Intro

• Second-screening during the video
• Anti-Social media
• Robs us of our humanity
• Millennials & Gen Z are the loneliest generations by survey.
• People who are always connected with hundreds of friends.
• Why? Because humans are a social animal. And we want to be a part of something bigger than ourselves.
• And we need look no further than the LGBTQ+ community.
  • Very in vogue right now.
  • Strange sub-groups. Intersectionality.
  • Sub-groups exist so that more people can join the movement.
• If you’re looking to a group like this to find membership and belonging, you’ll not find what you need.
• Now that I’ve dropped that bomb, let’s hit pause on that thought and come back to it later.

Scripture

16 As he went along the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew, Simon’s brother, casting a net into the sea (for they were fishermen). 17 Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will turn you into fishers of people!” 18 They left their nets immediately and followed him. 19 Going on a little farther, he saw James, the son of Zebedee, and John his brother in their boat mending nets. 20 Immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.

Prayer

Study

• “Fisher’s of men” means Fishers of Mankind, Humankind

[[[ PEOPLE KIND ]]]

Fishermen

• The fish/fishermen analogy was not just relative to the current scenario. We see this language used throughout the prophets.
  • Jeremiah 16:16
  • Ezekiel 29:4ff
  • Exekiel 38:4
  • Amos 4:2
  • Habakuk 1:14–17
• The real story of fishermen in those days
• Traits of fishermen:
  • Hard workers
  • Handle stress well
  • Patience
  • Dedication

Follow Me

• Traits of a fisherman would be helpful here
• This was not a request. This was a call. It was a command. It was an expectation.

[[[ COME WITH ME IF YOU WANT TO LIVE ]]]

Turn You Into

• You’re not enough and that’s okay.

[[[ DAN CLOUTIER GOAL – APR 21, 2002 ]]]

Leave Behind

• Sacrifice required.
• These men met Jesus before.
  • John 1:40–45
    • 40 Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, was one of the two disciples who heard what John said and followed Jesus. 41 He first found his own brother Simon and told him, “We have found the Messiah!” (which is translated Christ). 42 Andrew brought Simon to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon, the son of John. You will be called Cephas” (which is translated Peter).
  • Matthew 4:18–20
    • 18 As he was walking by the Sea of Galilee he saw two brothers, Simon (called Peter) and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea (for they were fishermen). 19 He said to them, “Follow me, and I will turn you into fishers of people!” 20 They left their nets immediately and followed him.
  • Luke 5:1–11
    • Now Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, and the crowd was pressing around him to hear the word of God. 2 He saw two boats by the lake, but the fishermen had gotten out of them and were washing their nets. 3 He got into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, and asked him to put out a little way from the shore. Then Jesus sat down and taught the crowds from the boat. 4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep water and lower your nets for a catch.” 5 Simon answered, “Master, we worked hard all night and caught nothing! But at your word I will lower the nets.” 6 When they had done this, they caught so many fish that their nets started to tear. 7 So they motioned to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both boats, so that they were about to sink. 8 But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!” 9 For Peter and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish that they had taken, 10 and so were James and John, Zebedee’s sons, who were Simon’s business partners. Then Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people!” 11 So when they had brought their boats to shore, they left everything and followed him.
• These are three events.
• God is a God of patience and evidence.

Conclusion

• So what?
• I said about the beginning that claiming membership in a community like the LGBTQ+ won’t scratch the itch of being a part of something bigger and more important than yourself. And I will give you two reasons:
• It’s not a community bound together by a unified vision. It is a coalition where all the individual members share 1 or more passions. Like a minority government forming a voting bloc with another group so they can govern. They aren’t ONE group, just 
• It doesn’t require anything from you. There is no need for investment, and thus no “skin in the game”. You can leave the coalition at any time with no cost to yourself.

Now let me be clear, I’m not picking on the LGBTQ+ community. That’s just a worldwide movement that’s really cool right now. I could have said the same thing about Star Wars, Marvel, or pro-wrestling fandoms. Stamp, Bottlecap, or video game collectors. Or even your beer league hockey team or book club.

But Christianity offers that community you are looking for. I want to make my controversial statement of the day now. Christianity offers that community, that vision, that purpose… the church does not. (EXPLAIN THIS) 

That’s why church attendance – fellowship – is only 1 part of the stool of christianity. Church can become just another club, just another coalition.

And the thing that separates the caolition from the unified group is sacrifice. If you have sacrificed nothing, you haven’t truly experienced what Christianity has to offer.

STORY OF PEACE.