MAKE YOU FISHERS OF MEN
Jesus said, “Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men!” (Mk 1:17)
What did Jesus mean by this?
For Jesus to say, “Follow me …” tells us that Christianity is highly relational. It’s a relationship with, Jesus Christ! When Jesus said, “…I will make you fishers of men” He was communicating that those who follow Him will have a unique influence upon their fellow man. He wants our lives to have an impact in the work of the Gospel. The Lord wants our lives to have a godly, healthy and inspiring influence to those around us. Boiled down, Christian’s are to lead in this way!
Here’s the question I want to pose to my fellow brothers in Christ, “What does a man of God’s influence look like?” Or, “What does it mean that a man of God, leads the way?” Below are eight points that begin to answer that question. It is not a complete list(there’s more to come), but it’s a good start!
MAIN THING THE MAIN THING
#1 Keeps the main thing the main thing (I Cor 2:2; John 15:26; John 14:6; Phil 3:12-14)
Men of God love Jesus, grow in Jesus, and obey Jesus! What is the main thing? The Son of God, the Word of God and the Spirit of God! When the main thing is the main thing: the Spirit of God is satisfied, the Word of God is prioritized, the Son of God is glorified and the Church of God is edified! When this takes place the church is a powerful influence that will make Christ known and make new disciples of Christ!
STEWARD
#2 He is a Steward (I Cor 4:1-2; 1 Peter 4:10; I Cor 6:20)
A man of God lives with a high level of awareness that he is responsible with what is not his. He is a steward of the Gospel message. He is a steward of the resources, opportunities, gifts and the time that has been given to him. He is also a steward of his own body knowing that his life does not belong to himself.
CAUSE, FIRST
#3 He puts the cause of Christ, first! (1 Cor 6:7; Acts 20:24)
This means that a man of God is willing to give up their rights and liberties for the greater good for the cause of Christ. They are willing to be disadvantaged personally, so that the community is advantaged corporately! They are willing to suffer privately in order to avoid contributing to influences that undermine the greater good of the body of Christ. Paul wrote, “But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.” Acts 20:24
WILL OF GOD
#4 He understands and is committed to doing the will of God! (Eph 5:15-17)
“See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is.”
The word “time” carries the idea of opportunity or special moments. It does not refer to time on the clock. (i.e. Chronos)
Perspective: The speed of the “game of life” is faster than ever! Information, transportation and expectation have all picked up in pace! Unless a man of God has identified the chief opportunities and priorities that are to define his life, there is a high likelihood that his his witness for Christ will get left in the dust. Ask yourself, “Lord, what are the priorities that are to define my life and glorify you?”
LOVE
#5 He has a heart of God for the people of God (John 13:35; Acts 2:46; Rom. 16:17-18).
Jesus said “By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (Jn 13:35)
This means that a man of God demonstrates love to all Christians, not just some. What is love? Love is patient, gracious and kind. A Christian is to love all who make up the most diverse family on earth. A man of God exemplifies unity in the essentials, liberty in the non-essentials, but love in all things!
TEACHABLE
#6 He is teachable and is always learning (I Tim 4:15-16; Pr. 9:9; Mt 11:15)
Eight times Jesus said, “He who has an ear to hear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches”. Paul instructed Timothy, “Meditate on these things; give yourself entirely to them, that your progress may be evident to all. Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you.” (1 Tim 4:15-16)
Leaders are learners!
Pr. 9:9 reads,“Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser; Teach a just man, and he will increase in learning.” Abraham Lincoln said, “I do not think much of a man who is not wiser today than he was yesterday.”
Peter grew as a man of God, as a leader, and became more influential in his generation largely do to the fact that he remained teachable. In Matt 15:15 Peter asks Jesus to explain a difficult parable. Matt 18:21, he asked how he needed to forgive. Matt 19:27 he asked about the reward that the disciples would get for following Jesus. Mark 11:21, he asked the meaning of the withered fig tree. John 21:20-22, Peter asked questions of the risen Christ. He wanted to know what he didn’t know. The moment you stop learning, you stop leading!
