The God Nod

0:01 Hey, this is Stephen Furtick.

0:02 I'm the pastor of Elevation Church, and this is our podcast. I wanted to thank you for joining us today.

0:07 I hope this inspires you. I hope it builds your faith.

0:10 I hope it gives you perspective to see God is moving in your life.

0:13 Enjoy the message.

0:17 I have so much to share with you. I want you to sit down and get ready for the Word of God. Turn in your Bible to Luke 5, verses 1-11. You're like, whoa, this is not how we do it. You give us the scripture, then we sit down. All right, but we're just changing around a bit. So sit down. I'm not going to give you my title yet either.

0:39 So if you need something to write down, because some of you are so OCD that you can't hear anything I say until you have a title to write down. So write down Luke 5, 1 through 11, and use that for a title for now. and Luke 5, 1 through 11. I went on a whole journey this week to get to this passage, because I started.

1:12 Toward the end of Peter's ministry, and in.

1:17 Discovering the great faith that he finished with in his life, it led me all the way back to the moment when God called him This is what we're going to study today.

1:30 This may be a two-week sermon. You don't need to be nervous.

1:37 If I'm not done, we'll leave, and we'll see you in seven days, and I'll finish it up. One day, as Jesus was standing by the lake of Gennesaret, Sea of Galilee … I should have another name for it.

1:53 In the Old Testament, it was Kinneret.

1:55 That was the town it was around, so the Lake of Gennesaret or the Sea of Galilee, the region where Jesus based his ministry. The people were crowding around him, ignoring the social distancing mandates of the county of Galilee, and listening to the word of God. He saw at the water's edge two boats left there by the fishermen.

2:21 Who were washing their nets or mending their nets.

2:26 He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat. When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, put out into deep water and let down the nets for a catch. Simon answered, master, We've worked hard all night and haven't caught anything, but because you say so, this kind of makes me think the disciples were teenagers. Peter is rolling his eyes, but I'm going to do it. I will let down the nets. When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. So, they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so

3:27 full that they began to sink.

3:30 So, God said, I want to upgrade your problems. I don't want to take away your problems. Stop praying God is going to take away your problems. He said, I want to give you HQP high-quality problems.

3:45 What kind of problems do you want this year? Empty nets or sinking boats? So, stop complaining you're so busy. That's the proof of life, is the problems. God can clear your schedule real quick. I'm saying you could die, and your schedule would be clear real quick. When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them.

4:20 And they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink. So when Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus' knees and said, Go away from me, Lord. I am a sinful man. For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken. And so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon's partners. Then Jesus, this is where I feel the oil for today's message. Then Jesus said to Simon, don't be afraid. From now on, you will fish for people.

4:57 I don't know about you, but that's not very comforting to me.

5:03 It's actually scarier. You're going to fish for, we're going to what? How does that work? Fish for people. That's actually kind of creepy, Jesus. Fish for people conjures up a lot of images.

5:20 But it says they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything, and followed him. Now, I don't want to make light of the passage, but it is a humorous exchange. And It's one of the most familiar passages for people who come to this church, because I end up here about once or twice a year.

5:34 But I'll tell you why I end up here, because it helps me.

5:37 With a question that I'm always wrestling with, just all the time. I feel like I'm always wrestling with this question, and it's, God, what do you see in me? I want you to put that question in the chat or in your phone or right there on your scroll, your notebook. God … What do you see in me? Now, before I came out to preach, my oldest son said, I like your jacket. He liked what he saw on.

6:08 Me, but that's a jacket.

6:15 God, what do you see in me? That's the first thing people notice, what's on you.

6:22 Oh, he got a haircut. Oh, you lost seven pounds. They don't know.

6:26 Oh, you gained bitterness. So, God, say it out loud. God, what do you see in me? That's a great prayer. God, what do you see in me? I know what my family says about me. I know what I see in me. But what do you see in me? God, what do you see in me? I think in a good marriage, both people feel a little lucky that the other one chose them. I can't give you a Bible verse for this, but I think in a good marriage, a healthy marriage, as the years go on, you feel a little.

7:14 Bit like, wow, I can't believe I get to be married to you. I certainly feel that way about Holly. I'm not just saying it for points.

7:24 We don't do this whole dysfunctional marriage thing where we run a sitcom in our house and just put each other down all the time. Y'all can do that if you want. Oh, well, culturally, that's normal. I don't care if it's culturally normal. I want to be spiritually whole. Yeah, we fight, and yeah, we kind of … know what?

7:46 We don't fight as much as they did on all the shows I watch, King of Queens and all these shows where they're just fighting all the time.

7:53 That's not how we view marriage. One thing I've said to Holly before is, what did you see in me? She won't tell you all this, but they were lined up to date her when she came to North Greenville College.

8:04 It was a Christian school. She had the whole book of Philippians memorized, and she's beautiful. Everybody wanted to talk to Holly.

8:13 She had this little exclusivity clause because she was dating Jesus for a year, which, a.

8:19 Little side note, only made her more attractive because men love a chase. It's not, I've got to wait until this year with Jesus, and it just made it that much more appealing and alluring.

