Drop everything and run
March 14, 2010

Several years ago a very funny thing happened in Darlington, Maryland, to a mother of eight children. Edith, the mother, came home from a neighbor’s house on a Saturday afternoon. Things seemed too quiet for eight as she walked across her front yard. Curious, she peered through the screen door and saw five of her youngest children huddled together, concentrating on something. She quietly slipped up behind the children, trying to discover the center of their attention; what she saw she could not believe. Smack dab in the middle of the circle of the children were five baby skunks.

Edith screamed at the top of her voice, “Quick children…run!” And each kid grabbed a skunk and ran.

Some days are like that, aren’t they? We think we’ve got the problems solved and then they multiply.

Remember the events recorded in Luke 4:31-5:11? He had gone down to Capernaum, maybe for a little quietness when he was besieged by the multitudes and began casting out demons, healing the sick, facing their criticism, dodging the Pharisees and Sadducees’ bullets… it’s all there.

Ultimately, he found a place to withdraw a bit and teach the people from the fishing boat of Peter. In chapter 5 he tells them to cast their nets into the deep and Peter says, “Master, we have fished all night and caught nothing but at your bidding I will let down the nets.”

Now you know the rest of the story… “they filled the boat to almost sinking and then they filled other’s boats.” It was here that Jesus called Peter, James, and John to follow Him. “Peter calls Him Lord and ask Him to depart from Him.” Earlier Peter called Him Master but now He calls him Lord.

Here they stand hip-deep in fish, and Jesus calls for Peter to become a fisher of men. In v.11 we read, “and when they had brought their boat to land, they left everything and followed Him.”

Unlike the children who grabbed the skunks and ran, these men dropped everything and followed Jesus. WHY? Because then and now…!

1. Jesus chooses not to minister alone. He could have! But He deliberately chose not to. He could have done everything by Himself, but notice He specifically said “From now on you will catch men.” He still chooses to use “us” to minister. Are you?

2. Jesus uses the familiar to do the incredible. He came to their lake, used their boat and told them how to do their work (fishing). He saw the potential for a great catch; they did not. He knows what the potential of Heritage is and the incredible possibilities that are before us.

3. Jesus moves from the safety of the seen to the risk of the unseen. It is not until they get to the deep water where no one touches the bottom that they turn to Him. There, He commands them to “let down your nets.” It is when we get in over our heads that we really trust. The deep is full of uncertainties-sickness, loss of job, a child out of control, shrinking membership, etc - uncertain to us not Him because there is for Him no unseen.

4. Jesus proves the potential by filling the boats. They never believed there were so many fish in the lake. When we trust Christ, obey and launch out; Sunday School grows, worship is expressed, there are more children than we can believe, and yes, for those who think ‘where is the money coming from,’ He is more than able to meet and exceed what is needed.

5. Jesus conceals His surprises until we follow His leadings. Everything was simply business as usual, the surprise came only after they dropped their nets. Even though they did not believe, he still filled the boats with fish. He looks for and expects obedience from His followers.

We have all the things, property, buildings, activities, staff, good members, past achievements, and future plans…but maybe what we really need is a spiritual boat trip out to the deep with Jesus, where we will listen to and do what He says, “Follow me”. Heritage, let’s DROP EVERTHING AND FOLLOW AND SERVE JESUS!

Together with God,

Interim Pastor