Be Consumed

God is working on you and me and on his church.

I want to take one last shot at this fishing for men thing by asking some questions. Every one of these questions is relevant to people far from God. These questions will help you understand the behavior of people as God begins to move in their lives and as they come under the conviction of God's Holy Spirit. You will understand better the behavior of people as you begin loving people, cultivating relationships, and opening up conversations with people about Jesus.

But these questions are also relevant to you and me-- because God is working on you, he's working on me, and he's working in this church. So let's dig in because we've got important ground to cover. What is it that God wants from us? What is God's agenda, his will, and his purpose? Is God to be trusted? Is it safe to obey God, to trust him with our very lives, to cooperate with his Holy Spirit, and to walk with his people in the Church? Is it safe to swim against the current of the world?

Apart from Christ, we are swimming in darkness.

The declaration of scripture is that apart from Christ, we are swimming in darkness, in the muck and mire of this world. It's not hard for us to imagine the life of a fish. The only world a fish really knows is that of darkness. Oh sure, there is some light, but it's filtered, it's distorted, and it's mysterious. We don't see clearly.

For the fish, the darkness is a place of fear, and danger, and desperation. It is literally true that fish live within a fish-eat-fish world-- where fish literally consume one another, and where the fish's very life is dependent on the destruction, demise, and misfortune of other fish. In the darkness, the big fish get bigger and fatter, and the small fish get scattered and swallowed up.

We think this next election, or education, or prosperity, or technology, or bigger bombs are going to change the fundamental character of our world. But no. We live in a fish-eat-fish world. This is a world of hate, violence, envy, exploitation, greed, and corruption. But this world is all we've ever known. And despite all I'm saying, this dark world is our normal, our place of comfort and security. For many, survival is enough.

Yet along comes Jesus, the Christ, the Son of the living God. He descends into our dark, violent, corrupt world. Christ swims before our very eyes. But what happens? What is our response? John 1:4-5 (NIV) says, "In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it." John 3:19 (NIV) says, "This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil."

God's purpose in Christ was to send light to the world.

Yet God's purpose in Christ remains! In John 12:46 (NIV) Jesus says, "I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness." Colossians 1:13-14 (NIV) reveals God's intention for all men. "For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins."

In John 12:35-36 (NIV) Jesus warns his disciples, "You are going to have the light just a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, before darkness overtakes you. The man who walks in the dark does not know where he is going. Put your trust in the light while you have it, so that you may become sons of light."

So there you have it, the eternal purpose of God in Christ! John 3:16-17 (NIV) says, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him."

It's a terrifying prospect to become a fish out of water. To be snatched from the darkness, away from everything we've ever known and come to love. But if we understand what God has in store for us, and if we are to consider the world that exists beyond our small, dark world, we'll believe, we'll trust, and we'll cooperate. But that's now how we are by nature. We're a stubborn, and rebellious, and distrusting people. We're defensive and self-protective, and suspicious, even of God.

We prefer the natural world to the spiritual world. We prefer the impulses of our flesh to the impulses of God's Spirit within us. So here we go. Here are the four questions God has for you this morning.

Are you going to bite? Are you going to take the bait?

There is coming a time when God will cast his net on all of mankind. In Matthew 13:47-50 (NIV) Jesus warns us. "Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish. When it was full, the fishermen pulled it up on the shore. Then they sat down and collected the good fish in baskets, but threw the bad away. This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous and throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."

At the end of the age, when God throws his great net upon humanity, there will not be any choice. There will only be judgment. The good fish will be collected into baskets and the bad fish will be thrown into the fire. For a fish, there is no escaping the net.

There is no escaping judgment. Psalm 50:4-5 (NIV) says, "He (God) summons the heavens above, and the earth, that he may judge his people: 'Gather to me my consecrated ones, who made a covenant with me by sacrifice.' " But for this moment in time, God in his sovereign grace, is withholding his net. And 2 Peter 3:9 (NIV) tells us why. "He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." His intention is rescue and redemption, so for now, God is holding up the nets.

Instead of a net, God has been sending forth his word, his Son, his Holy Spirit, his fishermen, his apostles, prophets, pastors, preachers, teachers, and saints.

For this moment, we have the opportunity to take the bait.

For this moment, we have this opportunity to take the bait. Jesus' great plea to us is John 12:36 (NIV). "Put your trust in the light while you have it, that you may become sons (daughters) of light!" In other words, God has cast his Son down into this world. Jesus lived and walked before our very eyes, but now it's on us to take the bait! Have you taken the bait, and if not, what are you waiting for?

You may enjoy going to church, singing music, and taking in sermons. But none of this is being offered for your amusement. God wants to save your soul. He wants to rescue you from darkness. But unless you accept Christ's sacrifice by faith, you remain in your sins.

In Acts 2 the people ask Peter the apostle what their response to Christ's life, death, sacrifice, burial, resurrection, and ascension should be. And Peter answers in Acts 2:38-41 (NIV), "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off-- for all whom the Lord our God will call. With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, 'Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.' Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day."

Listen carefully. It doesn't depend upon God to anything more to save you from your sins. You have to decide now, on this day, to put your trust in the light while you still have the light. Repent. Be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus, for forgiveness, for the gift of the Holy Spirit, and for the promise of God. The Lord is calling you, but now you must respond.