8:27 Anyway, I promise you this all goes together. I promise. Some of you, it's your first time here, and you're like, he needs medication. No, I promise you. This is all part of my message. There's a little part of me that says, but you know what? She's said the same thing to me before. She's like, Why did you choose me to marry?

8:45 I don't know if you.

8:50 Can relate to this. I just knew. She's like, I wasn't a great girlfriend.

8:57 She was still learning how to relate in that way and dating Jesus and all this stuff.

9:03 But she goes, it must have been something you saw in me. I'm like, no, it's easy to see. if you want to know the truth how I feel about your appearance, but it was really deeper than that.

9:17 Of course, I couldn't see all the support that she would bring and the love that she would bring.

9:24 At this moment.

9:24 I don't share this for ooey-gooey thing, but we're coming up on 20 years of marriage this June. I don't know where we're going to celebrate, but it's going to be expensive. We're going there a long time, and we are leaving our kids and turning off our phones and praying for the best. I'm drawn to this passage because I realize that at this moment in time, Peter has no idea idea what he's getting into by saying yes to a simple instruction from Jesus. Much like you didn't know when you said yes to go to lunch with me at Golden Corral, that I would pop the question and say, will you start a church with me? Even when I said, will you start a church with me, you did not know that we would be attacked like

10:22 we were attacked in 2013, but you also didn't.

10:25 Know that we would be in Singapore and Sydney and all over the world preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ.

10:31 And Ballantyne and Roanoke and Melbourne, Florida.

10:40 God, What do you see in me?

10:45 If you haven't studied the Bible a whole lot, you may be confused because I've been talking about Peter, but when I read the Scripture, we're reading about Simon. It says in verse 3, he got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon.

11:03 Jesus does this cool thing.

11:04 He changes the name of his chief apostle, but that hasn't happened yet at this point in the story.

11:12 He's still Simon. He's called Simon. The name from Simeon means he heard.

11:21 Yet, in all of the passage, it's very interesting because Jesus and Simon, who would later be known as Peter, are communicating without saying a whole lot of words. They each only say a sentence, but their life is completely altered. This lets me know that we're studying the interaction between two men, Because men typically … I don't mean to be stereotypical, but typically men can communicate without saying anything.

11:49 I prefer to communicate without saying anything. Buck used to come over and lift weights with me. It'd be an hour and a half. We would have lifted a cumulative 2,000 pounds and not said a word to one another.

12:03 What an awesome gift we have as men. Would you agree?

12:08 Women have other gifts, but when women greet each other … I noticed the other day women use vowel sounds.

12:17 We're like, Hey, how are you?

12:23 It's friendly.

12:23 It's warm. It's like, Oh, yeah. I love this about us.

12:32 We can nod at you, and know all we need to know about you from how you nod back or if you don't. If you don't nod back, you might want to fight. All nods are not created equal. There are different kinds of nods. Much like in Spanish, there's formal and informal. There's a formal nod.

12:57 That's this. There's an informal nod when you nod up.

13:04 When I started noticing this was in COVID, when they made it.

13:11 Illegal for us to touch each other for a year.

13:15 You don't want to walk through life not communicating with people.

13:19 Waving is kind of goofy. Hey!

13:23 It's a thing like, I don't want to touch you because that's uncomfortable. Then they put a mask on us, and then people are saying, well, you can still smile with your eyes.

13:32 I still haven't learned how to smile with my eyes.

13:35 My eyes do not naturally smile.

13:37 I can murder you with my eyes.

13:40 I had to do that. What I started noticing during COVID is I had to regain the power of the nod. just to let people know. A man can walk by you and go, and so much can be loaded in that nod.

14:01 This is kind of, what's up? Or it can mean, you want some?

14:06 It can mean a lot of things if you nod up, but just this.

14:12 It can mean, I see you, my brother. I see you. It is not easy to be a man in this day and age. but you carry it well, my brother. Carry on, soldier. Carry on, my wayward son. All that from a nod.

14:28 What got me about the text and the reason I went back to it is because we focus so much on the speaking part in this passage every time I've ever preached it. You know, because you say so, I will let down the net. Peter said to Jesus, or Jesus said to Peter … All that is great, and if anybody knows how to talk, it's Simon Peter.

14:49 He's always talking in the Bible. Never, Lord, this will never happen to you. If I'll deny you, I won't deny you. I'll stand with you to the death, Lord. Peter is always talking.

14:58 But in this passage, let me point out a few things that God is communicating in the nonverbals. In verse 1, put it on the screen, it says, Jesus was standing. He was standing by the sea. of Galilee, the lake of Gennesaret, Kinnereth. The literal name means harp, like the instrument, the harp, because it was shaped kind of like that.

15:24 That's what the literal name Kinnereth means, which is appropriate, because Jesus is standing by the sea, which will be the scene of the greatest demonstrations of his power in Scripture. It wasn't just a body of water. It was for him a classroom of faith. He had an advantage over me in preaching. One, he's Jesus. Two, he had nature as a backdrop to illustrate and to validate his words. So, when I teach you about a storm, you have a padded chair and an air-conditioned room, climate-controlled to 59 degrees.

