one dropping a lure in your lap to pull you away from your first love.

A part of maturity in the faith is when one’s life becomes that single focus that we spoke of on this last Lord’s Day. And when we begin to taste the gift of God and experience the closeness of the Lord and your life becomes Christ centered, watch out for unexpectant doors to entice you and lure you away from your occupation with the person of the Lord.

There is a cost to discipleship. And it is that you may in faith have to step away from something that others will say you are crazy and you yourself may second guess yourself often about, but in reality you understand that your treasure is heaven and in reality what you are stepping away from is distraction, a trip wire or an anchor that will hold you back from pursing the eternal things of God.

The second guessing may get you. The prospect of an empty plate may cause you to second guess your decision when you could have taken a banquet.

So Jesus continues

Matthew 6:25 (NASB95) — 25 “For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?

So important is this verse to be remembered in the time in which we are entering when the government seeks to control us and every area of our lives. what happens when the Christian is no longer able to buy and sell because of his and her faith in Christ. When it comes to the time when the government of the Antichrist dictates over who will receive sustenance and who will not.

Our Lord is the Logistical officer.

And it is that the Lord through his providential hand had known from eternity past what you and I are going to need to accomplish our objective.

When the Lord took the Jews into the wilderness, man woman and child, the Lord provided everything that would sustain them day by day.

Deuteronomy 29:5–6 (NASB95) — 5 “I have led you forty years in the wilderness; your clothes have not worn out on you, and your sandal has not worn out on your foot. 6 “You have not eaten bread, nor have you drunk wine or strong drink, in order that you might know that I am the Lordyour God.

And rather than dismissing the Old Testament we must look at it as an example that just has the Lord cared for his people in the wilderness, he cares for our journey through this life serving and following Yeshua until we reach the promised land.

Hebrews 13:5–8 (NASB95) — 5 Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, “I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you,” 6 so that we confidently say, “The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid. What will man do to me?” 7 Remember those who led you, who spoke the word of God to you; and considering the result of their conduct, imitate their faith. 8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

When Abraham was concerned about his offspring that he had no heir and with no heir he had hard time seeing how God was going to bless the Father of nations with a people.

The Lord took Abraham out and showed him the stars, that which God had created and said to Abraham, if you have the ability to count these stars, (and you don’t) it will be the same with your people, they will be without number.

The Lord does the same with you and I when we get a little nervous about the basics of life. God not only tells us, but He assures us by providing an object lesson.

Matthew 6:26 (NASB95) — 26 “Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they?

Fear and worry about our daily bread can easily cause each of us to be taken off the narrow way and away from our spiritual lives. the worry itself can be distracting and even cause us to lose heart, but the very nature that God is so faithful in caring for becomes sticky notes to remind us that God will care for us.

Job 35:11 (NASB95) — 11 Who teaches us more than the beasts of the earth And makes us wiser than the birds of the heavens?’

Job 38:41 (NASB95) — 41 “Who prepares for the raven its nourishment When its young cry to God And wander about without food?

Psalm 104:27–28 (NASB95) — 27 They all wait for You To give them their food in due season. 28 You give to them, they gather it up; You open Your hand, they are satisfied with good.

Matthew 10:29–31 (NASB95) — 29 “Are not two sparrows sold for a cent? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. 30 “But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 “So do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows.

Luke 12:24 (NASB95) — 24 “Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap; they have no storeroom nor barn, and yet God feeds them; how much more valuable you are than the birds!

Food may be a test as it was for the Israelites. Will you trust in God to provide for you the details of life, freeing you to serve and to honor the Lord?

Related Media

Related Sermons