The Opportunity
The Opportunity
One morning back in time, the most astounding,
incredible, and significant offer was given to a small group.
The single greatest opportunity in the history
of the universe!
“Come follow me.”
Al Pirozzoli ©
Matthew 4:1
"Come, follow me, and I will make you fishers of men."
Can you imagine the extraordinary conversation that took place that morning?
· Jesus had met Peter and Andrew before this call to them.
¨ Andrew spent a day with Jesus. Before bringing Peter to Jesus he told him:
"We have found the Messiah." John 1:35-42
¨ They believed Jesus was the long-promised Christ.
¨ Their faith and “enlightenment” caused quick action to follow right in the midst of their work day.
¨ It was common then for a rabbi to gather students who would follow him in his daily life.
¨ They would be mentored by him, learning through his words and by observing his daily interactions and choices.
¨ The idea of fishing for men may have been strange, but in time they understood.
¨ But they also understood this was beyond following an ordinary rabbi, as they began to sense the immensity of what was being offered.
How amazing that we are being offered the very same opportunity in our day.
Jesus was comparing fish with men, symbolically.
The nets lift the fish out of the deep, dark water and up to the sunlight.
And so he offers this opportunity to his disciples, and to YOU!
Jesus was about to do something in the world: Transformation! He and his followers would
bring people out of darkness into the light of the sun (Son).
This ties to so much of what Jesus taught:
-Light is knowledge. -Darkness is ignorance.
-Truth is unhidden, seeing is knowing and understanding.
-Walking in the light marks our path.
-We are in Jesus, the light of the world.
-With him we never walk in darkness.
-The light of truth enlightens the human mind.
-The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
-Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good
works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
-But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship
with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses
us from all sin. 1 John 1:7
-God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 1 John 1:5
This is what we are called to do as disciples of Christ.
Walking with him we are empowered to be bearers of light.
We have become coworkers with God on earth.
When Christ began preaching, he started to gather disciples who would first be his hearers, and afterward, the preachers of his doctrine, and witnesses of his miracles, and testify concerning them.
Good news for each of us:
Jesus didn’t go to Herod's court, or to Jerusalem. He didn’t look among the chief priests and the elders. He didn’t invite the learned men and great notable teachers. Instead, he went to — (He invited ordinary people to change the world)
But Jesus confounds the wise. We see God do this throughout the scriptures.
He calls ordinary people to his work in the kingdom:
¨ Saul was out seeking his father’s donkeys and David was keeping his
father’s sheep, when the Lord called them to the kingdom.
¨ Shepherds were feeding flocks when they had the honor of the birth of Christ.
¨ Amos is called from among the herdsmen of Tekoa
¨ Moses called when keeping Jethro’s flock
¨ Gideon is called from the threshing floor
¨ Esther from the safety of the palace.
¨ He calls four apostles from their fishing businesses.
¨ Saul was persecuting Christians when God called him.
¨ Matthew was called while he was a tax gatherer.
The 12 Disciples
Peter James John Andrew Bartholomew James, the Younger Judas Jude or Thaddeus Matthew or Levi Philip Simon the Zealot Thomas (Paul)
PLUS:
Your Name Here:
Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few,”
(Mat. 9:37).
Let’s not allow that to be said about us.
To the followers pertains the promise of salvation. John 14:2-3
Followers of Jesus receive hundredfold blessings for whatever they have lost.
Matthew 19:27-29, Mark 10: 28-30; Luke 18:28–30
Jesus regards his followers or disciples as His family; that is, they are mothers, brothers,
and sisters to Him. Matthew 12:49
Followers of Jesus Christ have the power to trample over all the powers of the enemy.
Luke 10:19
Followers of Jesus are empowered to cast out demons and heal all kinds of diseases.
Matthew 10:1, Mark 16:17-18
Followers of Jesus have Divine protection, i.e. ‘Nothing shall by any means hurt them.’
Luke 10:19
Followers of Jesus receive the Holy Spirit. John 14:17, 26; John 16:7–13, Acts 2:4
In following Jesus, the disciple has access to the gifts of the Holy Spirit.
1 Corinthians 12:4 – 10.
Jesus reveals the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven to His followers.
Matthew 13:11
In following Jesus, Christians or disciples come into many spiritual blessings,
Ephesians 1:3
Followers of Jesus Christ receive ‘rest for the soul’,
Matthew 11:28-30.
In following Jesus Christ, God takes care of your needs.
Matthew 6:33
Above all, it is an honor and privilege to serve the Lord in expanding his kingdom on earth
One morning back in time, the most astounding,
incredible, and significant offer was given to a small group.
