Putting Pragmatism to Death in Evangelism

/ Richard Bargas / 1 Comment

Simon answered and said, “Master, we labored all night and caught nothing, but at Your word, I will let down the nets.” And when they had done this, they enclosed a great quantity of fish. And their nets began to break;  (Luke 5:5–6, LSB)

Whenever I have heard a lesson or sermon on this passage in Luke 5:1-11, the emphasis always seems to be on verse 10 and Jesus’ words, “Do not fear, from now on you will be catching men”  (Luke 5:10, LSB). The application is often about how we need to be witnesses for Christ, engaged in “man-fishing.” I’d agree that this passage marks a turn of focus for Jesus’ disciples from part-time disciples to full time Gospel witnesses.

For a second, I’d like to look at this passage from a slightly different angle and emphasis. Jesus is teaching along the lakeside and sits in a boat to teach. He asks for Simon to push out into deeper water and to cast his nets.

At the end of this section is when we read about Jesus’ transition to the change of vocation, “catching men.” In reflection, how often are we as Christians like Peter in our thinking regarding evangelism (catching men)? We have made all our efforts and yet have been unsuccessful.

I enjoy fishing for fish. This summer, one of my daughters caught 40 fish over a span of about 4 days—outfishing her dad. It was a “proud papa” moment. But the whole modern fishing industry knows that not every fisherman is successful when he throws his line into the water. The possibilities on the shelves offering success (for a price) are endless: stronger fishing line that is more flexible and less visible; more realistic lures and baits that entice fish to bite; stronger, more sensitive poles; reels whose action is as smooth as butter! With all that the modern fisherman can spend in his local sporting goods store, he could have bought a very nice grilled fish dinner for his whole family—for a week! The disciples had far fewer options for their net fishing, but they depended upon their own human experience and ability as the tools that kept food on the table and a roof over their heads.

Unfortunately, the modern day fishing industry isn’t the only place that the gullible fisherman is being sold things he doesn’t need. In the Church, there are a lot of people “selling” all sorts of techniques and tools that are sure to bring in the “big one” with the gospel. Tracts, booklets, videos, coins, prayer cloths, anointing oils, emotional appeals, comic books, and more all claim to be the missing thing in the man-fishing tacklebox. Let’s get back to Jesus there on the shore with his fishermen…

Peter reluctantly obeys. After all, what did Jesus know? He was a carpenter and they had experience on their side. Out of respect for their Master, the fishermen listened. It would be embarrassing, but they had warned Him. He would see that they knew better. But they didn’t. The nets and boats fill with fish to the point of sinking. Peter is astonished and gives glory to God, as they are all filled with fear (vv. 8-10).

The Lord might use our evangelism training classes, our tracts, our Bible studies, or our Gospel magic trick, just as He used the nets to grab those fish. But He doesn’t need the nets, or the fishermen. He chooses to use these means, and we are grateful that He has chosen to use us as His fishers of men. But here is our lesson. It’s not just that we must be fishers of men. It is that the results of our catch are not for us to boast in. And when we fail to catch? We have not failed. We are called to be fishers, not catchers. In our supposed failure, we will be tempted to change our methods, or worse, our message. Instead we need to remember the critical role that God plays in evangelism—He brings the people to Himself.

When Jesus intervenes, and we bear much fruit, how foolish we are to think it was the way we cast our nets, or the depth of the water, or whether it was day or night, or whatever. The amazing harvest is not due to anything we did, but because the Master has commanded and we obeyed. And when we feel reluctant to fish for men in unfavorable conditions, we betray our thinking that it is the conditions that make for the harvest and our success or failure.

More than anything, the Lord honors our efforts when we follow Him in obedience. Whether we have a small pocket New Testament and nothing else, or we have an elaborate ministry program—God can use it. But when we see the results, we must take care not to take credit and if we are faithful, we cannot think we have somehow failed. The Lord drew the fish into the nets, and He is the One who draws the soul to Himself.

