FOLLOW Series 2: Stepping Out in Faith by Jeni Serrano last 25 Aug 2024

[Music] good morning and thank you so much s for that very warm introduction uh so how are you feeling today Feeling Good Feeling excited you Haven had is okay it's okay because we will start our conversation uh today with uh by going into a memory link so we will go into or maybe dream link we start with remembering let's try to remember a time where we achieve something great maybe [Music] um so try to remember a time uh where you achieve your dream maybe um at home where you have this uh major DIY project or renovation that you've been planning or maybe building your entire home so you have that dream okay so trying to remember that time or maybe at school you've won this award and which you really work hard as but and you feel really proud right and maybe you're able to get to this University this uh this school that you have been really hoping for or at work maybe you're get promoted right or and you get to take this new and challenged or you actually uh launch a business shout out business so you were able to launch this business idea and you went to do it as a full time so you're now your own boss or you're able to lead your ministry so or your self group or even start a new church so remember that time remember the time where you um accomplished some inred how do you think come on let's go to the memory L and try to remember do you feel happy happy so happy excited or maybe aaic right you're able to see that dream that VIs that you have for a long time maybe you feel humble right noral things in the world you feel in all and grateful and maybe you also feel confident that you can do more but not this rewind to B so try to remember now the time before you achieve all those things all those dreams all those goals and you start working towards that goal but then you fac some challenges right think about when you started your dream so maybe you started planning how you will achieve it so I remember when we first uh really dreamed of having our own home so we're trying to people around had been in the journey for asking them with then they're advising us well you you may want to see a broker right those who are professional who can really advise you so then we go to see a broker and then they said oh that's good that's good you're thinking about that to have then they get all our information but I think you need to save a bit more right okay so but it's okay so we get all those information and then we work on it we work on it and then we go back we went back to the brok and then we asked again we said oh that's good it's good if you're going all that so have you talked about where do you want to buy a home or a house then said uh where we are right now in D or or maybe in nor in nor Sydney that's really nice or in s ghost why not but then when we try to search one we see the price wow they so good expensive and then so don't an it cannot it cannot afford so and then so that's this orj but then it got to that point that you try to search resarch and then we couldn't find that home that we hand for and that we dream of so when come to that time where we really feel tired personally I get [Music] tired and then so but how about you when when you started working on that Dre how do you feel how do you feel that kind when you face those challenges making you feel chill I'm just chill chill just I feel relaxed but then when but how about when it didn't happen the kind of how do you feel maybe you feel a bit [Music] B and then you started to feel down right because then somehow some a forgot you you forget the purpose back the time of you you forgot the purpose why you started that in the first place so you feel confused and they're asking so what do I do next like where am I supposed to go from here so if you're like me then maybe you uh probably feel that you get really excited about something you started working on it by read plan you think about all the options and then you do your research you think about this and that everything but before you know it you lost your energy you've lost your motivation and you get confused and then you press in but I think you're not that you're not like me you're probably more disciplined right you you're the go-getter and then you don't analyze you don't over analyze you can over thinker like you just start one thing with enough information and just do it right do it and you're quick to recover so when you fail you do it again fail do it again fail times do it again right so are you like this but I think despite despite of all those hard work and our perseverance I think it's inevitable that we came in life we we face with this seemingly impossible past right or hopeless situation C you feel stop and you can't seem to see that change that you wanted to see I think that's truth in I right perhaps in your job in your finances in your relationships in your marriage or in your ministry or even all other goals that we have and you started to doubt you started to ask is this really the dream that I'm supposed to go for and ask the same question what do I do where do I go next where am I supposed to go from so in the Bible there was the similar so in the Bible there was this similar event uh in the lives of Peter and his friends who started to do this task they they're trying they're actually doing their job which is f so they're excited at first perhaps they're uh because they plan right all the things that they need but then they face discouragement that despite all their preparations and their experience there are fishermen by profession they were not able to do it and they got stuck but then Jesus appeared to them and asked them to do something that doesn't make sense fish again so Jesus said to Simon when he had put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch but Jesus asked this asked them to do it differently this time Jesus asked them to do it in Fe which is the final of our conversation for today so it is stepping out in Fe okay so but before that let's have