Come, Fish with me

1 | P a g e
SERMON OUTLINE: 02 /02/ 2020
TOPIC: COME, FISH WITH ME 

(REV. RENNY KH00)
TEXT: MARK 1:16-20

Mark 1:16-20 narrates how Jesus calls Peter (Simon), Andrew, James and John to follow Him.
Seven out of twelve of Jesus’ disciples were fishermen, and they know how to fish (literally).
Interestingly, when Jesus called Matthew, a tax collector to follow Him, Matthew was also able
to ‘fish’ for Jesus by inviting his tax collectors friends to a dinner and to meet Jesus. Whenever
Jesus calls us, His heart is a heart for us to fish for people.

The different versions of Mark 1:17 illustrate what Jesus wants to convey to us in this season:
And Jesus said to them, “Follow me and I will make you become fishers of men.” (RSV)
And Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” (ESV)
Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will turn you into fishers of people!” (NET)
Jesus called out to them, “Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!” (NLT)

This verse highlight 3 important things:

I) Its command is pointed – “Come follow Me”
Jesus is not making a suggestion, nor giving good advice, nor is He giving an opinion
when He said “Follow Me“. To “Follow” means to ‘get under authority, to emulate an
example, to imitate’. It means to look highly up to someone, to esteem highly someone,
and therefore to obey and submit to that authority. In this statement, Jesus is saying
that if you follow me, then you will obey me and submit to my authority. Then I will
make you, show you, and turn you into fishers of people. This is a command. We may
have excuses not to witness ranging from ‘Not my gift’, ‘I will pray……’, ‘I will donate to
organization/ church that does evangelism….’, ‘I hope and pray one day my friend will
come to know the Lord…’ Just as a fisherman will go and find a spot where there are
fish, active witnessing is also going out to where the people are. Fishing for man is the
heartbeat of God. God pursue man, just as He pursued Adam even when Adam sinned.
God desire is none should perish. R.A. Torrey (American pastor and evangelist)
questioned the right of a person to call oneself a follower of Jesus Christ if he/she is not
a soul winner. There is not such a thing as following Christ unless we make His purpose,
our purpose. He further stated: “If you are Not Fishing, you are Not Following”.

II) Its call is personal – “Follow Me”
Jesus is making a personal call here. In today’s age of social media, we follow groups and
celebrities and we too may have many followers/friends but we probably do not know many of them personally. Jesus’ call did not say follow a church or an organization but
“Follow ME”. It is a personal call, a call to a relationship. It is through relationships in our
lives that we reach and fish for people and let them see that they too can have a
relationship with Jesus. However, the right order is Fellowship with God comes before
fishing; Worship comes before witness. God wants us to build a relationship with Him
first before we do any fishing. Then go and find the fishing grounds – be it in your social
or chat groups. 

III)	Its company is powerful – “I will make you become” Before the call of the Great Commission, (read Matt 28:18-20) is God’s claim of Who He Is.

When Jesus said “Follow me and I will……”, He is asking us to follow Him 1st, then, He
will change us, convict us, transform us and make us to be fishers of man. Jesus is doing
the fishing with us but we have to GO. Jesus will do the converting, our job is to do the
introduction. Fishing for man is tedious and laborious and requires patience – do not
give up. When we fish, we are snatching family members and friends away from the
flames of eternal judgment. This year our church is doing bi-lingual Alpha. We have to
start casting our nets far and wide. We need to care for souls. Do the invitation and
introduction and leave the result to God.

Summary:
Follow = Fish
Follow Jesus = Fish for people
Call to Salvation = Call to be a Soul-winner
Called to be saved = Call to serve
Come TO Me = Come AFTER Me

Questions for discussion:

1.	“Follow Jesus = Fish for people” Share your questions, thoughts and experiences on the above

2. Share on how you came to know and to grow in the Lord. Who are some people that have
helped you in your faith journey? How is this inspiring you to do likewise?

3. As a CG, talk about reaching out together this year.

The Miracle of Five Loaves and Two Fish

12 January 2020
Pr. Lo Yi Ping
Topic : The Miracle of Five Loaves and Two Fish
Text : Mark 6:32-44; John 6:1-13

Background
The miracle of “Five loaves and two fish” takes placed after the 12 disciples had completed
their missionary tour in Galilee, whereby it was also a faith lesson for them, taking nothing
on the journey but trusting and relying fully on God’s provision and power.

1. God will use what you have to perform wonders (Mark 6:38)
When Jesus saw the great crowd coming toward him, he had compassion on them like
sheep without shepherd. When the day gets dark, the disciples suggested to send them
away to get their own food, but Jesus asked Philip, where they can buy bread for these
people to eat? Jesus said this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was
going to do. (John 6:6) It may be a test of faith to see how much the disciples have grown
in their faith maturity and trust in Jesus’ ability to provide.