It’s been said …
“The quality of your life in any area of your life will be determined by the kind of questions you have the courage to ask yourself in that area. If you don’t ask the right questions in your life you won’t get the right answers. If you don’t get the right answers you can’t build the right strategy. If you can’t get the right strategy you won’t get the right results. So regardless of what you do in life you have to ask the right questions. Questioning is an art. It is a skill that you can develop. You can get good at it.”
INTEGRITY
#7 He is a man of integrity (Eph. 5:18; 2 Tim 2:21)
A man of God is not perfect but he is honest and authentic. Men of God do not allow compartmentalizing in their life. They are the same behind closed doors as they are in public. Integrity carries the idea of a unit of one. It comes from the word, “integer”. They are Spirit filled (i.e. controlled) Eph 5:18. God can overlook a lack of intelligence. He can overlook a lack of gifts. But God will not use a dirty vessel. 2 Tim 2:21 reads, “Those who make themselves clean from all those evil things, will be used for special purposes, because they are dedicated and useful to their Master, ready to be used for every good deed” (2 Timothy 2:21 TEV).
PERSEVERES
#8 He never gives up! (2 Tim 4:7; 1 Cor 15:58; James 5:11; Heb 6:10)
Men of God persevere. Without perseverance there would be no redemption, church, missions, evangelism, godly legacy or family! Paul wrote, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” 2 Tim 4:7
A man of God understands that at times their efforts will produce measurable results but at other times they will not (at least before men), and often not until the next generation. But they know that the Lord’s Spirit is always at work in and through His people and more often beyond comprehension. Ultimately, whether one’s efforts are measurable in this lifetime or not, faithfulness is always seen by God, weighed by God and rewarded by God — and glorifies God!
So be encouraged and remember Paul’s admonition: “…my beloved brethren be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.” 1 Corinthians 15:58.
What Kind Of Men God Makes
(2 Timothy 1:7)
I. GOD MAKES MEN FEARLESS
A. THEY DO NOT ALWAYS START OUT BOLD…
1. Peter displayed cowardice on several occasions – Mt 14:30; 26:69-75;
Ga 2:11-12
2. Paul confessed fearful tendencies – 1Co 2:3
B. THEY CAN DEVELOP BOLDNESS…
1. The council noted the boldness of Peter and John – Ac 4:13
2. Paul later confessed confidence in the face of trial – Ac 20:24; 21:13
C. HOW DOES GOD MAKE MEN FEARLESS ….
1. As faith and love increase, fear decreases
a. Fear is indicative of little faith – Mt 8:26
b. Love casts out fear – 1Jn 4:18
2. Boldness comes through prayer
a. The apostles prayed for boldness – Ac 4:29-31
b. Paul solicited prayer in his behalf for boldness – Ep 6: 18-19
[As men of God grow in faith, love, and prayer, God removes the spirit
of fear. As we return to our text (2Ti 1:7), we also observe that…]
II. GOD MAKES MEN STRONG
A. THEY START OUT WEAK…
1. Even the apostles had their moments of weakness – Mt 26:40-41
2. All disciples start as babes in Christ – cf. 1Co 3:1
B. YET THEY ARE TO BE STRONG…
1. As Paul exhorted the Corinthians – 1Co 16:13
2. As he exhorted the Ephesians – Ep 6:10
C. HOW DOES GOD MAKE MEN STRONG …
1. By providing the right kind of armor – Ep 6:10-17
2. By providing the aid of His Spirit in the inner man – Ep 3:16,20
3. By providing a relationship with His Son – Jn 15:5; Php 4:13
[As we grow in truth, righteousness, faith, and prayer, God’s Son and
His Spirit will provide what aid we need to be strong in the service of
the Lord. From our text we also learn that…]
III. GOD MAKES MEN LOVING
A. THEY DO NOT ALWAYS START OUT LOVING…
1. The apostles were often jealous of one another – Mt 20:24; Lk 22:24
2. James and John developed the reputation as “Sons Of Thunder”
– Mk 3:17; cf. Lk 9:54
B. THEY CAN DEVELOP LOVE…
1. John, “Son of Thunder”, became the apostle of love – 1Jn 4: 7,11
2. Peter would refer to Paul as “our beloved brother” – 2Pe 3:15
C. HOW DOES GOD MAKE LOVING MEN…
1. By loving us – 1Jn 4:10-11; cf. 1Th 4:9-10
2. By providing Jesus as an example of love – 1Th 3:16; cf. Jn 13:34-35
[As we allow ourselves to be moved by God’s love for us, we will grow in
our love for others. Finally, we see from our text that…]
IV. GOD MAKES MEN SOUND
A. WHAT DOES IT MEANSTO HAVE A SOUND MIND…
1. The Greek word is sophronismos –
1) an admonishing or calling to soundness of mind, to moderation and self-
control;
2) self- control, moderation” – Thayer
2. “The Greek word denotes one of sober mind; a man of prudence and discretion.