Just A Brief Review or a recap of our uh series follow because we this is what we're going to talk about we're going to talk about the next steps in our series follow um but last week so Pastor M shared about this unconditional invation from Jesus that Jesus is inviting us each one of us not to join a religion what to enter into that relationship with his invitation is without requirements if you're good or if you know the Bible or if you're spiritual doesn't matter right it's unconditional and Jesus says come come as you are so but now we would like to know what is the next step what the what Does The Next Step look like when we follow Jesus so to help us understand we will look at the story of Peter uh of the story of the first disciples not just Peter when they were first called by Jesus when they were first invited to follow him so uh if you can turn on your Bible uh maybe in your phone or physical Bible in Luke 5 uh and we begin to uh at verse one but okay before we go to that just um uh say a little prayer short prayer H Lord we thank you Lord God thank you Lord for your word today Lord we praise your name we glorify you thank you Lord that you are with us Lord God speaking to us right now opening our hearts Lord to receive your truth we thank you Father God and we ask Lord God that you give us the Faith Lord God and the the understanding Lord to to do all these things that you asked us to do in your most precious name amen okay so give us just a read background of the passage so luk it is Luke who wrot the passage so anyone Bel yes so L is a doctor he's a physician and he it was told that he was a very compassionate uh with people so he's concerned with their physical and also their spiritual and actually Luke he wrote this book for to his friend the youth L uh to help him grow in faith and I think that's why it's not surprising to see a lot of uh the healing work of Jesus in in Luke's book so in the previous chapter actually we against you if you read that uh The Book of Luke he wrote about how Jesus healed Simon uh Peter's mother-in-law and of course all other people who came to him so Jesus healed many diseas many disas it's not and it's not just even physical he actually cast cast even those evil spirits from people who were processed so Jesus is quite getting popular at that time and people are searching for him and they're even begging him not to leave not to leave them but in uh Luke 4 verse 43 he said Jesus said well I must prach the good news of the kingdom of God and B so because that's why must so now let's go to the first verse uh in joh chapter 5 and it says that one day Jesus is actually at the Sea of Val he was standing there he was teaching he was preaching and there's this great crowd many people who trying to get close to Jesus because they want to listen to what his brother saying and which is the word of God so people they are following they're listening to God and I think last week Pastor M actually showed us right he gave this very good illustration of how following like in our times today right with the influencers the content creators um and who ask who ask to subscribe to them and follow them and I think because they know they know that when we follow them and listen to what they got to say eventually they get to influence us over I good inl instance if you follow them and if you listen to them and I think that's the same thing to ourselves if if we tell certain things to ourselves and listen to them over time begin to be that right so and that's the reason that we need to be careful with our words and the voices that we listen because they have the power to influence us the words and the voices that we have the power to INF and okay so maybe you're not sold to that but I think but there's actually a scientific explanation to that Sean actually told me so but to you who are uh inclined to science you might have already known this uh the way our mind works is that it functions like a set of bridge connecting our brains El so when you have this repeated thought from the voices that you listen to maybe from our environment from our past uh it reinforces that connecting Bridge related to that have you seen in uh what's What's the title of the in and out inside out have you seen those uh memories and then like when it has is like a bridge or no the lighting bridge that it gets strengthened whenever what's the name of the girl yeah when she always uh feel it or think about it and according to it so that's how our brain works so our brain actually use those with the most solid or sturdy Bridge to save time and energy and that's why we had Auto uh automated thoughts like and then we get also the automatic beh so it's really important to be aware let's be aware and notice those kind of imig messages that we are receiving from the different voices that we hear we need to ask is it helpful do it really help does it give life to you or the other way are know so moving in the story moving on so while Jesus is preaching in uh five uh Luke 5 ver he said that he noticed two empty boats at the water's edge so while Jesus is preaching and the crowd is trying to get close to him he know this wow I don't know I don't know about you but if there's so many people and I'm so busy and then feeling maybe tense you know what I'm going to do right but just not like that he actually no this the people trying to get close to him he actually noticed those two empty books because the fishermen had left them and were washing their LS so Jesus sees despite the crow and despite that big mission that he has that he needs to do is just BR the so he sees and he recognizes Jesus speakes and recognizes each one of us because he is a personal God he desires to have the personal relationship with each one of us he wants to go deep into our lives looking into our needs he wants he's concerned about the needs the challenges that we face or the greatest Longs that we have in our hearts right now again if we go back to that illustration of an influencer right so think about that favorite