WHO STOLE THE COOKIE? 

Now, if you ever chaperoned an elementary class on a field trip, the title either made you smile or cringe.  One person would begin, “Who stole the cookie from the cookie jar? ”  Everyone would shout, “Not I.”  The first person would then say, “Then who?  ”  They would look around, pick a person, and continue, “Sally stole the cookie from the cookie jar.”  Sally would jump in with, “Who me?”  The bus load of very excited children would shout, “Yes you!”  Sally would come back with, “Not I.”  To which the very loud voices of 30 children would shout, “Then who?  ” Sally would slowly look around and say, “Billy stole the cookie from the cookie jar.” And it would go on and on and on.  It was a circle song which every chaperone was thrilled to see come to an end.  UNLESS … unless they heard, “99 bottles of beer on the wall …”

I actually enjoyed field trips with the kids.  I touched a snake at the zoo because the kindergarten kids said they knew I would not touch it.  I learned how the town water plant worked and all about the Dewey Decimal System.  I went to Chicago three times.  I went with our son’s class, with our daughter’s class, and once when they needed an extra adult.  Rarely did they assign a woman to be with boys, but there were three boys, in our son’s class, that they thought I could use my mean-mommy-face and control them.  Our son heard the three boys plotting to go in the Chicago Museum restroom and yell.  They laughed because they knew I would not come in.  Our son told them, “Don’t do it.  She will open the door and be in there faster than you can blink.” They didn’t try it.  Actually, we got along pretty good.  I guess the legend of my mean-mommy-face had proceeded me.

I loved going with kids on field trips.  When the school called, I always said, “Yes.”

Two blogs back, we left Jesus being attended to by the angels.  He was triumphant after being tested by the devil.  Last week I asked what controlled your life.  Let’s meet some guys who thought they were in control of their lives.  They were fishermen and they were good at it.  Then one day, they met a man.  A man who would change their world.

From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”

As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew.  They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen.  “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” At once they left their nets and followed him.

Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John.  They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets.  Jesus called them, and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.
Matthew 4:17-22

Do a gazillion questions come to mind when you read these verses?  

• When asked what they did, up to now, Simon called Peter, Andrew, James, and John would say, “I am a fisherman.” What were they to say now? 
• Why did they “at once” drop their nets and go?  Didn’t they have responsibilities? 
• How could James and John leave their dad standing in the boat?  Was Zebedee shouting for his sons to get back in the boat and take care of the nets? 
• What did Jesus see in them?  What made him pick these common, ordinary, hardworking fishermen? 
• What did they see in Jesus?  Did they stare at Jesus’ eyes and see into his soul?  Did they take his outstretched hand and feel a handshake that conveyed trust and strength? 
• Did they wonder, “What have I done?  What just happened?”
• Did they realize they had just lost control of their lives?

 ————————-

Have you lost control of your life?     

• Have you accepted Jesus and then wondered what just happened? 
• Why did you accept Jesus as your Savior?  Did you feel him in your soul?   
• What does Jesus see in you?   
• Can you follow the path Jesus has for you?  Even if it would mean walking away from all that is familiar to you? 
• Can you “at once” follow Jesus? 
• What do you call yourself now?  Can you tell people, “I am a Child of God.  A believer in Jesus Christ.  A forgiven sinner.”

The disciples turned over their lives to Jesus.  They gave up control.  Their lives changed.  Isn’t that what we are to do when we add our sins to the Cross and accept forgiveness?  Aren’t we to give up control?  Do we turn our lives over to Jesus?  OR  Do we put those sins on the Cross, accept forgiveness, and then stay in the boat? 

You have a choice.

 Do you stay in the boat? 

OR

Do you leap out of the boat, run to Jesus, and say,

“I GIVE UP CONTROL OF MY LIFE AND WILL FOLLOW YOU!”