Sunday, February 7, 2010
Luke 5:1-11
What we have here this morning is a call into ministry of some folks who already had a career. I told you recently that one of the trends of the last thirty years in seminary education was an increasingly large number of seminarians who were second career folks. They have already worked in one career and then they respond to God’s call and begin a transition into full-time ministry as a second career. In fact, our own Susan Southall is a second career minister. She worked in the oil business for years before going to seminary and serving as a full-time pastor.
Well, today we have this same dynamic playing out. Simon and his partners, James and John, are all fishermen. We are not sure how big their business is,
but it is at least supporting these three families and probably a number of
others. These guys are what we would
call small business owners. But now
they are feeling the call of Jesus to change direction and become fishers of
people. It is a pretty dramatic
change. Let’s take a look at the
development of this call in the story.
Simon
is just finishing the end of a very long night shift. He has been at it all night and with little to show for it but a tired
mind and body. Jesus shows up and wants
to use the boat to share a little gospel teaching with the folks following
him. When he finishes the sermon he
says, “Hey Simon, let’s go fishing!”
Now Jesus has probably had a full night’s sleep and Simon has had
none. He is washing out the nets so
that he can go home and go to bed. So,
he is somewhat resistant.
He says, “Jesus you have got to be kidding. We have been out all night and have caught nothing. How about you take your perky little attitude and go jump in the lake.” Well, it doesn’t record that part exactly, but I think it is not too far fetched that Simon was thinking such a thing. At any rate, he does not want to go.
But
Simon says, “Okay Master. If you say
so, we will try.” And then low and
behold they throw out the nets and the nets begin to pull and when they try to
draw them up, they are so full of fish that they begin to break! They holler at their partners to come help,
and there is such a catch that both boats are so full that they begin to
sink!! It is a huge catch and
immediately Simon recognizes that something bigger than fishing is going on and
falls on his knees before Jesus.
Here
is the sequence:
teaching,
personal
offer,
resistance,
acceptance,
big
catch
and
deeper recognition by the one called.
This
all happens at work for these three.
Have you ever been called by God at work? Have you ever been called by God maybe through your work?
Are
you feeling God calling now, but you are still resisting?
Let
me just say, if you are resisting, you might be missing a big catch.
I
told you back in January that I had a dream last September that was so
compelling I came to believe that it was a call from God. The call was to come up with $100,000 to
give away. The dream issued the call,
the what, but not the how? I got up and
prayed for a while that morning after rising from the dream; then I had the
how.
The
idea had been banging around within me for sometime. I had this idea that we had really outstanding leaders here in
Oklahoma that we were not showcasing.
We had these great leaders, but we were not asking them to share their
leadership insights with others. I
thought it was a good idea to have them share their personal stories of success
and point out the principles upon which their success was built, especially
with an eye toward servant leadership.
If
I could attract say 1,000 people at around a $100 a piece for high quality
leadership training, I would generate $100,000 that I could give away. Fairly quickly I moved from the idea of
holding one event here in Enid to holding three events, the first in Enid, then
one in Tulsa and one in Oklahoma City.
My idea was to ask all the folks I needed to help me make this work to
contribute their time and talent. So
far, I have recruited six highly successful folks to speak -- two from Enid,
two from Tulsa, two from OKC. Brent
Price and Harold Hamm from Enid. Paula
Marshall and Bob Parker from Tulsa, both very successful CEO’s. Tom McDaniel, the great President of OCU,
and Bishop Hayes from OKC. Lessons in
leadership transcend fields so the event will benefit church leaders, business,
civic and educational leaders. I have
also found people who are working with me to do the marketing, the printing,
the door prizes (including a cool trip to Playa del Carmen in Mexico),
etc. It is shaping up to be a fantastic
event! Doors are opening, pieces are
falling into place and people are excited to help.
Why
is it all coming together so beautifully?
It’s a good idea, but it is not that novel or unique. I think it is because it is the first wave
of the big catch. I think it is
because working with Jesus leads you into deep waters and into big catches! Responding to the call of Christ leads you
into deep waters, if you are willing to try, and that leads into the big catch.
See, for James and John and Simon, the big catch of fish was just the first wave, wasn’t it? It was only the first step of their adventure with Jesus. Oh yeah, they caught a lot of fish; but Jesus says, you think that was something, let me tell you I am going to show you how to do that with people! He helped them with the business, but he had even bigger things in mind for them… if they were willing to try.
Are
you willing to try? Are you ready to respond? If you have been feeling a call of sorts at
work, let me suggest you heed that call.
Let me suggest you pursue it through prayer and pondering so that you
can clarify what Christ is calling you to do.
It doesn’t necessarily mean you will leave your job. It is not the same for all of us.
If
you have not felt a compelling call lately, let me say that I would love for
you to help me make this one happen here in Enid. The first event will be here at the church on April 9, but there
is going to be plenty to do to be ready to pull this off with excellence. There is a sign-up sheet at the Welcome Desk
if you have an interest in helping. It
will say Great Oklahomans across the top. That is what I am calling these: The Great Oklahomans
Leadership Series.
If
you are not sure what your calling is and not sure that working on mine is for
you, then simply let me encourage you to take the time during Communion this
morning to pray about it. I believe
God is at work in the world and ready to use those who are willing to give it a
try. That might just be you.
In fact, our own Susan Southall is a _________
career minister.
…the development of this ______ in the story.
So,
he is somewhat ______________.
“Okay
Master, if you say so, we will ______.”
Here
is the sequence:
teaching,
____________
offer,
resistance,
acceptance,
big
________
and
deeper recognition by the one called.
Are
you feeling God calling ______,
but
you are still resisting?
I
think it is because working with Jesus leads you into
deep
waters and into ______ catches!
Are
you willing to ______?
The
Great ______________ Leadership Series.
…take
the time during Communion this morning to
______
about it.