16:06 We keep it cold here. We do that to keep you awake.

16:15 I think the fact that he was standing by the Sea of Galilee that's shaped like a harp is an indication that this body of water would be an instrument in the hands of the Master Teacher to give the lessons his disciples would need after he had left them in.

16:36 The body to carry on with the task of spreading the gospel.

16:41 It's much more effective teach about how to change a flat tire if you have one right now. It's much more effective to teach about how to survive a storm if you're going through one right now.

16:55 So, when Jesus taught his disciples about faith, it was not a doctrinal seminar. It was not a false evidence appearing real, or whatever the acronym is. Have you heard these things before? It wasn't cute. It was a matter of life and death.

17:12 So, when they learned the lesson of faith, it was against the backdrop of their greatest fear.

17:17 He was standing by the lake. Peter didn't know what would happen on that lake.

17:22 Peter didn't know one day he'd be walking on that water coming to Jesus.

17:26 He certainly didn't know when he stepped out of the boat to walk on the water that five seconds later he'd be gasping for breath,' Save me, Lord!' But Jesus knew that at that moment.

17:38 It is called the foreknowledge of God, or, if you like, predestination. It means that Jesus saw Peter walking on the water before he ever even got in Peter's boat. It means Jesus knew he would help Peter up before Peter ever started to sink. It means Jesus knew what would happen to you in your childhood before he called you into this season of your own parenting. It means Jesus knew you would be at church today because somebody dragged you so he could get you this word he needs you to hear.

18:18 He knew. God knows. We say that almost like a cuss word. God knows. Oh, God knows when the kids are going to be back in school full time. God knows when the Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta variants are all going to pass through and we can all go back. God knows who's going to be in White House. God knows. God knows what's going to happen on the sea one time.

18:46 I'm sorry, y'all. I know I'm overexcited and it's a little off-putting, but one time.

18:51 He sent the disciples ahead of him into a storm and stayed back and prayed.

18:59 I said he sent them into a storm. I said he sent them into a storm. Oh, well, maybe he didn't know. Maybe he didn't check the weather before he sent them out.

19:15 His word … is.

19:17 The weather forecast. Ask Elijah.

19:22 Elijah said,' It' s not going to rain until I say so again from the word of God that comes from my mouth.

19:27 If Elijah had that kind of power, the prophet over nature, what kind.

19:31 Of power does Jesus have over the situations.

19:35 Of your life? He's God.

19:38 He's sovereign.

19:40 He's the bread of life.

19:42 He's the solid rock, and he's the living water.

19:47 Oh, yeah.

19:48 The solid rock. We sing about, on Christ the solid rock I stand. Absolutely. He's a firm foundation. He's the same yesterday, today, and forever.

19:57 God doesn't change like the shadows change. God doesn't change like your best friend changes. God doesn't change like your hair color changes. God doesn't change like cultural climates change.

20:08 But see, the same God who could be called the solid rock is also the living water. He was standing by the sea because he wanted to teach you that real faith not only has to be solid, it has to be fluid. Why did he teach on the body of water?

20:30 Well, one, because the storm will help you learn the lesson, but number two, the same way that that sea operates is the same way that faith operates, which is why I think he liked a fisherman be his disciples. See, a fisherman has to know that the fish that were here an hour ago might not be here an hour from now. The fish that weren't here an hour ago might be here now. To follow Jesus is to flow with Jesus. What better place for him to call a disciple than standing by the lake? See, Jesus hasn't even said anything yet, and he's already preaching. He's already preaching just by where he's standing. He's standing by the lake, and he's like, Hey, everybody, look, before I open my mouth, you see this? See how it's calm right now? It

21:24 might not be calm tomorrow. Life is like that, but you can trust me.

21:29 You need an anchor for your soul. So, remember, men can communicate with nonverbals. So, Jesus is standing by the lake of Gennesaret. the harp. He's going to play this lake like an instrument. He's going to conduct the wind and the waves like a symphony to bring these disciples to greater faith.

21:51 Y'all have to clap on that right there to know that Jesus is conducting even the conflict of my life that Jesus says, waves, that's enough.

22:04 They got this lesson. In fact, he might speak it to you right now if you listen. Peace, be still. Waves, die down at his command, because he has all authority. Even the wind and the waves obey him. Even the wind and the waves obey the one who was standing by the way. Is it good? It was to me. I had the best time with God preparing this message.

22:35 I was licking the bowl all week. I didn't know there had been any left for you. They would cry around and listen to the Word of God.

22:43 Then verse 2 says, so he stood in verse 1, but watch this. Verse 2, he saw. He saw at the water's edge two boats left there by the fishermen. Now, in this way, Jesus is like Holly.

22:58 He had options.

23:04 I don't think sometimes we take that into account, that God could have given somebody else those kids to raise.

23:14 Two boats.

23:16 Everybody say, two boats. That would be a good rapper name. We've got Lil Yachty, and we've got two boats. He saw two boats. left there by the fishermen who were washing their nets. I don't want to use that yet, but I want to point it out to you. They were washing their nets.

23:43 It was over for the night. It was over. The reason I'm going to move.

