I Will Make you... — Erlo Stegen

Thank you, Lord, that we could hear about your working. And Lord, we pray that you will not stop working. Continue the work of your hands that people may find life. And wherever your word is preached today, Lord, we pray that you will anoint your servants and that you will do great work.

And also, Lord, be in our midst, work and touch our hearts and reveal heavenly mysteries to us. Amen. Our text we will find today in Matthew chapter 4. Verse 19. And he said to them, follow me and I will make you fishers of men.

Christ’s Call to Become Fishers of Men

And I want to emphasize this part, and I will make you fishers of men. I will make you. And then in chapter 16, verse 18. I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church. I will build my church.

Amen. Oh, we haven't read it in Zulu. Sorry. I will build my church on this rock. What I'd like to speak about is the words of Jesus when he was there at the sea, and he's speaking to his disciples, saying to them, follow me and I will make you fishers of men.

I will make you to be fishers of men. We're not born to be and as fishers of men. We had someone here these days who said he was a fisherman traveling the world, the oceans, fishing. What he said he had enjoyed most was northern New Zealand where they had caught huge trout.

I said, well, haven't you ever been to Alaska? He says, yes, he has been there, but he didn't find that such a challenge just to fish there because you just pull one out after the other. But there in New Zealand, it's a huge challenge.

You've really got to hunt them down to catch them. To become a fisherman, you have to learn the nets. If you don't know how it's done, you'll never catch a fish. Someone once told me that he had traveled around and gone along many rivers, seeing many people fishing and noticed how they didn't catch any fish.

But then he said he came across an elderly man who was casting in the line and he just pulled out one trout after the other and big fish. He said, I must congratulate you. I notice how you're catching one fish after the other and all the people alongside you aren't catching anything.

What is your secret? Now, this is a special type of fish that lives in cold water and it's very expensive. I said, hey, daughter, I'm a trout. And this old man said, young man, if you want to catch trout like I do, there are three rules that you have to stick to.

If you don't do it, you'll never catch them. And no matter where you are in the world, you have to learn and apply these three rules. If you don't stick to the rules, you won't catch anything. You've seen for yourself how the others try, they catch nothing, and you've seen how I catch.

The Three Rules for Catching Trout

Point number one. He said the first rule is that if you really want to be successful at catching trout, you must hide. They mustn't see you. That's the first point. Don't forget it. The second rule is that you must hide very well.

Point number two. And he said the third rule is you must hide very well, extremely well, even better than that. He said those are the three rules. If you stick to them, you'll catch a lot of trout. If you don't, forget it.

Just leave it. So he taught this young man how to catch trout, how to catch fish. It's a terrible thing if you become a fisherman and you catch nothing. But if you become a fisher of men and don't catch any men or any fish that way, it's much, much worse.

Not Going Empty-Handed Before the Lord

Point number three. The Africans people sing a song, must I go empty-handed? Is this how I must stand before the Lord with nothing in my hands to show Him and to present to Him? Not one soul that I've led to the Lord.

Now as I've said, no one is born a fisher of men. You need to be and place yourself in the hands of the Lord that you will be clay in His hand and that He can form you like a potter forms the clay. You can have the best quality clay, the best there is, but in itself it can do nothing.

It cannot form itself. It needs to be formed. So if you want to become a fisher of men, you must place yourself into His hands, commit yourself and surrender to Him totally that He can form you. And when Jesus called Peter and Andrew, He said, follow Me and He says, and I will make you fishers of men.

I will make you. He will make you. If you want to be a successful fisher of men, then you need to be in the Lord's hands. Before He said to them, I will make you, He first said to them, follow Me. Before you can become a fisher of men, you have to become a follower of Jesus.

If you don't follow Jesus, you will never become a fisher of men. You can fish, but you will be fishing for the devil. For you to be able to lead someone to Christ, that a person can be saved and set free, you yourself first have to be a follower of the Lord Jesus.

The Disciples Leave Everything to Follow Jesus

I am amazed when I read this word. When Jesus spoke to Peter and Andrew and said, follow Me, I will make you fishers of men, they left their nets immediately. If you read in Mark, there are four fishermen that it reports on there.

One of the disciples writes and reports that when Jesus came, two sons of Zebedee were there and He said to them, follow Me, I will make you fishers of men. And they immediately left what they were doing and followed Jesus.

They even left their father behind. The father was there in the boat with them, but they left him alone. It says that the father was there together with some others that he had employed. Their father had servants.

When Jesus came, He called the two sons and Zebedee stayed and remained with his servants. Jesus is great. Jesus has the authority to call a father's son or sons while the father is there. The father can't protest and say, what are you doing?

Jesus has that authority. For the earth and the fullness thereof belong to the Lord. The Lord has the authority to call a father's son or sons while the father is there. The Lord has the authority to call a father's son or sons while the father is there.