The state referred to here is that in which the mind is well balanced, and under
right influences; in which it sees things in their just proportions and relations; in
which it is not feverish and excited, but when everything is in its proper place.”
– Barnes
3. It depicts one who is stable and self-controlled in both life and doctrine
B. THIS QUALITY IS TO BE FOUND IN MATURE CHRISTIANS…
1. Bishops (elders) must be sober (sophrone) – 1Ti 3:2; Tit 1:8
2. Older men are to be temperate (sophrone) – Tit 2:2
3. Older women are to teach (sophronizo) younger women
a. To be sober (sophronizo) – Tit 2:4
b. To be discreet (sophrone) – Tit 2:5
4. Young men like Timothy – 2Ti 1:7
C. HOW DOES GOD MAKE SOUND MEN…
1. Through obedience to the words of His Son – cf. Mt 7:24-25
2. By setting one’s mind on the things of the Spirit (i.e., the
word of God), producing the fruit of the Spirit – cf. Ro 8:5-6; Ga 5:16,22-23
1. For those willing to submit to the workmanship of God, He will create…
a. Fearless men
b. Strong men
c. Loving men
d. Sound men
2. Such qualities are not limited to those of the male gender…
a. They are virtues found in women as well
b. Especially when older women exemplify and teach them to the younger women
3. We may not start the Christian life with these qualities; new
Christians often have…
a. Cowardice
b. Weakness
c. Hatred
d. Instability
But God is willing to “give us” (2Ti 1:7) courage, strength, love, and stability.
Are we willing to submit to His workmanship in our lives…?
Note: The main points for this outline was taken from a sermon by Alexander Maclaren, in his “Exposition Of The Scriptures”
I wanted to post this in a Nehemiah Pod section- but could not find it…..
I did not write this- I found it at http://www.raystedman.org/old-testament/nehemiah/dont-despair–begin-to-repair
I call it:
Nehemiah in the morning- from Ray Stedman
I would suggest that you follow the pattern of Nehemiah’s prayer.
First, he recognized the character of God:
“Oh LORD, God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and obey his commands, let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer your servant is praying before you day and night for your servants, the people of Israel.” (Nehemiah 1:5b-6a NIV)
The ruin you are concerned with may not always be yours personally. It may be that of someone close to you whose life you see falling apart because of certain habits or attitudes they have allowed to enter their experience. You feel like Nehemiah, and you want to weep and mourn and tell God about it. That is always the place to start, for God is a responsive God. He gives attention to the prayers of his people. And he is a God of power and ability, and, above all, a God of love.
The second thing Nehemiah did was: he repented of all personal and corporate sins:
“I confess the sins we Israelites, including myself and my father’s house, have committed against you. We have acted very wickedly toward you. We have not obeyed the commands, decrees and laws you gave your servant Moses.” (Nehemiah 1:6b-7 NIV)
This is an honest facing of his own guilt. Notice the absence of self-righteousness. He does not say, “Lord, I am thinking of those terrible sinners back there in Jerusalem. Be gracious to them because they have fallen into wrong actions.” No, he puts himself into this picture, saying, “I have contributed to this problem. There are things that I did or did not do that have made this ruin possible. I confess before you, Lord, the sins of myself and my father’s house.” There is no attempt to excuse or to blame others for this. It is a simple acknowledgment of wrong.
It has always been true of the people of God that any degree of self-justification will cancel out recovery. If you try to excuse yourself for what is wrong in your life, you block your own recovery. Just admit it, declare it. This is exactly contrary to the spirit of the age in which we live, but this is God’s way and it is the first step in the process of recovery.