23:49 Past that is because I need to show you verse 3. He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to who? Now, Peter is going to preach on the day of Pentecost, he's still Simon at this moment. Peter is going to give his life for the gospel of Jesus Christ. History tells us he died as a martyr. He's going to write two epistles, first and second Peter.

24:19 Appropriately titled, don't you think? Not first and second Simon. First and second Peter.

24:28 That's the potential of who he can be. Cephas in the Hebrew. Petros in the Greek. Rock. Little rock. Not big rock. That's Jesus. On this rock I will build my church. Big rock. Little rock. Peter.

24:42 Peter is the pebble skipping across the Sea of Galilee to create a ripple effect of the gospel that would carry.

24:50 To us today. But he's not even Peter the pebble yet. He's still Simon. I have to make a confession to y'all. I'm still Steven.

25:10 I know I need to be pastor for at least about 25 more minutes. I'm not a hypocrite. I don't go home and kick the dog. I already told you I don't have a dog. I'm not getting one.

25:25 She said, yet. False prophet on the front row. Security! Security! But y'all, he got in and then asked him to put out a little from shore. Isn't that the opposite order? Look at verse 3. You need to see this.

25:50 He got into Peter's boat and then asked him, could he use it? So, I'm thinking protocol is the other way around, right?

26:03 You see what I'm saying? Go get in a car after church and then ask the person if it's all right if you drive it and see how it works out.

26:15 My mind says it must already be his. It must already be his. When Graham came in to see me today and said, Oh, I like your jacket. I said, I like your slides. I said, But those look like mine. He said, No, I got them from Elijah. I said, Turn it over.

26:32 It was mine.

26:32 He said, That's crazy. When I asked Elijah, Could I borrow it? He said, Get your own drip. But he actually got it out of your closet. Here's the point I'm trying to say. Your boat is borrowed. Your boat is borrowed. any drip you have, any intelligence you have. In fact, every breath you have. That's why we praise him, because the breath is borrowed.

26:57 The breath is borrowed.

26:59 The breath is borrowed. If you've ever been in the hospital, you get.

27:03 A new appreciation. The breath is borrowed. So now, let everything that hath breath.

27:10 Give it back.

27:11 Give it back. Give it back. Give it back. It's your boat, God.

27:19 I'm going to give you 21 seconds to give it back. Some people didn't see 2021, but look at you.

27:28 You survivor.

27:30 You Simon survivor.

27:32 Storm survivor.

27:37 It was shaky, but I made it. It was wavy, but I made it. It was windy, but he picked me up. Come on, if you can't shout, at least nod. Just nod like this.

27:52 Just nod. Nod up.

27:53 Nod down. Nod all around. Shake it back and forth. No, devil, you can't have it.

27:58 It belongs to no devil.

28:00 Shake your head like this. Come on.

28:04 You can't have my kids.

28:06 You can't have my house. You can't have my peace. You can't have my praise, devil.

28:13 It's God's fault. Nod if I'm talking to you.

28:29 You don't even have to let anybody know what you're nodding about.

28:32 Just nod at your neighbor. Say, yeah, he did it. Yeah, he did it. He got in my boat, and I'm still Simon.

28:45 I think the challenge is, how can you believe you have the potential to be Peter when you act so much like Simon. The inner Simon … I have to put some cardio in the regimen if we're going to preach like this in church. Let me show you another Scripture. Just say, I'm still Simon. One connotation of Simon is it's like a reed.

29:28 It means he hears.

29:30 It's so funny, because Simon's name means he listens, but he's in trouble only when he's talking.

29:37 Only when he's talking. We fished all night and caught nothing. Shut up, Simon. Maybe that's what I'll call the message. Shut up, Simon.

29:47 Sometimes I need my Simon on the inside, the one who's always saying, Oh, you're so stupid, and you're so weak, and look at you. You're so dumb, and everything's so horrible, and everybody is so dumb, too, and Let's play the quiet game. All right, Simon, let's find a game on your iPad. You shut up, because Peter has a purpose to accomplish. I need to flow right now with God and follow Jesus in the season of my life, and I can't be this little child anymore that's always listening to my screaming, emotional five-year-old in the backseat telling me to pull over. We can't do it, because it's too hard and Nobody appreciates me.

30:28 Be quiet, Simon. Is that better? Be quiet, Simon. Shut up, Simon. Shut up, Simon. I don't want to feel bad. Y'all say it. Shut up, Simon. Put it in the chat. Shut up, Simon. Let Peter preach. There's a Peter in me too. Pebble, rock, firm, small but a solid.

30:57 Then there's Simon. The Scripture I want to show you is Luke 22. I was looking at it because I wanted to break it down where you could really get it and not just go, oh, that's nice, but really get it. When Jesus was eating Passover with his disciples before he went to Jerusalem … Remember, Jerusalem is where he died. Sea of Galilee, Kinnereth, Harp. That's where he lived.

31:18 That's where he ministered. That's where he based. But Jerusalem is where he was always headed. So, where his ministry started is not where it finished. and where your life starts is not where it finishes either.

31:32 Simon.

