100:00:00,240 –> 00:00:08,660Now, it is easier, and it is always more comfortable for a local church to have a ministry that200:00:08,660 –> 00:00:14,380is about ourselves, but let us remember today that Jesus Christ does not say300:00:14,380 –> 00:00:20,540follow me and I will take you on a delightful cruise. He says follow me and400:00:20,540 –> 00:00:25,100I will make you fishers of men.500:00:25,100 –> 00:00:29,180Welcome to Open the Bible with Pastor Colin Smith. I am David Pick. Glad you could be600:00:29,559 –> 00:00:33,880with us today and Colin if we are going to follow Christ he is going to take us out of700:00:33,880 –> 00:00:35,439our comfort zone sometimes.800:00:35,439 –> 00:00:40,480Yeah, that is exactly right. I love the words I will make you fishers of men. In other words900:00:40,480 –> 00:00:44,799this is a promise. Jesus is saying I will make you something that you are not. I will1000:00:44,799 –> 00:00:49,599do something new that is in your life. I will bring ministry to you that you would never1100:00:49,599 –> 00:00:56,520otherwise have had. We find ministry by following Christ and that is this most marvelous privilege1200:00:56,520 –> 00:00:58,119that is given to every Christian.1300:00:58,320 –> 00:00:59,840So sometimes Christians will say something1400:00:59,880 –> 00:01:06,120like I don’t know if I could do that. Or God hasn’t given me that gift. Or I don’t think1500:01:06,120 –> 00:01:10,400I’m called to do this. It sounds like we don’t really have that excuse.1600:01:10,400 –> 00:01:12,519I just want to say to someone who is thinking1700:01:12,519 –> 00:01:18,120that you never know what Jesus Christ will make of you, until you follow him all the1800:01:18,120 –> 00:01:24,000way. So just keep pressing hard after Jesus and he will take care of what he makes you.1900:01:24,000 –> 00:01:27,800But he will certainly make of you something that you were not at the beginning, and the2000:01:27,800 –> 00:01:31,339outcome of that at the end of the Christian life is going to be something quite spectacular.2100:01:31,339 –> 00:01:36,320Today we’re looking at Matthew chapter 4, so I hope you’ll join us in your Bible as2200:01:36,320 –> 00:01:40,760we begin a message, Jesus Will Use You To Win Others. Here’s Colin.2300:01:40,760 –> 00:01:45,900We’re continuing to look at some of the great promises of the Lord Jesus Christ in which2400:01:45,900 –> 00:01:54,239he specifically states something that he will do. And today Matthew chapter 4 and verse2500:01:54,360 –> 00:02:04,72019, familiar words, I think, to many of us, Jesus says, follow me and I will make you2600:02:04,720 –> 00:02:16,199fishers of men. Christ promises evangelistic fruitfulness to His church. That’s what2700:02:16,199 –> 00:02:24,080we have here. Follow me and I will make you fishers of men. He is saying if we follow2800:02:24,080 –> 00:02:30,279Him, our ministry will result in other people coming to Him.2900:02:30,279 –> 00:02:35,500Let’s begin then with learning from the analogy. Jesus describes ministry in terms3000:02:35,500 –> 00:02:42,139of this picture of fishing and that just is so full of resonances for us, ways in which3100:02:42,139 –> 00:02:46,759we can learn about ministry. I just want to give you seven observations that occur to3200:02:46,759 –> 00:02:50,899me that are very obvious. I’m sure in the life groups you will be able to think of a3300:02:51,020 –> 00:02:57,899boatload, pardon the pun, of other analogies in relation to this, and many of us will be3400:02:57,899 –> 00:03:01,600telling fishing stories this week, I’m sure.3500:03:01,600 –> 00:03:05,139What have we learned from this analogy? Number one, some people are really good at fishing3600:03:05,139 –> 00:03:10,759but anyone can do it. How many folks here would describe themselves as fishermen? How3700:03:10,759 –> 00:03:19,460many, a few, a few, a few here. Different question. How many of us in this congregation3800:03:19,460 –> 00:03:26,399have ever caught a fish? Almost everybody. Now