Despite negative voices, Jesus asked “How many loaves do you have?” “Go and See”
In life, we often see only the little that we have, sometimes we may not even realize what
we have, until we “go and see” for ourselves.
God will not ask you to give what you do not have, but to use the little that you have to
work wonders for His glory. Other bible references of such are
 “What is that in your hand?” “A staff,” he replied. (Ex 4:1-3)
 “Your servant has nothing there at all,…except a small jar of olive oil.” (2 Ki 4:1-7)
 “I don’t have any bread—only a handful of flour in a jar and a little olive oil in a jug.”
(1 Ki 17:7-16)
Go and see and find out how many “loaves” you have!

2. Offer to Christ and experience His blessings
John 6:8-9 Andrew emphasizes both the “smallness” of the boy and the “smallness” of
the food he has. “a little boy”, “small barley loaves”, “small fish” and sarcastically he
asked “how far will they go among so many?”
Barley is cheaper than wheat, barley loaves and fish are the common diet for the poor
community, therefore, this boy is most likely from the lower social class. There is also a
saying that it is impossible for a small boy to eat five loaves and two fish, so likely he
brought extra bread and fish to sell, just in case someone need some food.
But with the little that he has, the little boy has generously offer all to Jesus. What the
boy gave turned out to be a blessings to the 5,000 men (not counting women and
children), all were blessed with food, ate and satisfied, because the little boy gave.
“However small or insignificant your resources/talents are, offer them to Jesus and He
will multiply them, and many will be blessed because you gave!
The Kyrugma House purchased years ago became a blessings to many, because
everyone brought in the little that they have to the Lord. Today, the church again
exercise faith in KRRP and saw how God multiplied and given us excess for the
renovation project. Because of brothers and sisters giving, KH will be a blessing to many
in days to come.

3. He is the living bread, go to Him and He will satisfy your soul
After Jesus received the five loaves and two fish, he directed the people to sit down in
groups on the green grass, in groups of hundreds and fifties. (Mark 6:39-40)
The green grass give us the picture of the green pasture, “The Lord is my shepherd I shall
not be in want, He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet
water…” God promised that when the true Shepherd come the desert would become rich
pasture where the sheep would be gathered and fed, and here the Messiah feasts with the
followers in the desert. In a way, it is a message to the 5,000 that Jesus is the Shepherd
who provides for all their needs so they will lack nothing.
In groups of hundreds and fifties, served also as a reminder to the Israelites whose
ancestors during their wilderness experience, Moses had them break into camp of 50s and
100s and they were fed with manna. The God who had provided for their ancestor, is the
same God who cares for them and will provide for them.
 Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go
hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.” (John 6:35)
 Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for
mankind, for he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things. (Psalm
107:8-9)
 The poor will eat and be satisfied; those who seek the Lord will praise him—may
your hearts live forever! (Psalm 22:26)
Indeed our God is a generous God, who always gives us more than what we need, not just
a bite, but ate and satisfied. God’s concern is not just to feed us with physical food, but to
satisfy our souls and give us eternal peace with God and with men. He is the good
Shepherd who lays down his life for his sheep. He is the living bread, go to Jesus and He
will satisfy our souls.

Questions for reflections:
1. Name some of the potentials or talents you did not realize you have but was pointed out
to you by others. Did you experience the multiplying of your talents after you put them
to use? Please share.
2. There are several accounts in the Bible about man making offerings/sacrifices to God
first then experience God’s blessings. Can you name some of them? What is your view
on “sacrifice” first before “blessings”? Is it a form of trading? If not, then what can we
understand from this?
3. Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and
whoever believes in me shall never thirst.” (John 6:35) Share how by trusting in Jesus,
you find satisfaction in your life?

Restoration of Peter John 21

Restoration of Peter

John 21

13 August 2017

Rev Renny Khoo

The gospel of John could have ended in Chapter 20.

John 20:30-31

30 And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: 31 But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.

But there is a chapter 21 about the restoration of Peter.

Jesus' Appearance to the Disciples in Galilee

1 After these things Jesus shewed himself again to the disciples at the sea of Tiberias; and on this wise shewed he himself. 2 There were together Simon Peter, and Thomas called Didymus, and Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two other of his disciples. 3 Simon Peter saith unto them, I go a fishing. They say unto him, We also go with thee. They went forth, and entered into a ship immediately; and that night they caught nothing. 