31:34 But in order to get to his purpose, he had to go through a kind of death, so that for Peter to rise, Simon kind of had to die. Yet, here's what's interesting. Jesus is speaking to this disciple, one of the three church fathers. The reason the church is here today, really, is because of what he did for the Gentiles, those of us who are not Jews by ethnicity, but we're in Christ spiritually. We're grafted in. That's what started me studying. I was studying when Peter took the gospel to the Gentiles. He didn't want to do it, because Simon was telling him, this is not who you should preach to. This is not in the realm of your experience. This is not in your family background. This is not for you. But God knew how to pull

32:16 the Peter out of Simon. God knows how to pull the grown man out of you. grown woman out of you, the patience out of you, the fortitude out of you, the discipline out of you. He knows how to pull the Peter out of Simon. But even after Jesus changed his name to Peter … I don't have time to show you that, but Jesus said, Who do you say I am?

32:46 He said, You're the Christ, the Son of the living God. Jesus said, Well, you are Peter. I am? You are? Pebble. and upon this rock I'll build my church. You're a pebble. You're made of the same stuff as me. You're made in the image of God. You're Peter.

33:05 You don't even know what you're made of yet. You don't even know what you're made of yet. When people tell you, oh, just do you, that'd be fine if you knew you. One day I'm going to preach a message called Do the New You, N-E-W. Do the new you. If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. So, when people say, do you, we use that as an excuse.

33:29 Oh, throw a temper tantrum. Do you. Just be however you are. Do you.

33:34 Are you still taking advice from your fifth-grade yearbook, raise hell over the summer and never change?

33:41 No, I'm changing. I'm changing.

33:51 Like the sea is changing. I'm changing like the seasons are changing. God is pulling the.

34:00 Peter, the solid, out of the Stephen. He doesn't hate Simon. He said, you are Peter. Deeper in you, there is purpose.

34:13 On the surface, there is stuff that keeps you from seeing it, but God, what do you see in me?

34:20 Beneath the sand of Stephen, beneath the sand of Simon, feelings and past and pain and trauma, what do you see in me? Jesus said, you're Peter.

34:33 That confession you made, you're the Christ, the Son of the living God. You know who I am, and I'm going to show you who you are, because you don't even know yet, and this is a grown man, and he's just discovering who he is.

34:44 Who told you that's all you could be?

34:49 I don't let anybody tell me what I can do because I'm white or because I'm short or because I'm 41 or because I'm a man or because I'm from Moncks Corner. You don't get to tell me that. What you see on me might have nothing to do with what God sees in me.

35:08 All right. I got the nod from God.

35:24 That's the third nod. I didn't tell you about that one. There's the up nod, the down nod, and the God nod. When God gives you the nod, he doesn't look around to see who agrees.

35:40 Aren't you glad?

35:42 He doesn't ask your X. He doesn't ask your Y. He doesn't ask your Z. He doesn't ask any of that. He doesn't look around.

35:50 Y'all good with that? Y'all good if I bless her? Y'all good if I send her a new person? Y'all good if I forgive him? Y'all good if I use him anyway? Y'all good if I raise him up? Y'all good if I use this boat? He didn't ask any of that. He got in.

36:02 He got into the boat before he even asked Peter if Peter wanted to be Peter.

36:07 He just said, that's what you are. He didn't even ask. He just got it. You are Peter, but watch this in Luke 22. He's about to go to the cross. He's headed to Jerusalem. Peter doesn't want him to go. Come on, man.

36:26 Let's keep going on the sea. I'll keep taking you around in this boat. We can preach and heal and do this stuff, but he had to die. He had to die to pay for your sin. He had to die to pay the ultimate price for you so you could put your faith in him. He had to die so Simon could become Peter, so the Spirit could come.

36:45 Peter wanted to keep Jesus from doing the very thing that would make him who he was supposed to be. Jesus is telling the disciples, this is not going to go good. I'm going to rise in three days, but you're all going to fall away. He turns to one disciple and says, Simon, Simon. In Scripture, two is covenant.

37:07 Two means covenant. Moses, Moses, take off your shoes. he says the name twice.

37:12 It's covenant. It's partnership. I got you. Two boats. Simon, Simon. Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat, but I have prayed for you, Simon. Aren't you glad that Jesus prays for Simon, not just Peter? That he sticks with Simon, not just Peter? I bet Jesus is proud of me when I preach good.

37:46 I bet he's still in love with me when I hurt, when I struggle, and I need.

37:53 That, because I am a pastor.

37:57 I'm still Stephen. Put your name in the chat right now. I'm still … Say your name, and say it out loud. I'm still … Don't let the hard surface fool you. I know I was lifting my hands in worship, but I don't always act like that. I don't always walk around the ball field, give.

38:18 God a praise. Come on, give him praise in the dugout.

38:29 Even sometimes, I hate to tell you this, but sometimes Stephen comes out in places where a pastor is supposed to be.

38:38 Y'all are acting. Real, real, real Judasian here today.

38:49 I was out to eat with this other preacher, and he's like the nicest person in the world. Not the nicest preacher, the nicest person in the world. We're far away from home having a meal together. I'm not going to tell you who the preacher was. You could probably figure it out. The nicest person in the world. I leave the table. We're having a great conversation. Families are there.