isn’t that interesting? Okay, I would3900:03:26,399 –> 00:03:31,460not describe myself as a fisherman. I have absolutely no expertise in this regard but4000:03:31,460 –> 00:03:38,279even I have caught a fish. Now here’s what we learn, God gives certain people gifts of4100:03:38,279 –> 00:03:45,839evangelicalism. But every Christian can play a part in drawing other people to Christ including4200:03:46,259 –> 00:03:49,440Observation. Fishing requires great4300:03:49,440 –> 00:03:54,119patience. That takes the prize for the most obvious statement of the day, doesn’t it?4400:03:54,119 –> 00:03:57,440It requires great patience. You throw out a line, you throw out a net or whatever it4500:03:57,440 –> 00:04:03,860is and then you wait. You throw it out again and then you wait. Fishing requires great4600:04:03,860 –> 00:04:10,860patience. Some of us have been praying for a loved one and witnessing to a loved one4700:04:10,940 –> 00:04:17,100for many years. Many years. Fishing requires great patience.4800:04:17,100 –> 00:04:22,380Third observation. Fisherman learn how to deal with discouragement. Remember, when Jesus4900:04:22,380 –> 00:04:26,859met with the disciples, they had worked all night and they had caught nothing. And Jesus5000:04:26,859 –> 00:04:32,380himself knew what it was to bear witness to himself, to eternal life and to the matters5100:04:32,380 –> 00:04:37,660of faith. We saw this last week. And then to say in John 6 in verse 36, you’ve seen5200:04:37,660 –> 00:04:42,459me, but still you do not believe. So fishermen have to learn that where you go out and you’ve5300:04:42,459 –> 00:04:45,899worked very hard and you’ve caught nothing, what do you do? You get up early the next5400:04:45,899 –> 00:04:49,619day and you go out again and you carry on and you do the same thing.5500:04:49,619 –> 00:04:58,239Fourth, Christ invites us to come fishing not to go hunting. Now, there is a big difference.5600:04:58,239 –> 00:05:03,859And the analogy that Christ chooses, I think, is significant. And I mention this because5700:05:03,859 –> 00:05:09,260there are some Christians with very strong personalities and when they get going they5800:05:09,260 –> 00:05:14,459sound more like hunters than they do like fishermen. You know what I mean by that?5900:05:14,459 –> 00:05:20,040Remember there is an art to fishing, fish are drawn. Peter gives wise counsel to Christians6000:05:20,040 –> 00:05:26,299who want to win others to Christ. He says we are always to speak with gentleness and6100:05:26,299 –> 00:05:32,679with respect. So let’s remember this in our approach to those who are not yet believers6200:05:32,720 –> 00:05:37,220in the Lord Jesus Christ that our Lord invites us to come fishing, it is fishing, it is not6300:05:37,220 –> 00:05:47,660hunting, big difference. Number 5, the church is a fishing boat, not a pleasure boat. My6400:05:47,660 –> 00:05:53,720wife grew up as some of you know on the South Coast of England, beautiful part of the world6500:05:53,720 –> 00:05:57,980and she loves the sea and so when we go back and see her folks we have a delightful place6600:05:58,059 –> 00:06:04,679to visit and we often spend time hanging around in the area of the harbor. And down there6700:06:04,679 –> 00:06:10,799as you would see in the most other harbors in small towns in England or elsewhere, you6800:06:10,799 –> 00:06:17,799can very immediately see two completely different kinds of boats, you have the boats that are6900:06:18,700 –> 00:06:24,019there for pleasure, they take pleasure trips around the bay and there are other boats that7000:06:24,079 –> 00:06:29,760are there for the guys who make their living by fishing. Now the boats are constructed7100:06:29,760 –> 00:06:34,880in an entirely different way and they operate in an entirely different way, the pleasure7200:06:34,880 –> 00:06:41,000boats are all about convenience and comfort, they have cushions all over you know and they7300:06:41,000 –> 00:06:47,059go out at times that people want