The Lord has the authority to call a father's son or sons while the father is there. The Lord has the authority to call a father's son or sons while the father is there. The Lord has the authority to call a father's son or sons while the father is there.

The Lord has the authority to call a father's son or sons while the father is there. The Lord has the authority to call a father's son or sons while the father is there. I remember Fundis Douma who had his church in Mgeni Road in Durban.

A Warning Against Disrespecting Jesus

One day they came out of the service. And the young girls in the church, they went outside and stood next to the road, the street. And a worldly boy walked past them and started flirting with these girls.

And Fundis Douma said, stop what you are doing, he said to this young man. But this boy was cheeky and disobedient. He said, my boy, stop doing what you are doing. Don't go against the Lord Jesus. And the boy said, what Jesus?

Who's Jesus? I feel nothing for him. Bring him here and I'll take my sticks and I'll beat him up. And they parted like that. In the afternoon after he had got home and had some lunch, the telephone rang.

Fundis Douma went and answered the phone. On the other side of the line was a nursing sister from the hospital saying, Reverend, I'm sorry to trouble you, but there's someone who needs you desperately here in hospital.

And off he went. When he got there, the sister was waiting for him and she took him straight to the ICU. And when he came into the ICU, there he saw someone lying there in the bed with all sorts of life supports, keeping him alive.

When he got there, it was a man lying there and he said, oh, Reverend, Reverend. And then Reverend Douma looked and he suddenly recognized that this was that young man that a few hours before had said to him, you bring your Jesus here, I'll take my sticks and I'll beat him up.

What happened after he had said that to Fundis Douma, he went on his way and on his way he was run over by a car and was critically injured. Now Reverend Douma was a man who was known for his stand. His nickname was Fire.

He stood for what he knew was right. He was a man who was known for his stand. When Reverend Douma saw it was this young man, he said, young man, now you get out of your bed, take your sticks and you beat up Jesus as you said you would.

And he turned around and he walked out. He didn't even pray with him. And he left him there and that young man died after that. Don't you take your finger and stick it into God's eye. Once I related this story and a white person came to me after that and said, well, he doesn't agree with what Fundis Douma did.

I said, well, you won't agree because you yourself are a Papuk. You need to understand and realize who Jesus is. Whether you're a Christian or not, you need to know who he is. He is the owner of everything that there is.

But in spite of that, he left heaven, he died on the cross for you, he went down to hell just for your sake. In spite of who he is, do you think that you have the right to treat him like your rag? So he has the right and the authority to say to anyone, follow me.

And that's so nice to see how these two young men dropped what they were doing, they followed him. They didn't even consult with their father. They went off following the Lord. And that's so nice to see how these two young men dropped what they were doing, they followed him.

Saul’s Obedience to Christ’s Call

Cell phone. Cell phone. Cell phone. Saul who later became Paul says when the Lord called him, he says, I didn't consult with flesh and blood. In spite of the fact that he was a Pharisee, his father was a Pharisee, but he says he didn't consult with flesh and blood.

He followed the Lord. The Lord has the right to call you. He didn't even send SMS's or phone him on a cell phone. No, the Lord had called him. Now when Jesus calls you and when he says to you, follow me, it's no small thing.

We are. We are. We are. We are. We are. We are. We are. We are. We are. We are. We are. We are. We are. We are. We are. We are. We are. We are. We are. Now people always are following something. There are things which you follow in your life.

Following Jesus Requires a Change of Direction

One thing or the other you will be following. Now obviously when the Lord comes and he says follow me, that means that you will have to stop following those other things and start following him. You have to do a right about turn and forget about all the dreams and ambitions and goals that you had had in life before.

Because this now becomes important to you. One can understand why these men became disciples of the Lord Jesus. For when the Lord came and said follow me, there was the father, there were the servants, the whole business was there for them.

And they turned their backs on everything and followed him. No wonder. At that time. At that time there were many Pharisees and Sadducees and scribes and priests and the theologians of the time, the professors.

But the Lord didn't go and call all of those. He came and called these people because he knew that if he calls them and says follow me, they would do exactly that. They were well educated. Well trained.

They had authority behind their names. But these people nothing. But they had more. They had obedience. Obedience. Obedience. You may be the most wise man on earth and clever guy. You're just a clever devil.

If you can't follow Christ when he calls you, say follow me. When he calls you, you cannot say well Lord, let me first consult with my husband or with my wife or with my children, hear what they say. No, when Jesus calls you, it requires obedience.

Giving Up Ambitions to Obey the Lord

Obedience. And there are blacks who have given up their goals and their careers. Even if you think of Fanon who was studying to become a doctor. When the Lord said follow me, he left what he was doing and followed the Lord in spite of the fact that the relatives, they couldn't understand.

