Casting the Line (Series: Fishing with the Master)

Fishing with the Master

Casting the Line

Acts 8:32-35

Introduction

I want to tell you about a peculiar fisherman from Minnesota. 

• This fisherman was very well prepared. 
• • He knew how to fish. 
  • He had everything you need to be a good fisherman. 
  • • He had poles, nets, bait, and even a really nice boat, but this fisherman had a problem. 
  • For all his preparation he never caught anything…not one fish...ever. 
  • • Why?
    • He never went fishing. 

In Mark 1 Jesus is passing along the Sea of Galilee and He sees Simon and Andrews.

(Advance Slide #2)

• Going to them He says, “Follow me and I will make you fishers of men.”
• • Fishing for men (and women) was exactly what they did.
  • As I have said before, there are similarities between fishing and evangelism, that is why this lesson is titled “Fishing with the Master”
• We have been using the text found in Acts 8 - Philips personal study with the Ethiopian.
• • So far in this lesson we discussed that to fish you MUST go to the water.
  • • Philip obeyed the Lord and went into the desert and to the chariot.
  • The next lesson was that you need to use the right bait to catch the fish.
  • • For Philip is was his questioning, “Do you understand what you are reading?”

(Advance Slide #3)

There are lots of different ways to cast a line…just like there are different ways to conduct personal work.

This mornings lesson is going to take this process a step forward.

(Advance Slide #4)

• We are at the water, we have the right bait, we now have to cast the line/net into the water.
• How do you cast you bait into the water when doing personal work?
• Step by small step we are working our way through this process of personal work.

(Advance Slide #5)

Text

³² Now the passage of the Scripture that he was reading was this: “Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter and like a lamb before its shearer is silent, so he opens not his mouth. ³³ In his humiliation justice was denied him. Who can describe his generation? For his life is taken away from the earth.” ³⁴ And the eunuch said to Philip, “About whom, I ask you, does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?” ³⁵ Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this Scripture he told him the good news about Jesus. Acts 8:32-35

Philip has gone to the Ethiopian.

• He has questioned the Ethiopian about what he’s reading.
• Now, that he’s been invited int to he chariot a Bible study begins.

(Advance Slide #6)

The subject of the chariot Bible study is Isaiah 53 

• This particular chapter of Isaiah is a prophecy of God’s suffering Servant.
• • It speak of Jesus’ birth - vs. 1-2
  • It tells of Jesus’ life and ministry - vs. 3
  • It includes the substitutionary death - vs. 4-9
  • Gives us a great hope because it prophesies about His victorious resurrection - vs. 10-12

The specific focus is vs. 7-8. 

• The content is that the suffering Servant will sacrifice Himself for sinners.
• We know that Philip explained these verses to the Ethiopian.

(Advance Slide #7)

• vs. 34 - Tells us, once again, that the Ethiopian questioned Philip.

(Advance Slide #8)

• “About whom, I ask you, does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?”
• This is the launch pad that is needed for Philip to tell him the “good news about Jesus.”

(Advance Slide #9)

Lesson

What was Philip’s cast?

• He began with with the bait of asking the Ethiopian about his reading, and then began to study with him.
• He casted his net by meting him where he was (Isaiah) and teaching him Jesus.
• • This was just as Jesus did in His personal ministry.

(Advance Slide #10)

As we "cast our bait” it (the gospel) must always be based on scripture.

• What was the main theme of Philip’s lesson?
• • Theme of this chariot Bible lesson was JESUS!
  • EX. - I heard of a missionary who worked with the Hindu’s in India.
  • • He was extremely effective in his work for one reason.
    • Everything that he did began and ended with JESUS!
    • You also see this in the ministry of the apostle Paul.

To be effective in our personal the message shouldn’t change…our message IS Jesus.

• EVERYTHING should revolve around who He is and what He did.

(Advance Slide #11)

Jesus Himself said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Jn. 14:6

• In this verse is a depth that the mortal mind struggles with, but it’s so simple.
• • Jesus is the only way.
  • Jesus is the only truth.
  • Jesus is the only life.
• If your desire is to live with the Father and bring others to Him this is the only bait and net/line we cast.

(Advance Slide #12)

Action Step

How do we cast our bait?

• It must be rooted in the truth.
• We offer them Jesus.

If this is true, and it is, so to prepare for our personal work we MUST deepen our knowledge and understanding of our Savior

(Advance Slide #13)

Conclusion

A read of a minster who has spent a fruitless day fishing. 

• He ended up picked out three fat fish in the market. 
• "Before you wrap them," he said to the store manager," toss them to me, one by one.” 
• "Why?” the store owner asked...
• "That way I'll be able to tell my friends that I caught them and I'll be speaking the truth.”
• • We do need to use the TRUTH…not a messed up truth like this but the truth that is found only in God’s Word.