4 But when the morning was now come, Jesus stood on the shore: but the disciples knew not that it was Jesus. 5 Then Jesus saith unto them, Children, have ye any meat? They answered him, No. 6 And he said unto them, Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find. They cast therefore, and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes.
7 Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved saith unto Peter, It is the Lord. Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girt his fisher's coat unto him, (for he was naked,) and did cast himself into the sea. 8 And the other disciples came in a little ship; (for they were not far from land, but as it were two hundred cubits,) dragging the net with fishes.
9 As soon then as they were come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid thereon, and bread. 10 Jesus saith unto them, Bring of the fish which ye have now caught. 11 Simon Peter went up, and drew the net to land full of great fishes, an hundred and fifty and three: and for all there were so many, yet was not the net broken. 12 Jesus saith unto them, Come and dine. And none of the disciples durst ask him, Who art thou? knowing that it was the Lord. 13 Jesus then cometh, and taketh bread, and giveth them, and fish likewise. 14 This is now the third time that Jesus shewed himself to his disciples, after that he was risen from the dead.

Peter's Restoration
15 So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs. 16 He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep. 17 He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep. 18 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not. 19 This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me.

Peter and the Disciple Jesus Loved
20 Then Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved following; which also leaned on his breast at supper, and said, Lord, which is he that betrayeth thee? 21 Peter seeing him saith to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do?22 Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me. 23 Then went this saying abroad among the brethren, that that disciple should not die: yet Jesus said not unto him, He shall not die; but, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee?

A Final Note
24 This is the disciple which testifieth of these things, and wrote these things: and we know that his testimony is true.25 And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen.

Title: Restoration of Peter

Text: John 21

Jesus asked Peter two important questions.

This is the third time Jesus had appeared to his disciples after his resurrection.
After the meal at the Sea of Galilee Jesus led Peter through an experience that would not only remove the guilt that came from Peter's denial but transformed him into a renewed disciple of Jesus. The two questions are:

1) Do you love me (more than these)?

Peter felt very confused, guilty and a failure after disowning Jesus three times. He had boasted that he would never forsake Jesus.
To affirm Peter's love and commitment, Jesus asked Peter three times. 'Do you love me?" Each time Peter answered Jesus "l love you". Jesus exhorted Peter to care for his flock: "Feed my lambs" "Take care of my sheep" "Feed my sheep".
After Peter's confession Jesus asked him to follow him and restored and reinstated him as a transformed disciple.
i ) Restoration of Peter's love.
Jesus restored Peter from a failure to be a shepherd to look after God's flock and to die for the sheep just as Jesus did.
ii ) Reinstatement of God's call.
Jesus reinstated Peter to a higher calling to be the rock on which he will build his church.
iii ) Resolution of God's mission.
Jesus recommissioned Peter for sacrificial leadership where love will be focussed on others and not on self.

"More than these" can be translated in different ways. The most appropriate translation is "more than the miraculous catch of the fish". This is because they were experienced fishermen and they caught nothing the whole night. Yet when they listened to a stranger ( whom they didn't know is Jesus) they had a miraculous catch. They were impressed.

2) If it is my will ( that he remains until I come) what is that to you?

Jesus tells Peter that it is not his business to be concerned about how long John will live or how he will die. The decision is up to Jesus and not him. We are to follow Jesus according to what he had revealed to us individually. As such we are not to compare ourselves with others as we are made and gifted differently to fulfill God's special plan for our lives.

Reckon with the past. Seek closure.

In order to move healthily into the future with the Lord we need to break with the past and seek closure on the things that still haunt us. It could be unforgiveness, regrets, failures, hurts etc. Just like Peter, Jesus is ever ready to help us find closure to our past. Even though Peter denied Jesus three times but when he reinstated his love for Jesus three times Jesus restored his destiny and calling and he went on to become one of the greatest apostles.

Questions for reflection and response

1) imagine for a moment that you are Peter. What do you think of Peter's emotions when Jesus asked him of his love towards Jesus? Any shift in Peter's thoughts/emotions as the conversation with Jesus progresses?

2) Share how you understand Jesus' love/forgiveness towards Peter. Now share how you experience God's forgiveness toward yourself?


3) How do you understand 'reset button' and 'closure' in life? What are some helpful scripture verses?

Charcoal fire breakfast scene of Jesus prepared breakfast for them

Vs

Peter standing next to charcoal fire on the night he betrayed Jesus 3 times

Feed my sheeps - big and small, love the church beyond yourself?

Love the Lord

Grow in My love

Serve my people

Grow in this order.

Take care of my sheep, feed, nurture, encourage, teach, grow them 

YOLO Culture let's do it whatever and face consequences later.

Spend it first even if no income.

We cannot move forward without closure of our past.

The little sheep crocheted by my sister was at the pulpit today.