God is Sovereign and We Aren’t Robots

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“Whatever Yahweh pleases, He does, in heaven and on earth, in the seas and in all deeps.”  (Psalm 135:6, LSB)

Whether it is the terrifying storms in the skies (v. 7), the crushing plagues He brought to Egypt (vv. 8-9), the conquests that left the nations decimated as the Lord handed Israel their lands as His gift (vv. 10-12), Psalm 135 speaks loudly about the overwhelming power and plan of God to do whatever He pleases within all of creation. He made it all and He rules it as the sovereign and only Potentate.

For some Christians, the doctrine of God’s sovereignty is a hard pill to swallow. They accept that He is all powerful, but they often will mitigate this truth with additional disclaimers and rebuttals. “God’s sovereign, but He gives up some of His rule and authority over us so that humanity can be free to choose.” But in saying this, they had neutered what the Bible says and inserted something it very clearly doesn’t say. In fact, they have taken the Sovereign God and made Him a little more like the powerless idols spoken of in verses 15-18:

The idols of the nations are silver and gold,

The work of man’s hands.

They have mouths, but they do not speak;

They have eyes, but they do not see;

They have ears, but they do not hear,

Surely, there is not any breath in their mouths.

Those who make them will be like them,

All who trust in them.  (Psalm 135:15–18, LSB)

The God who rules Israel also rules the other nations and the world. In contrast, the gods of the nations were deaf, dumb, and blind. They were not sovereign over anything. And don’t miss the results of such ideas—you become like what you worship.

For those who reject the biblical doctrine of God’s sovereignty, in attempting to protect man’s free will (thus exalting man) they lower God (just a little, they reply). After all, they reason, God wants us to worship Him freely. He doesn’t want worship from robots.

Ah! But the psalmist doesn’t see a contradiction between his praise of this sovereign God who does what He pleases and the open worship of His people. The psalm opens with a command to “Praise Yah! (vv. 1-3) and then closes the psalm with more calls to worship (vv. 19-21). Yahweh is sovereign and thus we must worship. We are not forced to do so, but we cannot contain our exuberance for our God.

Far from squashing genuine worship, the biblical truth that God is unfettered in his power and sovereignty impels worship to greater heights. We are not robots! The sovereignty of God does not teach that a mindless fatalism is at work in the universe. It inspires praise.

In fact, we can attribute the grand and glorious works of God totally to Him because “whatever Yahweh pleases, He does, in heaven and on earth, in the seas and in all deeps.”  (Psalm 135:6, LSB)

Wait For Yahweh

/ Richard Bargas / 2 Comments

O Yahweh, my heart is not exalted, and my eyes are not raised high;

And I do not involve myself in great matters,

Or in matters too marvelous for me.

Surely I have soothed and quieted my soul,

Like a weaned child with his mother,

Like a weaned child is my soul within me.

O Israel, wait for Yahweh

From now until forever.  (Psalm 131:1–3, LSB)

As I write this, I’m not thinking of anyone else or any other situation that might be brewing in the broad circles of evangelicalism. I say this, because we live in a day of “hot takes” where people write with an intention to speak into a situation. This can be good when thoughtfulness and facts are taken into consideration. All too often this is not what occurs.

I am writing for myself. Today, as I read the words of Psalm 131 in my daily Bible reading, I was struck by the humility of David, and it placed within me a longing for the same sort of child-like dependence upon our Savior.

In David’s words, I am reminded that our God hates pride. He “opposes the proud” (James 4:6; 1Pet 5:5; Prov 3:34), and yet pride is a hallmark of so many, including myself—especially of those who are placed in high positions. We can fix it. We can muscle through. If we use enough ingenuity, resources, sweat, and force we can achieve anything we put our mind to. How proud we are!