39:07 I'm going to the bathroom. This was a few months ago. As I go around to the bathroom, it's a small space. There's a whole other thing. Men nodding is something I can teach you. Men in the bathroom is a whole other breakout session. We'll do a men's night about this. There are rules there too.

39:23 Before I go in, it's a one-seater. Before I go in, there's a dude there talking loud on his phone, sitting there.

39:30 Right outside the bathroom door, and it's cramped. I say, he has no mask on. He's talking on the phone, just over there talking on the phone.

39:38 It's a one-seater.

39:39 I say, this is protocol, right? I say, hey, are you waiting for the bathroom? The man looks at me. Cold-blooded, he says.

39:47 I need six feet. Get back.

39:51 While he's talking on the phone, spitting on me, because what I'm hearing is, oh, you want to be six feet under? You want me to kill you? That's what you're saying? Because I'm still Steven. But I looked around real quick. I'm like, does anybody know me in here? I'm far away from home. Have you ever had your inner Peter just in time kick in? I mean, just in the nick of time, right as Stephen is coming out, right as Hebrew.

40:34 And Greek words are coming out, right as I'm about.

40:36 To speak in tongues and tell him about six feet. I'm about to put six feet. I'm right at the moment, because I'm still Stephen. I'm doing better than I did.

40:46 Because I didn't do it. I looked over.

40:47 I was like, you cannot get in a fight while you're out to dinner.

40:51 With Joel Osteen. You can't do that.

40:55 Joel's at the table smiling, playing with Abby.

40:58 I'm like, ah, Stephen, keep it down. Move through it. Stephen, Stephen. I'm so glad I didn't do anything, but just go to the bathroom.

41:12 Now, I did hover at his table a little when I walked back by just a minute, because he wasn't even big, y'all.

41:17 And he was old.

41:19 So, as soon as I get to the table, I'm so glad that Peter won that day, because the person that was standing at the table talking to Pastor Joel said, Pastor Stephen!

41:38 And I became pastor real quick. God bless you.

41:42 I did my best Joel Osteen interpretation, my impersonation. Nobody knew that Stephen was still standing in that.

41:50 Bathroom, wanting to come out with an S on his chest. I'm not even that good a fighter, but I'm crazy. I'm crazy!

42:06 Jesus knew Peter was going to cut off Barabbas' ear, and he called him Peter anyway. Jesus knew Peter was going to cuss him out by the fire.

42:21 I don't know him, swear word. I don't know him, swear word. He knew Simon was still inside. But you know what I love about Luke 5? It is a living.

42:32 Picture of a spiritual reality. See, it's one thing for Jesus to stand by the sea. It's one thing for him to see the boat. But what freaked Peter out … Because Peter was cool with all of that. Oh, you see my boat? You got in my boat? You want to use my boat? You want to preach three hours? I was trying to go home and have breakfast and just nurse myself because we didn't catch anything today.

42:55 Okay, fine. We'll try it. We'll give it a try. It wasn't when.

43:00 Jesus saw the boat that freaked Peter out. It was the fact that he knew what was under the boat. When Peter saw this … Give me the verse, verse 8. When Peter saw this … Oh, Simon Peter. They were both in the boat.

43:31 This is what I need you to know.

43:32 They're both in your boat. and they're both going to stay in your boat. Oh, no, Pastor Stephen. I am crucified with Christ. Nevertheless, I live. I'm still Simon. I'm still Simon. I can be Simon one minute, Peter five minutes later, Simon again five minutes.

43:57 Every five minutes, Simon shows up. Can we do it now? Can we do it now? Can we be crazy now? Can we act out now? Can we be mad now? Can we be bitter now? Can we think stupid stuff now? Can we be weird now? Quiet, Peter. Shut up, Simon. He got in the one belonging to Simon Peter. I told you both boats. Did I tell you about both boats?

44:20 I didn't tell you they were both in one boat, Simon and Peter. And that's what's going on in you as I speak.

44:27 There's your flesh, Simon. There's your spirit, Peter. There's your preference, Simon. There's your purpose, Peter. There's your past. Not if you know what I'm talking about.

44:52 Not if Simon is sitting in the same seat with you right now while you're trying to pretend to be Peter.

44:59 Three honest people in South Charlotte today. I wanted to tell you that Simon and Peter were in the same boat so that you could know that Jesus got into one belonging to Simon. In fact, he stood by the lake. He sat in the boat. I didn't even talk about Jesus sitting. We'll do that next week.

45:34 He spoke to Simon, but But look at verse 7 real quick. When their boats began to sink because of the great catch, they signaled to the other boat. You will not believe what signaled means in the original language.

45:54 It means they nodded. Yes, it does. Yes, it does. It literally means they nodded. with their heads. Yes, it does. Yes, yes, yes, yes. They couldn't use their hands. They were pulling that net up. They couldn't use their voice. It wouldn't carry that far. So, when James and John, the other boat, got the nod, they came over, and.

46:29 Both boats were so full they began to sink.

46:33 What Peter didn't know in that moment was that the fish were only there to teach him a lesson about faith. As he was drawing the nets out of the water, God was drawing the Peter out of the Simon. This is why he did it by the sea, so he could show you that the real stuff, the real you, is deep down inside of you.