to go and they hug the shoreline so that people can7400:06:47,059 –> 00:06:53,959enjoy the magnificent view, they are very safe, that’s the pleasure boats.7500:06:54,940 –> 00:07:00,000The fishing boats are entirely different, they launch out into the deep, the crews take risks,7600:07:00,000 –> 00:07:05,880they make sacrifices and you look at these boats, frankly there is very little comfort.7700:07:06,380 –> 00:07:12,339Now it is easier and it is always more comfortable for a local church to have a ministry that7800:07:12,339 –> 00:07:18,420is about ourselves but let us remember today that Jesus Christ does not say7900:07:18,600 –> 00:07:22,140follow me and I will take you on a delightful cruise.8000:07:23,000 –> 00:07:28,859He says follow me and I will make you fishers of men.’8100:07:28,859 –> 00:07:33,700So there is a moment for an amen coming up, I am just giving you that as a cue, this church8200:07:33,700 –> 00:07:39,179is not a pleasure boat, this church is a fishing boat.8300:07:39,179 –> 00:07:40,200Amen.8400:07:40,200 –> 00:07:47,179That is very important, it is defining and it ought to set expectations for us as well.8500:07:47,299 –> 00:07:51,339Sixth observation, fishing is hard work and sometimes dangerous.8600:07:51,339 –> 00:07:54,100Have you watched that program Deadliest Catch?8700:07:54,100 –> 00:07:56,239Man, that thing is addictive.8800:07:56,239 –> 00:08:01,920Once you’ve seen one episode, these guys out on the Bering Sea in the freezing old8900:08:01,920 –> 00:08:06,980catching crab, it is one of the most dangerous jobs in the world.9000:08:06,980 –> 00:08:12,079And if you read the acts of the apostles, you will see that the work of pioneer evangelism9100:08:12,079 –> 00:08:17,059is right up there in the same category, one of the most dangerous jobs in the world.9200:08:17,279 –> 00:08:21,000The best fishing, isn’t this interesting, the best fishing is often in the most difficult9300:08:21,000 –> 00:08:23,459waters that bears thinking about.9400:08:23,459 –> 00:08:27,779Seventh observation, there is great joy in catching fish.9500:08:27,779 –> 00:08:32,179Now, the great majority of us here know what it is to catch at least one fish, which has9600:08:32,179 –> 00:08:33,539happened in our lives.9700:08:33,539 –> 00:08:39,559You know this, isn’t it interesting when a guy or a lady catches a fish?9800:08:39,559 –> 00:08:43,820They always want to have their photograph taken with the thing, isn’t that interesting?9900:08:43,880 –> 00:08:49,000And did you ever see a person who’s caught a fish, you know holding the thing?10000:08:49,000 –> 00:08:51,320Did you ever see them looking miserable in the photograph?10100:08:51,320 –> 00:08:53,500They’re always smiling, why?10200:08:53,500 –> 00:09:00,099Because there is great joy in catching a fish and there is far greater joy in seeing a person10300:09:00,099 –> 00:09:07,659come to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, joy for us and there is Jesus says joy in heaven.10400:09:07,659 –> 00:09:12,840So this is a profoundly helpful picture, it helps us to frame our understanding of what10500:09:12,919 –> 00:09:18,880ministry is like and what we should expect it to be, ministry is like fishing.10600:09:18,880 –> 00:09:22,479Just before we move on, let me just point out one obvious difference, I’m sure there10700:09:22,479 –> 00:09:28,419are others too, when fish are caught one of two things happen, it’s either catch10800:09:28,419 –> 00:09:33,059and release or it’s kill and eat isn’t it?10900:09:33,059 –> 00:09:37,880I suppose that’s the alternative and neither of these two things relate to our work of11000:09:37,880 –> 00:09:40,799evangelism.11100:09:40,820 –> 00:09:43,900When we fish for man what are we doing?11200:09:43,900 –> 00:09:50,919We are fishing so that they may be saved and so that they may be fed, so that they may11300:09:50,919 –> 00:10:03,919be fed.11400:10:10,799 –> 00:10:20,900As we got our minds into this analogy let’s now use the words of Jesus