The single greatest opportunity in the history
of the universe!
“Come follow me.”
Al Pirozzoli ©
Matthew 4:1
"Come, follow me, and I will make you fishers of men."
Can you imagine the extraordinary conversation that took place that morning?
· Jesus had met Peter and Andrew before this call to them.
¨ Andrew spent a day with Jesus. Before bringing Peter to Jesus he told him:
"We have found the Messiah." John 1:35-42
¨ They believed Jesus was the long-promised Christ.
¨ Their faith and “enlightenment” caused quick action to follow right in the midst of their work day.
¨ It was common then for a rabbi to gather students who would follow him in his daily life.
¨ They would be mentored by him, learning through his words and by observing his daily interactions and choices.
¨ The idea of fishing for men may have been strange, but in time they understood.
¨ But they also understood this was beyond following an ordinary rabbi, as they began to sense the immensity of what was being offered.
How amazing that we are being offered the very same opportunity in our day.
Jesus was comparing fish with men, symbolically.
The nets lift the fish out of the deep, dark water and up to the sunlight.
And so he offers this opportunity to his disciples, and to YOU!
Jesus was about to do something in the world: Transformation! He and his followers would
bring people out of darkness into the light of the sun (Son).
This ties to so much of what Jesus taught:
-Light is knowledge. -Darkness is ignorance.
-Truth is unhidden, seeing is knowing and understanding.
-Walking in the light marks our path.
-We are in Jesus, the light of the world.
-With him we never walk in darkness.
-The light of truth enlightens the human mind.
-The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
-Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good
works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
-But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship
with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses
us from all sin. 1 John 1:7
-God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 1 John 1:5
This is what we are called to do as disciples of Christ.
Walking with him we are empowered to be bearers of light.
We have become coworkers with God on earth.
When Christ began preaching, he started to gather disciples who would first be his hearers, and afterward, the preachers of his doctrine, and witnesses of his miracles, and testify concerning them.
Good news for each of us:
Jesus didn’t go to Herod's court, or to Jerusalem. He didn’t look among the chief priests and the elders. He didn’t invite the learned men and great notable teachers. Instead, he went to — (He invited ordinary people to change the world)
But Jesus confounds the wise. We see God do this throughout the scriptures.
He calls ordinary people to his work in the kingdom:
¨ Saul was out seeking his father’s donkeys and David was keeping his
father’s sheep, when the Lord called them to the kingdom.
¨ Shepherds were feeding flocks when they had the honor of the birth of Christ.
¨ Amos is called from among the herdsmen of Tekoa
¨ Moses called when keeping Jethro’s flock
¨ Gideon is called from the threshing floor
¨ Esther from the safety of the palace.
¨ He calls four apostles from their fishing businesses.
¨ Saul was persecuting Christians when God called him.
¨ Matthew was called while he was a tax gatherer.
The 12 Disciples
Peter James John Andrew Bartholomew James, the Younger Judas Jude or Thaddeus Matthew or Levi Philip Simon the Zealot Thomas (Paul)
PLUS:
Your Name Here:
Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few,”
(Mat. 9:37).
Let’s not allow that to be said about us.
To the followers pertains the promise of salvation. John 14:2-3
Followers of Jesus receive hundredfold blessings for whatever they have lost.
Matthew 19:27-29, Mark 10: 28-30; Luke 18:28–30
Jesus regards his followers or disciples as His family; that is, they are mothers, brothers,
and sisters to Him. Matthew 12:49
Followers of Jesus Christ have the power to trample over all the powers of the enemy.
Luke 10:19
Followers of Jesus are empowered to cast out demons and heal all kinds of diseases.
Matthew 10:1, Mark 16:17-18
Followers of Jesus have Divine protection, i.e. ‘Nothing shall by any means hurt them.’
Luke 10:19
Followers of Jesus receive the Holy Spirit. John 14:17, 26; John 16:7–13, Acts 2:4
In following Jesus, the disciple has access to the gifts of the Holy Spirit.
1 Corinthians 12:4 – 10.
Jesus reveals the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven to His followers.
Matthew 13:11
In following Jesus, Christians or disciples come into many spiritual blessings,
Ephesians 1:3
Followers of Jesus Christ receive ‘rest for the soul’,
Matthew 11:28-30.
In following Jesus Christ, God takes care of your needs.
Matthew 6:33
Above all, it is an honor and privilege to serve the Lord in expanding his kingdom on earth
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1 Comment
I thank God for the opportunity He has extended to me and that everyday I can learn from the Teacher! Thank you Pastor Al for this beautiful reminder!