47:00 Not the surface stuff, not the surface story, not the behavior, not the mistake, not the things you think.

47:05 That's just a thought level. That's just the waves.

47:08 But if you let down the nets, there's a great catch down there. There's a rock down there. There's a strength down there. There's a hope down there. So God sent me with a command.

47:21 Pull it out.

47:23 The nets are symbolic of you. The nets are symbolic of you. He said, I'm going to make you fishers of men. I see something different in you than you see in you. You see yourself as a fisherman, and you're right, but you're not just a businessman.

47:40 You're a businessman. That's from 2 Jay-Z.

47:46 Y'all stay with me, because I hear God saying something to you.

47:51 He sees something in you Look like you're like, it's not there.

47:58 Just because it wasn't there when you fished all night doesn't mean it's not there now.

48:04 You hear me? You hear me? Let me release this word.

48:09 You're ready now.

48:11 You're rocked now.

48:13 It's right now.

48:14 From now on, you will fish for purpose.

48:22 I feel God drawing something out of your.

48:25 Desires, drawing something out of your dreams, drawing something out of your hurt, drawing it out. Y'all, remember he's still Simon, so when he sees all the fish in his boat, he doesn't celebrate.

48:49 He's scared. He's scared.

48:56 Everybody who's been scared, stand up. But I've got to qualify this. He wasn't scared of a battle. He was scared of a blessing.

49:22 When Simon Peter saw this, he didn't see himself as Peter yet.

49:28 He still saw himself as Simon. You know you can get the nod from God that he wants to choose you. but rejected inside of yourself.

49:46 God is nodding. It's you. I'm going to use you.

49:51 I'm going to get you through this. My promises are yes and amen. Before you were born, I set you apart. Do not say, I am only a youth. Don't say, I'm just a fisherman. God is nodding like this, and everything in Simon is saying, no, not me, Lord.

50:11 Show them the Scripture. Is it 8?

50:14 Is that the verse when Simon and Peter are both in the same boat, just like two voices in your head right now? In the same sentence, Simon and Peter are in the same boat, in the same body, in the same moment, in the same experience. This season, this testing can either sift all the Simon out and leave you strong like Peter … or it can cause you to give up on yourself. So Peter, Simon speaks. Lord, I see the success. Isn't that amazing?

51:00 He is scared of his success because he is aware of his brokenness. Am I talking about you? Am I talking about me? Am I talking about all of the.

51:18 Things we try to push away that God wants to bring into our lives? Because go away from me, Lord. I'm a sinful man. Jesus is like, you don't think I knew when I got in your boat? You don't think I knew both were in the boat? Peter, weakness and strength, faith and fear. I got in, and you're not going to tell me when to get out. I heard God saying.

52:02 That.

52:03 This is a prophetic word for somebody, so stay with me. The way you do with people you're not going to get to do with Jesus. When people get too close and they're good to you and they love you, you push them away. You disqualify it. You don't hear it. It rolls off of you like water. You're not going to get to do that with Jesus. I remember a difficult season me and Holly went with. I already told you how wonderful we are.

52:24 Well, listen to this.

52:26 There was a time … It's been several years ago. I was just going through … I guess I was being sifted. You know what I'm saying? like you don't have what it takes. All the Simon stuff. Simon says, you're an idiot. Simon says, touch your ear, your other ear. Simon didn't say. Simon doesn't get to say. Who is Simon that he gets to say? What a dumb game.

52:54 Simon said, go away.

52:55 Jesus said, you don't get to say. I say so. Simon Simon, Satan has asked to sift you through, but I prayed for you that your faith would not fail. Yeah, they're with it. They're with it. Go back to that scripture. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brethren. Next verse. Next verse. Next verse. And he replied, Lord, I'm ready to go with you to prison and to death. Next verse.

53:23 And Jesus answered, I tell you, Peter, when Satan is through sifting you, all that's going to be left is the Peter you really are. But that's not what I wanted to show you.

53:47 I wanted to show you that, just like Jesus got in Simon's boat without asking … How many of you requested to be born?

53:58 How many of you requested to be 5'8 1⁄2? I'm rounding up. I'm five foot nine.

54:05 How many of you requested to go through the rejection they experienced? No, no, no. Jesus got in the boat, and you don't get to tell him when to get out. So, imagine if Jesus had listened to Simon Says.

54:21 Get away, Lord. He's like, all right. James, John, y'all got room over there for me?

54:25 No, no, no, no, no. When Peter got done with all of that, go away from me, Lord, because the fish in his boat.

54:30 It reminded him. He sees a boat full of fish, and he's like, oh, God, he doesn't know what's in me. He sees.

54:40 You think he could see the fish at the bottom of the Sea of Galilee, and he can't see the sin at the bottom of you? He's Jesus. If he saw the fish that were under the boat, he saw the Simon that was in the boat, and he still.

54:56 Got in, and he still chose you.