influencer the people that we usefully follow and lently how often do they go and concern themselves of what they're doing and I think I remember when we first came here in Australia right I was so amazed when when people and even strangers they they go to me and they said how are you doing and I said and when I first hear that I actually have to pause for a and think about my reply like and then just uh I just realize that after a while that's just how they say hello hi but of course some other people they actually improve right they actually they're interested to know but so Jesus is act is like that he is interested he doesn't just stop after hearing how we are going he wants to know our problems our worries our personal things that we want to change in our life and he doesn't just look at those SK gos but he has actually a BL he has great plans for our wellbeing our future plans to fill us with his peace and Hope that's actually the promise that we have in Jeremiah right I think one uh most of you you have this uh Live Verse so okay Jesus doesn't just look at those end of BS because look at what happens next he got Jesus got into one of the boats in Luke 5:2 said he got into one of the boats the one belonging to S Jesus got even closer and more personal by using scientist B and he asked him put it out a little from the shore again let's go back to that influencer our favorite illustr wow this is like a collab right this is a collab between popular influencers but the only weird thing here is Simon Peter is not one of those highly influencers right is not highly respected features in Jesus time that you would want to associate with to get more strong he is just a common fisherman who is having trouble with his job because he's not getting any fish right but it's this Jesus he sat down and talk the people from hisory so I think just like us Jesus as like what he did with Sim he can use whatever we have even those that we consider to be weak or broken or hopeless or even those that we think are just impossible to happen he can use them he can use that trials that challenges to develop your but that is INF him so when we follow him when you listen to his word and allow him to to work in our lives he can use all those broken pces to do the H good work us he so that we would know him and what he alone can do in our lives so if you go back to that ver this also gives us an Insight on how God actually works right he said he asked Simon to put it out a little for so it's it's not hurry it's like a gradual process of building our faith as we chose to listen to him and Obe him in now I remember I asked ad before my sister but how do you hear God's voice how do you know if God is really speaking to you and what she said actually stop with she said that it's something that you develop over time that as you get close to him and listen to what he is saying his word if you read the Bible pray for him listen to his teacher teachings you get to know and be Familiar of his voice but the key thing is to follow him in you need to follow in even in just their ways like starting with those little decisions that you have hope or or a school so wherever you may need but he said in the word give thanks to him right honor your parents acknowledge Him by asking for his guidance and work with gladness even if you're as if you're working for them right so those are little B we cannot so little when experience something but when we choose to obey when we choose to obey him in those St has his voice becomes cleer and stronger like those ftic Muslims or those bridges in the inside of when we repeatedly listen and behave according to that the voice that we listen it gets stronger so I think that's also how Simon was a now to follow Jesus as he caused him to do more to go further and go into the deep water so this is where it gets excited like if you're my sister or you're uh like watching movies just like where you get T off maybe rip your shirt because we're so excited so it says in Luke 5 verse4 when he had finished speaking Jesus he said to Simon now go out go into the deeper water and let down your nest to catch some fish because this is the time where God is telling Simon this is now your chance to test me and experience who I am my faithfulness and not just by reading or listening you're not you're you will not just know me by just reading or listening to my word but you will experience it you will get wet you will be fully immersed and know it in your bone that I am who I said I am so and look at what as time was life he said Master it all you were we work hard we work work hard I think we've met all the agents there are we've done everything we could and we do catch a thing but I love how s how I love because it was so raw and honest like he's he told Jesus you know what right he's just he's expressing his emotion and and maybe perhaps like us he when we do all the things that we can and we know to achieve something we feel that we feel frustrated and perhaps Simon is heading that with that emotional he might have felt frustrated because of all his people attempts and exhaust imagine they were all night hard last night so and there's just no way that they are able to catch and maybe he also like us it's also feeling down don't you think maybe he thinking about his past experiences like and the circumstances around around him because he's a fisherman by profession he's professional unlike Jesus who is a carpenter right so I think he knows the facts like if you know how to to go on fish like you know that time maybe you know what's the favorable condition to go out there to get to catch some fish but he chose to listen and Obed he said but if you say so even if it doesn't make sense I let down so regardless of the facts the circumstances that he in and all the other voices that might be telling him it doesn't make sense since there's no way you can get anything it'll be another waste of time and effort Simon chose to follow Jesus and that's because he knows you his word and even his voice he got