to help clarify11500:10:20,900 –> 00:10:23,340our mission.11600:10:23,340 –> 00:10:28,599Jesus says that our mission is about being fishers of men.11700:10:28,599 –> 00:10:32,500Follow me and I will make you fishers of men.11800:10:32,500 –> 00:10:39,119So the question here is that what is our mission and how then are we to fulfil it?11900:10:39,119 –> 00:10:42,140I want to make three observations.12000:10:42,140 –> 00:10:44,659The first is this.12100:10:44,659 –> 00:10:52,200Our mission according to Jesus is to catch fish not to improve the lake.12200:10:52,200 –> 00:10:54,359Now you might want to think about that.12300:10:54,359 –> 00:10:57,780But what I’m trying to say is simply this.12400:10:57,780 –> 00:11:02,080That our mission is about people coming to Jesus Christ.12500:11:02,080 –> 00:11:04,200That’s its focus.12600:11:04,200 –> 00:11:09,960It is not so much on the environment in which people live.12700:11:09,960 –> 00:11:11,320Now this is a very important issue.12800:11:11,320 –> 00:11:16,520And I want to take a few minutes to explain why understanding it clearly is critical to12900:11:16,520 –> 00:11:17,520us.13000:11:17,520 –> 00:11:21,359Obviously any fisherman who’s clear in his mind will have an interest in having cleaner13100:11:21,359 –> 00:11:23,719and better lakes.13200:11:23,719 –> 00:11:26,460But improving the quality of the lake is not the job of the fisherman.13300:11:26,460 –> 00:11:29,159The job of the fisherman is to catch the fish.13400:11:29,159 –> 00:11:33,359And that is critical for our understanding of mission.13500:11:33,419 –> 00:11:37,159Now let me give you a little bit of a background here, and I have a very specific reason for13600:11:37,159 –> 00:11:39,419doing this today.13700:11:39,419 –> 00:11:46,979Evangelical Christians have for centuries had a clear understanding of the message and13800:11:46,979 –> 00:11:49,880the mission of the gospel.13900:11:49,880 –> 00:11:54,960The message is the incarnation and the atonement.14000:11:54,960 –> 00:11:57,719God became man in Jesus Christ.14100:11:57,719 –> 00:12:00,580Christ died on the cross bearing our sins.14200:12:00,580 –> 00:12:06,219He rose triumphantly from the dead, breaking the power of death through His resurrection.14300:12:06,219 –> 00:12:11,460And this Christ offers forgiveness of sins, and peace with God, a new life in the power14400:12:11,460 –> 00:12:17,200of the Holy Spirit, and beyond death an entrance not into hell that we deserve but into everlasting14500:12:17,200 –> 00:12:18,919joy in the presence of God.14600:12:18,919 –> 00:12:20,960That’s the message.14700:12:20,960 –> 00:12:27,200The mission is to proclaim this gospel to people of every nation, of every culture,14800:12:27,200 –> 00:12:32,799taking every opportunity, inviting them to receive what Jesus Christ offers.14900:12:32,799 –> 00:12:37,440So that coming to Him in repentance and faith, trusting Him as Savior and following Him as15000:12:37,440 –> 00:12:43,559Lord, everything that He holds in His hand may come to be the possession of the one who15100:12:43,559 –> 00:12:45,239comes to Him.15200:12:45,239 –> 00:12:51,080Now, that’s the message, that’s the mission as has been understood by evangelicals for15300:12:51,840 –> 00:12:59,080But, you know, that there is an offense within this message.15400:12:59,080 –> 00:13:03,520It involves the uniqueness of Jesus Christ saying that he can do what no one else can15500:13:03,520 –> 00:13:06,159do, that you have to come to Him.15600:13:06,159 –> 00:13:12,280It involves speaking about sin and guilt before God, which in an affirming culture where everyone15700:13:12,280 –> 00:13:16,159likes to be told how good they are all the time, that obviously is going in the opposite15800:13:16,159 –> 00:13:17,159direction.15900:13:17,239 –> 00:13:21,799It involves speaking even about hell and who likes that?16000:13:21,799 –> 00:13:28,119So none of us should be surprised to find that through the years, alternatives come16100:13:28,119 –> 