Look at the text. Peter warned them and he pleaded with them, "Save yourselves from this corrupt generation." Save yourselves? "Really? You mean God is waiting on me now? You mean I have to decide about this thing?" Yes. "And what if I don't?" God is patient, but in a little while he will throw the net of judgment. The good fish will be gathered. The bad fish will be consumed in the fire.

October 14th is decision day here at Lakeside. On this day we are going to be baptizing people. It's a date you can put on the calendar. It's a date when you can invite people to come and see. But over the past weeks, many have already chosen to take the bait and they have repented and have been baptized. There is nothing special about October 14th. It's just a date like other dates. In fact, we want to begin the conversation with you about baptism this morning. After the service, we've set up an area in corner of our lobby called the "Next Step" corner. We want you to meet us there after this service so that we can help you be saved.

But you cannot remain undecided about this thing. God's plea, and our plea, is to save yourself. It's up to you now. Will you take the bait?

Have you been hooked?

Some of you are still sitting there, being stubborn. Your attitude is, "No way am I getting hooked. I'm my own man/woman. I submit to no one, not even God." You know, I really feel sorry for you. Week after week, there you sit. What more does God need to do, beyond sending his Son to die, in order for you to respond? God's not going to do any more for you. Hebrews 10:29 (NIV) asks, "How much more severely do you think a man deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God under foot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace?" Humble yourself.

Fish are funny creatures. Did you know different species of fish take the hook differently? Bluegill are desperate. They will bite at anything. Some people, when they hear about Christ, respond quickly, desperately, and get saved.

Catfish are largest and most powerful fish around, at least in Lake Springfield. When they take the bait, they are all in 110 percent! It takes pliers to remove a hook from a catfish's mouth, and sometimes they swallow the whole thing. Some people, when they hear about Christ, drop everything and follow.

Now white bass are altogether different. They swim in schools. They mirror one another's behavior. If you catch one white bass, drop your anchor, because once you get one, you can literally catch a hundred more. Some people, when they hear about Christ, respond in mass as they see others responding. They're afraid to go it alone.

Large mouth bass are different than white bass. When large mouth see a bait, they attack it out of aggression and anger. You may think they're hungry, and sometimes they are, but most often they feel threatened. And once they feel that hook, they'll vertically leap straight out of the water, but not for the reasons you think. They're trying to throw that hook. Some people, when they hear about Christ, go on the attack.

One of the most difficult fish to catch are carp. Carp are just as large and powerful as catfish. They make the biggest waves in the water. They live in the shallows, and flee at the slightest threat of danger. Carp are very wary and suspicious of a bait. They play with the bait for what feels like eternity. This is how many people are when they hear the gospel. They play with it. Give it lip service. But never commit.

So what kind of fish are you?

So what kind of fish are you? Are you a desperate, hungry bluegill? Are you a catfish,ready to swallow the bait, hook, line, and sinker, 110%? Are you the white bass, waiting to see what the school of fish are going to do? Are you the angry large mouth bass, all angry, thrashing about, trying to throw the hook, and resisting the call of God on your life? Or are you a carp, wary of commitment, easily spooked, fleeing from respite to respite, giving lip service to spiritual things, but never taking the hook?

We do decision days for white bass. Maybe you're more comfortable responding along with others. We love catfishing. If you're ready to take the bait we have groups, classes, and books. We offer deep discipleship opportunities for you. We love bass too. If you're angry at God, lay it on us, throw up your biggest fight, and keep trying to throw that hook. You have to work through that struggle to be delivered,and we'll struggle right along with you. If you are a carp, you are the hardest fish to catch. How long must you wait?

Are you being reeled in?

Once hooked, a new power takes hold of our lives-- a power greater than any other we've ever known. It's the power of God's Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the lifeline that descends out of heaven, into the deep, and that leads out of the darkness. Once hooked we really have one of two choices. We can resist the pull of the Holy Spirit or we can keep in step with the Holy Spirit, and allow him to lead us into the presence of the living God.

If you've already been hooked, praise God. What have you done since being hooked? Are you resisting the Spirit of God? Or are you being led and being reeled in by the Holy Spirit? Are you trusting Jesus more deeply or are you falling away? Are you becoming more holy or are you descending back into darkness? Are you growing in love, learning to serve others, embracing God's purpose, and becoming a fisher of men? Or are you returning to your dark, corrupt, fish-eat-fish ways?

1 Thessalonians 5:19 (NIV) says, "Do not put out the Spirit's fire." You know how you put out a fire? You do it with water, by returning to the water. But what God really wants us to become is like a fish out of water.

Are you being consumed?

Hebrews 12:28-29 (NIV) is a good place to land this morning. "Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our 'God is a consuming fire.' "

Here it all is in a nutshell. God doesn't want our lip service. He wants all of us-- all of our heart, our mind, our body, and our soul. And he wants all of our relationships as well. He wants us to be his ambassadors, to become fishers of men, and to shine in the darkness like stars as we hold out the words of life. He wants us to die to ourselves, and let his life become our life, so that we might declare his glory to the nations. God is seeking an all in commitment.

Psalm 50:5 tells us that the consecrated ones will be gathered up. Those who made a covenant with God, by his sacrifice, will be gathered up. Why not be the fish that is made good, through faith, by Christ's shed blood and sacrifice? Why not take that next step of repentance and baptism? Trust in the light while you have the light, for soon God will lower his nets of judgment, and the fire of his judgment will consume his enemies.