God's Call to Attention
A Call to Action Pt 1
Bud Wrenn 5.1.11
Jesus often gets our attention by....
1) Preparing us through the impact of our emotions.
John 21:3 Simon Peter said, "I'm going fishing." "We'll come, too," they all said. So they went out in the boat, but they caught nothing all night.
2) Points out our own deficiencies.
John 21:4-5 At dawn the disciples saw Jesus standing on the beach, but they couldn't see who he was. He called out, "Friends, have you caught any fish?" "No," they replied.
3) Highlights His own power.
John 21:6 Then he said, "Throw out your net on the right-hand side of the boat, and you'll get plenty of fish!" So they did, and they couldn't draw in the net because there were so many fish in it.
Jesus allowed the disciples to experience….
a) Confusion about the new situation.
1 Cor. 14:33 God is not a God of confusion but a God of peace. As is true in all the churches of God's people, (NCV)
James 3:16 For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there.
b) Futility from losing their purpose.
Psalm 42:11 Why am I discouraged? Why so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again - my Savior and my God!
c) Fear of an uncertain future.
Romans 8:15 So you should not be like cowering, fearful slaves. You should behave instead like God's very own children, adopted into his family—calling him "Father, dear Father."
Jesus allows us to experience...
Confusion so we can find confidence.
Philip. 1:20 For I live in eager expectation and hope that I will never do anything that causes me shame, but that I will always be bold for Christ, as I have been in the past, and that my life will always honor Christ, whether I live or I die.
Futility so we can pursue fruitfulness.
2 Cor. 4:8-9 We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed and broken. We are perplexed, but we don't give up and quit. [9] We are hunted down, but God never abandons us. We get knocked down, but we get up again and keep going.
Fear so we can develop faith.
Matthew 21:21-22 Then Jesus told them, "I assure you, if you have faith and don't doubt, you can do things like this and much more. You can even say to this mountain, 'May God lift you up and throw you into the sea,' and it will happen. [22] If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer."
1 Peter 1:7 These trials are only to test your faith, to show that it is strong and pure. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—and your faith is far more precious to God than mere gold. So if your faith remains strong after being tried by fiery trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.
God intends for our past to help shape our future - not to spoil it.