00:13:32,859up and sometimes seize the imagination of parts of the Church.16200:13:34,320 –> 00:13:42,840About 100 years ago, a new movement arose in the Church that was known as liberalism.16300:13:42,859 –> 00:13:45,460Liberalism did not accept the inspiration16400:13:45,460 –> 00:13:52,799and authority of the Bible and so it selected certain truths from the Bible and discarded16500:13:52,799 –> 00:13:54,799other truths from the Bible.16600:13:55,640 –> 00:14:02,099In the first half of the last century, virtually every major city in Europe had a church that16700:14:02,099 –> 00:14:09,380was filled with many people that was basically advancing the liberal message and the liberal16800:14:09,380 –> 00:14:17,559mission. This had great appeal to many, many people, but it had no power, and so within16900:14:17,559 –> 00:14:23,099a very short period of time, what happened was that these once apparently thriving churches17000:14:23,099 –> 00:14:28,880became empty and became dead and you can visit the monuments that they are in many, many17100:14:28,880 –> 00:14:30,179cities still.17200:14:30,179 –> 00:14:36,419Now, liberalism had a different message that drove a different mission. The different message17300:14:36,520 –> 00:14:42,080was this. The message of liberalism was not the incarnation and the atonement. It was17400:14:42,080 –> 00:14:49,080the fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of men. The message was God loves you and17500:14:49,080 –> 00:14:51,400we must love one another.17600:14:51,400 –> 00:14:59,619Now, folks, that’s true. But that is not the gospel. You don’t need Jesus Christ to be17700:14:59,619 –> 00:15:03,840born into the world or to suffer and die on the cross or to rise from the dead in order17800:15:03,880 –> 00:15:07,559to proclaim that message. You don’t need repentance and faith. You don’t need conversion. There’s17900:15:07,559 –> 00:15:15,619no hell to be saved from in that. But what happened inevitably was that the new message18000:15:15,619 –> 00:15:25,179led to a new mission. Liberalism changed the mission of the church from individual salvation18100:15:25,179 –> 00:15:34,940to cultural transformation. That is a massive redefinition. In other words, liberalism said18200:15:34,940 –> 00:15:39,500no, it’s no longer about trying to address particularly the fish. It’s no longer being18300:15:39,500 –> 00:15:44,659fishers of men. It’s about improving the quality of life in the environment in which18400:15:44,659 –> 00:15:51,119the fish live. It’s about improving the quality of the lake as it were. They began18500:15:51,119 –> 00:15:56,820to speak like this. Instead of saying, our ministry is to lead people to repentance and18600:15:56,820 –> 00:16:01,340faith in Jesus Christ through the gospel, they said, our ministry is to change society.18700:16:01,340 –> 00:16:05,880Our ministry is to end poverty, so forth and so on.18800:16:05,880 –> 00:16:14,739Now, that is nothing new under the sun. And today, we are seeing a resurgence of some18900:16:14,739 –> 00:16:20,299of these old liberal ideas. So, you begin to hear people talking about bringing the19000:16:20,380 –> 00:16:25,099kingdom of God into the city, and so forth and so on, and how the church will change19100:16:25,099 –> 00:16:30,219the city, and how we can end poverty, and how that’s our calling, and so forth and so19200:16:30,219 –> 00:16:32,780on.19300:16:32,780 –> 00:16:38,619And many Christians become confused. They don’t know where this is coming from.19400:16:38,619 –> 00:16:43,539This week, I came across a statement by Dr. Jim Packer that made the issue very, very19500:16:43,539 –> 00:16:48,659clear. So, I want to read it to you, because Dr. Jim Packer, if you don’t know that name,19600:16:48,700 –> 00:16:55,380is probably one of the most respected and articulate teachers and leaders within the19700:16:55,380 –> 00:16:59,419Evangelical movement, and has been now for well over half a century.19800:16:59,419 –> 00:17:04,540He’s in his 80s, an