to hear it because actually in the previous verse in the previous chapter we can see that Simon's father-in-law was has been healed so he had seen it he had seen what Jesus can do to other people and he have listened to his word when he listened to his pring right and so as he follows him closely allowing him to use his body he was able to build a more personal religion and trust him enough to step how so because following Jesus empowers us to live by if we get close to him if we listen to him allow him he will Empower us and it's not a blind fi right so it's an important F God wants us to know him to personally experience his love and power that we will be able to trust him by P and we can follow him so that we can live beyond our prous circumstance free from all the voices from our past or even eny or even ourselves that tries to hold us back from living that abundant as you see in this next verse because as we can see here this time Luke 5:6 this time their nests were so full of fish that it began wow anyway this night soimon experienced that abundant PCH of fish the theirs were so full that if overflows they cannot conen but it happened that time not after Simon's first try second try or 12 try it happened in that time when he stepped out in [Music] Fai and listen to what Jesus had to say so that time after we have done everything that we know that we could but nothing happened Jesus said go look again it's very familiar to me and Jason even when we when especially when we really Tred hard to get AAR and I'm sure most of you already know this story he spends so much time and effort one and you listen you listen and Trust the different agents of what they s we should do to get our PR but still come happen come to the point where we don't know anymore what to do where where to go and how we can stay here and get our visa and we will never forget that time where we feel like we're in the end of a very long journey and we're faced with this impossible room like there's nowhere to go there's no one that we can Listen to Because we've already met all of them but that's the time that we surrender we surrender everything to God and he told and we told him we're just going to follow where you want us to go where you want to leave us and we experience his power and his love for us got thank God so I know uh must have in or that old story this is our life's testimony and we're going to share it again and again to people because it when we share God's goodness we continue to be blessed we we remember his faithfulness and and we get to share that with other people because I think that's also what God intends when he blesses us right so if we look at the next verse in 5 ver 7 it says Simon shouted for help he brought their Partners in the other boat and soon both Boats were filled with Fish And on the verge of sinking so remember that empty boat the other empty boat that Jesus noticed so he does not only and to feel your vote to feel Simon's vote and get closer in personal to Simon Peter but also to those people who is around me his intention is to bless us abundantly grow our faith that it overflows and Bless the people around us especially those who are leaving the most those who might be feeling weary empty confused and even healing in her soul just like Simon when he realized what had happened Simon fell to his KN before Jesus and he said oh Lord please I am must so Jesus and Simon actually he recognized he realized that he more than what he need physically the fish that he needs to provide for his family there's actually other need a deeper need that he only got to see when he got close to Jesus and get first and it says in Luke 5:9 say said that they are in awe like they are a of what they receive and C as like as were the others with him his Partners James and John so when Simon followed Jesus he experienced his power like and understood who Jesus is he he felt humble and as he recognized his sinfulness in and in his unworthiness to get close to him he here Rec Jesus faithfulness and his unconditional love that despite of his sins and his lack of faith Jesus cares and he provides for him and calls him to have a deeper relationship with him and empowers him to live in FA strengthening him allowing him to take that even Boulder step as he follow Jesus because when we follow Jesus he is Fai he will transform Us by his love and Empower us to live of so what are your empty [Music] Goods where do you need Jesus to fill is it in your work in your studies in your marriage relationships family in your health maybe the dreams that you have Jesus is telling us tesy come on TES the challenge for us is follow him follow Jesus and experience his faithfulness and you will be empowered to live beyond your presence cumstance and to drown all those vo that tries to hold you back from ding anund so we can only do that but if we listen to God's voice let's get close to him so that we would know him better and get his voice gets stronger and clearer and that we will be able to step out in faith and of course let's remember all these fruits remember his faithfulness in our lives right so I want us to listen to this song as we remember God's faithfulness in our lives and even uh as we met on what we're going through right now so you can you can sing along uh with this with this song Thank you so much Lord thank you for your faithfulness in our lives thank you for the wonderful promises that we have in your word for us and then for giving us the Fain Lord to live live them in our lives to live Victorious Life and abundantly Lord that it overflows and bless other people thank you for calling us by our name to be part of your your church Lord God and to be to be your son and daughters Lord God giving us Lord your power and your wisdom Lord God in every decision that we make in our lives you are there we thank you so much your God ask we follow you you you Empower us Lord to live by [Music] feet and to experience more and more of your faithfulness and love to us thank you Lord and this we pray in Jesus