Then, third, Nehemiah reminded God of his gracious promises:
“Remember the instruction you gave your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations, but if you return to me and obey my commands, then even if your exiled people are at the farthest horizon, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place I have chosen as a dwelling for my Name.’
“They are your servants and your people, whom you redeemed by your great strength and your mighty hand.” (Nehemiah 1:8-10 NIV)
Nehemiah reminds himself of the nature of God: He is a God of forgiveness, a God of restoration, a God of great power. When the heart is right, God can change all the external circumstances of a situation and make it entirely different. And he will do so. He promises he will!
Only once in the history of the world has there been a prediction made of the entire history of a nation.
It is found in the book of Deuteronomy, Chapters 28-30.
There, in a marvelous message, Moses prophetically outlines the entire history of Israel.
He said they would disobey God; they would be scattered among the nations; they would go into exile.
But if there they would turn again and acknowledge their evil, God would restore them and bring them back to the land. Nehemiah reminds God of that wonderfully gracious promise.
Even the prodigal son in Jesus’ story in the New Testament, languishing in the far country, eating pig’s food, reminds himself that his last resort is, “I will arise and go back to my father,” (Luke 15:18a KJV). When he comes back, to his great surprise, he finds his father with open arms ready to receive him.
The fourth thing Nehemiah did was: he requested specific help to begin this process:
“O Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of this your servant and to the prayer of your servants who delight in revering your name[There were others praying with him]. Give your servant success today by granting him favor in the presence of this man.” (Nehemiah 1:10-11a NIV)
What man? He goes on to tell us:
I was the cup-bearer to the king. (Nehemiah 1:11b NIV)
He had a place to start.
It was not going to be easy, but he knew what he had to do.
It was going to take the authority of the top power in the whole empire (in fact in the whole world of that day).
That is not easy to arrange.
Talk about playing politics!
You really have to maneuver to get a king, an emperor over a vast domain, to do what you want to do, especially when there are elements involved that are threatening to him personally.
That is what Nehemiah foresaw.
But he believes that God will help him.
And so he starts to pray, and ask for grace and strength to carry out the steps that are necessary to begin recovery.
No matter what the ruin of any life may be there is always a place to start.
There is a place where you must begin.
You need to apologize to someone.
You need to go to somebody and straighten something out.
You need to stop some practice that is wrong.
You need to open yourself up to counsel.
You need to seek advice.
You need to get some guidance.
There is always a first step.
That is where you must begin.
And whatever you pray, pray that God will give you the grace, the strength and the determination to take that step.
Then, the process of recovery has begun.
Let me close by asking this very personal question:
Do you want to be a better man or woman in 2012 for Jesus?
Do you long to be free from old habits, old attitudes, old practices, old and perhaps harmful friends?
Then start here:
Take stock of your life.
Examine your walls and your gates.
Forget the playoff games and the stuff and do business with God. Make 2012 the year of recovery – in Jesus name.
G. Cambell Morgan said, “We should deal much more successfully with life and others if, like Nehemiah, we dealt more largely w/God!”
At the end of vs.11 in Ch 1; we find a great prayer we can pray as we go forth into our daily calling, “let Your servant prosper this day, I pray, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man.”
God is still seeking men & women willing to sacrifice to do his work.
Q: Are you available?
I don’t think it would be “ME”! – Lockyer said of Nehemiah, “His sterling character stood the acid test, for he was a man of dependence upon God.”
And that’s all you need to be, a man/women completely dependent on God!
…That’s it!
Q: Are you available?
“Here I am Lord, send me!”
“For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him. (2 Chron.16:9)
Q: What trait of Nehemiah’s in ch.1 do you need to emulate?
Q: What steps can you take this week to strengthen your prayer life?
Q: How can you remind yourself this week to turn to God in prayer when you experience disappointment?
Weep, Pray, & make yourself available!
He was not content merely to get answers to prayer; he wanted to be an answer to prayer!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!!!! On this 29th day of January!! You are a blessing beyond measure!!!! God bless you!!
Happy day!!! :))