esteemed and godly leader.19900:17:04,540 –> 00:17:06,339And Packer says this,20000:17:06,339 –> 00:17:08,420Liberalism has20100:17:08,420 –> 00:17:14,420habitually identified the Spirit’s renewing work with some form of cultural20200:17:15,160 –> 00:17:20,180transformation in human society, as opposed to the regenerative20300:17:20,180 –> 00:17:23,920transformation of individuals brought to know Jesus Christ.20400:17:23,920 –> 00:17:27,380So he says there’s been this massive shift where liberalism does is it says20500:17:27,380 –> 00:17:30,099the work of the Spirit isn’t to change the individual.20600:17:30,099 –> 00:17:34,420The work of the Spirit is to change the environment in which the individual lives,20700:17:34,420 –> 00:17:39,520and he says this identification has constantly obstructed the necessary20800:17:39,520 –> 00:17:45,800assertion that God’s basic method of changing society is to change the20900:17:45,800 –> 00:17:47,800individuals who compose it.21000:17:47,800 –> 00:17:53,880That’s a crucial insight, and very clearly and wonderfully stated.21100:17:53,880 –> 00:17:59,280Jesus says, I will make you fishers of men.21200:18:00,219 –> 00:18:11,579And God’s method of changing society is by changing the individuals who compose it.21300:18:11,579 –> 00:18:15,099So this is very important for us to have clarity about our mission so we do not21400:18:15,099 –> 00:18:18,739become confused as to what it is.21500:18:18,739 –> 00:18:25,760Our mission is to catch men not to improve the lake.21600:18:25,839 –> 00:18:32,020Understanding that then, we will begin to see that keeping the net in good order is21700:18:32,020 –> 00:18:35,540essential to our mission.21800:18:35,540 –> 00:18:36,859I will make you fishers of men.21900:18:36,859 –> 00:18:41,900It’s interesting in verse 21 when Jesus meets with James and John for the first time,22000:18:41,900 –> 00:18:43,459what are they doing in verse 21?22100:18:43,459 –> 00:18:48,140They’re mending or the NIV says they’re preparing their nets.22200:18:48,140 –> 00:18:52,040And I guess these guys, as they were fishermen with that technique,22300:18:52,040 –> 00:18:55,339they threw out a net into the water and then hauled it in again.22400:18:55,439 –> 00:19:00,040A large part of their life was devoted to making sure that the net was in good shape.22500:19:00,619 –> 00:19:03,560You throw out a net with lots of holes in it, obviously, you’re not going to be22600:19:03,560 –> 00:19:05,900very successful in catching fish.22700:19:06,760 –> 00:19:11,119So, in trying to define our mission more clearly, we’re saying it’s about catching men,22800:19:11,119 –> 00:19:12,060not improving the lake.22900:19:12,060 –> 00:19:18,920And if we understand that, then keeping the net in good repair is essential to our mission.23000:19:20,380 –> 00:19:23,180This week, I read a little book that I really enjoyed.23100:19:23,180 –> 00:19:27,260It’s got such a quaint title, because it was written in 1773.23200:19:27,260 –> 00:19:29,439The fact is, it’s still in print, shows its value.23300:19:29,920 –> 00:19:36,319It’s called The Art of Man-Fishing by Thomas Boston, that’s about as quaint as you can get.23400:19:36,640 –> 00:19:40,300Boston wrote to these thoughts when he was 22 years of age.23500:19:40,300 –> 00:19:45,380And he read in his quiet time Matthew 4, in verse 19, that’s before us today.23600:19:45,380 –> 00:19:48,180And God’s Spirit so burned a passion into his heart he said,23700:19:48,180 –> 00:19:52,119God, I want to be able to do what you say.23800:19:52,760 –> 00:19:55,780So, what will it take for me to become a fisher of men?23900:19:56,099 –> 00:19:57,599And he wrote down his meditations.24000:19:57,619 –> 00:20:00,819The main thing that he focuses on is the net.24100:20:02,060 –> 00:20:03,119We’re going to catch fish.24200:20:03,160 –> 00:20:04,400We’ve got to have the right net.24300:20:05,180 –> 00:20:09,000And he talks about the net of the gospel, The Gospel Net.24400:20:09,619 –> 00:20:11,000Found