We welcome you to Stone's Hill today!

A typical Stone's Hill service has:

* music (so feel free to sing out);

* some announcements (things that are upcoming that you can be a part of);

* a message out of the Bible (God speaks to us through his Word);

* and an opportunity for you to respond to the message (either immediately in the case of a decision that needs to be made OR in the future as you live out the message in your daily life.)

So relax and enjoy your morning! We're so glad you are here!

The Chosen - Episode 4
The Gospel is not so much an argument to assent to (though there are many arguments one can make for the Gospel); but more than this, the Gospel is a person that you place your confidence in.

Episode 4
In Episode 4, Peter finally levels with his wife Eden. With the pressure of his mother-in-law’s illness closing in on him, he entreats his wife Eden. “Please listen to me. I haven’t been honest with you.” Her eyes widen. “There’s no woman, it’s not gambling…” Peter has her attention now. Peter said, “I’ve been fishing on Shabbat because I’ve had no choice. Andrew has tax debts. I’ve got tax debts. We haven’t been able to keep up. I did some things I’m not proud of to fix it, and now it’s gone bad, and – we’re in trouble.” Eden quickly interjects, “We? What do you mean?” Peter quickly clarifies, “I’m in trouble… I could go to prison. We could lose the house… If I don’t catch a ton of fish or get some help somehow, they’ll arrest me.”

Peter rushes off for a night of fishing, but not before his wife Eden gives him a reality check. “You’re not the man I married… That is why you are stuck, and you feel desperate, and now you are off to try to fix it yourself again.” “So go,” she’s sobbing now. “I don’t want you her tonight anyway… I’m glad you’re at least honest with me. But no more talking. Maybe God can get your attention now.”

Peter trudges out, as dejected as he’s ever been. He’s brought all this on himself, he knows, and he’s wounded the woman he loves more than anyone else on earth. Then Andrew shows up and says, “Messiah is finally here.” Simon shakes his head because in his mind, it changes nothing about his desperate situation; he has to get the boat and the oars and nets into the water.

Simon has been a lifelong fisherman. He knows all the species of fish. He’s not a big man, but he’s hardened and toned. He’s also realistic. He knows that even a successful haul this night won’t come close to satisfying his debt.

As the night of fishing wears on, he grunts and groans with a solitary effort. He tries both sides of the boat, front and back. He tries coves and inlets, favorite spots, even areas he’s left to other fisherman the last few years. All Simon knows to do is cast and cast and cast his net. Slowly he begins to boil. And now he seethes – throwing equipment, stomping about, ferociously cutting through snagged and tangled nets. Finally, he cries out, bellowing in rage. As the hours pass, he spends himself. At one point he simply sits, shoulders drooping.

Then he has it out with God. Simon struggles to his feet and snatches up the net. He says to God: “Make the Chosen as many as the stars, only to let Egypt enslave us for generations?” With a grunt, he flings the net into the water yet again. “Bring us out of Egypt, part the Red Sea, only to let us wander in the desert for forty years? Give us the land, only to let us be exiled in Babylon? Bring us back, only to be crushed by Rome? This is the God I’ve served so faithfully for my entire life! You’re the God I’m supposed to thank! You know, if I didn’t know any better, I’d say You enjoy yanking us around like goats and can’t decide whether we’re chosen or not! Which one is it? Huh?”

Peter and his friends stop fishing, exhausted. Jesus asks Peter and the gang to throw the net in one more time for a catch. Peter is reluctant but does it anyway. What happens next totally breaks him.

Broken Things... Growth Things...
Let’s talk about us for a moment.

I see the broken things in this passage. Things get broken in life…

A Broken Net (v. 6) – something you really needed breaks. When the big moment comes, your equipment fails.

A Broken Man (v. 8) – something inside you breaks. You realize your life priorities are all screwy.

A Broken Partnership (v. 10) – someone you really counted on breaks. They leave you to clean the fish.

I see the growth things in this passage… how to go deeper.

Learn more.... Verse 1 One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, the people were crowding around him and listening to the word of God. Growing spiritually puts you in a position to see Jesus work in both your life and the lives of others.

Launch out.... Verse 4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water…” If Peter had said no, then no catch. The fish didn’t jump up in the boat or flop up on the shore all by themselves. God loves to do things via human agency that is filled with Christ’s presence.

Leave all.... Verse 11 So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him. Peter had to not only make Jesus Captain of the Boat; he had to make Him Lord of all life.

Are you broken? Do you need to grow? Join Peter at the knees of Jesus.