55:03 I have prayed for you, Simon. Jesus said to Simon, Don't be afraid. I'm going to show you how to do this. Don't be afraid. Just like you were mending your nets, I'm going to mend you. I'm going to do with you … I'm doing it right now. This is This is the Spirit of the Lord. Simon has been talking to you all week. Let the Spirit talk for a moment. Jesus is not Siri. We don't give him little commands. Let him talk for a minute. You keep telling God what you're not, what you can't. You keep telling yourself all that. Simon was only in trouble when he was speaking. Let Peter talk for a moment.

55:49 Let the God part of you talk. Let the Holy Spirit talk to you. Let Jesus tell you what to do. Because you say so, I will let down the nets. Oh God, how many opportunities have you pushed away? Because I don't want to let you down. How much love have you pushed away? Because I don't want you to see me like I really am. You know, a lot of us go through life with an operating belief. If you really saw me, you wouldn't like me. If I let you close, I'll let you down. If I let you close, you'll let me down. After Peter got up off of his knees. Jesus was still nodding. I'm still going to use you. You can deny me, but when you're faithless, I'm faithful. Remember, I got in the boat.

56:44 I made the first move. You're not getting rid of God that easily. You tried to run from him. How did that work out? You're in church. It popped up in the algorithm. you were searching for online gambling tips, and I came on.

57:01 It's God. You're not getting away that easily. He's right here. The sea is a lesson. The nets are a lesson. Let him wash the nets. Let him mend the nets. Father, I'm so thankful I can't hardly stand it right now.

57:24 I was so scared that I would try to communicate this, but I wouldn't know how to say it, but I have felt your grace for the last hour. Now I want to ask you to do something.

57:36 Amazing, God.

57:37 Draw it out. Draw it out of them. The change starts after the sermon ends. When Jesus had finished speaking, he turned to Simon and said,' It' s one thing for you to speak to a crowd, Lord, It's another thing for you to speak to your.

57:57 Child by name.

57:59 I'm asking God that you would speak to every Simon. Draw out every Peter. There's great purpose in this room. There is great purpose at the bottom of all of that shifting sand. We believe you know what's under the boat, what's in the boat, what's on the boat, most of all who's in the boat.

58:20 Lift your hands. the Lord out loud. It's your boat. You knew, God.

58:31 You knew when you got in this boat that Simon was stupid. You knew when you got in this.

58:37 Boat, but I'm not going to try to send you away going forward.

58:47 Right now, in this moment, there is an invitation for someone who needs to receive Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. So put your hands down for a moment, and I'm going to ask you to raise your hand again in just a moment. All over the world online, right here in this room, Simon, Simon, is God calling your name? Is this your day to give God your life?

59:13 You did it before. You fished all night. You caught nothing, and here you are with empty nets.

59:17 That's good. That's room for Jesus in the boat.

59:22 Now, I believe that everybody can get something from this message, but for somebody, this message is everything. This is the moment that the grace of God is coming into your life. Don't worry about fixing your nets yet. That's God's job. You just let him in your heart. It is by grace through faith we are saved. You may not get this moment back, not just like this. This is a holy moment. With our heads bowed and our eyes closed, I'm going to pray a prayer. The prayer is not magical.

1:00:01 It's just an invitation. The Bible says that if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead.

1:00:10 You will be saved. Right now, I'm going to lead you in a prayer.

1:00:16 I want you to repeat this prayer out loud after me if you are ready to repent of your sin, place your faith in Christ, and make Jesus the Lord of your life. I want you to repeat this prayer out loud after me.

1:00:28 This is your moment.

1:00:29 God is stepping into your boat. God is stepping into your spirit. God is stepping into your life. Repeat after me. Heavenly Father, I.

1:00:38 Am a sinner. You are a Savior. Come into my life. I believe you died for me and rose again to give me life. I receive this new life. This is my new beginning. I am a child of God.

1:01:00 On three, raise your hand in the air if you prayed that prayer.

1:01:03 One, two, three. Shoot it up right now.

1:01:07 Right now.

1:01:08 We celebrate you.

1:01:11 We celebrate the grace of God on your life.

1:01:15 We celebrate the grace of God in.

1:01:17 Your boat, in your home, in your marriage.

1:01:21 We celebrate your new beginning.

1:01:24 In Jesus' name.

1:01:28 Come on, give God a great praise all over the church.

1:01:32 Give God a great praise.

1:01:35 Praise him if you received this word today. Praise him if you received this word today.

1:01:43 Thank you, Lord.

1:01:44 Hold on. Not if you got it. You're the one I wanted. You're the one I chose, and you're not getting rid of me that easily. That dark moment I told you about with Holly, she looked at me and she said, I'm not going anywhere. I said, I'm just not that good as you think I am. I'm not that good. I'm not as good a pastor as y'all think I am. She said, well, you're the one we've got, so show up.

1:02:40 I'm telling that to you.

1:02:42 He got in the boat belonging to Simon. I think we're going to have to pick this up next week. I think we're going to have to pick this up next week.

1:02:51 Thank you for joining us.

1:02:52 Special thanks to those of you who give generously to this ministry. It's because of you that this ministry is possible. You can click the link in the description to give now or visit elevationchurch.org slash podcast.

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1:03:16 Thanks again for listening. God bless you.