They couldn't understand how he could do such a thing. There's Brother Bruno as well. The Lord said come, follow me. And so there are others too who were prepared to give up everything when the Lord said follow me.

It's a pity that in spite of the fact that there are those that have followed the Lord's call, there are so many and even especially today where the young people don't seem to realize what it means when the Lord calls them.

When the Lord says follow me, that doesn't mean that you then must respond and say yes Lord, I'll follow you. And then you continue with exactly what you were doing. Nothing changes. You just say yes Lord, but you continue with what you're doing.

When the Lord says follow me, it means something will change in your life. You'll have to change direction. You'll have to give up many things that you were doing before. But then you will be going into university that is better than any other university you can find.

For all the other things are temporary. They're just here for this time. But thereafter are worthless. Now I'm not a black, I'm a white, and now I want to tell you what I did. I was up there in the Eastern Transvaal in the Malilan area at Cop Maiden.

When the Lord called me, I can tell you exactly where I was. I can show you that mountain where I was sitting behind. I can show you that mountain where I was sitting behind. And so the Lord can speak to us in a language that we understand no matter who we are and what background we're from the Lord can speak to us in such a way that we'll understand exactly what he's saying to us and so I said well Lord now please give me the answer that I need I want that seal on my life as I've told you what my plans are open the Bible and the Lord said to me and I read this very verse and he said to them follow me and I will make you fishes of men well that was a slap in the face for me but that's how God put his seal on my life where he made it very clear to me what he was expecting from me and there's no doubt in my mind that this is what God has called me to now I can't say anymore but I still want to I want to be this or that it was difficult for me very difficult but eventually I got to the point where I said Lord I'm prepared I want your will to be done you do with my life what you want and that's why I am here today because of how the Lord spoke to me over there.

Becoming Clay in God’s Hands

I will make you he says and so I need to give myself surrender myself give myself into his hands that he can form this claim as he wants to and then he will work through you. He will do the work and touch people's hearts that they will repent and come to the Lord.

Are you clay in God's hands. Have you committed yourself fully to him and have said to him Lord you make me you for me. Now excuse me I'm trying to go through this quickly because of time. And so to the second part where he says I will make you to be fishes of men and then I will make you.

Christ Alone Is the Foundation of the Church

So here again we see that we don't build the church. Here's the one that builds it he says like a wise builder. I have laid the foundation. I'll let each one take care how he builds on it and I say to you that you are Peter and upon this rock I will build my church.

And the gates of Hades will not overpower it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven and whatever you shall lose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.

You get some super Christians that say we only believe in God. We don't look at men. We don't listen to men. And those people are the slaves of men. God has got to be God that he's got his disciples and his servants as well.

God that can lead you according to God's word not taking the place of God's word. He entrusted even Peter with the keys of heaven. He gave him divine authority before Pentecost the Lord Jesus blew the spirit upon his disciples and gave them divine authority.

Whom you forgive shall be forgiven. Whom you bind shall be bound. Just imagine how people can go against confession doesn't go in my head. They believe part of the Bible and many parts they don't believe Peter.

I'll give you keys to bind and to loosen. And you say oh no you don't need Peter. And you make yourself into a Peter. And he says he who receives you receives me. Who doesn't receive you rejects me. I separate those that are those who are his true servants from Jesus.

Some people think they sound of a sound mind and they spiritually mad and ignorant. They don't know what the Bible says in spite of the fact that sits in their heads. Let's leave that and carry on now.

That was by the way but I hope that you've gotten here to here. Make that stupid mistake again. I said to Peter I tell you you are Peter and on this rock I will build my church. Now we know that Roman Catholicism says that Peter is the rock and that Jesus builds his church on that rock.

I'd like to make it very clear and plain to you that you'll never have a Paul said as a wise master builder I've laid the foundation which is Jesus Christ and we've got to see how we build upon it. Wise men as wise men sit.

You can't take it for granted that every Christian is wise. You get the most foolish people amongst Christians. Now the foundation is Jesus Christ. There's no other foundation. It's not Peter it's not Paul.

Petros and Petra: Christ as the Rock

Now some are confused by this word. I tell you you are Peter and on this rock I will build my church. In Greek it is I tell you you are Petros and on this rock he doesn't say on this Petros. He says on this Petra.

In Greek it is I tell you you are Petros and on this rock he doesn't say on this Petra. Petros and Petra so they're two different words which are used Petros and Petra. Now in Greek Grammy Petros is masculine in Greek.

Petros is Lisa masculine masculine. No feminine. Petros is masculine. Petra is feminine. So he speaks of this rock. Petros is a big piece of rock. Petra is feminine much bigger feminine a huge rock like the Gibraltar.

You see some women are bigger than men make it easy then you know feminine is bigger. The English they speak about big ship she feminine. It's like that you English-speaking people yeah big boat is the she that Gibraltar.