that very, very helpful.24500:20:11,819 –> 00:20:14,079And here are three observations that he makes.24600:20:14,079 –> 00:20:19,800He says, the net is woven from the promises of the gospel.24700:20:20,599 –> 00:20:25,040In other words, if we want to see men and women drawn to Jesus Christ,24800:20:25,040 –> 00:20:30,079we have to be good at spreading the net,24900:20:30,079 –> 00:20:33,239in other words, opening up the promises of Jesus Christ.25000:20:33,260 –> 00:20:34,400Let me put that another way.25100:20:34,479 –> 00:20:38,180You want to draw people to Jesus Christ, tell them what Jesus25200:20:38,180 –> 00:20:41,979promises to do, tell them what He’s done for you.25300:20:42,319 –> 00:20:44,400Tell them what He can do for them.25400:20:45,160 –> 00:20:48,400The draw of the gospel is in the promises of Jesus.25500:20:48,439 –> 00:20:51,040Tell what we looked at last week.25600:20:51,280 –> 00:20:53,400If anyone comes to Jesus Christ,25700:20:53,400 –> 00:20:55,380he says, I will never drive them away.25800:20:55,380 –> 00:20:58,099Spread out the promises of the gospel.25900:20:58,099 –> 00:21:04,119That’s essential to our communication with those who do not yet believe.26000:21:05,280 –> 00:21:09,760Then Boston says, second observation, if you want to catch fish,26100:21:10,479 –> 00:21:15,619you must make sure that the mesh of your net is not too wide.26200:21:16,239 –> 00:21:17,760That’s an interesting observation.26300:21:18,439 –> 00:21:21,680If the mesh is wide, the fish will swim into it26400:21:21,680 –> 00:21:22,680and then they’ll swim out of it.26500:21:23,199 –> 00:21:24,079Obvious point.26600:21:24,459 –> 00:21:27,420So he says, if you only speak general truths about God,26700:21:27,420 –> 00:21:30,680if all you ever say to people is, you know, God loves you26800:21:30,680 –> 00:21:33,859and you never really get to the specifics about Jesus Christ,26900:21:33,859 –> 00:21:35,079you won’t catch many fish.27000:21:36,359 –> 00:21:40,400He says, if all you do is just talk in general terms27100:21:40,400 –> 00:21:43,439like people do all the time today about faith27200:21:43,439 –> 00:21:47,819without ever getting to the one we have faith in27300:21:47,819 –> 00:21:51,219and what it is in which we trust him,27400:21:51,219 –> 00:21:55,140if you never get there, then we’re not gonna catch many fish27500:21:55,140 –> 00:21:57,520or see clear conversions to Jesus Christ.27600:21:57,520 –> 00:22:00,599So he says, make sure that you’re not just talking generalities27700:22:00,599 –> 00:22:03,619but you really are speaking about Jesus Christ27800:22:03,619 –> 00:22:06,219and what he’s able to do for a person clearly.27900:22:06,219 –> 00:22:08,819Third observation, I find this fascinating.28000:22:09,060 –> 00:22:13,640He says, the net must have weights on it28100:22:13,640 –> 00:22:15,819and in the right proportion.28200:22:16,660 –> 00:22:19,040Now think about this net fishing.28300:22:19,040 –> 00:22:22,380If you just have a net and you throw the net into the water,28400:22:22,380 –> 00:22:23,619what will happen?28500:22:23,619 –> 00:22:25,640The net will just float on the water, right?28600:22:25,640 –> 00:22:27,199You won’t catch any fish then.28700:22:27,199 –> 00:22:29,079So he says, the net, in order to catch fish28800:22:29,079 –> 00:22:30,780needs to have weights on it.28900:22:30,780 –> 00:22:33,680Now the net he says is the promises of the gospel.29000:22:33,680 –> 00:22:36,099That’s the great draw, but he says the net29100:22:36,099 –> 00:22:38,660must have some weights on it and what are the weights?29200:22:38,660 –> 00:22:41,500He says the weights are the law of God.29300:22:41,500 –> 00:22:45,199In other words, people will come to Christ29400:22:45,760 –> 00:22:48,199when they hear what He offers29500:22:48,199 –> 00:22:50,959and when they see their need of it.29600:22:50,959 –> 00:22:52,680You’ve been listening to Pastor Colin Smith29700:22:52,680 –> 00:22:53,880on Open The Bible29800:22:53,880 –> 