David, at least in the moments when he wrote this song, was lowly. He signals this humility with lowered eyes to match his lowered heart. Once again this leader of Israel voices a reminder of who he truly was—a small man placed in a position by the grace of God. He was not worthy of the great matters of State. He did not deserve to be drawn so close to the Living God. He was not worthy of the grace and mercy lavished upon Him. None of us are.

And yet, God continued to shower David with His goodness. David continued to be in awe. The occasion for his words are unknown, but they point to a time of turmoil. His soul needed to be soothed and quieted, like a small child who was hungering for the tender comforts of his mother’s care. The Lord supplied the soul’s peace when he needed it.

How powerless is the toddler, and yet the caring mother does not fail to provide. The child must simply wait. The lesson was for Israel, and it is for me and you as well. We are not powerful enough. We are not smart enough. We are weak, we are lowly. And yet, like a tender caring mother, our God will come and meet our need in our time of weakness. We simply must wait.

The Sovereignty of God in Life’s Plans

/ Richard Bargas / 1 Comment

In my daily Bible reading, I always appreciate it when I am going through the Proverbs. It seems that each chapter has several nuggets of truth that fit my life and what is happening in that moment. Sometimes the themes are frequently repeated in my heart, things that the Lord is continuously dealing with me about. Other themes are needed reminders in that specific time of my life.

Today’s reading once again brought some interesting truths for me to meditate on. In Proverbs 16:1, it says, “The plans of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from Yahweh” (LSB). A few verses down, it says, “The heart of man plans his way, but Yahweh directs his steps” (Proverbs 16:9, LSB).

Both of these proverbs focus on a man’s heart. We can aim high or settle for less. We might reach for the moon or be so beaten down by life that we only hope for small dreams and little ambition. No matter where someone might stand on this range, our destiny isn’t entirely in our hands. Whether our hopes are big or small, strong or weak, privileged or underprivileged, we are not completely the masters of our own fate.

For the proud person who believes they climbed to the top solely through their own talents and hard work, be cautious not to take too much credit. For the broken or weak person who thinks they must take whatever scraps life offers, be aware that God’s power can still elevate you to a prominent place for His good purposes.

There is no such thing as luck. Everything is part of God’s perfect plan. It was God’s plan for Joseph to end up in Egypt, even though his brothers intended it for evil. It was God’s plan for Pharaoh to resist Moses’ demands to let God’s people go, so that the Lord would demonstrate His power to the nations, but most importantly, to His broken people. It was God’s plan that Judas should lead the temple guard to the Mount of Olives to arrest and ultimately crucify His Son, so that Jesus could be our substitute on the cross, dying as the perfect Man for sinful man. None of that was “bad luck” that turned into “good luck.”

As Proverbs 16 concludes, it reaffirms this truth by stating that there is no such thing as chance, “The lot is cast into the lap, but its every judgment is from Yahweh” (Proverbs 16:33, LSB). Whether it is your life or the casting of dice, everything is in God’s secure hands.

Peter’s Response to Criticism: A Lesson in Faith

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“Now the apostles and the brothers who were throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God. And when Peter came up to Jerusalem, those who were circumcised took issue with him, saying, “You went to uncircumcised men and ate with them.” (Acts 11:1–3, LSB)

People were saved, and yet there is criticism.

Note that even in the greatest blessings within the church, there is always at least one person (or two) willing to see the negative side. And notice that the problem they have with this is an unbiblical tradition that was broken. 

How does Peter respond? Here we have a wonderful example! Peter is calm and patient. He explains the situation, brings biblical clarity, and then humbly awaits the church to share its wisdom. In this instance, they concurred with Peter.

Had the majority agreed with the circumcision party, I do not think Peter would have bowed out and remained silent. However, his first response was to trust the Spirit to lead the leaders, and if they were not led by the Spirit, then I think Peter would have continued to passionately reason with them from the Word.

Here is the balance of Spirit and truth; shepherding and yet being shepherded. Let us learn both.