Title: Jesus Calling Us / Matthew 4:18-20
Content: Jesus Calling Us, 1998. 5. 3.
Text Matthew 4:18-20
What are our friends' dreams? Baseball player, basketball player, soccer player, singer, movie star, talent... Who is your favorite athlete (celebrity)? I want my friend to be as good at baseball as anyone else. Do you want our friends to sing as well as anyone? I wish all our friends could make their dreams come true like this, right? Aren't these pictures cool? This picture is so popular that I have to put it on our talent market. We all want our children to achieve their dreams, right? how much? like the sky.
Now, today the evangelist is going to introduce the story of an uncle. This man lived by the shore of a lake as big as the sea. He was a very strong, diligent, and hot-tempered man. This man was a fisherman all his life. What do you call this person in two characters? Fisherman. That's right. But, what is the fisherman's wish? You catch a lot of fish. to have a big boat That's smart. This man has been fishing all his life and has always wanted to be a good fisherman. In other words, it was my dream to become a guru while catching fish. Maybe he had a dream of buying a boat bigger than other people and becoming rich. Anyway, Peter opened his eyes or closed his eyes, but he wondered what he could do to catch fish well. This man had a dream to become the best at catching fish.
However, one day a strange teacher came to visit. Then, I ask you this. "Follow me. I will make you the best fisherman." At these words, this uncle's ears lit up. This guy was excited. At this time, the teacher spoke to this man again. “Until now, you have been a fisherman for yourself and your family, but from now on, I will make you a fisher of people.”
Now, do our boys and girls know who this man is? Who is this teacher? Why did Jesus call Uncle Peter to be a fisher of men? Just like fish, they roam freely wherever they want, and if they are left alone, they will live with their own sins and eventually go to hell. He called Uncle Peter because he needed a fisherman who could catch a lot of people going to hell with a net of love and carry them to heaven just as fishermen catch fish with their nets and lift them up onto their boats.
At these words, this uncle was so ashamed of himself. When I realized that all of my dreams of becoming the best fisherman I've ever wanted to be, I just wanted to eat and live a good life, and I felt so ashamed. And from now on, I followed Jesus to live like Jesus, who helps and saves many others. What kind of person did this man eventually become? Yes, I became the most loved disciple of Jesus, who evangelized and helped people the most. In the end, when he followed Jesus, Uncle Peter's dream came true more wonderfully than he had imagined.
Now, this time, our friends, think about their dreams again. What did our friends say we wanted to be? Singer, talent, movie star, athlete... By the way, didn't our friends, like this uncle, have such a dream to enjoy popularity alone and for themselves? Today, Jesus is calling us, who have many dreams, just as he called Uncle Peter to be a fisherman who will catch those who are going to destruction to heaven.
God wants our friends to become better singers than H.O.T. Hope you become a better soccer player than Choi Yong-soo. However, you are earnestly growing up to become a star who not only sings, acts, and plays soccer for yourself, but preaches God through singing, dancing, movies, and teaching children. Our friends earnestly pray that the dreams we have now will be used to reveal the glory of God and be used for many people. God will do it the way it is or make it better.
I have a prayer from the evangelist. "Let all of our children change their homes, friends, and schools with the love of Jesus. Also, please let our Young Ju Church have many people who will move this society, nation, and world." The evangelist believes that God does not forget the prayers of the evangelist, our friends and teachers. Evangelists and teachers will continue to pray for the dreams of our friends. Never forget it. Only those who believe in God and dream can achieve the most wonderful dream.