00:22:57,219with the message called Jesus Will Use You To Win Others.29900:22:57,219 –> 00:22:59,560It’s part of our series, Rock Solid,30000:22:59,560 –> 00:23:02,199Seven Promises Christ Makes to You30100:23:02,199 –> 00:23:04,359and if you’ve missed any of the series so far30200:23:04,359 –> 00:23:06,479or if you ever want to go back and listen again,30300:23:06,479 –> 00:23:08,880do that by coming online to our website,30400:23:08,880 –> 00:23:12,339openthebible.org.uk.30500:23:12,339 –> 00:23:14,560Open The Bible is supported financially30600:23:14,619 –> 00:23:16,780by our listeners and we’re very grateful30700:23:16,780 –> 00:23:18,800for the support we receive.30800:23:18,800 –> 00:23:21,459If that’s something you’d like to begin to do30900:23:21,459 –> 00:23:23,140this month if you’re able to begin31000:23:23,140 –> 00:23:27,040a new, direct debit of five pounds per month or more31100:23:27,040 –> 00:23:29,859or a one-off gift of 50 pounds or more,31200:23:29,859 –> 00:23:31,180we’d love to say thank you,31300:23:31,180 –> 00:23:34,400by sending you two copies of Pastor Colin’s book,31400:23:34,400 –> 00:23:38,380Christmas Stories and also five beautiful Christmas cards31500:23:38,380 –> 00:23:40,979based on the illustrations from the book.31600:23:40,979 –> 00:23:44,260Colin, what are some of the ways we can use this book?31700:23:44,300 –> 00:23:46,420It’s designed really to be read31800:23:46,420 –> 00:23:48,819with family or friends at Christmas.31900:23:48,819 –> 00:23:52,260If you picture being with friends or family32000:23:52,260 –> 00:23:53,900and someone says,32100:23:53,900 –> 00:23:57,439Why don’t we read one of the Christmas stories?32200:23:57,439 –> 00:24:01,619And here’s short version of the Christmas story32300:24:01,619 –> 00:24:03,939seen through the eyes of the angel Gabriel32400:24:03,939 –> 00:24:06,839or Mary or Joseph or Simeon or Herod.32500:24:06,839 –> 00:24:10,099You could read one of these easily in 10 minutes32600:24:10,099 –> 00:24:13,319and all of them get to the heart of the Gospel.32700:24:13,359 –> 00:24:14,479That’s what we’ve wanted to do,32800:24:14,479 –> 00:24:18,000to give people a resource that you could use32900:24:18,000 –> 00:24:20,400with your family or your friends33000:24:20,400 –> 00:24:23,160to read part of the Christmas story33100:24:23,160 –> 00:24:26,319so that the gospel of the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ33200:24:26,319 –> 00:24:28,699will be clear to your family and your friends.33300:24:28,699 –> 00:24:31,079Very simple and it’s beautifully presented.33400:24:31,079 –> 00:24:32,920The team has done a marvelous job33500:24:32,920 –> 00:24:35,199in putting these Christmas stories together.33600:24:35,199 –> 00:24:37,739Well, we’d love to send you two copies of this book33700:24:37,739 –> 00:24:40,520along with the five beautiful Christmas cards33800:24:40,520 –> 00:24:43,880if you are able to begin setting up a new direct debit33900:24:43,880 –> 00:24:45,680to the work of Open the Bible34000:24:45,680 –> 00:24:48,319for £5 per month or more34100:24:48,319 –> 00:24:51,319or a one-off gift of £50 or more.34200:24:51,319 –> 00:24:54,060Full terms and conditions are on our website,34300:24:54,060 –> 00:24:58,479openthebible.org.uk and you can give online.34400:24:58,479 –> 00:25:00,500If you want to receive this gift34500:25:00,500 –> 00:25:02,839please don’t give anonymously34600:25:02,839 –> 00:25:06,680and do remember to leave your full name and address.34700:25:06,680 –> 00:25:09,780For Open the Bible and Pastor Colin Smith,34800:25:09,819 –> 00:25:12,180I’m David Pick and I hope you’ll join us again34900:25:12,199 –> 00:25:14,339next time on Open the Bible.35000:25:18,780 –> 00:25:19,819Jesus said,35100:25:19,819 –> 00:25:23,239follow me and I will make you fishers of men35200:25:23,239 –> 00:25:25,760Discover what Jesus’ fishing analogy35300:25:25,760 –> 00:25:27,780teaches us about our mission35400:25:27,780 –> 00:25:29,359next time on Open the Bible.