Petra is the Gibraltar a big rock. Petros compared with Petra is just a small thing. The feminine is the Gibraltar big rock and Jesus said Peter you are this rock but on the Gibraltar I'll build my church and who's that Gibraltar?

That's Jesus. The rock. The eternal rock. Now why did he say Petros you're a rock a big piece of rock but nothing compared with the Gibraltar the big rock. Jesus was with his disciples and he asked them he said what do you say of the Son of Man?

What do you say? Who am I? And then Peter said you are the Son of the Living God. And then Jesus answered he said Peter you are blessed privileged people should be envious of you you son of Jonah for flesh and blood did not reveal this to you but my heavenly father in heaven for my father in heaven.

And he said Peter on this rock which is Jesus Christ the Son of the Living God on that rock will I build my church. So if somebody says well the church is built on Peter then you say my dear brother sister you're not hitting the mark you are missing the mark.

Peter was Petros but his church is built on Petra. Your problem is that you don't understand Greek and grammar the Greek grammar Petros masculine Petra feminine is Fasani. So Petra is that huge rock which is Jesus Christ the Son of the Living God which is Jesus Christ and if you built on that rock you are safe and you stand sure and that rock is bigger than the Gibraltar because even if the whole earth moves that rock doesn't move.

Blessed is the one who is built on that rock who has had that mystery revealed to him. And then when the Lord gave Peter the keys he said the Son of Man will be persecuted and crucified. He said I need to go he needs to go to Jerusalem and they will fall into the hands of the priests the high priests and the scribes and killed but then die and rise on the third day.

Self-Denial and Taking Up the Cross

And then Peter took the Lord aside and said to him Lord do not speak like that. And Jesus said to him get behind me Satan. Why? Now this man who is built on the rock who has got the keys has changed into a Satan.

People speak a lot about pray pray pray pray pray we must pray more we pray too little. And they don't understand that pray is secondary in the second place Jesus said watch and pray. And that's why the people that pray a lot and don't watch are erring the most.

Why did Peter become a Satan so quickly? With the keys in his hand he said get behind me Satan because you are in my way. Peter was a hindrance to him at the same time a snake. As you don't see and you don't mind as God sees and minds.

You have got the nature of God and the quality of God in you but of men. You don't think the way God thinks. You think the way men think. And I'd like to tell everybody here even if you are born again you are very very close to men.

You are very close to the human and that's why you got to watch. You may think you are still safe and God calls you a devil. You see how easily you can slip and you can fall as a Christian. If you don't stay close to Christ and I would like to say to aid not only close to him but in him.

Then Jesus said to his disciples If anyone desires to be my disciple let him deny himself. You have got to deny yourself if you want to be a disciple of Christ. That is to lose sight of yourself to forget yourself and your own interests.

And take up your cross. And when you have taken that cross you have got no right. And when you have taken that cross you have got no right. And so the cross becomes a huge stumbling block in the time that we live today.

Where everyone has to get his rights and has so many rights. But the cross of Jesus takes away those rights. Now Jesus is building his church upon the Petra and we are like stones in the church. And that means we have got to deny ourselves.

We have got to die to ourselves. We have got to take the cross upon ourselves. We have got to take the cross upon ourselves. We have got to take the cross upon ourselves. We have got to take the cross upon ourselves.

Unity, Holiness, and Removing Division

So we need to allow the Lord to build his church. And that we will be the right types of stones. And that we won't be a hindrance and become Satan to the Lord. And stand in his way as he is trying to build his church.

And that we stay that type of person right to the end. Those who have given up their own ambitions and who have put the Lord first. Now I don't know whether what I have said to you sounds like a fairy tale to you.

But this is the crux of the matter. And if you are not prepared to die and become nothing. You are a curse in the church of Christ. Not my will, Lord, but your will be done. Not my rights, Lord, but your rights.

Not my way, Lord, but your way. And now we could continue speaking about what the church should look like. One in unity and in the spirit and in holiness. And in Titus it says. If the person brings out about division in the church.

Warn him once, warn him twice, and then let him go. He's got no place in the church. If the person brings division. And how can you be one with those that sow division in our midst? You are one with them because that's the type you are.

The Bible says you should have nothing to do with him. And if you are a friend of such a person. You are exposing yourself. That's what you are. And the sooner you follow him, the better. Let's bow our heads and pray Lord, we've heard that you will make us fishes of men.

Prayer for Christ to Build His Church

Lord, now please work in our midst and make us into fishes of men. That there will be no one in our midst who cannot win others to Christ. That by that you can build your church. Not just our own church, but your church.

So Lord, please build your church. And even though we may be a Petros, let us all realize that you are the Petra. Lord, please work in a wonderful way that your name will be glorified. Build your church that even the gates of Hades will not be able to overpower it.

Amen.