PREPARING THE NETS Text: Matthew 4:21 Luke 5:2, 4-11

How Is God Preparing His Church to Bring in the Harvest How Is God Preparing His Church to Bring in the Harvest? How Can We Become More Effective as "Fishers of Men."

The word used for "preparing" is derived from a root word that means "to complete thoroughly." It means "to repair, mend, restore, prepare." Thirteen times the word is translated "perfectly joined together."

I. BY MENDING OUR NETS (Matthew 4:21) “he (Jesus) saw other brethren, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending (preparing - NIV) their nets; he called them." Matthew 4:21

I. BY MENDING OUR NETS (Matthew 4:21) A. Friendliness “A friend loves at all times and a brother is born for adversity." Proverbs 17:17

I. BY MENDING OUR NETS (Matthew 4:21) B. Care and Concern "We went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him." Luke 10:34

II. BY WASHING OUR NETS (Luke 5:2) “he saw there at the water's edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets." Luke 5:2

II. BY WASHING OUR NETS (Luke 5:2) A. Washing by the Word "Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her. 26. to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing of the water through the Word." Ephesians 5:25,26

II. BY WASHING OUR NETS (Luke 5:2) A. Washing by the Word “How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word." Psalm 119:9 “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you." Psalm 119:11

II. BY WASHING OUR NETS (Luke 5:2) B. Washing of Rebirth "He saved us by the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit." Titus 3:5

III. BY STRETCHING OUR NETS (Luke 5:4-11) ". . . dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; 10. sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything." II Corinthians 6:9,10

III. BY STRETCHING OUR NETS (Luke 5:4-11) "We do not want you to be uniformed, brothers, about the hardships we suffered in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even to life. 9. Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death, But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead." II Corinthians 1:8,9

III. BY STRETCHING OUR NETS (Luke 5:4-11) "When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. 7. So they signalled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink." Luke 5:6,7