That’s rubbish, that story! It’s just to get you to feel guilty for having nice things so that you’ll give them away to ‘the needy’ and to a ‘good cause’. Now “That’s rubbish!” Is this what you think about when you hear this passage from the Bible? *** What matters most? In Luke, chapter five, verse 11 the Bible says: “They left everything and followed Him.” Suppose I were to give you a pad of paper and tell you to take the next fifteen minutes and write your own personal story of your “leaving everything” to follow Jesus. What would you write? What would that story sound like to the person sitting closest to you? What would it sound like if I invited you to share your story up here? Would your story inspire or frighten those who may not know Jesus as Lord, or those who are just getting to know Jesus? And if you were advising someone to follow Jesus, what would you suggest they bring with them on their new journey of faith? *** In the business world, we see what matters most – even when it’s not actually happening around us! As crazy as it sounds, it’s not actually money itself, money is the end result. A business consultant was training more than 3,000 employees within a mid-western grocery chain to approach their jobs with a specific goal. That goal, she said is to create a memory for their customers. She concluded by saying that "this is what will distinguish your store from all others." Picture this true story. Johnny was a 19-year old bag boy that had down-syndrome. His first response to the consultant's suggestion was "I'm just a 'bag boy.'" Nevertheless, he went home and shared what the consultant said with his mother. They began to ponder the consultant's words about how he could create a memory for his customers. Johnny had a habit of collecting inspirational thoughts that he would often read, so he decided he would begin printing these sayings and place one in each of the bags of his customers. When customers came through the line he would place the sayings in their bag and say, "I've included some of my favorite sayings in your bag in hopes it will encourage you today. Thanks for shopping with us." After just a few weeks, an amazing thing began to happen. One day the store manager noticed that all the customers were lined up at only one cashier station when there were other stations open. He began to panic, thinking the other stations were broken. However, after further investigation he found this was not the case at all. Actually, the customers wanted to come through Johnny's line in order to get his “saying of the day.” In fact, one woman came up to the manager and said, "I used to come to the store only once a week, but now I come everyday!" *** Johnny's example spread to other departments in the store and a positive chain of events began to take place! The florist began giving a flower to each florist customer. The meat department put Snoopy stickers on each meat order with a special greeting. This one act by a bag boy changed the entire climate of the store.* This is what can happen when individuals in a company model servant leadership, no matter where they are on the totem pole. *Ken Blanchard, presentation made at 2004 His Presence in the Workplace conference, San Antonio, TX, 2005 What could this mean for every person who “calls themselves a Christian” to our world? *** Jesus’ entire ministry models this self-giving spirit and servant heart for others throughout his ministry. Listen again: When he had finished teaching, Jesus said to Peter, "Put the boat further out into the deep water and let down your nets to catch some fish." "We've been fishing all night long and haven't caught a thing, but if you say so, we will let down the nets one more time," Peter answered. An amazing thing happened! When they started pulling the nets up, there were so many fish that the nets began to break. Then, as they pulled the fish into the boat, there were so many fish that the boat was beginning to sink. When Peter and his fellow fishermen saw this, they were astonished and even a bit frightened. Jesus said, "Don't be afraid; from now on you will fish for people." The Bible tells us that they pulled their boats up onto the shore, left everything, and followed Jesus. From that day on, Peter and his friends fished for people and brought many into God's kingdom. What matters most to Jesus, is not “what we leave behind” or “how much we leave behind.” What matters most is that we are willing to leave what is familiar, or comfortable, and trust the Lord and move forward. Even more powerful, Jesus does not ASK Peter, “Do you want to leave this…or that….or something else behind…..?” Instead, when Jesus finishes teaching, Jesus said, “Put the boat out into the deep water and let down your nets to catch some fish.” Since we don’t know exactly what Jesus preached, we can assume that it was a lesson that needed an object lesson to demonstrate the power and the magnitude of trust we can put in our Lord. Peter was not prepared for the catch of fish he received, nor were his partners James and John. And Peter certainly did not believe that he was worthy to receive such an amazing blessing! Jesus taught the disciples and us - that we can leave all the rubbish of our past behind, and in place of that receive GRACE. *** Are you still lugging around a whole lot of baggage? Do you need God’s help prying loose your hands, to set you free, and lead you on? What matters most for the journey? A servant heart – ears that are willing to listen, a heart that is obedient to hear God’s voice, and a spirit who is passionate to share the Good News of Jesus Christ – in every opportunity by putting oneself last . Amen. ((((((((( Deb’s prep material: Reflections from various sources follow: Jesus wants you and me to fish for people too. If we will be faithful in telling people about Jesus and his love, we can trust Jesus to bring in the catch! Dear Jesus, help us to be good fishers for people -- faithful to go, patiently waiting, and trusting you to bring in the catch. Amen. *************** Into the DeepWeekly PrayerLoving God, you have called forth disciples and prophets to live and speak your word. Give us ears to hear, lives to respond, and voices to proclaim the good news of salvation,which we know in our Savior Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. Focus ScriptureLuke 5:1-11Once while Jesus was standing beside the lake of Gennesaret, and the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, he saw two boats there at the shore of the lake; the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little way from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat. When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch." Simon answered, "Master, we have worked all night long but have caught nothing. Yet if you say so, I will let down the nets." When they had done this, they caught so many fish that their nets were beginning to break. So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both boats, so that they began to sink. But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, "Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!" For he and all who were with him were amazed at the catch of fish that they had taken; and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. Then Jesus said to Simon, "Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people." When they had brought their boats to shore, they left everything and followed him. Reflection ~ by Kate HueyHow big is your boat? Simon's fishing boat that day on the shore of Lake Gennesaret was large enough to hold a lot of fish, and it would have taken a lot to sink it. And it would have taken something very big to get its crew simply to walk away from it and the livelihood it must have represented. Our boats--our sources of livelihood and security--are substantial, too. It would take a lot for us to walk away from them. Perhaps it strikes us as wholly unrealistic and even irresponsible to walk away from our work and the people it supports, including ourselves. But then perhaps that's not the point of this story. Perhaps what matters most is how Simon responds with awe and wholehearted commitment to something that makes him painfully aware of his own limitations and unworthiness. At this point, he has no idea of the cost of discipleship, but even now he walks away from the very thing that has provided him a living. When Jesus the carpenter convinces the veteran fishermen to strike back out into the deep after a long night of frustration, the yield that day is more than enough to convince them that something really big is happening here. In their encounter with Jesus they become keenly aware that life holds much more possibility than simply fishing for fish. What does it look like to "strike out into the deep," when we're tired and convinced that there are no more people interested in the good news we offer? What surprises, and experiences of God's overflowing grace, await us?